Thirty-eight: No Repercussions
!!!
"It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you!" Y/n dramatically sang along with the radio.
Over time, Max had distanced herself from the party. She still spoke to them - definitely not as much, but sometimes.
The only person she stayed close to was Y/n. The two were still dating, Y/n being Max's anchor. When things got difficult, Y/n steadied her. She was the only thing that could help. The only exception to Max's negativity.
"There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do!" The girl continued, even more exaggeratedly - if that was even possible - as she now dropped to her knees and clutched her chest as if it hurt to sing.
Max playfully rolled her eyes. "Are you done? I need the brush-"
Y/n held up a finger to stop Max as she interrupted her. "I bless the rains down in Africa!"
The redhead rolled her eyes again, standing up and turning down the radio. She walked over to Y/n - who was still on the floor - and reached a hand out for the hairbrush that the girl used as a microphone.
Y/n handed Max the brush before standing up, humming along to the song that still played, just quieter than before.
Max spoke up. "How do you have so much energy? It's like, seven in the morning."
Y/n shrugged. "I'm happy. One more day, and we get the week to ourselves," she said before walking over to Max. She took her girlfriend's hand and twirled her, and the two made eye contact for a few seconds before leaning in for a kiss.
When they pulled away, Y/n stared into Max's eyes, making eye contact again. "I'm so glad I met you," she smiled. Max smiled back. It was a smile full of nothing but love and pure joy. "I'm glad I met you, too."
That was when the couple heard a car horn outside, and knew that Steve was there to take them and Robin to school.
They moved away from each other, and Y/n grabbed her bag, which sat on the ground, leant against the wall. They left Max's room and made their way towards the front door, picking up empty beer cans and throwing them in the trash on the way. Y/n opened the front door for Max, and the redhead picked up her backpack and skateboard before walking through the door as she muttered a "Thanks."
Y/n followed her out the door and to Steve's car. Y/n opened the car door for her girlfriend, similarly to how she did before, and Max - as usual - thanked the girl as she got into the car. Y/n followed her into the vehicle, and Robin immediately started teasing. "Opening the door for her, Y/l/n?" She asked as Y/n shut her car door.
"Yes, Robin, it's nothing new."
Robin smirked and turned back to face the front, looking into the mirror as she continued her makeup.
As Y/n and Max put on their seatbelts, Steve spoke, picking up whatever conversation him and Robin were having before the younger girls entered the car.
"And then there's Heidi tomorrow night, but the problem with Heidi is that she's going out of state for college, so it's like, do I really want another relationship that has no point other than sex?"
"Ew! Steve," Y/n cringed, Max making a similar expression.
"I mean, I don't know, is this making any sense?" Steve asked Robin, who didn't respond. "Robin! Are you listening!?" He asked.
"Yes! I'm listening!"
"I wish I wasn't," Y/n muttered.
"What was I just saying?" Steve asked to prove that Robin wasn't listening.
"You were saying something about sex! Wi- wi- with Linda," Robin stated, a tone in her voice that sent the message, "See? I was listening."
"Heidi," Y/n whispered, leaning forward from behind Robin.
"No! I'm taking about Heidi!"
"Well, cut me some slack, please!" Robin rose her voice in an overwhelmed manner. "Your love life is one of labyrinthine complexity, it is seven in the morning, we have to get to this stupid pep rally, and I woke up looking like a total corpse!" She rambled.
"Y/n had no problem being up and awake today," Max mumbled, getting a gentle elbow to the side by Y/n. She saw the girl's reaction and continued. "Oh, yeah, you should've seen her. Super peppy. Microphone in hand, singing her heart out. 'It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you'." Max recalled.
"Okay, that's enough, thank you," Y/n stopped, dragging out the 'oo' sound in 'you' as she leaned over in front of her girlfriend.
"You're worried about a basketball pep rally? You expect me to believe that? We both know who this is about," Steve continued with the previous conversation. He looked at Robin, and when he didn't get a response, he answered for her. "This is about Vickie!"
"Absolutely not."
"No, yeah it definitely is," Y/n butted in, leaning over so she was in between the two in front of her.
