Ashes Falling Upwards (stranger things, Will x OC/reader)

Max

"So we ask her!"

"No way! We barely know her!"

"Yeah, but Will knows her!"

Ash slowed her walk, wondering if the "her" the two boys were loudly discussing in the hallway could be her.

Lucas and Dustin continued to argue for a few seconds, then Dustin noticed her walking awkwardly by and waved her over.

"We need your help, uh... ah..."

"Ash." She rolled her eyes teasingly.

"Right! I knew it! We need your help, Ash."

"With what?" She peered over his shoulder to see Max walking out of her classroom and angrily ripping open her locker. "with her, I'm guessing?"

"We want to ask her to go trick or treating with us, but we don't know how," Lucas admitted.

"Plus, we look like total weirdos right now," Dustin added helpfully. "So we thought—"

"That since you're a girl," Lucas finished, "you would know how to ask another girl to go with you. And you're coming with us anyway, so..."

"Please help?" Dustin tried.

She peered past them again, and it looked like Max was almost done. If she headed off before Ash talked to her she'd definitely lose points with these two. "Alright, I got this."

She swung her book back higher over her shoulder and with as much confidence as she could muster, sauntered over to Max.

"Hi."

"Hi?"

"I'm Ash."

"What do you want?"

"Well," this wasn't going well already. "You're new here."

Max raised an eyebrow like yeah, no shit.

"Aaand, well, I haven't seen you talking with anyone so I wondered if you don't know anyone here."

"And?"

"And I was wondering if you had anyone to go with tonight, and if you don't then maybe you could come with us?"

"I'm guessing us is you," she leaned to the side to peer over her shoulder at Lucas and Dustin, "and the stalkers."

So she's already calling them the stalkers, huh? Sorry guys, you're kinda in deep shit with this girl already.

"Yeah, basically."

Max scoffed, but that didn't really mean no in Ash's mind so she continued,

"Listen, it surprised me, but they're really awesome people. I mean look at them," she swung an arm in the direction of the other two, who she hoped couldn't hear her through the bustle around them, "they know what it's like to be bullied. But it's happened to everyone, and they understand that. They care, Max, and they want you to be happy here. So try it out. I think you really enjoy yourself."

Well that was a complete and utter lie. I've known them for literally half a day, why am I talking about how they feel?

As Max stared at her she felt her heartbeat speed up. She knows, doesn't she? That I'm bullshitting my way through this so they like me better? Ahh I'm so screwed!

"Fine, I might come." Max sighed like she'd just agreed to something annoying.

"Great! Meet us at...um..."

She turned back to the others with a panicked look and called, "When and where, again?"

"Maple Street cul-de-sac, 7:00!" Lucas yelled.

"Seven on the dot!" Dustin added.

Max rolled her eyes, flinging her backpack over her shoulder and starting away.

"Well, I think that went well," Ash murmured as the other two came over to where she was standing.

"How did you do that?" Lucas asked in amazement. "Girls never even listen to me."

"Perks of being popular?" She tried. "But—" She turned to both of them in turn, "I don't want to have to deal with her tonight. So it's up to you guys to keep her interested. Just don't...ah, do anything weird."

"Weird? Never." Dustin gestured to his full costume sarcastically.

"Hey," Lucas called as she started to walk away, "thanks. You're not that bad."

She felt a full grin spread over her face. "Was there ever any doubt? I'll see you guys tonight!" They waved and she started off to her lunch spot with Erin.