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Nancy Wheeler really really hates Robin Buckley.
The two sentences have been repeating in her mind since she got the news.
You and Robin Buckley are both tied for valedictorian, but there can only be one. Remember you only have this semester before I have to decide.
Nancy is positive she is way smarter than Robin Buckley or whoever that even is. All she knows is the latter is friends with Steve, or probably even more. Who knows what Steve is up to.
Right now, she’s laying on the school yard next to Jonathan, staring into the sun. It’s only January and Nancy lets herself doze off to the chattering of excited students ready to start spring semester.
“I just don’t get it, Johnathan! I’m way smarter than her, there's just no way she’s gonna beat me!”
Jonathan sighs, chuckling lightly. “You know, Nance, it’s okay to just let go for a second. It’s our senior year. We only have so much time before we all split apart and go our own ways.”
“When did you become so philosophical?” Jonathan laughs.
Her and Jonathan broke up during their winter break but still remained close friends. There was no bad blood because both of them realized that they were gay. It was a chaotic moment, both of them stuttering over their words and then laughing about it a few minutes later.
“Anyways, like I was saying before, you shouldn’t sweat it.” Nancy sighs, knowing he’s right.
“But-”
“No buts, Nance.” Nancy stifles a giggle. “Stop being immature.” Jonathan rolls his eyes.
A few beats of silence pass by as Nancy props herself up on her elbows to people watch.
That’s when she sees her.
Robin Buckley, clad in black corduroy pants, a tucked in polo shirt and a bomber jacket on top. With that, she was wearing black converse, and a ton of jewelry. She was talking animatedly with Steve, Max, and Dustin, her hands motioning when she talks. Nancy rolls her eyes.
“You staring at her only fuels my thoughts about you being in love with her.” Jonathan’s voice breaks her out of her thoughts.
“Shut up !” Nancy scrunches her face up in disgust and pushes Jonathan’s shoulder. Jonathan just smiles. Nancy glances over to their direction again, but this time Robin is looking straight at her. The girl just smirks at Nancy, whispers to Steve and the others, and the group marches their way to Nancy and Jonathan.
“Why are they coming here?” Nancy sits up in confusion. “Is my hair okay? Is there grass in it? Is she going to yell at me? You know I always cry when people ye-”
“Hey ladies… and Jonathan.” A voice breaks her out of her ramble. Nancy slowly turns to Steve, who spoke up.
“Hey, Steve.” Jonathan smiles.
“So, Nancy, I’m assuming you heard what the principal told us.”
Nancy curtly nods. “Yes, I did.”
“Well, I’m planning on going to NYU and being valedictorian will only help me further for my scholarship, so I really need this.” Robin explains, wringing her hands. Nancy lets her eyes drop to said hands but shoots them right back up.
“Okay? Well, I’m also planning on going to NYU and I need this because, well, I haven’t gotten anything else remotely interesting on my common application.” Nancy shrugs, glancing at Jonathan for help. He just shoots her a pointed look and she rolls her eyes.
Robin pretends to ponder for a moment. She turns to her friend group. “Well, who really needs this more? Nancy, the girl who’s parents can get her anywhere? Or, me, the girl whose mom works at a diner?” Steve opens his mouth to speak, but Max shoves her elbow in his ribs.
“Robin, let’s just go.” Max mumbles.
“No.” Robin replies. Max shoots her a look.
“I think,” Nancy stands up off the lawn. “We should just see where the semester takes us.”
Robin raises her eyebrows. “Okay. Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours. Deal, Wheeler?” Nancy pretends like she didn’t feel her stomach lurch at the use of her last name and nods.
“Deal, Buckley.”
“Robin, seriously?” Dustin arches his eyebrows when they walk away.
“What?” Robin shrugs. “Dustin, I need to get out of here.”
“You didn’t have to bad mouth Nance though.” Steve answers.
“I’m doing whatever it takes to get out of this terrible town.”
Steve knew she was. The amount of times she’s bailed on Steve just so she could study, write essays, anything . He admired how hardworking she was. But sometimes, she got too into her work that it hurt other people. “Rob,” Steve spoke softly. The four of them entered the school. “You need to take care of yourself. Stop pressuring yourself. You’ve basically already got this scholarship. You just need to maintain your grades. You’re just hurting yourself and the others around you.”