"Yep," Steve continued as Robin pushed Y/n's face away. "And you know what I also think? I think you should stop pretending to be someone else when you're around her."
"You're... Literally quoting me to me, you do realize that, right?" Robin asked.
"Maybe you should listen to yourself more often. You every think about that, smarty-pants? I listened to you, and now look at me. Boom, back in business."
"It's not the same thing. You ask out the wrong girl, big deal. Nothing happens. Maybe your ego's a little bruised, but me, or Y/n, or Max ask out the wrong girl, and bam we're in town pariah."
Max and Y/n shared confused looks at the mention of their names. Max leaned forward, taking Y/n's previous place in between the front seats. "Uh, you know that me and Y/n have girlfriends, right? More specifically, each other."
"I know that, that's why it was a hypothetical situation."
"Yeah, I buy that," Steve said as Max leaned back in her seat. "Except, Vickie is definitely not the wrong girl."
"We just don't know that, do we?"
"She returned Fast Times, paused at fifty-three minutes, five seconds. Do you know who pauses Fast Times at fifty-three minutes, five seconds?" Steve asked the girl.
"I know the answer to that," Y/n said from the backseat, having turned so her feet were against the car door, her arms were up over her head, and her back was against the car seat. Max gently slapped her girlfriend's arm as Steve continued.
"People who like boobies, Robin!"
"Ew! Gross. Don't say boobies!"
"It's not a big deal, okay? I like boobies, you like boobies, Max and Y/n like boobies." Steve paused. "Vickie likes boobies! Definitely." There was a momentary silence before Steve spoke again. "It's boobies."
"Boobies," Y/n said in a sing-song voice.
!!!
When they finally got to school, Y/n opened the car door, climbing out and holding the door for Max. When Max got out, Y/n leant over a little bit to thank Steve, before walking towards the gym.
"Max!" A woman's voice called. Both Max and Y/n turned at the sound to see Ms. Kelly, the school guidance counselor. "Where were you yesterday?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry, I forgot it was Thursday," Max told the woman.
"Well, I'd love to see you today. Come straight after lunch, okay?" Ms. Kelly arranged. Max gave a slightly annoyed nod and continued her way towards the gym with Y/n.
!!!
The couple approached Dustin and Mike, who stood on the bleachers along with the rest of the school as the pep rally started. "I'm not saying my girlfriend's better than yours, it's just that Suzie's, like, a certified genius."
Y/n furrowed her eyebrows at Dustin's words, soon realizing the two were discussing whose girlfriend was better.
"You do realize El saved the world twice, right?"
"And yet you still... have a C in Spanish."
Y/n leaned over to add her own statement to the conversation. "Yeah, well, my girlfriend's better than both of yours. Now if we could please focus on the pep rally, that'd be great," she gave a sarcastic smile, nodding while saying the last few words.
The boys huffed, and Mike gave an exasperated look as they turned their attention to what was in front of them, which was the cheerleaders flipping and dancing. Y/n clapped and whooped. The tricks they did were genuinely impressive to her, and she thought it went wildly unnoticed.
"Good morning, Hawkins High!" The obnoxious voice of Jason Carver shouted in a microphone. Everyone cheered when they heard it, and Y/n clapped her hands, before cupping them around her mouth as she gave a "wooh."
"First off," Jason started. "Hey. First off, I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn't be here. Give yourselves a big hand!"
At Jason's words, everyone applauded, probably not actually thinking about his words, but rather clapping because they know that they're supposed too.
Y/n noticed how people rarely thought about the meaning behind what someone says. When they just give the expected response because it was expected. She wouldn't say it bothered her, just that she noticed.
But she liked participating in things like this, so she cheered as well. It was an excuse to scream at that top of her lungs with no repercussions - why wouldn't she enjoy it?
Max lazily and carelessly clapped, already bored and wanting to leave.
Lucas looked over and smiled, waving at Max and
Y/n from the court. Max just looked away and Y/n gave an apologetic smile to the boy as she waved. Lucas nodded in understanding, smiling sadly as he looked down.
"And of course, of course, I have to give a special shout-out to the best and the prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger Cheer Squad!" Jason continued, and again, everyone applauded.
"Chrissy..."
