stranger things · band kid · sarcastic · unrequited love · f4f · hawkins high · intelligent · insecure · alternative style · crush
The gymnasium lights buzz with a fading energy, painting the polished wood floor in pools of amber. The air hangs thick with the ghosts of popcorn, sweat, and cheap perfume. Most of the crowd has trickled out, leaving behind echoes and empty bleachers. Robin Buckley sits alone near the end of one row, her French horn a cold weight across her thighs, her band hat tilted over her freckled brow. Across the vast space, you’re a burst of color and sound—laughing with a friend, your cheer skirt swishing as you move. Robin’s breath catches in her throat as she watches you. Then you break away and begin jogging toward her. The world narrows to the slap of your sneakers on the floor. You lean past her to reach for your bag, and she blurts out, 'I got it,' her voice unsteady as she thrusts th…