Feat. Nancy - Blog Posts

backtowheeler​:

— ✎ —

“Definitely not your smartest idea to date,” Nancy agreed. She didn’t even know why she, or anyone, for that matter let Cole behind the wheel. Steve was semi-sober enough to get them around that night, but alcohol just did that to a person. They were all too focused on saving Max and stumbling around to actually make sure anyone was safe. “But it’ll be fine, right? I mean, I’m sure you can take it down to the shop and it won’t be… terrible to fix,” maybe Nancy was too naive. She didn’t know how much cars were really priced at or how much it cost to fix them. Her parents were the ones who handled all of that so it was the one topic Nancy wasn’t knowledgeable in. 

Nancy smiled at his comment, a chuckle escaping her lips. Sometimes Cole made her jealous. She always had her head on her shoulders and every move she made was perfectly curated. Whether it be by her parents or her own headstrong nature. Nancy knew what she was doing which was a blessing in its own right, but she never just guessed. She could never be smart enough to just blindly know the right answer. She had to have logic behind it. A reason. “A crooked finger would be kind of cool,” she told him, teasing behind her voice. “But I guess we have to let Bach keep playing.”

“The Wheeler household?” Nancy took another bite from her sandwich and leaned back. “We’re the same as usual. I don’t think I’ve talked to my dad in days, I think we’re working on a new record,” she shrugged. “Oh, wait, you’ll totally freak at this!” She exclaimed, slapping Cole’s shoulder in excitement. “Thad is here. Like, in Hawkins.”

xx.

Cole groaned at the mention of the easy fix. In his mind, it should be an easy fix! Not that he was a mechanic, but he wasn’t an idiot. Most of the time... except for when he wrecked the car in the first place. “It will be fine,” he said, in his best attempt at a cheery voice. “But I took it to a mechanic and they quoted me $3,000 to fix it.” Cole ran a hand through his hair, conveniently not mentioning that he’d met her delightful boyfriend right after his stop at the mechanic. “You may be shocked to learn that the Music Center does not pay me enough to afford that,” he joked.

Laughing, Cole wiggled his finger. “Are you suggesting I become Captain Hook? Dramatic, sure, but not entirely practical.” It had always been easy for Cole to relax around Nancy. Maybe it felt comfortable because they’d just been in the same vicinity their whole lives. They certainly were always lumped together by their teachers-- nerd one meet nerd two-- though Cole couldn’t hold a candle to Nancy’s smarts in math or science. “Bach is high praise for someone who hasn’t heard me play since... what... our fifth grade recital?” he laughed, remembering the years Karen had forced Nancy to play piano though it was obvious to everyone else that Nancy hated it.

Cole coughed on a chunk of sandwich at Nancy’s news. Taking a second to swallow and collect himself, he shot Nancy a surprised glance. Oh my God! I totally had no idea. “Really?” he exclaimed. His acting wasn’t great, but it was believable-- or so he hoped. “What is Mr. Hamptons doing slumming it in Hawkins?” he asked, genuinely curious. Why had Thad come all this way?

backtowheeler​:

— ✎ —

Nancy made room on the blanket by scooting over just a tad more, ensuring that she wasn’t hogging all of the space from Cole. “Not great, huh?” She scrunched her nose, the corners of her mouth turning up as she thought back to the night at the mall. Cole had bravely crashed his car to distract them into getting Max, which didn’t end up helping in the long run since Max had to stay in their jail for a night anyway. “I’m sorry you did that for nothing,” she apologized, as if she had been the one to tell him to wreck it or had caused it herself.

“How did you know?” Nancy asked, bemused that Cole could even clock that. She wasn’t a girl scout for long, but Karen Wheeler had forced her into it for a few years until Nancy ultimately fought her long enough to quit. “Did it until 7th grade,” she admitted, pulling out another sandwich for herself. Although Nancy would chalk up her knowledge of being prepared to her intrepid sense as a journalist or the over preparedness of a girl that got roped into saving the world on multiple occasions. “It’s a Karen Wheeler specialty. I’m surprised she even gave me the recipe,” she explained, taking a bite from the sandwich.

“So, two weeks? I mean, was it even broken?” She asked, suddenly interested by his injury. “I’m pretty sure I just taped mine once and I lived,” granted, it’s harder to go to a doctor if you sustain injuries from an outside force.

xx.

