Valerie Archer hated doctors. She hated doctors and hospitals and the dentist, and she most definitely hated Hawkins lab.
It made the girl feel exposed and vulnerable; because she was, both mentally and physically exposed and she loathed every bit of it. From the poking and prodding to the itchy paper gowns and sticky wires, it all sucked.
"Can you hear what they're saying?" Will questioned, his left hand intertwined with Valerie's ring-clad hand. "You ask that every time and the answer never changes." Valerie chuckled lightly, her voice never rising above a whisper. "Yeah, I know." Will sighed.
"What did you talk to Dr. Owens about?" She questioned, keeping her eyes glued to the wall across from her. "You know, the usual. Halloween candy, dreams, episodes." Will shrugged, before looking up at the girl sitting beside him. "You?"
"Oh, the same as you. Movies, nightmares, nose bleeds." Valerie explained shortly, greatly downplaying the topics of discussion from thirty minutes beforehand. A comfortable silence fell over the two kids as their conversation came to a lull.
"Will," Valerie spoke up, breaking the short period of silence. "Yeah, Val?" He hummed. "You know we can talk, right? Joyce and Johnathan, even the boys, they might not get it but I get it." She spoke, holding tightly onto his hand. "Yeah, I know. And you can talk to me too if you want."
Valerie finally let her eyes fall on the skinny boy sitting beside her. The girl didn't have a younger sibling, thus she had never understood the compulsion others felt to protect one, but if she had to guess the feeling she currently felt was similar to that.
"Thanks, Will." Valerie smiled before letting her head fall to the side, resting it on top of Will's as they waited eagerly for their parents to exit Rachel's office. The sound of the door creaking open caused both kids to jump up in anticipation.
"All done?" Valerie questioned, giving Will a look that warned him not to immediately question the adults on their conversation like he had done many times before. "Yep. Alrighty, you ready?" Joyce forced a smile onto her face. Will nodded as the woman wrapped her arm around the boy's shoulders.
"Mom?" Valerie questioned, eyeing the woman's white coat. "Sorry, honey, I've got a few things to finish up." Rachel apologized, causing Valerie's eyes to roll as she folded her hands over her chest. "Come on, kiddo. You can catch a ride with me." Hopper offered.
"Fine, whatever." Valerie scoffed. "Hey, see you tonight?" The man questioned. "Yeah, I shouldn't be too late. I'll page if anything changes." Rachel nodded, slipping her hands into her pockets.
"I'm gonna be late for practice," Valerie complained, pulling at the man's arm. "Yeah, yeah, alright. Let's go brat."
✦
"Oh, girls just wanna have fun." Valerie sang lowly, twisting her waist in different directions as she examined the way her pink and green collar pullover fell on her thin body. The girl huffed, untucking the fabric only to tuck it right back into her denim jeans the same way it was previously tucked.
"Valerie!" A voice called out, causing her to groan in annoyance. "You can't rush perfection-" The girl was cut off as she let out a screech caused by her opening the bathroom door only to be met by a short figure hidden under a thin white sheet.
YOU ARE READING
Play// Stranger Things
Fanfiction"Don't hide away, come out and play" ⤷ ❝ In which sixteen year old Valerie Archer had never known anything but running, and small-town Hawkins was a place with so much to run from but nowhere to go. ❞ ... A stranger things fan fiction
