WARNING: DO NOT ENGAGE [stranger things] [1/2]

XL - Rebel Rebel

"You're a juvenile success,

Because your face is a mess.

So how could they know?

I said, how could they know?"

•

"Can I see it?" Was the first question Nancy asked when Rosemary came back from the bathroom. Rosemary flinched away from how close she was stood, taking a small step back from her friend.

"See what?"

"Your number. You covered it up, I want to see it." She elaborated, sounding surprisingly confident with the request as she pointed to the bandage on Rosemarys forearm. She didn't say anything else, giving Rosemary an almost emotionless look before the other girl finally gave in, untaping the bandage and pulling it off.

Nancy immediately took a hold of her arm, oblivious to Rosemarys discomfort, and inspected the tattoo. "What happened to your arm?" She breathed. "Ro..." Her voice was pleading, like she was begging that she was imagining how bruised and scratched up her arm was. Some were old, she could tell - marks faded to white, a burn scar from a cigarette. Others were new. Still red from scratching, dried blood in crescent cuts. Despite all of this, the tattoo was still there - clear as day. Damaged, but prevalent.

"How did I never notice this?" Her hand ghosted over Rosemarys arm, before she drew it back, dropping the arm as if it had burned her. As if she'd only just realised the darkness of the girl in front of her.

Rosemary didn't think she would ever be able to forget the look Nancy gave her next, how she looked at her like she was a stranger. Like she couldn't fathom having ever known her. "You weren't meant to know." The shake in her voice almost scared her - how desperate she sounded for her friend to understand, even if it was just for a second. Desperate for her not to be scared.

"You let me believe things that weren't true." Nancy frowned, her eyes shifting away from Rosemarys. She furrowed her eyebrows, "Did... we know Els done bad things," She started, voice dropping for a moment as she said that, before she raised it back to a normal level. "Have you?"

Rosemary opened her mouth to reply, but the words died in her throat. They weren't the first thing to die because of her, probably wouldn't be the last. There was no good way to admit that she had; admit how much blood was on her hands, that had been on her hands at nine years old and will still be there at ninety.

"Nancy..."

"I need some time alone." Nancy snapped, not giving Rosemary any chance of replying before she promptly walked away. As soon as the door closed behind her, Rosemary deflated. She knew this would happen, and try as she might to think it would get better, that really was not a likely option.

She straightened herself out, a failed attempt at tricking herself into believing that things were okay, and made her way to the doors Joyce and Hopper had left out of. "You going to the lab?" Was the first thing asked Hopper, seeing Joyce talking very seriously to Jonathan. "I can help."

"We aren't going to ask you to go back there." Joyce cut in.

"They won't just let you get him, you know. I spent years memorising every corridor - I could help-" Rosemary tried, desperate to do something - anything - if it meant getting away from people who stared at her like she was a traitor.

"No." Hopper cut her off. "Your skills are of better use here, if the lab comes for her." He pointed at the doors, obviously referring to Eleven. "I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger just because you came from there or whatever. You stay here. We'll figure it out."

"But, I-"

"No buts." He snapped, going to the car and demanding for Joyce to follow. 

She said a rushed goodbye to Jonathan, giving him a tight hug. She looked at Rosemary, giving her a small smile, brushing a gentle hand down her arm. "Make sure you guys look after each other and the kids, okay?" She said, walking backwards to the passengers side of the car, not getting in until she got a nod from them both. 

They stared at the parking spot for moments after the two had driven away, neither really knowing what to do with themselves for now.

"She'll be okay." Rosemary muttered, just loud enough for Jonathan to hear. "Hops a borderline drunk, and a bit of a jerk, but he wouldn't let her get hurt. If we don't hear from them for a long time, I'll go there." She said decidedly.

"If it comes to that, I'll go with you." Jonathan said, in a small moment of solidarity between the two.  She thought, for a fleeting moment, that maybe not everyone distrusted her at the most recent revelation. "Not that you'd even need me." He added as an afterthought, with a weak laugh. He knew Rosemary was probably more capable than him, especially if she had been to the lab before.

"Well," She shrugged, thinking about it. "I work on impulse. You work on logic." She scoffed. "Dream team, y'know?"

"Yeah," He muttered. "Dream team."