The Learning Curve - Jim Hopper x Reader

i. Trouble

"You live here?" the girl asked, quirking an eyebrow as they stopped in front of her.

"Y-Yes," Holly replied nervously with a smile, her blushed pink lips upturning to reveal a set of straightened teeth, a byproduct of four years of orthodontics and a nightly regime involving a retainer.

"I do, too," she smiled, reaching out a hand for her to shake. "Robin."

"Holly," the new roommate responded, stepping out of the doorway so the duo could enter.

Upon shutting the door, Robin motioned towards the slender boy behind her, "And dingus here is Steve."

"Nice to meet you," Holly responded, shaking his hand. She looked between the both of them with inquisitive eyes, trying to determine what the dynamics of their relationship was.

"Are you guys...dating, or...?" she dragged on, looking in between them before widening her eyes in shock. "Oh my gosh, that was so rude of me. I am so sorry."

"No, no, it's okay," Robin chuckled, wincing immediately after as she looked towards her counterpart. "He's not exactly my type."

"Not her type physically, but, you bet that if she liked dick as much as she loved French cinema, I would definitely be on her radar," interrupted Steve as the both of them plopped down onto Robin's already-made mattress.

"Oh," Holly smirked, suddenly realizing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay," she stopped her, raising her hands in defense. "It happens more often than you think, but, he's really more like an annoying younger brother."

"I'm one month younger than you," he scrunched his eyebrows, tone slightly impatient.

"Still," Robin huffed as Holly stood awkwardly in front of her closet. "Don't be so stiff. We don't bite."

The girl chuckled lightly, her chocolate brown eyes scrunching as she looked nervously at the floor, "I'm sorry."

"And stop apologizing," Steve said plainly with a grin. "Pretty girl like you should never apologize for anything."

"Jesus, Steve," Robin rolled her eyes as Holly sat down on the floor below them, crossing her legs. "Can you at least wait one day to hit on my roommate?"

Holly blushed, shaking her head in an effort to change the subject, "How do you guys know each other?"

"Well, we're both from Hawkins. Went to school together for, what? Six years?" Steve asked, looking at Robin for confirmation before she continued for him.

"We're both sophomores. I'm studying cinematography and Casanova here is studying business," she responded with a tight-lipped grin.

Holly nodded her head, awkward introductions never being a particular strong suit of hers, "I'm from Austin. A freshman, but I'm twenty-two."

"An older lady," Steve waggled his eyebrows. "I can get behind that."

She giggled nervously, reaching a hand up to rub behind her neck, "I'm flattered, but..."

"She's not into you, asshole," Robin nearly shouted with a smile, smacking her friend playfully on the shoulder.

"Hey, it's not the first time I've been rejected, and it won't be the last," he said with a shrug. "But why so late? Why not just get an online degree or something?"

She cleared her throat, trying her best to get through what would be the first of many times having to explain her current situation, "Um, well, my dad got really sick after graduation. He passed in February, so I decided to apply. Figured it was as good a time as any, you know?"