Chapter Text
The incessant shrill of Robin's alarm yanked her from a restless sleep. She swiped at the clock, silencing it with a grunt. Hawkins, Indiana—the same old town, another day of junior year ahead, a prospect that did little to stir excitement in her. With a sigh, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and dragged herself into the routine of getting ready.
Her parents' voices drifted from the kitchen as she trudged down the narrow hallway. They exchanged perfunctory greetings, their attention already elsewhere.
Breakfast was a hasty affair—cold cereal in a chipped bowl, a splash of milk that tasted slightly off. The kitchen clock ticked loudly, marking time in a house that felt more like a pitstop than a home. Robin wolfed down her meal, shouldered her backpack, and escaped into the cool morning air.
The crisp morning air greeted her as she mounted her bike, a worn-out relic salvaged from a garage sale. It protested with a squeak as she pedaled down the familiar streets of Hawkins. The town seemed frozen in time, trapped between the rugged Indiana landscape and the suffocating monotony of small-town life.
Arriving at school, Robin navigated through the bustling corridors, dodging clusters of students who seemed to glide effortlessly through the social hierarchy she had long since abandoned hope of penetrating. She was a band dork, a nerd—the labels were as interchangeable as they were dismissive.
First period awaited like a sentence, and just to reaffirm her fate, a group of jocks slammed her into a locker with practiced precision. Robin cursed under her breath, rubbing her shoulder where the impact stung. She shot a glare at their retreating backs, resigned to their perpetual game of dominance.
And then, fate dealt her another unkind hand. There, seated comfortably in her usual seat, was Nancy Wheeler. The sight ignited a flash of annoyance deep within Robin's chest. She had tolerated Nancy's presence for years, but this—this was crossing a line.
The animosity between them had roots that stretched all the way back to fourth grade, when Nancy had callously broken Robin's favorite purple crayon, intended for coloring her flower drawing. It was a small, childish mistake, but Robin had held onto the grudge with a fierce determination ever since. Year after year, they had clashed like oil and water, their differences and mutual dislike only deepening over time.
"Hey, Wheeler," Robin muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with sharp sarcasm. "You're in my seat."
Nancy glanced up, her expression cool and unmoved. "I don't see your name on it," she retorted with practiced ease.
Robin clenched her jaw, her annoyance escalating. "Get out of my seat," she insisted, her tone growing sharper.
Nancy raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Finders keepers," she replied.
Before Robin could retort, Mrs. Click—dubbed "Ms. Clicky Clackity" by Robin and her bandmates—entered the room, her stern gaze sweeping over the students. "Settle down, everyone," she announced briskly. "Take your seats."
Robin shot a pointed look at Nancy. "There's someone in my seat," she stated bluntly, gesturing towards Nancy.
Nancy merely shrugged, unfazed by Robin's irritation.
Mrs. Click sighed, her patience already wearing thin. "There's an open seat right behind Ms. Wheeler," she instructed, gesturing towards the empty desk.
Robin stared incredulously at the teacher, disbelief etched across her features. With a frustrated grunt, she pushed past Nancy, knocking into her shoulder slightly, and took the seat behind her. Nancy turned to look at Robin with a small, smug smile, which only fueled Robin's irritation.
Mrs. Click voice droned on about some literary analysis that Robin couldn't be bothered to pay attention to. She had read the book twice over the summer—far from a masterpiece, but at least she wasn't completely lost in class. Instead, she busied herself doodling on her red Converse sneakers, adding intricate swirls and patterns to the worn canvas.
Lost in her mindless artwork, Robin was jolted back to reality by the sharp sound of her name being called. She lifted her head, ready to answer a question, only to find Mrs. Click pairing students off for a project. People shuffled around, but the only one who remained seated was Nancy Wheeler.
Robin shot a sideways glance at Nancy, who coincidentally turned to face her at the same moment. Their eyes locked in a brief, uncomfortable stare-off that Robin found oddly disconcerting. She quickly averted her gaze, pretending to study the faint freckles scattered across Nancy's face. Had those always been there?
Before Robin could fully immerse herself in counting freckles, Mrs. Click was standing beside them, her no-nonsense demeanor cutting through the classroom's uneasy tension. Robin cursed herself for zoning out again as the teacher addressed them.
"Are you ladies going to survive working together, or have I made a poor choice?" Mrs. Click inquired, her gaze flickering between Robin and Nancy.
"Poor choice," Robin muttered under her breath, unable to resist chiming in.
Nancy nodded in agreement,"Definitely a poor choice. Sorry, Mrs. Click," she replied smoothly.
The teacher raised an eyebrow, unruffled by their lack of enthusiasm. "I don't think so. You're both very smart and capable. It's about time you sort out your differences," she insisted, her tone firm yet understanding. "You two might find you're more alike than you think."
Robin scoffed inwardly at the idea. She and Nancy Wheeler? Similar? Not a chance. But Mrs. Click was already handing them a sheet of paper—a checklist for their project. With a sigh, Robin slumped back in her seat, exchanging a resigned glance with Nancy who mirrored her sentiment.
Nancy glanced at the checklist, her brow furrowing slightly as she scanned the requirements. "Looks like we're stuck with each other," she remarked dryly, not bothering to hide her skepticism.
Robin rolled her eyes. "Lucky us," she muttered sarcastically.
Mrs. Click moved on to pair the remaining students, leaving Robin and Nancy to begrudgingly accept their fate. As the classroom buzzed with activity, Robin couldn't shake the feeling that this collaboration was destined to be anything but smooth sailing.