Her Mixtape (Extended Version), Stranger Things

𝖝𝖎. Max Mayfield

Mrs. Roberto hesitated; a beat passed. "We're thinking of naming her Celeste."

"Oh." Rue wasn't sure what else to say. An inkling feeling crawled under her skin at the sound of the name that was so strangely familiar. Familiar.

It disappeared just as quickly as it came on.

"What's wrong, Rue?" Mrs. Roberto didn't seem phased by Rue's reaction. She tilted her head, "Don't like the name?"

"No, no," Rue shook her head, puffing out a nervous breath, "It's not that. It's a cute name. Super cool."

Max had a different opinion, though, and she snorted loudly, leaning on the white picket fence of Mrs. Roberto's yard. Her bright red hair fell over her shoulders, spreading across her black sweater. "Celeste? Like Celestial? Celestial bodies from space? God, that's so lame."

Rue sucked in a sharp breath, glaring at the back of Max's head. "Max, that's mean."

"I'm just saying," She rolled her eyes, taking a step back to stand at Rue's side again. "It's nerdy as fuck."

Mrs. Roberto never took offence to Max's words. She ignored them and glanced at Rue again, a weird yet playful smile on her face when she met her eyes, "If Celeste doesn't cut it, our backup was Estella. Like, Star Child. And we were going to use my maiden name: Davis."

Rue blinked, "Your maiden name is Davis?"

"Brenda Davis." Mrs. Roberto- Brenda, nodded.

"Estella Davis." Max let out a strange sound from the back of her throat as if she was trying not to laugh for Rue's sake. "God, and I thought Maxine sucked. Imagine your name being Estella Davis, the Star Child," she smacked Rue's arm playfully, "Could you imagine that, Rue?"

Estella Davis.

There it was again: that feeling. Familiar. Rue thought. Oddly familiar. It made her stomach turn and twist into knots, similar to the feeling she had when she saw that businessman with the scar across his face. Familiar. Familiar. Familiar.

Trying her hardest not to vomit, a strange squeak came out of her mouth before she nodded, a forced laugh finally spilling out when she tried to play off with Max's joke. "Hah, yeah. Weird name... It's... it's still cool though, Mrs. Roberto."

Estella Davis.

Star Child. Star Child.

Rue's smile never reached her eyes after that, the name following her in a haunting chant. Even after Brenda left in her car for work and even when Rue was back in the haven of her house; Max sat on the couch, now searching through movies to watch; Rue paced in the kitchen, flipping through the pages of her grandmother's old notebook, mind torn between the realization that a random girl she met the day before is in her house and that stupid name.

Estella Davis. Estella Davis. Estella Davis.

"Hey, Rue?" The sounds of Max calling her name from the couch tears her out of her head.

Rue freezes mid-step, suddenly aware of everything around her; the sizzling of pans on the stove; music in her ears from her headphones; the autumn sun peering into the kitchen from the windows, a strange notion that the clouds haven't covered Hawkins in days. Rue wonders if a rainy day will surprise them one night.

"Rue?"

The name crosses her mind for a split second; Estella Davis.

"Uh, yeah?" Rue pulls her headphones down, turning off the stove before she makes her way around the kitchen island to the living room. "What is it?"