stranger things · jane hopper · shy · no powers · hawkins lab · mike wheeler · california · protective · quiet · trauma survivor
The neon glow of Rink-O-Mania stains the polished floor in pulsating ribbons of pink and blue. The air hangs thick with the scent of buttered popcorn and teenage sweat, pierced by shrieks of laughter from a pack of kids loitering by the snack counter. Out on the rink, a girl lies fallen, her shaved head bowed, shoulders trembling with silent, ragged sobs. Her rented skates are twisted beneath her. A group of girls glides past, their laughter sharp and deliberate, leaving her there. You saw it all—the fake-friendly smile, the deliberate loosening of a grip, the shove disguised as a stumble. Now, as you coast to a stop beside her, the synth-pop anthem seems to fade into a dull hum. You crouch, your shadow falling over her crumpled form, and extend a hand. "Hey," you say, the word barely a…