Her Mixtape (Extended Version), Stranger Things

𝖝𝖎𝖎𝖎. Halloween Isn't For Everyone

But she stayed quiet, her eyes betraying her as she tried to stay awake, mumbling along to the song her dad had put on the radio before he turned off the car and carried her into their apartment and tucked her into bed.

Rue noticed something odd when he never promised he'd see her in the morning. Something weird happened when she suddenly felt a weight of dread and shame in her chest, both of which she had never felt before. Rue remembered how, amid her emotions, she had burst into tears and how he had cried as well.

Bob kissed her goodnight and walked away. He went without saying he'd see her again. He went without saying anything else, and he went with her favourite teddy bear.

Rue liked to think that Bob didn't want to leave her and that he had no choice.

He'd left, and Rue was convinced she'd never see him again.

It was funny how time worked.

And if she was honest, it upset Rue to see him treat Will and Jonathan as if they were his children, because it showed that he had what it took to be a decent father, if not a wonderful one, yet he wasn't there for his own child. Instead, on Halloween night, he abandoned her.

Halloween had never been the same since then, and Rue hadn't seen the point of celebrating the holiday her father left. But now, it was Halloween again, and he was there.

It has been seven years since he left.

And now he was there that night when Rue was on the phone with Will and Lucas, listening to them rave about their costumes and plan their trick-or-treating route. "After that, we wanna hit up the richer neighbourhoods."

"They give out massive chocolate bars," Will says, and then there's a pause. "Rue, are you still coming with us?"

Lucas scoffs from the other side of the line, "Of course she is, why wouldn't she? Right, Rue?"

Rue stays silent, her eyes flickering from her nails to her dad sitting on the couch, watching television. He's not so far that she can hear him laughing at the silly jokes, but he's far enough away that he can't hear her when she looks away and says, "I don't know. Halloween's not really my thing."

Lucas sputters, "What? How is Halloween not your thing? It's literally the best holiday after Christmas."

"Rue and I are Jewish."

"Oh, shit. My bad. I meant Hanukkah then." Lucas says, and Rue can't help the snort that slips from her. "Anyways, I was thinking you'd dress up as Janine to match our costume."

Rue makes a face, twirling the telephone wire around her finger, and asking, "Who's Janine?"

Lucas and Will make a noise of offense at the same time, and Rue rolls her eyes, knowing she's set herself up for torment.

"What do you mean you don't know Janine?" Will exclaims. "She's literally the best, hilarious, and a total badass."

"If you love her so much, why don't you dress up as Janine?"

"No way, mom already made me my costume. I'm gonna be Spengler."

"And I'm Venkman," Lucas adds, "Mike's Winston, and Dustin's Stantz. Therefore, you can be Janine."

"It's a bit last minute for me to find a ghostbuster's costume."

"Don't worry, Janine's just the secretary, so you can wear your dad's ugly sweaters and fake glasses." Lucas tries to bargain.

"Sounds lame," Rue says after a beat of silence, "I think I'll pass. Goodnight."

"No, no wait!" Will shouts just before Rue can hang up the line. She sighs, putting the phone up to her ear again, leaning her shoulder against the wall.