“Let’s just say Maggie Montgomery is not very thrilled with me right now,” Cole laughed. His mom was strange; she wouldn’t come out and say that she was upset with him or even that she didn’t believe the road rage story, but he could tell. Cole shook his head, dismissing Nancy’s comment. “It was my pea-brained idea. Why I was even driving after combining weed and alcohol, I don’t know,” he laughed. There was no sense in being upset about something that had already happened. 

Cole grinned as Nancy confirmed his suspicion. “Guess you’re not the only sleuth in town, Nancy Drew,” he quipped. Part of him had always been jealous of Nancy’s certainty-- the fact that she seemed to know exactly what she was doing and what role she would play in every situation. Cole, on the other hand, was existing almost entirely off of guess work; he picked Literature as his focus because he was good at it, he got a job at the Music Center because it sounded easy, he came back to Hawkins for the summer because he didn’t want to be alone in a college town. No strategy, no certainty. He used to know what he wanted, but with that gone... he pushed the thoughts away and took another bite of the sandwich. “Karen Wheeler can make a damn good sandwich,” he declared.

Shrugging, Cole slipped off the finger brace the doctor had given him. “He said it was fractured. It’s really not even that bad-- it’s just annoying. Honeslty, I keep wearing the brace because I don’t want to fuck it up and have to change the way I play piano.” He set the brace aside, letting his sad little finger breathe for a moment. “But enough about me. What’s going on in the Wheeler household? Any big summer plans?”

In an attempt to stay out of the house and out of his mother’s sight until the car was fixed, Cole had been skating new routes all over Hawkins. Normally, he wouldn’t be caught in the park, as the lake was much more his speed, but it was paved and that was an easier terrain for skating. He’d tucked a book in his back pocket-- the new Stephen King novel-- just in case he found the perfectly shady spot to lounge in.

He was absentmindedly humming a Steely Dan song when he heard his name. Cole looked up to see Nancy waving at him. Picking up his skateboard, he made his way over to her and smiled at her spread. Classic Nancy, always prepared. “Hey Nance!” he said, sitting down on the edge of her blanket. He lifted his finger for inspection, “Honestly, it’s fine. I think the doctor was just being dramatic with his two-weeks-in-the-cast orders. The car on the other hand...” He sighed, leaning back on his good hand. With a smile, he took the extra sandwich from her; now that he thought about it, he hadn’t eaten today. “Thanks. Hey, were you a girl scout or something? Seems like you’re always prepared,” he mused, peeling back the cling wrap and taking a bite. “It’s really good,” he said, mouth full. 

𝐖𝐇𝐎: Nancy Wheeler & @colemontgomeryx​​​​​

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓: Benny’s might be closed but at least Nancy makes a mean chicken salad sammy!

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: Hawkins Community Park

Nancy’s-No-Good-Summer had been going off on a… decent start. Hawkins wasn’t some beach town, they weren’t known for anything other than weird happenings, but at least they had warm weather. That was something to look forward to. Maybe she wouldn’t have sand between her toes, but at least she’d have the sun on her skin. Nancy laid out a blanket underneath her and relaxed on it, keeping an eye on Holly as she played on the nearby playground. 

Holding onto her new copy of The Silence of the Lambs, a book that had practically just hit shelves, she spotted someone out of the corner of her peripheral. “Cole!” She announced, waving him over to her sanctuary. She closed her book and sat it on the blanket. “How’s your finger?” Nancy asked, pointing at his hand. The night at the mall had been an eventful one, namely Max’s arrest and Cole’s wrecked car and finger. “Are you hungry? I packed extra chicken salad. I was going to try and rope Mike into coming with me but he’s…” she glanced around, reaching into the lunchbox she brought. “Anywhere but here.”

backtowheeler​:

— ✎ —

“It’s pathetic, isn’t it?” Nancy smiled, knowing how idiotic she sounded. Even when her and Steve first broke up, she swore to herself that she wouldn’t jump into another relationship. It didn’t do her any good the first time… or the second time. Third time’s a charm though, right? “But he’s better than you’d think,” she lied. Thad was just as typical as anyone would expect a guy named Thad would be. Nancy wasn’t particularly fond of him, but for her senior year? She could put up with him. Or maybe she’d get hit with the Wheeler curse and marry him, pop out a few kids, and stay unhappy until death.

Nancy let out a sigh, finishing off her beer. “I’m tired of talking about me,” she groaned, turning to Cole. “Top me off and tell me all things Cole?” She wiggled her cup in front of him, a grin on her face. 

xx.

