rowan

“It’s not that the f-forecast is always wrong, just most of the time. Still, I b-believe it’s much better to know the weather a minority of the time than never.” The brunette mused, nodding her head in quick confirmation while a smile broken from her features quite briefly. “Uhm, well, it’s b-been there for at least six years now.” Perhaps an odd piece of trivia to remember, but a distinctly embarrassing memory that she didn’t intend to remember had resurfaced at the question: the night she’d got her tongue stuck to a pole outside the library. Her cheeks blushed with pink, extending the books she had retrieved from the ground. “W-were you headed inside?”

" No, of course not, I just wish more often that it was accurate, more so when it rains or does THIS," gesturing around them, rowan couldn't help but be frustrated by the current climate. sure, it came out of nowhere but at least some heads up would’ve been nice. “ But you know, guess it keeps us on our toes. But you’re right, and I’m sure with the way things are going, it’ll only get better and better over time.” Rowan added. “ SIX ? damn, and you’d think by now i’d have a detailed map with all poles to avoid scribbled down, guess I missed this one.” She joked with a small chuckle, hoping to ease any tension in the air. “Thanks,” Rowan nodded gratefully toward the books, collecting them in her arms. “ Yeah, was hoping to get some studying in, so I’m ready for my midterms, but now I’m wondering if the world was trying to convince me that it isn’t a GRAND idea.” 

Priya heard the voice and turned towards it, getting blinded by the light. She held up her hand to block the light and the wind that was whipping against her face. She tilted her head. “Rowan?” She asked glancing around seeing if there was anyway to make up an excuse not to take a ride. “Umm..” After looking around she finally gave in. “Sure.” She said moving a few steps closer to her. In all honestly, she was glad to have a ride and she wouldn’t be stuck in the storm.

" SORRY, " words echoed out, instantly lowering her flashlight with a grimace, “ I wasn’t trying to blind you.” Rowan called out, lightly joking as she did so. “But it’s me,” as she got closer, she saw it was Priya. “ I promise I don’t bite, at least not nearly as much as this weather will.” She added, hoping the mild humor would break the awkwardness as she came in closer. “Where to? Home? Or somewhere else?” 

Despite the storm still going on outside, Andrei couldn’t stay locked in his apartment. Not when one of his own coworkers had been found dead. So naturally, he found his way to the pub, shortly after ordering a glass. Which remained nearly even touched, far too concerned and affected by the news. His fingers were drumming against the glass, his head leaned in his other hand. “What’s wrong with this town?” He whispered, mostly to himself, but it’d be no surprise if someone else heard.

Days like this, Rowan HATED her job, working on the dead was hard enough, even more so when the fallen was a face she knew all too well. Not only, had she made an effort to connect with the officers in the station over the years while visiting her father, but now she was an employer and worked for them. Being in law enforcement was never a safe career, but this was HAWKINS, bad things didn’t happen, not to this extreme. Sure, death happened, it was apart of life, but murder on top of a missing kid? The young woman couldn’t help but question if the town was truly losing it. After finishing up for the day, the body slid securely back into its slot and locked up, she made her way out in the storm, suffocating under the large jacket she had lived in the past week. She was tired of this, what she wouldn’t give to go back to the most exciting thing was an episode of Columbo her and her dad hadn’t seen. She longed for it. 

After walking mindlessly for some time, eventually Rowan stopped in her tracks just outside the local pub. She didn’t go often, but on occasion when work or school became too stressful, she enjoyed a drink or two. Even, shirley temples had a way of taking the stress off. So, as she rolled in, she was surprised to see a couple other people sitting around, even more so when eyes landed upon the back of a familiar figure. Walking up, she helped herself to the seat beside him, ordering a drink to herself before hearing a voice speak up and a question that caught her off guard. 

“ I wish I knew,” a soft, faint voice responded to what she was  sure was a rhetoric question. “ A couple months ago, if someone had told me any of what’s happened lately were to happen, I’d have said they’ve gone mad...but now, I’m sitting here wondering, what’s next?” She didn’t want to think of having to work on Matthew’s body, children and teens were always the worst, but the thought had crossed her mind multiple times that day.

☒  - Our characters discussing what they want their lives to look like in the future.

