"Tell me why do you still love me
Why do you love me?
You know you shouldn't love me
Yeah, you still love me."

- Why, Bazzi

-*-

NAOMI DID NOT EXPECT THIS AT ALL.

Not at all.

"Dustin?" She asked, confused. The said boy feigned a confused expression, looked around, and pointed at himself.

"Me?" He asked goofily, then scoffed obnoxiously.

"Yes, you." Naomi deadpanned.

"Based on your expression, you were shocked--"

"No shit."

"BY -- by my beautiful locks." He pointed a finger at Naomi when she cut him off.

"Dustin, what did you do?" She asked.

After school, she practiced a while before Samantha called it off and rushed them to go to their respective houses.

She expected her night to be relaxing. Soak in a hot tub with scented candles, do her thing and well-- sleep.

What she did not expect though was Dustin knocking on her door, flexing his... hair.

"I did not do a thing. Why is something different?" He smiled.

"You know what, I'm gonna head off to bed. I do not have any energy to have this conversation right now." Naomi started closing her door but was stopped by Dustin.

"Wait, okay. Naomi, do you like my hair?" He said.

"Dustin, it's late."

"I know, I know. But just --- I need honest opinion." Dustin said, practically begging.

Naomi's eyes softened at the boy.

"My honest opinion?" She started before watching the boy's hair.

"I think you have beautiful hair..." with that, Dustin smiled, "without any hairspray." Dustin smile faded.

"Dustin, your hair is perfect just the way it is." Naomi crouched to meet his eyes.

"You don't need any chemicals or anything. Why have you been so obsessed with your hair recently anyway?" She asked. Dustin visibly sighed, looking away, as if thinking of a way out.

"Don't even think of lying. I can read minds." She said.

He sighed before meeting her eyes.

"Let's get inside, yeah?" She said before guiding the boy to the living room.

After settling in, Dustin opened up to her.

How the boy wanted to fit in, not get bullied, and how no one wanted to dance with him at the winter ball except Nancy Wheeler, his friend's sister.

"Dustin..." she comforted, "you know, why don't you sleep here for tonight?"

"I can?" Naomi hated seeing the boy so down.

"Of course, you can." She got up to get some comforters, before stopping. She turned around, seeing Dustin's head low.

"You know..." she started, Dustin turned around.

"It was their loss. You were such a good dancer." She smiled.

Dustin's pearls shined at the comment .

-*-

"I don't really get it, like, why are you so flexible? What have you been doing?" Robin asked her the next day.

They were both at the Scoops Ahoy. The classes for today was cancelled because of the grand opening of the new mall.

Apparently, it was important for the mayor to cancel all of the classes.

"Robin, stretches." She said, a smile in her face while chewing some of her chips.

"Tomorrow, the cheerleaders are gonna perform for the match." Naomi informed.

Robin feigned a shocked expression.

"Really? The school's band is gonna perform too." She said, sarcastically. Naomi threw a chip at her direction. Robin dodged the chip while laughing.

"Nami, we went to the same school. I would've known." She said.

"Well, I am deeply sorry for informing my one and only best friend about my whereabouts." Naomi replied sassily.

"Oh, please!" Robin scoffed jokingly.

Naomi looked out of the window. The tent's window was much smaller but she could see the amount of cars passing by to attend the grand opening.

"I don't really understand." Naomi muttered loudly.

"Understand what?" Robin asked while wiping a dirty and sticky table a group of children sat before.

"This whole thing. I mean, is the opening that important to cancel school?" She asked.

Robin's head turned to her slowly, a horrified look in her face.

"Naomi Roselle Scott." Robin said dramatically. "You are the only person I know who complains at a free day from school."

Naomi glared at her.

"Seriously, Nami. Just be grateful, you can have this day as your day off. Eat some ice cream and visit the mall!" Robin exclaimed loudly.

"Stop advertising, Robin!"

-*-

Naomi looked around at the crowded place. The place seemed like a parking area for the mall. She stood on her toes to see clearly.

She can see the mayor talking to someone before smiling and shaking hands. The mayor took the microphone and stood on the platform.

"Good Morning, Hawkins!" He greeted. The crowds cheered.

"It is a good day, indeed. Today is the day you all have been waiting for. Before continuing to the grand opening, I would like to give some of my gratitude to the donors, without all of you, this event would not have been happening at this moment..."

The mayor gave his speech. Basically, the stuff that only the oldies listen to. Why this event was special, the first mall of the small town, the donations, and etc.

Naomi sighed and looked around. She saw the kids with Steve Harrington, Billy with his own little group, Nancy with her mom, Jonathan with his mother and Will. She can see a lot of students in groups.

"Why the hell is this taking so long?" Naomi whispered to her side, where she thought Robin onced stood.

"I don't know, princess." A male voice whispered back.

Naomi whipped her head fast.

"The hell?" She whispered to herself, a hand in her chest.

Eddie Munson stood beside her, face close to her own. They both looked at each other, not moving an inch. A small gap between them. Brown eyes locked at her blue ones.

She didn't notice the wrinkles around his eyes before, probably from all the smile and his crazy laugh that she always heard at the cafeteria. That laugh always managed to creep her out while eating lunch.

It was like he knew something that everyone doesn't and he's planning something about it.

She didn't noticed how his eyes were actually brown. She didn't notice anything, considering that she always wanted to stir clear away from him. With all the rumors circling around him, she didn't want to be wrapped up in one.

She didn't understand how. How he always seemed so crazed about random stuff but looked so innocent up close.

"Are you serious?" Robin's voice rang.

Naomi blinked and looked away to her other side, where Robin actually stood.

"What?" She asked.

Robin rolled her eyes. Muttering words under her breath. Sounded much like, "right in front of me?" and, "what the hell did I just witnessed?"

There attention was again caught by the mayor who shouted, "welcome, everyone! To the first ever mall of Hawkins, Starcourt!"

Naomi didn't like this at all.