𝙎𝙃𝙀'𝙎 𝘼𝙉 𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙇, 𝙈𝙔 𝙊𝙉𝙇𝙔 𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙇.
Diana Blake was who everyone in Hawkins wanted to be or be with. Her family name held power in the town and she wore her popularity like a crown. Until she discovered that her crown was made with...
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THE BELL ABOVE the door rang out as Diana stepped into the convenience store. Her head was held high and with every step she took, her hair swung effortlessly behind her. She was dressed in her jean shorts and one of Billy's old white tank tops that she had cropped to fit her better. The way she carried herself was a combination of who she was before she fell from popularity's graces and who she was now. It was confident, but humble, and radiant like the summer sun.
She greeted Eddie Munson with a smile and he returned it with a wave. A starstruck look fell over his face as he watched her stroll through the aisles. She sat with him at lunch a few times before the end of the school year, quick to take his previous offer since her pool of friends had dramatically decreased. He liked to think they were friends. However, that didn't stop him from harbouring a school-boy crush on her.
Diana would've noticed the way Eddie stared at her if she hadn't been in a rush. She was preoccupied with focusing on the cold air blowing on her skin as she passed under a vent. Her body was burning up and it moved half a second before she could realize it. It was like she was running on a treadmill and the Mind Flayer was the one who set the speed.
She stopped in the candy aisle, her hand reaching out for a package of Nerds before taking a look around the store. Her mouth watered at the thought of a freezing cold Slurpee and she made her way to the back corner.
The lid of her half Coca-Cola, half cherry drink was almost on when a voice called her name.
"Diana?"
She froze for a moment, her hand still above the rim of her cup. She hadn't heard his voice in a while. After they broke up, she avoided him like the plague and Billy made sure he never got close to her. Sealing the lid and turning on her heel, she replied, "Greg."
He looked shocked to see her. His eyes were wide and his shoulders were tense. It was a surprise to see him so caught off guard. They lived in a small town and meeting unexpectedly was bound to happen eventually.
"Uh, hi," he stammered. "How... How are you?"
Diana raised a brow. "I'm good."
"That's good."
(Behind the counter, Eddie was watching the interaction with interest. He had his reasons—one being that he was nosey and another being that Diana was his friend and Greg completely screwed her over. He'd say something if she looked uncomfortable.)
Diana nodded and looked around, unsure of what to say. "How are you?"
"I'm great, no complaints." As an afterthought, he questioned, "How's Billy?"
"We broke up," Diana lied. Her voice was steady, calculated, and held a discernible amount of sadness.
It was the last thing Greg expected her to say, but that didn't stop him from showing how intrigued he was. "Really?" It was rather pathetic how desperate he was, considering he tried to ruin her life half a year ago.