The beginning of a laugh edged out of Lucretia’s mouth as she listened to the youth ramble. “Those weather channels are . . well, they’re b-bullshit.” She answered briefly, just until she peered at the young girl as though she might be able to see if her pain was anymore than she let on. Her gaze soon narrowed, her eyebrows furrowing after she had finished her investigation. “It’s Rowan, right? Your dad’s chief? Are you s-sure you’re alright, hon?” Although it might have appeared as though she was sucking up to her boss’s daughter, Lu couldn’t really help but dwell in concern for the bruises on the girl’s back. 

" Makes you wonder why we have them at all, I can usually tell more by looking out the window but yet, I never do fail to turn it on in the morning. ” Certainly there was more appeal to turning the news channel on then just the weather, Rowan liked going into a new day informed but the weather was often her excuse for having it on so loud and having it disturb the others in her household. “ That’s the one. You’re...Lucretia, right?” She asked after a moments pause, once memory struck. “I think so, think the cold slush helped with making the fall bearable, guess I’m lucky it was there.” Or not, depending on how she looked at it. “ Has that pole always been there?” 

As Rowan ignored his hand and pushed herself up, he couldn’t help roll his eyes. He was damned if he tried to the right thing and he was damned if he was laughing at her. He figured he may as well just have fun and tease her a little more. “If you had killed a bird by landing on it, I’d be impressed.” he told her earnestly. “And if you’d actually broken a bone, I would’ve just laughed behind your back.” Carter followed he gaze and saw she was looking at the library. Gross. He spent enough time there when he visited Jo; he didn’t need to see it on a day that he didn’t plan to annoy her. His head swung back round to look at Rowan and he couldn’t help but grin. “I figure you’re right. Shit, karma’s probably got a target on my back the size of…” he trailed off, thinking. “Well, it’s big I reckon. I guess you’ll just have to wait and see what it has in store for me.”

Typically, Rowan wouldn't have been so quick to deny a helping hand, especially one belonging to a friend but when it came to her PRIDE, she was slightly stubborn. Glad she didn’t tumble once more to the ground, the older of the two couldn’t help but retaliate at his remark by nudging him hard but not too hard with her elbow, scoffing. “ Impressed? A bird is still a life, you know? I don’t know if I should find that worrisome or not.” She commented. The longing for the library was lingering in the air, it hadn’t been long, yet the idea of escaping the storm with a pile of books for a couple of hours didn’t sound half bad. “ I just hope that by the time it finally does inevitably catch up you, it doesn’t get you too bad. I would hate to have to dissect all your bits and pieces.” Rowan grimaced dramatically at the thought. 

When the storm started, Rosana was in a small restaurant. She figured she could wait for the storm to pass, surely it would. But instead of calming down, it got even worse as she was plunged into darkness. And now not only was she stuck with strangers, but she was stuck with strangers in dark, and there was nothing else she hated more than this. Wrapping a coat a little tighter around her shoulders, the girl sank a little deeper into her chair before whispering. “This would’ve never happened in New York.”

A couple days in, and the storm hadn't even begun to clear. If anything, it was worsening. The unfortunate amount of calls made to the station, and the body of someone that had picked a horrid time to go camping. It was horrific, to say the least, but it gave her more than a dozen reasons to not leave the house without the right amount of clothing and then some. That evening, unfortunately for Rowan, her car wouldn’t start, so she was forced to wander the familiar roads of Hawkins, hoping to find something to make her sanctuary unitl things got better. It was then, that emerald orbs caught sight of the infamous sign above the diner flickering and instantly, her pace quickened and within seconds she found herself shaking herself off in the doorway. “ And I thought it was colder in New York? Huh, maybe they’ve got better power. In any case, I’m grateful this place was open, I was not interested in making the long walk home through THAT.” She gestured behind her at the storm still going at full speed. 

Priya knew she shouldn’t be out at that hour. With the storm starting and only getting worse she should have headed home a lot sooner. But she had gotten distracted while eating at the diner and looking through all the information she had gathered about Matthew’s case. The lights had flickered and immediately scared her. Memories of the lab flashed through her head and almost instantly she got up to leave. She stuffed her papers into her bag before pulling her jacket, hat, and gloves on and headed out into the storm. Of course, the one night she didn’t drive her car the storm came. Priya started towards her apartment building but hers was still a decent amount away. The wind was whipping through her hair and blow against her face as she tried to stay warm. The street lights over head flickered and then went off. Priya let out a nervous breath and looked around, starting to worry. 

