Chapter Text
Eddie Munson and Steve Harrington were talking about the latter's ‘metal’ ripping of a Demobat. Nancy Wheeler and Robin Buckley were talking about how they were officially friends now. Ryan Aberlin walked alone behind the four, looking down to ensure she didn’t trip on one of the tendrils gracing the dirt.
It was bullshit. She’d been involved in this stuff even longer than Nancy, yet nobody cared about her ideas. Ever since Nancy came into the picture, it seemed everyone had forgotten she even existed.
Especially Jonathan Byers.
At just twelve years old, Ryan knew that boy was someone she could be with forever. It stayed that way until October of 1984. He lied to her about going somewhere to sneak off with Nancy Wheeler and ended up sleeping with her!
As much as it hurt to admit, that was probably why Ryan chose to work at Scoops instead of with Jonathan and Nancy at The Hawkins Post. The idea of having to watch her best friend holding hands with, or worse, kissing, that girl was excruciating. But that only resulted in Ryan being separated from the most important person in her life as he had his spine ruthlessly shattered.
Ryan was snapped out of her thoughts as Nancy alerted the group that they had reached her house. Or at least, the Upside Down version of it.
“I’ll wait out here.” Ryan said, not looking up. Robin rolled her eyes, grabbing Ryan’s arm, causing her to let out a yelp. “What the hell!?”
“We’re not leaving anyone alone right now, Aberlin.” Eddie shot her way. As much as it hurt to admit, he had a point. It was always a really stupid idea to split the party.
As they hurried up the stairs, ignoring Steve staying behind in the living room. Nancy rummaged through her dresser, searching for the guns she claimed to own. She reached into a drawer, pulling out a pile of flashcards.
“W…What?” She muttered. Eddie looked at her, caution on his face.
“Wheeler, is this really the best time for studying?” He said. Ryan clenched her fists, rolling her eyes.
“Jesus Christ.” She whispered, being met with a quizzical look from Nancy.
“What was that, Ryan?” Robin cocked her head. Ryan shook her head, turning around.
“I’m gonna go check on Steve.” She said as she descended the stairs. She needed to leave. Needed to be anywhere away from Nancy.
Perfect Nancy Wheeler. Not as prissy as one may think, but loves to remind you she can shoot a gun better than half the grown men in Hawkins.
Perfect Nancy Wheeler. The girl who was totally willing to get her lower class boyfriend fired for a stupid story.
Perfect Nancy Wheeler was the girl who had everything Ryan wanted. Siblings who didn’t hate each other, the boy of her dreams, a job she really loved.
Ryan was stuck in hell, even outside of the Upside Down. She had a brother who couldn’t care less if she died, a best friend who would never reciprocate her love, and a job standing behind a desk, scanning VHS’ and being berated by moms whose kids snuck into the adults section.
She had zoned out again. Eddie brought her back with a strong hand on her shoulder. She looked up at his big brown eyes, shrugging him off of her.
“Hey, Aberlin, wait.” He called out, grabbing her hand. “Something's wrong.” She shook his hand off.
“Nothing is wrong, Eddie,”
“Bullshit.”
Steve, Robin and Nancy had remembered how Will talked to Joyce through the lights, and they managed to figure out how to do the same to get through to Dustin, Lucas and Erica. Ryan stood off to the side, arms crossed.
“Took us long enough.” She groaned. Could’ve figured this out faster if Wheeler had her shit together.
It turned out Ryan had said that outloud, because Nancy’s head shot over to her.
“What is your problem?!” She yelled. “You’ve been doing this shit all day for no reason. We’ve never talked to each other!"
Ryan clenched her fists, approaching Nancy.
“Y’know, let's keep it that way, okay Wheeler?” She spat, voice filled with fury. Turning to walk away, she was stopped by a firm hand.
“No! You’ve been a dick this whole time! I know you like Jonathan, but God, is now really the time!? Max could die!”
Ryan’s chalky face flushed red. Nobody was supposed to know. Her eyes raised, meeting Robin and Steve. Steve held an expression of embarrassment, eyes downcast.
“You asshole!” Ryan pushed her way towards him, ignoring the protests of the others. “I trusted you! You told her, you knew you weren’t supposed to tell anyone!” She cried as she grabbed him by the collar.
“Woah, Ryan!” He called, trying to calm her down. “Listen. I don’t remember how it happened, it just slipped out and I-”
Glaring daggers, Ryan punched him square in the face, causing a loud crack to come from his nose.
“Holy shit!” Robin shouted, running to break up the altercation. “Ryan, Ryan stop!”
Robin and Eddie pulled Ryan off of Steve, who was trying his best to stay collected. He was already a bit woozy from the blood loss from the bats, so his exceedingly bloody nose was only adding onto it.
“You really can’t do anything right, Steven!” Ryan yelled, tears beginning to stream down her face as she turned tail and bolted.
“Well shit.” Eddie muttered, turning around. “I’m gonna check on her.”
-
As she ran, she came to a quick stop outside the house. Staring out at the hellscape masquerading as her home, Ryan fell to her knees.
She was a horrible person.
She punched one of her favourite people and broke his nose.
She yelled at her favourite person in the whole world’s girlfriend.
She tore the party apart because of her own stupid childhood crush.
“You're no better than Jacob.”
“No.” She whispered. “No, no I’m not like him.”
“You’re lying to yourself. To everyone.
You’re simply a clone of him.
You deserved every punch.
Every scolding.
Every time you had to watch him be driven away in handcuffs, unsure if you would ever see your brother again.”
Ryan’s eyes widened in fear. It wasn’t her voice telling her these things.
It was Jonathan.
It was Steve.
It was Robin.
Everyone she cared about was telling her every horrible thing she knew was right. Every time misfortune befell someone she loved, it was her fault.
He eyes shot up into the back of her head.
“You’re a curse.”