chapter twenty-two – bloody knuckles in the lunchroom

November 22nd, 1985

The bus skidded to a halt, simultaneously jolting just about every student inside it forward. Max and Irene shared a look of distaste before they stepped off together and walked through the main doors of their school. Just before they were about to part ways Max took her headphones off and slightly turned to Irene and dug inside her backpack, "I forgot to give you these last week and don't want to forget again." The redhead muttered as she pulled out three cassettes from her bag along with a small book.

"Ah, I totally forgot too!" Irene laughed as she went to grab the book but pushed the cassette's back toward her. "If you like them, keep 'em. Those tapes single handedly got me through my freshmen year back in Texas." Max's eyes lingered down toward the small cases: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon, Donna Summer's On the Radio: Greatest Hits Vol 1&2, and Fleetwood Mac's Rumors. They all had their own unique sound and that's what she seemed to love most about them – they reminded her of her friends and how different they all were but just seemed to fit.

She shook her head, "You really don't have to Rena–"

"No, I insist. You said you didn't have that many tapes to listen to and I mean I have far too many to count and I made myself a mixtape a while back of my favorite songs off the albums so it's okay." She shrugged with a smile and Max mirrored her as the bell rang, startling both of them. 

"Thank you. I'm bringing you leftover pancakes next week if my mom brings some home with her, I promise!" Max spoke with confidence as the two started parting ways, losing each other in the sea of people. Irene smiled to herself because she knew the red-head would stick to her words (it was the only way she felt she could 'make it up' to Irene) but by the end of their ride they'd end up both having devoured the delicacy; it was an unspoken tradition between them.

As Irene arrived at her locker she caught sight of a familiar figure – clad in his signature denim vest – leaning against it, back turned toward her. She slyly snuck up behind him.

She tapped him on the shoulder, "Excuse me? Do you mind helping me find a friend of mine? He's about this tall," She said, motioning her hand right beside his head after he turned. "And he's got this crazy untamed hairdo, which I think makes him look like Eddie Van Halen but with more defined curls which he almost never lets me style." She frowned before eyes trailed down to his shirt and suddenly her face brightened. 

"And he wears this adorable shirt on Friday's for his DND club and a guitar pick around his neck that his uncle gave him for his eleventh birthday." She explained and the boyish grin on Eddie's face only grew as she continued to describe him. Ever since that night at her house, they'd been joined at the hip. She was slowly letting down her walls again and allowing Eddie to roam her once closed off corridors. It was comforting being able to just hang out and forget about how dark the past few months had been; Eddie had the ability to make just about anyone feel at home and safe and Irene felt incredibly lucky to have him in her corner.

"Do you think you've seen him? He's kind of a big deal around here." She whispered the last part, leaning in slightly before she pretended to search the almost barren hallway.

A loud laugh escaped from Eddie's lips, "You are such a dork, I hope you know that." He mused, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at her with bright eyes. His body leaned back against the locker beside her and watched as she swiftly turned her lock and placed her things inside.

"I do and I wear my knowledge with pride." Her tone was playful as she closed her eyes and smiled proudly. The light that seeped from her was blinding. It was as if life had never seemed to touch her with tragedy and she was once again a radiating beam of hope. A stream of sunlight trickled in from one of the main doors and illuminated her relaxed features. The hallway was bathed in her radiance.

Irene reached down for a folded paper that fell at her feet and her smile grew, thinking it was yet another note Eddie had left for her. 

The world would be a better place if people like you didn't exist in it, why don't you just disappear already? Were the scribbled words that she read over and over; feeling the weight of every word. The same group of girls had been bullying her for three months, shouldn't she have been used to it by now? And even then, she'd been an outcast her entire life – she thought she'd have grown some thick skin at this point.

She quickly folded the paper back up before shoving it in her pocket and closing her locker, clearing her throat as her soft brown eyes met Eddie's. She flashed him a smile and he noticed that there was something off about the gesture. He remembered the note he'd left in her locker the day prior and figured she'd barely gotten to it that morning.