Another late night at work left Rowan leaving the station at an insane hour, a part of her half tempted to make use of the couch in her father’s office and just stay there until morning, but in the desperate need of a shower and clean clothes after the shift she’d had, Rowan decided against it. Grabbing an extra coat and a couple of old flashlights from the supply stash, she stepped out into the blizzard, jumping at the gust of wind that swept past her face. Just when she began to search her bag for car keys, she caught sight of Priya out of the corner of her eyes. “ You alright? “ she called out, almost calling her crazy for being out in the storm, before realizing how hypocritical that would’ve sounded. Raising her flashlight without thought, careful not to shine it directly in the other’s face, Rowan hoped she wouldn’t frighten the other. “ Do you need a ride? ”

    the soles of her sneakers emitted a harsh squeak as she moved in her seat. the plastic was cold and hard, uncomfortable at the best of times. she suspected it had more to do with the ambience of the place. Hawkins Police Station held only a few pleasant memories, most being those with her mother’s hands clasped in prayer waiting over a transgression by a brother, sometimes both of them. without them she felt self-conscious, as if she’d been the one to do something wrong despite being far from it. rather, Casey had only dropped in to CHECK IN on her siblings. a silent act, one that would surely bring cries of embarrassment should they be let on.

    a couple more minutes of glancing over her fingernails went by before the soft click of heels on the linoleum floor could be heard. expecting the secretary to step through the doorway, the face almost made her want to bolt. Not for her sake but for Rowan’s. many a times she’d heard cruel words float through the school’s hallways, barely certain that she hadn’t passed on a few herself at times. guilt sank its claws in deep.

    “ hi, ” she spoke quickly and turned away to take a sudden interest in the stack of tatty magazines that sat on the coffee table beside her. only after gathering the courage to look back did Casey make conversation, albeit tentatively. “ i’m here to check on my brothers. if your sister’s busy i can come back later. ” // @itsrowan

though most weren't a fan of the station, understandably so, as long as Rowan could remember it had always been a place of comfort to her. not always, certainly but growing up she spent far too much time disrupting the officers from their work, not thinking much of it. after all, until now, the crime rate in hawkins was low, mostly petty crimes and deaths from natural causes. but now, after she was given the opportunity to help assist the station’s coroner, Rowan was starting to see a completely different side to the place. 

that week, however, Rowan was off due to upcoming exams and both her and her father insisting it was necessary unless something extreme came up and a hand was needed. still, she made the time to stop by and have a quick bite to eat with her co-workers, hoping to get the chance to catch up with her father but still, he was busy out and about with the case. not that she blamed him, a kid was missing. 

stepping out from the break room, mild laughter escaped the tousled brunette, soft doe eyes lighting up in amusement as she carried on conversation until the inevitable interruption of them having to get back to work. turning away, emerald hues spotted casey out of the corner of her eyes. flashbacks to high school hitting her with little warning as the smile faded to something more of a forced smile. she couldn’t really blame anyone, making her a target was easy for most, but still, the rumors, the events that led to it were always very real to her and that pain never left. 

“ hello,” a soft, almost forced whispered spoke in echo, eyes still locked on casey. “ huh? ” she asked in mild confusion at the question, shrugging it off as a slight mix up. “ I think he may be out on a call, but if you’d like to leave a note for him, i’m sure you’d be able to leave it at his desk.” she spoke out, the confidence finding its way back to her voice. “ i’m only here for lunch, otherwise i’d try to be more of assistance..” 

stepping just outside of the college library, jett calmly looked around at the swarms of people either heading indoors or for their cars. he was used to snow in new york, the storm heading for hawkins one of the last things on the student’s mind as he instead shook his head at a few people making fools of themselves on the icy pavement. lighting up a cigarette, jett took a long drag before moving up from his post on the stone wall as he heard a loud bang! not too far off. “holy shit,” jett shoved the cigarette between his lips as he moved to the library’s flagpole where a girl was sprawled across the ground. nearly tripping on a book or two, jett reached out his hand for her to grab onto. “it sounded like you flew face first into that thing. you okay? can you hear me?”  

