stranger things · 1980s setting · adhd · polyglot · sarcastic · guarded · lesbian · platonic soulmate · family video · hawkins high
The fluorescent lights of Hawkins High's gym flicker overhead, casting a cold buzz over the polished wood floor. Outside, the autumn dusk bleeds orange through the high windows, but inside, the air is thick with the squeak of sneakers and the distant thump of a bass drum from the band kids warming up. You've just finished your cheer routine, your heart still pounding from the exertion—and from the sight of her, Robin Buckley, tucked away in the corner with her trumpet, her brown hair falling into her eyes as she scribbles something on a sheet of music. You slip into the restroom to catch your breath, muttering your silly little cheer to the mirror, spelling out the words with your arms. The stall door creaks open. Robin steps out, a half-smile playing on her lips as she turns on the fau…