"Were my rankings too harsh again?" He questioned teasingly and at first the look of confusion on her face made him regret ever opening his mouth.

Irene was perplexed by the question at first but soon her face relaxed and she rolled her eyes knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Ever since you said Queen's A Day At the Races was a six and a half out of ten I started taking your rankings with a grain of salt." She said and he scoffed lightheartedly, placing both hands at his heart. She leaned against her locker and looked at him with raised brows.

"We're gonna do this again?"

"You just won't admit that you're jealous of Brian May's guitar skills." She shrugged, turning away from him.

"Pft. Jealous? Didn't know you were a comedian." She gave him a knowing look but her face quickly turned stoic as she brought her body closer to his.

"Don't move," she ordered, "You have an eyelash on your cheek." She said as her fingers delicately plucked the strand and held it up to his face with a smile – sending goosebumps down his body and causing his cheeks to turn a rosy color.

"Now blow it and make a wish." She beamed quietly and he swore it felt like it was only the two of them there. He dropped his arms, trying to seem relaxed by the gentle act, and looked as if he were pondering on the command. In actuality, he was thinking about the juxtaposition between them.

He let the world turn him rigid and sharpen his edges while Irene watched the world give her the cold shoulder and continued to show it kindness. Not only that but she continued to show him kindness; she ventured into his little world and had yet to turn away.

He couldn't put into words how his stomach felt like it was on fire when he first saw her face amongst the small crowd at The Hideout or how his heart stopped every time she smiled at him across the lunchroom.

After the first few hiccups with Gareth and Jeff she instantly found ways to mesh with them and even though they always made fun of him, they grew to like her too. She still had yet to tell her friends, who practically worshiped at the altar of Hellfire, that they knew each other but it didn't really matter - they liked that their friendship was exclusive to only them (and of course to Corroded Coffin who knew about Irene the moment she stumbled into Eddie's life).

How did he get so lucky?

Finally after bringing himself back to reality, the wish seemed to strike him and he smiled at her before shakily blowing the strand from her finger.

"Now that that's settled...Homeroom?" She questioned, as she linked their arms and began pulling him to their first class. All he could do was smile and watch as she rambled on about music, promising to himself that he'd never let her shine dull again. 

Robin Buckley would have puked had the interaction been between anyone else, but she couldn't twist her face in disgust at her friend's happiness – it just wasn't in her nature to be that kind of person.

She missed Irene like hell though. She'd never admit it outloud that she enjoyed working with Steve at Family Video. Of course he managed to get on her nerves every day, but she wouldn't have it any other way - they enjoyed each other's company. They were there for each other when everyone else seemed to drift away. Steve would often confide in Robin about feeling left out of Dustin's life and the latter would also open up about her trials. When the sea of life grew turbulent, they were each other's lifeboat.

However, that didn't mean she wasn't hurt over practically losing someone she considered a good friend. There was a mutual understanding between the both of them that Irene needed space to grieve over the events of the summer, but Robin didn't think the said space would actually mean complete isolation. When conversations that ran for hours between the two turned into five minute check-ups she couldn't help but feel angry that so much distance grew between them. They were becoming strangers and it sucked.

These questions swirled in her mind as she trekked through the rest of the school day. Despite loving Friday's and all the excitement and chaos they brought she couldn't help but feel like a fog had settled in her mind.

The rest of the day droned on fairly slowly for everyone at Hawkins High, which typically wasn't normal for a Friday. The rain that suddenly found its way over their town seemed to be the main contributor to the slow and gloomy atmosphere. 

As Irene walked through the empty halls she couldn't stop her thoughts from returning to the note she'd read that morning. Were the words true? She asked herself that again and again as she plopped down next to Max in the cafeteria.

The group of girls that caught her eye as they sauntered toward her made her blood run cold. "Well look who it is." The leader of the group, and the main person who'd been bullying Irene, Julie, taunted. She side glanced Max as if to tell her to ignore them and continued to dig in her backpack for her lunchbox and book.

"Oh come on, we just want to have a little chat." One of the girls pouted.