within moments, the petite girl found herself coming back to earth, the adrenaline from the fall wearing out. with books, everywhere, and her head spinning a million miles a second, the sound of people around her was fading in and out, the cars zooming by, the screeching against the ice. it was all so much, but then just as her head turned to take in her surroundings, the library sign caught her eye reminding her of just WHY she’d been out and about putting her life and books at risk. with a loud huff, she dug her scraped hands into the slushy mess and finally started to push herself only to be startled back down to the ground by a male approaching. “ CRAP, should’ve heard you coming, my mind must be just about everywhere today, did you come out of nowhere?” rowan questioned, a slight chuckle to her words, humored somewhat despite her heavily pounding heart. “I’m fine, yeah, nothing too bad, i swear..” the girl insisted, accepting the other’s hand for help. “ how many people saw that?” she asked, cheeks now darkening to a something resembling a cherry shade.

                     ❝ little miss PERFECT is too good to say FUCK, huh. ❞ erik took a long drag of his vice. the contrast between the dust and the snow as he ashed his cigarette was almost enchanting. but the wind was blowing wildly through his hair, the snow that hit his face made him look sweaty – u n c o m f o r t a b l e. that, coupled with the fact that his face has never been a darker shade of red from the chill of the weather. he looked like a dolt.

                              he hoped the brunette girl, currently lying flat on her back with books sprawled                                                around her in every direction, wouldn’t care all too much.

                       he started picking up the books around the girl. BEGRUDGINGLY, of course. this isn’t something he would normally do outside of a snowstorm that was in the process of fucking up the town. ❝ what’s a broad like you doing out here tonight, huh ?? ❞ he laughed, ❝ you should be back at the house, drinking eggnog or hot cocoa. reading one of these god awful books. ❞

                     a huff slipped past her nearly blued lips, always having hated the nickname, she couldn’t help but shoot the other glare as he hovered close by. “ hardly perfect, if that were the case, i wouldn’t have had that GLORIOUS fall.” she pointed out, pushing herself off the ground and collecting the last of the books that were still sitting around. until now, rowan hadn’t seen who was talking, the storm making it difficult to match a face to the vaguely familiar voice. 

                   she was hoping for a quiet evening in the library, but that hardly seemed like a                                                     promising option at this point. 

The little ledge harboring the front of the library from rain, seemed to work when it came to hail - if only until it began hailing sideways. The mustard yellow coat draped across her shoulders painted her vividly against the drowsy coats of home-grown locals and the depressing veil of the library’s front. She had hesitated in leaving, although frightened by the thought of leaving her daughter in the daycare’s hands for an extended and unknown amount of time. The mustard coat had been quick to shoot across the front lawn of the library, however, when she noticed the girl go down. “J-Jesus Christ,” Lucretia cursed, her hair wind-swept as she leaned over the young girl to extend her hand with a few of the books already tucked under an arm, “C’mon, honey. L-Let’s get you up. Are you okay? You . . might have a b-bruise or two pretty soon.”

Pain crept through her body, though it was minimal, Rowan felt it. The cold of the slushy mess beneath her helping to numb most of it, and then some. She had hoped no one would see her, but as a vaguely familiar woman approached, she was slightly glad to see her, because had it been up to her, she might have lied there far too long. “I’m sure it’s hardly anything, these shoes just were not made for this weather, nor was I prepared.” She forced a small chuckle, “ Isn’t this what they have weather channels for?” She always watched the news, especially the weather before leaving classes, but this storm came out of NOWHERE. 

“ A couple bruises build character, or isn’t that what they say? But thank you,” she added, gratefully accepting the other’s hand as she used it to pull herself up. “ The one plus side of this weather is it’s not as painful to fall until it’s ice.” 

Carter had been making great time heading home, soaring through the streets of Hawkins as well as he could in the conditions. After a few blocks, his momentum started to slow as the conditions worsened and soon he had to give up, stowing his skateboard under his arm. It sucked and it would take him far too long to get home. Carter wasn’t even sure he had enough time. Hunkering down, the young boy shoved his hands in his pockets, board holding at an awkward angle. As he hurried home, he saw a commotion out of the corner of his eye and he looked up just in time to see Rowan fall.