Suddenly Cole felt bad for his relentless teasing of Nancy. Certainly, she was an adult and could make her own decisions about who to date, even if Cole suspected he was an asswipe. “Hey, if you’re happy, don’t listen to me,” he offered her an apologetic smile. “And if you’re not... well, send me a postcard from the Hamptons.” 

Cole’s grin matched hers, and he took her cup with a bow. “As you wish, m’lady.” He turned on his heel and dutifully retrieved two new beers. Pouring one into the cup, he chewed on his cheek. All things Cole. “Hmm. What’s there to say? Still studying lit, still sure I’ll be unemployed come graduation,” he shrugged, taking a swig of his beer. “Tell me, how does one figure out what to do with their life?”

backtowheeler​:

— ✎ —

Nancy let out a laugh. “If I’m going to be stuck here all summer instead of the Virgin Islands then I’d like to keep her as pleased as can be,” she explained. Nancy had always had a complicated history with her own mother. Karen Wheeler could be a sweet woman, she cared about her children, she tried to be there for them as much as she could, but there were stark differences in Nancy’s raising compared to Mike or Holly’s raising. Nancy was the first born meaning she set the precedent for the rest of her siblings. She was also the first girl which, with a father like Ted, meant that she had to adhere to simple rules (even as a 21 year old). It was a difficult life to lead, one that she didn’t quite like at all, but she’d play the part and just pray she didn’t end up like her parents.

I bummed a ride off Harrington. That statement sent shivers down Nancy’s spine. She should have known Steve would show up. He was close to the Wheeler’s whether Nancy liked it or not and even though she was currently in a state of avoiding him, they were friends… at some point. “The deal is that Steve and I are currently in Splitsville,” for whatever bullshit reason he gave Nancy instead of outright saying, ‘I’m having trouble with my sexuality’. “And I’ve been seeing this guy. His name’s Thad, business major at Emerson, his parents own a summer house in the Hamptons,” would you look at that! Nancy Wheeler was all about letting another guy dictate her life! “So, things are going much better than anticipated.”

xx.

Cole chuckled, nodding in agreement. While his mom and Karen Wheeler were similar-- washed-up former "it" girls-- Maggie Montgomery was decidedly less... invested in her son's life. They both liked it that way, and Cole couldn't imagine being Nancy, having her entire life on display, under the watchful eye of her mother. It was no wonder she would up dating Harrington-- decidedly her polar opposite. "Cheers to keeping Karen happy," Cole clinked his bottle to her plastic cup and took a swig.

"Thad." He repeated, looking at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Just going off his name he sounds..." searching for the right word, "like he might have a giant stick up his ass." Cole pre-emptively ducked out of the way in case she tried to swing. "But, who can blame you, using the poor guy for his summer home," he teased.

backtowheeler​:

Nancy was surprised to see Cole Montgomery show up at the little shindig put on by her mom. She knew this was mostly the time for Karen to shuffle her eldest and most successful child around (who knows? Maybe Holly will grow up to be a doctor!) for all her friends to see. It wasn’t so much about Nancy’s friends, and she especially didn’t expect to see Cole. Maybe Max, or Robin, but her and Cole’s family had such a convoluted past that she’d thought he’d sit this one out.

For all intensive purposes, Nancy and Cole should have hated each other. They were pitted against each other from the moment they were born. Nancy could recall early years when Karen would mutter to her that Cole had gotten a better score than her on a Social Studies test, pushing Nancy to try harder and be better, a mantra she would often hear until the day she left Hawkins and moved to Boston. Yet, she never had disdain for Cole. She learned early on that it wasn’t him doing anything, it was her mother perpetuating a different narrative, and while they weren’t close in high school, Nancy was glad they could grow closer in recent years.

“Probably drop dead,” she chuckled, knocking her cup against his. Nancy was legally able to drink (the National Minimum Drinking Age Act had never affected Indiana), but her parents weren’t heavy drinkers and assumed the same for their children. Or at least for Nancy. The booze was mostly there for guests and no one else. “I wish, but I’d like to try to keep her panic to a minimum,” she took a sip from her cup. “What brought you here? Surely it can’t be just because of me.”

Cole chuckled at the thought of Mrs. Wheeler spontaneously combusting; it’s not that he hated her, he didn’t dislike her at all, really, it’s just that he hated what she represented: the overbearing presence of a small town, the way everyone everywhere was ready to whisper about you behind your back. There’s a certain type of person who does well in this town: someone like Nancy, who is generally impressive and straight-edge (or so she seems). But Cole knows what that’s like, and he knows all-too-well the fear of bursting everyone’s bubble.