Chrissy Cunningham was the Queen of Hawkins High, and captain of the cheer team. She and Jason were dating, and they were the picture perfect couple everyone knew about.
And it seemed as if Chrissy was perfect, but Y/n could see right through her. She could tell that the perfection was a curtain - a mask.
There was a flaw in Chrissy's flawless life.
Y/n knew there was, she just didn't know what it was.
Jason tapped his chest twice before speaking. "Chrissy, I love you, babe."
The crowd gushed over the two while Chrissy blew a kiss to her boyfriend.
Y/n slightly grimaced when she heard Jason speak. I mean, she could see how it was sweet and all, but she found it a little cheesy.
I mean, then again, it just showed that he cared enough to not be embarrassed. Y/n could respect that.
Jason's face turned from a smile to a serious expression. "You know..."
Oh, no, what is he doing?
"I think I can speak for all of us when I say... It's been a tough year for Hawkins."
Shit, shit, shit.
"So much loss."
Shit, shit, shit. Shut up!
"And sometimes I wonder, 'How much loss can one community take?'"
Y/n squeezed her eyes shut. Why won't he just just up?
"In dark days like this, we need something to believe in."
Where is he going with this???
"So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half to Christian Academy,"
Y/n furrowed her eyebrows and shot Lucas a confused look that said, What is he doing? As if Lucas would know.
I mean, he might.
"I looked at my team, and I said, 'Think of Jack.'"
What the fuck?
"'Think of Melissa.'"
Shit, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
"'Think of Heather.'"
Heather.
Heather was truly a sweet girl. She really didn't deserve what happened to her.
"'Think of Billy.'"
Shit.
Everyone's attention turned to Max, the redhead looking down to avoid the sympathetic looks as if she didn't notice Billy had anything to do with her.
Y/n knew better, though. She knew the girl was still hurting. Y/n glanced at her girlfriend, her arm wrapping around the redhead's waist and pulling her closer, half in a protective manner, and half in a comforting manner.
"Think of our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper,"
Ouch.
Okay, that one stung.
"Think about each and every one of our friends who perished in that fire. What did they die for?"
Alright.
"What did they die for?" Y/n repeated in disbelief, calling the words out. Everyone's eyes were immediately on her. Jason looked up at her as well, his face a mixed of puzzled and shocked- mostly puzzled.
"They didn't die for you to win a basketball game, if that's what you mean," she added. "They died horribly, and unfairly, and they didn't deserve it. They didn't die to be used as a motive to win a sports game!"
Quiet murmuring could be heard from the crowd at
Y/n's words.
"Thank you, Y/n," Jason said as the principal arrived beside the girl.
"Y/n, that is quite enough," the principal said, sternly but staying quiet. "Come with me." The principal told her.
Y/n's arm left Max's waist, and she followed the principal out of the assembly and to the principal's office.
"Shame. I love pep rallies,"
Y/n said in faux disappointment as her and the principal made their way down the hall. The girl's arms folded over her chest.
"Was there a reason for your outburst, Y/n?" The principal hissed once they were sitting in her office. The two were on either side of each other.
Y/n shrugged, a sarcastic expression on her face. "I mean, I just don't think that people's tragic, horrific deaths should be used to pump up Jason's team," Y/n shrugged nonchalantly, slumped in her chair. "Could just be me, though."
The principal gave an annoyed sigh before speaking again. "Your commentary was extremely inappropriate, Y/n. I expect you to apologize to Jason after the assembly."
"What? No."
"Miss Y/l/n, if you'd rather spend your afternoon in detention, that's another option," the principal told her, expecting the girl to choose apologizing to Jason.
"Okay," Y/n shrugged before standing up and walking out. Her response shocked the principal, leaving her standing in her office, surprised as Y/n made her way down the hall and to the assembly. She found her girlfriend, moving to stand next to her. "Meet me behind here after school," she whispers to the redhead.
"What? Why?" Max whispered back.
"We just can't let the principal see me."
Max gave her girlfriend a confused look.
Y/n shook her head before whispering again. "Don't ask."
a/n
how does it feel to be scared of them breaking up for nothing?
anyway they're still together, you're welcome guys.
see ya :D
2536 words