𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛, 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨

→ 𝙞𝙞.

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SEB HAD HIS HEAD LEANT ON THE TABLE, HIM AND DUSTIN STILL IN THE BACKROOM AS ROBIN CIRCLED THEM. The tape played over and over, Seb humming to the music. He wondered what El was doing. Hopper was at work but Mike didn't seem to be coming around to the Cabin so what was she doing? "Wait, that last part, just one more time." Seb looked to Robin, as did Dustin. "It was 'a trip to China would be nice if' but I didn't get the last part." Seb informed, Robin nodding with him. Dustin rewinded the tape, letting it play as Robin faced away from them, thinking. "That word." She spoke, looking to her version of the right Russian alphabet which was the right one. Intrigued, Dustin followed her instructions, pausing the tape at the word she mentioned.

"It's pronounced... 'dly-nna-ya'. Which is spelled..." Robin pointed to the board, Dustin rushing to him as Seb held the notebook they were writing on. He obviously knew how to write after learning, he just needed a lot of practice. "The chair thing, Seb." Dustin spoke, Seb nodding and drawing the letter. He enjoyed drawing more than writing. Robin went towards the translucent window, opening one side. "We've got our first full sentence." She told Steve, him turning around. "Oh, seriously?" He asked, two ice creams in his hand. "Yeah," She put on a Russian accent, "The week is long." She announced, Steve nodding slowly. "Well, that's thrilling." He let out, Robin shrugging. "I know, but, progress." She spoke, shutting the window as Steve turned around. "Okay, here you go, you got a strawberry and then a vanilla with sprinkles, extra whipped cream."

Max and El took their ice creams, smiling. "Thanks." The girls chorused, Steve staring at El. "Are you allowed to be here?" He asked, wanting to know if there's any more 'important' business. El only laughed, Max and her running away. Steve just stared at their backs until they disappeared, nodding slowly. "Okay." Max and El got outside of the mall, smiling with their ice creams. El had no mind of what Seb was doing as Hopper told her that he was spending the day with Dustin. "You wanna trade?" Max asked, El nodding as the two swapped ice creams. "...That's ridiculous. Why can't I just-" "Oh, you've gotta be shitting me." Max let out, El following her train of sight to see a familiar face. Mike. With Lucas and Will, the latter looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Mike was complaining about something, El confused.

He had told her that his Nana was sick, telling her that he's going to stay home with her until she's better. Why was he here? "What if we split it?" Lucas suggested, the three boys taking their bikes off of the bike stack to leave. Will noticed the two girls first, his eyes widening lightly. "Does that even make sense? Split with what-" "Isn't this a nice surprise?" Max called, Will staying at the back as Mike and El faced each other, Lucas and Max doing the same. Mike dropped his bike, Lucas looking to El the same time he did. "What are you doing here?" Mike asked, pointing to El. "Shopping." She shot back, a glare on her face. "Where's Seb?" Lucas asked, Max shrugging. "With Dustin." She answered, motioning to El's new outfit. It was a black jumpsuit with funky patterns all over it. "This is her new style. What do you think?" She asked Mike, him outraged.