Irene's jaw clenched as she scanned the group, wondering if she should take the bait or get up and walk away while she still had the chance. She definitely didn't want Max getting caught in the crossfire.

"Yeah come on, we just want to have some fun. You never talk to us in art class." Julie said as if they were friends.

Irene shoved her things back into her bag and prompted Max to do the same, trying to get away from the pack of wolves and their taunting. As she turned to find some other place for her and Max to eat lunch, one of the girls stepped in front of her – as if her neon orange shirt and acid wash jeans were miraculously going to intimidate Irene.

"Shit," Gareth muttered as he sat amongst the rest of the Hellfire Club. He watched the interaction that began to unfold a few feet in front of him – praying to whomever was listening that it wouldn't end in chaos. The girls talking to Irene were always pestering her in art class and he knew how hard it was for her to keep her composure when they poked fun at her or her work. He thought the bullying stopped though after she had convinced him it wasn't that serious and it had died down. She also made him swear to never tell Eddie or else she'd cut off a specific part of his anatomy that he'd rather not talk about. Looking at the situation now, he figured she was obviously lying.

"Does she even know how to speak English?" One of the girls snickered. Irene looked at Max again and caught her sympathetic gaze; in that moment she wanted nothing more than to be swallowed whole by the earth. The feeling of humiliation that rose inside of her was astounding. She was supposed to be the strong one – the one that took the blows in silence and protected her friends from harm in the shadows. But she could tell that she looked weak in front of the redhead and it made her feel awful – she was glad though that there were hardly any other lingering eyes.

At least she thought no one else was watching, however, Robin couldn't help that she drew to chaos like a moth to a flame, especially when it involved her friends. She didn't know why Julie Stone was talking to Rena but she did know that the intention was probably vile. Once she saw one of the girls lightly shove Irene back she felt she had no other choice but to step in.

"Yeah I've heard her talking to that Munson freak a few times in homeroom. I bet they worship Satan together." Another responded and the two erupted into a fit of giggles and it caused her to snap her eyes toward them.

"Okay that's enough." Robin spoke behind the group of girls.

"That's cute that your friends fight your battles for you. Do they walk you to the bathroom and wait outside the stall for you too?"

"Go to hell." Irene spat, balling her fists at her side. She glanced over at Robin who looked at her pleadingly. She was trying her hardest to keep her cool, but the more Julie pushed the more she gave in.

"Oh you'd love that wouldn't you? I bet you've tried to put some curse on us or something. Are all wetbacks into witchcraft or is it just your family? I've seen those weird cards you keep in your locker. I bet you're the reason all that shit with the mall fire happened over the summer." Julie's words were packed with venom. "Didn't your brother die in that fire?" She asked and Irene froze, surpassing any feelings of sadness that overcame her and instantly jumping into her anger. Max and Robin stiffened at the mention of Mateo too; now they knew that there was no other way this was going to end other than badly.

"Oh yeah! It was all over the paper, Sheriff Vasquez's son–that's her mom."

"Holy shit," Julie laughed. "It was probably a ritual sacrifice or something. What a fucking frea–" The retort was cut short when Irene's fist collided with Julie's nose, sending her body jerking backward. Students flocked to the commotion that broke out between the two. Julie had just as much unbridled anger as Irene so it only seemed logical for her to fight back (against the girl who'd been fighting her entire life).

"Don't you ever talk about my brother again." Irene spat as hot tears streamed down her cheeks – fists colliding with the blonde's face. Rage had fully consumed her and just the mere mention of her brother had sent her off the rails – she hadn't talked about the mall fire since her last session with Ms. Kelly and that was months ago. There were still deep wounds that hadn't healed inside of her and for someone like Julie to go picking at them sent her spiraling down the stairway to fury. Could you blame her though? They didn't know her brother – they didn't even know her. 

She could take the personal blows because she knew (for the most part) that they weren't true. But to bring up her dead brother? That was crossing a line they'd never come back from.

