𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒 • Robin Buckley

XXII: THE CLOCK

Max was of course the one who went inside to talk to Ms Kelley, since she was one of her students. Ms Kelley let her in the house, and Steve, Dustin and Claudia all waited outside.

"Okay, she's in," Steve said as Max walked into the house.

"Duh," Claudia whispered.

"I'm missing collarbones, not eyes," Dustin said, making Claudia giggle. "So, we gonna talk about... it?"

"Huh? Sorry, talk about what?"

"Your temporary insanity earlier today when you basically threw yourself at Nance?"

"Okay, first of all, that's not what happened."

"Pretty sure that's what happened," Claudia said, "It was pretty public, there were a lot of witnesses."

"Are you guys implying that I still have a thing for Nance?"

"No, we're not implying," Dustin said, "We're stating. And, as it relates to your steadfast refusal to date Robin it's pretty much the only logical explanation."

"That's not the only one," Claudia and Steve both said in unison.

"And as for Nance," Steve said, "I was just trying to protect a friend. A friend, Henderson. Okay?"

"Okay."

"I don't wanna find her in the morning with her eyes sucked out of the front of her skull by this Vecna creep."

"You're, like, bright red in the face right now," Dustin said, him and Claudia laughed.

"No I'm not. I don't wanna talk about it. I'll punch you so hard in the face that your teeth will fall back out."

"Woah. Too far."

"Not cool. Sorry."

"It's okay."

They fell into an awkward silence, and Claudia burst out laughing. She suddenly stopped when her head began to pound, and blood dripped from her nose again.

"Woah, woah, Dia," Steve said, "You okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. Headache," Claudia said, wiping the blood on the sleeve of the jacket she was wearing, "God, this is Robins jacket, she's gonna kill me."

"That looked like a pretty bad headache," Dustin said.

"No, it's fine, it's gone now."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

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Max finally ran out of the house, making Steve drive off as fast as he could. As they drove down the road, a voice sounded through Dustin's walkie. "Dustin. It's Lucas, do you copy? Dustin."

"Lucas? Where the hell have you been?" Dustin asked.

"Just listen. Are you guys looking for Eddie?"

"Yeah, and we found him, no thanks to you."

"You found him?"

"He's at a boathouse on Coal Mill Road. Don't worry, he's safe."

"You guys know be killed Chrissy, right?"

"That's bullshit. Eddie tried to save Chrissy."

"Then why do all the cops say he did it?"