Robin sighs, “I know, Steve. I just- it hurts. It hurts to think that I’ll be stuck in this town.”
“Come here.” Steve says, bringing Robin into a hug. Robin pretends to gag.
“You reek of men.”
“It’s the cologne.” Max replies. Robin chuckles and messes up Max’s hair.
“I love you guys.” Dustin says.
“Ew!”
“Gross.”
“Dustin, go to class.”
The four of them disperse and Robin is left with her thoughts as she walks to class. Maybe she should let loose. She knows Nancy probably deserves the spot more than her. However, while in her Nancy induced thoughts, Vickie walks by.
“Hey, Robin!” Vickie greets.
“H-hi Vickie!” Robin waves. Both of the girls blush. “How are you?”
“Would be better if I didn’t have to come back to this hell hole.” She replies. Robin giggles, yes, giggles .
“Well, I would agree, but I kind of missed this place. You know, the unflushed shit in the toilet, the penises on the walls, really just gives me the full high school experience.” Robin says in all one breath. It’s worth the suffocation though, because Vickie laughs heartily. Robin blushes and looks away as she and Vickie walk to class in silence.
“Well, I’ll see you later in band, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss you- it for the world.” Robin splutters. Vickie giggles and branches off Robin’s walk to head to her class. Robin curses herself silently for acting like an airhead.
She walks into her calculus class and sits down. Just when she thought this day couldn’t get worse, Nancy fucking Wheeler enters the classroom. She’s clutching her books to her chest and glances around the room before meeting Robin’s eyes. Robin smiles apologetically and lifts her hand up to wave. Nancy ignores her, but still sits next to her.
“I’m so gonna beat you in this class. Just an easy A for me.”
Robin giggles, seriously what has gotten into her? Nancy’s eyes widen for a split second, then narrow. “I love math,” Robin shrugs. “Good luck trying to beat me.” Nancy mocks her and sits back in her chair.
This bantering between them goes on for weeks, until it’s time for their first test in calculus.
Nancy turns to Robin when the teacher gives them a few moments to themselves.
“What did you get?”
“95. You?”
Nancy groans. “83.”
Robin laughs. She pats Nancy’s shoulder. Nancy gulps when she pulls away because the heat of Robin’s hands still remains. “It’s okay, Nance. I can help you if you want.”
Robin and Nancy have — unfortunately — gotten closer these past weeks because of their calculus class. Nancy can’t help but admit to herself that something about Robin Buckley intrigues her but she would never say that out loud. It would just make Robin smirk that stupid smirk she always does.
“I’m not letting you tutor me. I’d never stoop that low.” Robin hums, her finger trailing down Nancy’s arm. Nancy swats it away and Robin chuckles to herself.
“If you say so, I mean, personally I’ve helped Dustin, Max, El, Mike,” Nancy perks up at the mention of her brother. “Steve, Eddie — you get it — I’ve helped all of them in their classes and they’ve passed. So, by honor code, wait is that even the right term? Honor system? Code? Whatever, anyways, by my credibility I’d say I’m prett-”
“Robin.”
“Yeah?” Robin breathes.
“Shut up.”
Robin rolls her eyes. “Okay, Ms. 83.”
“Shut up.”
“It’s kind of funny. If I’m being honest.” She replies with a smirk.
“Shut up.”
“Okay, sorry. I’ll listen.” Nancy sighs with relief. “That 83 really fucked you up, huh?” Robin laughs. “Okay, that was it, I swear.”
Nancy rolls her eyes. No one could waterboard this information out of her, but the only reason she’s been doing bad in calculus is because she keeps looking at Robin. Embarrassing, she knows. She just prays that her spectacular grades in her other classes will make up for it.
Robin, on the other hand, is confused. She obviously likes Vickie, but something about Nancy is alluring her. She talked to Steve about it a couple of days ago and all the boy did was laugh and said; “It’s always been Nancy for you, Robin.”
Robin thinks he’s right.
Not that she’ll ever admit it.
“Ending” things with Vickie went easier than she thought. The girl wasn’t looking for a relationship and Vickie always knew Robin was destined to do bigger things than her. The two still remained close friends.
Robin walks into her calculus class somewhat downcast because of the whole Vickie talk. Nancy notices immediately.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just had some relationship problems.”
“Wait, you were in a relationship?”