Julie scratched the brunette, digging her elbow into her stomach before her friends quickly jumped in, pulling Irene by her hair as they tried to yank her off of the leader of their pack. Robin stepped forward, yanking one of the girls off her friend, soon finding herself mixed up in the squabble and throwing a few punches.

Later rather than sooner, Irene felt herself being pulled away from Julie and didn't resist. "That's enough!" A voice boomed between the crowd; it was one of the many teachers that lingered in the lunchroom, watching the students in order to prevent fights from happening. 

"Someone take Julie to the nurses office," He ordered defeatedly and then turned to look at Robin and Irene with distaste, "You two are coming with me." He grabbed both of arms and directed them through the crowd.

The two teens sank into the seats outside of the principals office, both of their mothers were already inside and discussing the actions that would be taken against their daughters to "discipline" them. Irene could hear her mother protesting against her expulsion and Robin's mother would throw in a few comments of her own here and there.

Irene looked down at her knuckles and the blood that crusted against her skin. She imagined the bruises she'd have soon and winced to herself. The adrenaline she was running on had worn off and she was slowly starting to feel every single ache in her body from the fight. There was a part of her that didn't care though, she was tired of the bullying and people like Julie ought to be put in their place more. Her brother would have been proud.

She thought of Robin and her willingness to jump in even when things started to get physical, she was both embarrassed and grateful. "You know you didn't have to do that." She muttered, shifting uncomfortably in her seat so she could look at Robin.

"You're my friend, Rena. You can push me away all you want but that doesn't mean I'll never be there for you. You don't have to fight these battles alone.." Robin argued sincerely, re-adjusting the ice pack that she was holding against her cheek.

"I just–I feel like I do. These are my problems, my burdens. You and Steve are happy and things are good with you two and I didn't want to ruin that. I ruin everything. Maybe–maybe Julia's right and I should just disappear."

The two looked at each other and Robin could finally see the girl that had been hiding away; the one who bore every single tragedy on her back and never spoke a word of it.

 "Julie is just some stuck up asshole who thinks she's above everyone because her parents are rich. She knows this is it for her, but you–you've got something rena, and that pisses her off. It's not fair, but her words are just projections; people like her hate themselves and it's bullshit that they make people like us feel small because of it."

"Thanks Robin, I don't know how I managed without you." She said and was met with a chuckle. 

"You just kicked Julie's ass -- without my help. I mean look at me and look at you." Robin retorted and gestured to Irene's knuckles and the minor scratches on her face before pointing toward her red cheek and busted lip. 

"I was actually really proud of that blow you threw to Sloane's chest, especially after she literally tried to scalp you." Irene said before the two broke out into laughter.

"Oh my god! It hurt so bad," Robin groaned as she chuckled. "But I remembered what you said back at Scoops and it worked!" 

Once their laughter died down there was a stillness that resided between them. Neither really knew what else to say even though there was so much they wanted to tell each other. Later, after they'd both received a suspension and their mothers had taken them home, they called each other and talked for hours about anything and everything.

AUTHORS NOTE!

jesus christ this took FOREVER.  I have a serious love/hate relationship with this chapter and y'all don't even want to know how many times this was scrapped and re-written and scrapped and re-written, like it was insane. I have a rough outline for how I want the next chapters to go but I just didn't know if they'd mesh well with each other, but at this point I think I've gotten to a place that makes the most sense to me in terms of flow — we literally need to get the ball rolling and dive into season 4 (however, I'm not entirely ready for what that entails).

how did you guys like this one? I feel like it has everything: fluff, angst, a random high school fight in the middle of the cafeteria, friends finally coming back to each other...etc. 

please, let me know how we're feeling about these filler chapters because i've been struggling with them. I thought I'd enjoy steering away for the plot line of the show and getting to kind of indulge in some building with my characters — which I do! — but it's just been very hard and I've had no motivation nor time. I feel like the stranger things fandom is in its dying flame stage (which usually happens in between seasons) so it's been hard to feel truly encouraged to continue writing for this story.

but alas here we are and as promised in my message board, this story will be completed — I swear. 

alright friends, enough of my brain spill! I hope you're all doing well and staying warm/cool <3