talk too much | max mayfield

1. the arcade

THE ARCADE

✧･ﾟ: * Eleanor groans as she rummages around under bed, stomach hurting from all her weight pressing onto it. Grinning in triumph when her hand touches against something solid, she quickly wraps her fingers around it and jumps up.

"Nora? Nor. . . do y. . . c-c-copy?" She hears a staticky voice from the radio across her room.

Throwing the small, metal box filled with about 6 dollars and random coupons onto her pink bedsheet, she walks over to her table.

"Dustin, I told you, they don't work outside a certain range," Nora sighs. "I'll talk to you at the arcade, I'm heading out now."

"W-w-what. . . can't-"

Nora just throws the device to the side, grabs her money, and walks out the door. She passes Steve in his room, bent over a few papers on his desk, probably college applications (gross). She knocks on the already ajar door, sticking her head in a bit.

"I'm going to the arcade now. See ya, loser," she gives a small wave and heads towards the steps.

Her parents are on another "business trip" (Nora actually has no idea what their job was), leaving her and Steve in their giant house alone.

Normally, Steve would send her to the Wheeler's or something so he could throw parties and hang out with his friends all day, but ever since last year's. . . events, he's started getting a but more protective of her.

Not that Nora's complaining! After years of her parents putting their jobs before their children, this was a nice step up, but she kinda misses when she could go out whenever she wanted without having to worry about any consequences.

"Don't slide down the banister!" Steve yells in response, as Nora was about to do just that.

She slowly brings her leg down and straightens her shirt. "I wasn't going to!" She rolls her eyes and opts for just skipping slightly downstairs. It takes all her willpower as to not grab a snack before heading out, considering she was already late.

Grabbing her pink and white bike from behind a bush she tossed it behind the previous day, she set off for The Palace Arcade.

Mike, Lucas, and Dustin were already waiting for Nora out front, Will pulling up with Joyce now.

He hardly got to go anywhere by himself anymore. Of course, all the trouble with the Upside Down was over, but you can never be too sure.

Everything changed since then anyways.

Eleven was gone, Mike was upset, Dustin and Lucas tried to forget. Nora wanted to move on too, but even she couldn't help but cry because of the loss every now and then. She knows El is still out there, she has to be, she just has to find her back home.

Until then, the original party was going to play their sorrows away on Dragon's Lair.

"Oh, Jesus. I'm in uncharted territory here guys," Dustin starts pressing random buttons as the rest of the group watches him.

Nora is too busy looking at Princess Daphne. What? No. She's watching the knight-prince-dragon-slayer dude. . .obviously.

She snaps out of it and starts yelling with the rest of the group on what direction Dustin should go in.

"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!" He yells overwhelmed with all the screaming. He keeps pressing buttons until the poor prince disintegrates before the kids eyes. "No! No! No! I hate this overpriced bullshit! Son of bitch! Piece of shit!" He hits the game with every curse word.

"You're just not nimble enough," Lucas smirks, pointing a finger at the raging Dustin. "You'll get there one day, but until then, Princess Daphne is still mine."

"Y'know whatever," Dustin plays it off. "I'm still top on Centipede and soon Dig Dug. Once Nora stops trying so hard," he shot her a look.

"Once Nora stops trying so hard," she mimicks in an annoying voice. "I'm Dustin, I'm a sore loser."

"You sure you have room to talk, Harrington?" A voice behind them says. Keith.

"What does that mean?" Nora stares in confusion before realization dawns on her face. The party runs over to the Dig Dug game. 751300. Holy shit. "No way. . ."

"That's impossible," Mike breathes.

"Who's MadMax," Dustin interrogates Keith, his name now reading in third place. Nora can't help but smirk a little. Ha.

"Better than you," Keith shrugs.

Dustin flips him off.

"Is it you?" Will asks, pushing forward.

Keith scoffs, "You know I despise Dig Dug." He pops another Cheeto in his mouth, and Nora has half a heart to toss the bag out of his hands.

"Then who is it," Lucas questions, just as interested.

"Yeah, spill it, Keith," Dustin spit at the poor guy.

"If you want information then-" he smirks at Mike, "-I need something in return. . ."

They all turn their heads to the wide-eyed boy.

"No!" He looks up in realization. "No. No way. You're not getting a date with her!"

"Mike, c'mon. Just get him the date!" Lucas argues.

"I'm not prostituting my sister!" He exclaims. Nora wants to be angry, but he wasn't wrong.

Keith is kinda gross.

"But it's for a good cause!" Lucas groans.

"No, don't get him the date," Dustin steps forward aggressively. "Y'know what, he's gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to your whole family."

Nora laughs before quickly covering it up with a cough.

"Acne isn't a rash, and it isn't contagious, you prepubescent wastoid," Keith quickly defends.

"Oh, I'm a wastoid?" Dustin comically nods his head. "She wouldn't want a date with you anyways. You make, like, what? $2.50 an hour?"

"Nice perm."

"Oh! You're gonna make fun of my hair now?"

"Yeah, yeah I am."

The two go back and forth continuously as Nora and Lucas stand, chiming in every now and then with a "shut up, Keith." Mike and Will had gone outside together without their notice.

Another thing that had changed since El had left were Will's sudden episodes.

Nora didn't really understand it, it just seemed like vivid flashbacks to the Upside Down. They always seemed to shake Will up pretty well though, and it took him a second to get back into the real world.

"Come on, Will's gonna play Dig Dug," Mike appears next to the group, arm around a pale-looking Will. "See if he can beat this Max guy."

"Or girl," Nora rolls her eyes. Sexist much.

a/n:
hi hi hi! this chapter was just kinda an introduction to Nora and her relationship with the guys, but i hope you liked it! constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, lmk if you see any errors in the chapter :)