Robin looks around the classroom before replying. “I mean, kind of, we just ended it today. They weren’t looking for a relationship, and frankly, I think I like someone else.”
Nancy looks up to Robin and Robin is staring right back at her.
“I-I think I need help in this class.” Nancy whispers.
“Huh? I didn’t hear you. Speak up.” Robin smirks, bringing her head closer to Nancy.
Nancy gulps, she backs away a little to calm her speeding heart. “My house. Tonight. You’re helping me.”
“That’s what I like to hear, Wheeler.” Robin chuckles lowly.
Nancy crosses her legs.
Robin and Nancy are now sitting crisscrossed on Nancy’s bed, Robin going off on some tangent about constant functions or whatever. Nancy’s not listening because she’s watching the way Robin chews her lips and the inside of her cheek when thinking about something to say.
“You talk a lot, you know?” Robin’s face colors.
“It’s a problem. I don’t really have a filter and just say everything that comes to mind. Steve always makes fun of me for it.”
Nancy smiles. “It’s cute.”
Robin gasps quietly, before shaking her head — like a dog, Nancy thinks — and continues her rant.
“So, are you and Steve… like a thing?” Nancy asks when Robin allows them to have a little break.
What she wasn’t expecting was Robin to start laughing. So hard that the girl doubles over. “No, no!” She laughs again, trying to regain her breath. Nancy just watches her. “No. Definitely not. Why? Do you want him back?”
Nancy shakes her head slowly. “I’m not really focused on guys at the moment. I’m just trying to beat your ass to get valedictorian.” Robin rolls her eyes. Nancy looks down.
Nancy feels a finger on her chin and Robin’s face is only a few inches from hers. If she just moved ever so slightly, their noses would be touching.
Robin smirks. “You won’t beat me.” She whispers. Then, the moment is over, and Robin is now a foot away from her, writing down a problem for Nancy to solve. Nancy is still sitting there, her mouth open, trying to breathe.
“You-”
“Here, solve this.” Robin interrupts her with a small smile and slides her binder to Nancy.
Nancy snaps out of her stupor and glares at Robin.
The final test of the semester rolls around the corner for calculus. Nancy meets Robin before school.
“Good luck, Nance. May the best nerd win.” She smirks, holding her hand out. Nancy swats it away.
“I need to tell you something.”
“I’m all ears.”
The bell rings.
“I like you. A lot. Like it’s driving me crazy how much I think about your hands on me everyday. I know you don’t feel the same, but God, Robin you drive me crazy.” Nancy doesn’t wait for Robin’s response because she really needs to get to class. “I’ll see you later?” She calls as she sprints down the hallway. Robin stands there before she realizes the bell has rung and sprints right after Nancy.
They take their test, but Robin can’t focus. Then she realizes.
Nancy doesn’t like her at all. This was all her sick, stupid plan to distract Robin from doing good on this test. This thought breaks Robin’s heart as she feels sick. She can feel a stab in her chest and her throat starts hurting and she just knows she’s about to start sobbing. She rushes through her test and asks to be excused.
“She what ?” Steve shrieks. The two are sitting behind the counter in Family Video.
Robin nods sullenly. “Yeah. My feelings just got toyed by Nancy fucking Wheeler.” Steve frowns.
“This can’t be right.”
Robin sighs. “Unfortunately it is. We find out who’s valedictorian tomorrow, Steve. And it’s definitely her.” Robin feels like she’s going to pass out.
“I’m so sorry, Rob.” He rubs her back for support. “If it makes you feel better…” Robin zones out of Steve’s story as he starts gossiping about one of the basketball players at their school who they usually talk shit about.
The conversation did make her feel a bit better and she can only thank Steve for being there for her. The bells to Family Video rings and for some reason, Robin just knows it’s Nancy. She sighs and mumbles to Steve that she’s in the backroom if he needs her. Steve just nods and lets her have her moment. When Nancy walks up to Steve, Steve notices her frown when she realizes Robin isn’t here.
“Hey, Steve!” Nancy smiles.
Steve just nods. “Your total will be 8 dollars.” Nancy’s eyebrows raise.
“Are you okay?”
“I heard what you did to Robin.”
Nancy sighs. “It wasn’t like that. I didn’t mean to tell her right before the test.”
