✓ Her Mixtape, Stranger Things

iii. chaotically soft

　Mr. Clarke stopped the ginger before she got any further.

　"All right, hold up there. You don't get away that easy. Come on up, don't be shy," Max rolled her eyes, making Rue grin and look back down to doodle on her notes.

　"Dustin, drum roll," he said.

　Dustin quickly shut his book, tapping on it rapidly.

　"Class, please welcome, all the way from Sunny California . . . the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage . . . Maxine!"

　"It's Max," she said.

　"Excuse me?"

　"Nobody calls me Maxine. it's Max," she corrected him.

　"Well, all aboard, Max." he let her free, and she quickly walked to the back of the room, taking a seat behind the only person she knew, Rue Newby.

　Ruth turned around with a small smile on her face. "Mr. Clarke is a passionate teacher. He loves big introductions."

　"Yeah, I noticed," Max sighed, glaring at a group of boys who stared at her from the corner of her eyes.

　Rue looked at her sincerely, "I remember my first day he made me say what my favourite school subject was and why it was Science."

　Max chuckled softly, shaking her head, and Rue felt a hint of pride in her chest before she turned around again and paid attention to the rest of the class.

（ ₊˚. ✰┊📼 ! ）

　"All you have to do now is put your foot down and push," Max explained to the girl who stood on the board with wheels, both her hands held onto Rue's waist so she wouldn't fall this time.

　Rue felt her heart race as she put one foot down and started to push, "There you got it!" She heard Max say, the ginger's hands sliding away from her waist.

　Rue looked behind her to find Max giving her thumbs-up, and she held her arms out for balance.

　A breathy laugh escaped from her lips as she felt the cool breeze through her hair. It was a nice feeling, the wind making her lose hair fly behind her as she rode across the yard.

　She lost herself with the feeling, and her eyes fluttered shut. Breathing in the autumn air, Rue grinned, feeling all her pain and worries fly off her shoulders momentarily. She liked this; the warm sun rays shining on her skin, while the breeze made her feel almost as if she were flying.

　But her pain-free moment didn't last as long as she wanted, since the next thing she knew, she wasn't standing on the skateboard but lying on the floor. Her soft hands hit the gadget ground.

　Her palms and one of her knees were burning softly, but the feeling from riding the board still lingered as Rue opened her eyes with a smile on her face.

　"Shit — " She could hear Max cursing.

　Rue stared at the blue sky before Max's face popped up, her blue eyes filled with worry. "Holy shit, are you okay?"

　She laughed gently, fighting back the urge to apologize for falling. Max said she doesn't have to apologize for messing up. It is human to err. Rue reminded herself.