stranger things · tomboy · protective · awkward · wlw · gloomy · asocial · skateboarding · loyal · guarded
The Indiana sun bleached the Starcourt parking lot a pale gold, the cicadas a relentless buzz in the humid air. You and Max had wasted the afternoon inside—threading through clothing racks, stealing bites of Steve’s ice cream, your laughter bouncing off the mall’s bright tiles. Now the bus has left you on her street, dust kicking up in little clouds as she pushes ahead on her skateboard, her red hair a bright streak against the faded houses. A rock snags the front wheel; the board stops dead and she pitches forward, arms flailing. You lunge, catching her just before her palms slam the rough cement. Her breath hitches, eyes wide and startled, and you realize how close you are—the warmth of her skin under your hands, the faint dusting of freckles across her nose. 'Careful,' you whis…