The Learning Curve - Jim Hopper x Reader

ii. Lecture

Jim Hopper.

He appeared as the first result, his profile picture sending butterflied to flood her stomach. It must have been from a while a go, he face painted with a scruffy beard. She bit her lower lip, her eyes glued to his eyes as they peered into the camera lens. They were so, so blue.

To her surprise, Hopper's profile wasn't set to private, a clear invitation for her to poke around further. His entire life was laid out for her to peruse. After sifting through some photos (each one even more adorable than the other), she finally landed on a photo with him and his daughter.

She was a spritely thing, her hair length ending right below her ears, smiling a toothy grin as she clung to her father's shoulders. Holly discovered that her name was Jane, but she longed to know more. She wanted to know more about her and how Hopper came to find her.

After looking further into his profile, Holly left with even more questions than she did answers. The desire to know more about him began to blossom in her mind.

You need to stop before you get hurt.

Holly's head snapped up as Robin entered the dorm room, her disheveled hair matched with the huge grin on her face doing nothing more than to drive Holly into further confusion.

"Hey," Holly greeted, quickly shutting her phone off before tossing it onto her pillow.

"What's up?" she asked excitedly, toeing off her tennis shoes before tossing her keys onto her dresser. "How was your first day?"

"It was fine...a little boring, I guess," she lied, avoiding Robin's eyes as she flopped onto her own mattress. "Boring classes, boring teachers, you know? The usual."

"Mhmm," Robin nodded. "Well, my day was phenomenal. Thanks for asking."

Holly chuckled, tilting her head at her roommate, "Phenomenal?"

"I met the love of my life," she nodded. "She's the most amazing girl I've ever met, I swear to god. Oh my gosh you should have seen her."

Holly beamed at her, reaching her hands out to her, "Pictures! I want a picture!"

"I don't have a picture, but I do have a phone number," Robin replied smugly.

"Look at you," she cooed, leaning back to rest her back against the wall next to her bed. "Tell me everything."

"Her name is Christine," she started, her eyes looking to the corner of the room like she was recounting a dramatic tale. "We're in stats together. She helped me figure out some dumb ass equation, and, Holly, she is so smart."

Holly laughed, "That's...Robin, that's amazing. I'm really happy for you."

"Thank you," she sang, bouncing up and down on the mattress in excitement before pausing. "Okay, so now you can cut the shit, because Steve told me all about how smitten you were with some guy."

"Some guy?" Holly asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, he didn't say much," she replied. "But he did say that there was someone."

Holly rolled her eyes with a laugh, "It's no one, just some little crush. A very complicated crush."

Robin furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as Holly groaned, feeling forced to continue, "He's probably the most amazing guy I will ever meet. And he is definitely the sexiest, but...I don't know, Robin. It's just a little crush."

"I mean, is he single? Straight?" Robin asked, shrugging her shoulders.

"I mean, yeah, I think so."

"Than what's the problem?" she chuckled. "You're breathtakingly gorgeous. I highly doubt he will reject you unless he's taken or gay."

Holly blushed, shaking her head, "I mean...sure, he's made some comments that would definitely make me think that he could be interested, but...it's complicated."

"It can't be that bad," she deadpanned. "I mean, you never know unless you try, right?"

"Robin, he's..." Holly began, avoiding contact with her eyes. "He's my professor, Robin."

"...oh," Robin chuckled. "Wait, really? Steve made it seem like it was just some guy."

Holly shook her head nervously, looking down into her lap, "Yeah, well...I guess it isn't."

"Holly?" Robin asked, leaning forward before Holly looked up. "I know it might not be my place, but...can I offer you some advice?"

Holly sighed, nodding her head slowly before Robin continued, "A chemistry professor got fired last year for having a romantic relationship with his student. The student...well, she was told to go somewhere else."

The blood rushed from Holly's face, her ears ringing at the idea that never even crossed her thoughts, "I-I didn't even think about that."

"Yeah," Robin replied awkwardly. "Look, maybe it's just a harmless little crush, yeah?"

Holly forced a smile, knowing deep down that this wasn't as simple as a school girl infatuation, "Y-Yeah, probably."

Her roommate smiled tightly, leaning over to put her tennis shoes back on, "Why don't you come with me to the store? We can get some junk food and just watch some videos or something?"

"No...no, I'm okay," Holly smiled, shaking her head. "I'm a little tired."

"Holly-"

"Really, I think I just need a nap, okay?"

Robin sighed, nodding her head before grabbing her keys, "Well, if you need anything, call me. I should be back in like an hour."

Holly nodded her head quietly, watching her roommate exit the dorm before she rested her head on her pillow, grabbing her phone and putting it on her nightstand.

She closed her eyes, willing for herself to fall asleep and to forget any intense feelings she had.

She didn't expect to fall asleep so quickly.

And she certainly didn't expect to dream of that pair of strikingly blue eyes.

Blue eyes that, she soon would discover, she would happily allow herself to be expelled for.