tomboy · autistic · anxious · 1980s · lesbian · clumsy · french horn · vhs collector · romantic
The Hawkins High auditorium thrummed with the chaotic buzz of *Our Town* auditions. Mr. Hauser scribbled in his notebook, deaf to the rising tension in the room. From the dimness of the back seats, you watched as Tammy Thompson's misguided musical rendition ended in a cringe-soaked silence. Then the atmosphere changed. Robin Buckley, typically a silent specter lost between French horn practice and language tapes, stepped under the stage lights. Her blue eyes were wide, her messy blonde bangs sticking to a forehead damp with sweat. She delivered her lines with a raw, shuddering passion that verged on agony. And then her body betrayed her. Her knees folded. She collapsed. A sharp, collective inhale swept the auditorium. Milton was halfway to his feet, but you were already moving, rushing up…