Maybe that’s what drew him to Nancy. He sensed there was more underneath the surface, that she could also understand the feeling of hiding from everyone. Maybe, together, they could escape from it all a while. Part of him was disappointed when she declined his offer to get out of there, but he knew it was for the best. “Keep her panic to a minimum,” he repeated, “probably best for your sanity, anyway.” 

A wry smile teased the edges of Cole’s mouth. “Funny you should ask, actually, I bummed a ride off Harrington,” he said, raising his beer to his lips and keeping his eyes trained on her face. He hoped he could deduce exactly what was going on between the once-hottest couple in town from her expression, but he guessed Nancy was sneakier than that. She wouldn’t reveal anything she didn’t want to... but Cole was never above prying. “So, you excited to see him? What’s the deal?” 

The Wheeler family barbecue wasn't exactly Cole's first choice as far as Memorial Day festivities go. He would much rather be by the lake, pretending to read a book-- away from all the prying eyes of Hawkins' very own helicopter parents. But one chance run-in with Steve Harrington can derail even the strongest man's plans for the day. And Cole didn't mind, he sort of liked the twitch Karen Wheeler got when he was around.

See, Karen and Cole's mom used to be friends-- best friends, as Cole understood it. But best friends in the girl way, where they secretly hate each other and are always competing to be the prettiest, smartest, funniest, whatever. And then Maggie Montgomery got shipped off to New York and Karen won prom queen and that was supposed to be that. Until Maggie came back with a son, born around the same time as Karen's oldest, and suddenly the competition began again. Whose kid would be the smartest? The most athletic? The prettiest? It was amusing to Cole, especially in the last few years since he and Nancy have become friends.

So, he matched Karen's polite smile when he greeted her and raided her kitchen, making a plate of every feasible kind of chip and dip he could find. Karen watched him the whole time, peppering him with faux-questions used to assert Nancy's superiority. Are you still at Indiana State? Meaning: you aren't at a real college like Emory. How are you liking the Music Center? Meaning: Nancy has a real job running a newspaper, etc etc. After no less than twenty questions, Cole escaped to the front yard and to a cold beer. Glancing sideways, he noticed that Nancy had the same idea. "Prized pony, huh?" He grinned, clinking his beer to her plastic cup. "What would Mrs. Wheeler think if she knew Secretariat was defiling her body with alcohol?" he whispered, raising his eyebrows. "Hey, say the word and we can get outta here. You know I love to see Karen squirm."

𝐖𝐇𝐎: Nancy Wheeler & OPEN

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓: Nancy escapes the confines of Karen Wheeler, spots your muse, and forces them to talk to her.

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: Memorial Day aka Nancy’s Day!

Nancy had been home from Emerson for approximately five days and eight hours. In that time, she had barely seen the sunlight let alone escape from the grasp that was Karen Wheeler’s perfectly manicured hand. It was thing after thing with her mom. First, they went to the nail salon, then grocery shopping, then to The Gap, and then to her nana’s house for a visit. There had barely been time for her to even sit down and breathe for the last week. Then Karen began talking about how they should throw a BBQ for Nancy! It made perfect sense, in Karen’s mind. The Wheeler’s knew so many people and a cook out on Memorial Day was the perfect kickstarter to reintroduce Nancy to people who she had actively been avoiding since leaving Hawkins. Nancy would protest, looking over at her dad who’s glued to his Lay-Z Boy for some help, only for Ted to grumble and ask, “Do I have to cook?”

There was no use and come Memorial Day, the Wheeler’s backyard had been decorated. Her dad was on the grill and her mom was pushing Nancy along to talk to all of Karen’s friends. Nancy goes to Emerson! She’s a part of Alpha Epsilon Phi! And she’s dating the president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon! Oh, and she’s editor-in-chief at The Berkeley Beacon! Karen was bragging and bragging about all of Nancy’s accolades. It seemed to give Karen a leg up against all of her other friends who’s kids were still stuck in Hawkins. “Hey, I’ll be right back,” she said, excusing herself from the gaggle of moms.

Grabbing a red solo cup, she snuck off with one of the beers she spotted in the cooler, and poured it in the cup. There was no way she could tackle this sober. Taking a long drink, she spotted a familiar face, and booked it towards them. She needed some kind of distraction away from the clutches of Karen Wheeler. “Hey, do you think you could distract me for like… five minutes before I have to go back to being trotted around like a prized pony?”