"Hey, Harrington?"
"Yeah, Mayfield?" Nora feels breathless.
"You talk too much."
stranger things seasons 2-4
max mayfield x fem oc
#1 in maxmayfield & sadiesink 🤟
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THIS FEELS LIKE HELL FIRE
✧･ﾟ: * "Can't you guys just talk to Eddie?" Nora tries from between Dustin and Lucas, Mike on his other side, as the four discuss the logistics of the basketball tournament being on the same night as the campaign.
"Get him to move Hellfire to another night," Lucas explains as if talking to children.
"'Just talk to Eddie,'" Mike mocks. "Why don't you just talk to your coach and get him to move the game?"
"It doesn't work like that, moron," Nora glares over at Mike.
"I think that's a great idea, Mike," Dustin talks over Nora.
"Thank you, Dustin," Mike also pretends she didn't even say anything.
"This is the championship game!" Lucas tries for the billionth time to get them to understand.
"This is the end of Eddie's campaign!" Dustin shoots right back. "A semester of adventuring has led to this moment, and we need you guys."
"Eddie literally hates me - he will not miss me at all," Nora says matter-of-factly, looking expectantly for Dustin to say something to argue the facts.
"He. . . he doesn't hate you-"
"You guys just have differing opinions," Mike offers, and Nora rolls her eyes.
"Just find someone else to do it," she walks off, tired of arguing them on something that probably won't change.
Nora goes into the school to stop by her locker, Annie popping up right beside her.
"Hi, Nor," she exclaims, looking over at the Harrington girl. "What's up?"
"Not much," Nora smiles softly back, trying to hide her disdain at the nickname. "Just about to head to science," then frowns as she thinks about her uncompleted homework.
"Listen," Annie takes a step closer to Nora, practically backing her into her locker door. "My sister's going to some party after the game tonight, and my parents are at my aunt's for the next week, so what d'you think about coming to mine tonight? Just to hang out."
Nora has to admit she zoned out for half of Annie's monologue to watch Max walk past the two, headphones over her ears; she's hyper-aware of the lack of distance between herself and Annie, and feels subconscious as Max all but scoffs at the pairing.
"Um, yeah," Nora shakes her head as if shaking Max out of sight. "We'll head over after the game."
"Awesome!" Annie grins and skips off, leaving Nora to wallow in her thoughts of Max.
—
✧･ﾟ: * "Max!" Nora never let the redhead leave her mind during science (probably explaining the C- she has in the class right now), and speed walks after Max as she watches her leave her own classroom.
"You stalking me now?" Max shoots back, not slowing her stride.
Nora will admit it was kind of strange when Max moved off Old Cherry Road and into a trailer park, and Nora and Steve proceeded to do the same thing within a week, but it was a seller's market! And Steve was starting to take courses as the community college, so they needed to start saving some money, y'know?
"No! No, I just- I have something for you," Nora finally catches up and hands Max a blue slip of paper. "A ticket to the game tonight," she explains before Max has the chance to ask.
"Seriously?" Max looks incredulous.
"I mean, I know you don't really like the games, but this one's a big deal - for Lucas too-"
"A big deal?" Max scoffs. "You really care about this kinda stuff, Nora?"
Nora falters when Max uses her name but continues following after her.
"Yeah, I. . . I do, and I think you should find something you care about too, Max," Nora immediately wishes she could take back her words as Max slowly stops and turns around.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Too late to turn back now. "You're just. . ."
Max stares expectantly.
"It's. . . it's like you're not even here anymore. . . Like- like you're a ghost or something."
"A ghost?" Max tries putting up a barrier. "Really?"
"Max. . . I know something's wrong-"
"Yeah, something must be wrong with me because I broke up with you."
"No- that's not what I meant-"
"People change, Nora," Max just cuts her off. "I've changed. I don't know what hanging out with all those cheerleaders with hairspray for brains has done to you, but it's that simple," she then shoves the ticket back in Nora's hand and walks into the bathroom.
"Max, c'mon," Nora doesn't take the hint and follows after her. "I can tell something's up. Obviously, you've been through shit and-"
"Don't act like you understand anything about what I've been through-"
"Then why can't you help me understand?" the two are standing in front of the old mirrors now, Max staring straight at her own reflection, Nora looking at Max's as well. "All you're doing is pushing me away when I'm trying to help-"
"You can't help me, Nora. . . You just don't get it," the redhead sighs, allowing her piercing blue eyes to meet Nora's brown ones in their reflections. "You have the perfect life-"
Nora scoffs.
"I just mean," Max tries again. "I mean you're popular, you have a hot girlfriend-"
"She's not my girlfriend," Nora mumbles, knowing she's referring to Annie.
"You're getting good grades-" Nora almost laughs. "You have a brother-" She no longer feels the need to laugh. "You have a brother who cares about you," Max tries to save herself, but Nora knows exactly what she means.
"I'm so sorry about Billy, Max," Nora says what she knows the redhead must be tired of hearing, but she isn't sure what else to say. "But I don't understand why you're taking it out on me-"
"Because I'm jealous of you!" Max exclaims. "There. I said it. Can you leave me alone now?" Max turns away from the mirror to look directly into Nora's eyes. Nora doesn't move, so Max sighs exasperatedly. "I'm jealous that you have Steve even after everything that's happened, but of course, I have to be the one to lose someone. And, of course, it's my fault."
"None of this is your fault, Max-"
"Don't try to therapize me right now, Nora. Please, just get out."