“You did. I know you did, Nance. Your hunger for being the best is really starting to hurt other people. You know, earlier this semester, Robin was just like you. She grew out of it. You, on the other hand, just got worse. Look around you, Nancy. Then you’ll notice that everyone is miserable because of everything they’re doing to help you. And all you did was hurt Robin in the end.”
Nancy bites her lip. “It wasn’t like that at all. I promise you. I didn’t mean to distract her. I really like her, Steve, I swear.” Something shifts on Nancy’s face and Steve knows she’s not lying.
“You better make it up to her. She’s heartbroken, Nance. Especially since she likes you back. Like, really likes you, it's annoying.”
Nancy grins and an idea pops into her head.
“I have just the way of getting her back.”
It is graduation day. Nancy had won valedictorian. Robin is proud of her, obviously, she is in love with her, but she doesn’t even want to think about the girl. She is still pissed and heartbroken.
It’s time for Nancy’s speech. Robin can’t help herself as she sits up in her seat. She is dead center, front row because she is salutatorian. As Nancy stands on the pedestal, she looks straight at Robin. Robin shifts uncomfortably in her chair and Nancy smirks.
“Hello everyone, I’m Nancy Wheeler. Some of you may know me as a priss, a nerd, or maybe even a friend.” She’s still looking at Robin. “I made a mistake. A giant, fat, stupid mistake.” Robin knew she was rambling. That was her job wasn’t it? The crowd laughs and Nancy takes a deep breath. “I wanted this position so badly. Like, it was embarrassing actually. Ask anyone, my brother, my mom, my friends, they’ll all tell you that I went crazy. Expected, honestly.” Nancy wipes a tear forming in her eye and laughs wetly. “I hurt someone I truly care about. And I just want them to know that these past few months that I have gotten to know your kind, wonderful, amazing soul, have been the best months of my high school career. And I’m so sorry for everything. Calculus was probably one of the hardest classes I ever went into, but you helped me. God help me so, I fell utterly, embarrassingly in love with you. I ruined us. And I’m sorry.” She waits a beat and Robin is already crying. Steve is watching them with the biggest grin on his face.
“I didn’t know Wheeler had it in her.” He mutters.
“You know, I would rather die than do this, but for you,” She chuckles. “I think I’d do anything, honestly. I finally convinced our principal to let me do this,” She clears her throat. “Robin Buckley, please come to the stage. I know you hate grand gestures but, we should share this together.” As Robin stands up shakily, she walks to the stairs of the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, our second valedictorian, Robin Buckley.” The crowd cheers and claps and whistles and Robin is sure her face is beet red right now.
“Are you crazy?” She grits out to Nancy.
“Yes, I literally am.” Nancy cries. Robin brings her in for a hug and the crowd cheers again.
“You’re so stupid.”
“I know. I’m so stupid.” Nancy is now shaking with sobs in Robin’s chest.
“God, you drive me insane. I like you too, you idiot.”
Nancy smiles up at her and Robin wipes her tears away. “Dumbass.” She mutters.
Robin stands in front of the microphone. “You know, I never thought this is how I would come out to everyone.” She chuckles heartily. The crowd laughs with her. “But seriously, I’d like to thank this school for making me realize I’m so much better than Nancy Wheeler.” She flicks a thumb in Nancy’s direction and the latter rolls her eyes. Obviously, there is a smile on her face.
“Thank you, from teachers to staff. You guys are amazing.” Robin concludes her improv speech. She hugs Nancy one more time and Nancy kisses her neck.
It’s summer now and both Nancy and Robin got into NYU full ride. Nancy remembers opening their letters together and cheering then kissing and then well, she can’t say the rest.
A knock takes her out of her thoughts and she goes to open her door. It’s Robin, as usual, clad in an over sized shirt. Nancy smirks.
“What are you wearing under there?” Nancy asks. Robin rolls her eyes.
“A bikini, duh. Now hurry up and get changed, Steve says he’s gonna drink all the beer if I don’t get there soon.”
Steve is throwing his usual summer party before they all head off to college. Steve and Jonathan also are exploring their newfound relationship. Which means double dates. Tons of them.
Nancy smiles and kisses Robin deeply before sliding off of her to go get changed.
At Steve’s house, the two are leisurely swimming in the pool watching her friends bicker and throw each other in the pool. Nancy cannot stop staring at Robin and absorbs the girl's laugh.
Nancy Wheeler really really loves Robin Buckley.