Thora bundled herself and her belongings into the car and gripped the steering wheel until Robin caught up with her and got in.
"I'm so sorry for running away like that, Rob. I just didn't know what to do," Thora says apologetically but still full of nervous energy.
"It's honestly ok, Ra. Had our seats been switched, I wouldn't have known what to do either." She says genuinely but slowly breaks into a laugh, "Though, I don't think I will *ever* forget that face you pulled in there today. It was...well...dramatic!" She says, erupting with laughter, "Maybe you both have more in common than I thought."
Thora can't help but laugh a little, too. Robin's laughter was way too infectious, "Alright, alright, laugh it up, why don't ya?" Thora says, starting up the car.
"Say do you fancy a drive, or have you gotta head back on time tonight?" Thora asks, drumming the steering wheel
"I've got time," Robin says in between fits of giggles, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeves.
As they drive along, Thora asks, "So what do you think all that was about today? I thought it was a case of total flirtation to get the help he needed, and then just continuing to make me feel awkward for his amusement" she adds her thoughts statement.
Robin thinks for a moment, "As your friend, I want to tell you the object of your affection is totally into you, and you should run away and have very hairy kids. But, as a logical person, Eddie is very charismatic for all his sharp edges, and I've seen him flirt with various people. Like, vastly different. I see him as an opportunist, and you know what, I think often he's successful. Never seen him anything long-term though, you know?"
"Yeah, that's true. I haven't been here that long, and I've observed that too. Honestly, though, I could have just died in that class, and now I have this in my hair." Thora points at the scrunchie in her hair. "Which was very helpful of him. Even though I don't know who the hell it belongs to!! I am trying not to make this weird, but I am failing, Rob. Failing hard," Thora pouts.
"Imagine having that kind of confidence. You know, to do what he did today. Just see some girl, and be like I'm just gonna go for it, see what happens. It wasn't like it was just us there either. Sure, it was just the science nerds and us, but it didn't phase him. He thought about it too. It wasn't a mistake. I saw him snatch that scrunchie back from you." Robin says as if she can barely believe it happened herself.
Thora can hear the tinges of jealousy in Robin's words. Not because it was Eddie, and not because it was Thora, but because he could do that whenever and wherever he wanted and receive no social backlash or a witch hunt.
Thora glances over at Robin and sees her slumped lower in her chair.
"You know Rob, one day we'll be free of these backwards thinking places, and you will be able to do those things. Except you'll be way more successful than Eddie Munson," Thora offers.
"You think so?" Robin asks, half unsure and glum sounding
"Are you kidding me? Your gonna be such a successful director. People will be literally throwing themselves at the foot of your custom-made suit from London. Which will make it all the more amazing when you see that girl across the room. know she's the one, and go up to her and say, 'Why do you put the pins in like that?' " Thora tries to make Robin laugh.
A laugh doesn't come. Instead, Thora looks over at Robin, who has tracks of tears spilling down her cheeks. Thora reaches over to hold her arm.
"It's so hard just existing in a place like this." Robin sniffles, "I don't get to experience the same things as everyone else because if I mess up just once...you know...that's it for me. Everything has to be so secret. I hate it! I hate this town!"
Robin chokes back a loud sob, "It's not even like it's bad, you know? It's just love or attraction. It's not that different. Yet it upsets so many people, and I can't work out why. Do you know what's worst of all? When they think it's something you choose. Like, why the fuck, would I make life any harder than it needs to me? How can me having a boyfriend bother no one but a girlfriend blows their minds? It's the same amount of information. It's the same thing! I'm not asking for anything extra." She says, hitting her knees with her balled-up fists.
Thora just listens. She has no idea what to say...but she might just know what to do.
Thora takes a sharp turn off the main road into a hiking area and quickly parks the car.
"Ra! What the hell are you doing?" Robin says in alarm, rubbing the tears from her eyes.
Thora scrambles for a tape from the glove box, slams it in the radio, turns up the volume really loud, and sprints to the other side of the vehicle, at Robin's window. Bows puts the scrunchie on her wrist, shaking out her wild head of hair. She runs backwards into the grassy area as the beginning notes of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights blare out of the car.
Thora gives the choreography her best shot, from what she can remember from the music video and improvises the rest. Making sure the facial expressions are as animated as possible.
Throwing herself around in nature until Robin finally starts to smile, but Thora dares not stop mid-way through a song, so she offers her hand to Robin to join her.
"Come on, Rob", Thora coaxes with a spin and kicks up some dust ungracefully.
Robin just shakes her head at Thora. Robin's laughter filling the car and surroundings makes Thora's smile widen.
Thora runs up to the car door and opens it, trying to drag Robin out, "Rob! Just submit to the power of Kate Bush, already."
"I don't know the moves!" Robin says breathlessly between laughs.
"And you think I do?" Thora scoffs, "It's a bit tai chi, a bit contemporary dance, a bit whatever you feel like. Just go for it" Thora turns to the wilderness and bellows ", There ain't no one else here!!!"
The tape clicks over, and the song repeats as the two teenagers dance in the arms of Mother Nature as the sun sets.
Sometime later, covered in dust and tiny bits of greenery, they both pile back in the car. Sides and faces hurting from laughing, they both sigh.
Thora turns to Robin, "I will always have your back, Rob. No matter what." She smiles over at Robin, "You can't get rid of me now. I'm the forever kind of infection," Thora smirks, tying her hair back up and starting up the car, "Let's get out of here."
Robin smiles at Thora, "Thanks, Ra," she adds, replacing the tape with Madonna's latest album.
"You hungry?" Thora asks as they drive back onto the main road.
"Hey, is that Eddie's Van?" Robin says, completely ignoring the question. Thora turns to where she's looking.
"Yeah, looks like it. Wonder if he's dancing around to Kate Bush somewhere in the wilderness?" Thora chuckles and scans the van to see if he'd broken down, but he wasn't there.
"Urgh, give it a rest, fantasist!" Robin says with disgust, making Thora burst out laughing, "Yeah, I could eat a little something, more likely a drink, though, seeing as I've had my exercise for the week"
"To the diner!!" Thora commands and heads its way.
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The Reflex
फैनफिक्शनLittle Romance/fun/angst series set in 1984 Hawkins Characters: Original Character, Robin Buckley, Eddie Munson Warnings: Fluff, swearing, mild bullying, frog dissection (not detailed or gory) , dancing, music, romance, kissing, angst Notes: This F...