He couldn’t help it - he had to laugh. A head thrown back, resembling a cackle laugh that was loud enough to be heard over the whipping wind. He crossed the street and once he was looming over the brunette, he held out a hand for her to take. “Come on Sleeping Beauty, get up. This is no place for a nap.”

Of course, Carter would be the one to find her, it was almost as if she sometimes believed him to be behind some of her many clumsy moments, despite knowing it to be highly impossible MOST of the time. “ You’re not meant to be laughing, what if I’d broken someone?” she scoffed, cheeks flaring a dark red. “ OR fell on top of a tiny bird and KILLED it?” now she was being dramatic. Rowan let out another heavy breath, annoyance clear in her entire demeanor as she pushed herself off the ground on her own. “ I can help myself, I’m not that incapable.” She insisted, glancing over to see if the library was still open. 

“ Next time, it’ll be you.” She warned, now flashing a sheepish smile, brushing the slushy mess off once she was upright. “ I hear karma comes for us all.” 

Having a dog and a pup to take care of, remaining indoors throughout the entirety of the storm was out of the question. They weren’t trained to stay indoors, nor should they have to be. So, instead, Rowan put on as much winter clothes as possible, even putting some old sweaters on Vito and Rizzo, not wanting them to freeze either. Sure, they were warmer dogs than a chihuahua but they weren’t used to these harsh conditions. After wandering some, she let Vito off the leash as they reached the forest, figuring no one would would be out and about, not at this hour or in this weather. 

The pair of shoes that made their way towards Troy’s booth and stopped just in front of it were very much Rowan’s taste. ‘Stupid, stupid’ Troy thought to himself. Had he really expected Rowan not to see him? And even if she hadn’t she would have wound up sitting somewhere to eat. That meant she would have easily spotted him when he climbed out from under the table to leave too. It was a stupid plan if you could even call it a plan, and Troy wasn’t very surprised that it hadn't worked out. 

Shamefully slinking out from under the table, his eyes actively avoided his sister’s gaze. “…..no.” The word finally fell from his lips as his hands played with the ends of his long sleeves. It wasn’t a plain reply though, no, it was dripping with the attitude of a guilty child replying to their parent. There was a long pause as Troy tried to work out what to say next. He had planned on having a lot more time to figure this out, hence the avoidance of his sister. Now he suddenly had to say something. Something to keep from hurting Rowan further. Something to explain his actions. Something apologetic.

“I just…” He started, risking a quick glance up to read her expression. Yikes, not good. She was definitely upset with him and didn’t find his hiding comical. Sighing softly towards the floor tiles he continued. “It’s a lot and I don’t know where to start.” Truthfully being back in Hawkins meant that Troy had to face the consequences of his actions and he was afraid of them. He never intended to hurt Rowan but deep down he knew he had. His selfishness had hurt his family and as much as he had been running partially from them, he still loved them. It hurt him to hurt them but he had been too busy thinking about himself to come face to face with that fact… until now.  

Finally looking into her eyes, Troy decided to start with an apology. “I’m sorry, Rowan.”

This behavior took her back to when they were kids, hiding in places easily spotted by parents, knowing they’d get caught but rarely caring. But this time, there was no laughter, no amused expression from Rowan. Had they left off on different terms, maybe there would be, but after her mother, Troy was the second family member to abandon her and even if it wasn’t in the same way, it still HURT.  

Watching as he shuffled his way out from under the table, Rowan’s posture and demeanor changed little until she noticed how actively he was going out of his way to avoid her. She hadn’t done anything, but with the thoughts coursing through her mind, she couldn’t help but question if she had. 

“Starting at the beginning usually helps, you know or you know, even just a hi, how are you would be nice..” She pointed out, voice cracking half way through her blunt response. She had so many thoughts, so many questions, yet now was she stood there, very few of them managed to be voiced. So, instead, the brunette remained silent, lip quivering, the mixture of emotions resulting in her eyes watering. She didn’t want to do this, not here, but she couldn’t not do it. What if there was no other chance but now? 

“ You’re SORRY?” disbelief in her voice as their eyes finally met, quickly wiping away the couple of tears that managed to roll down her cheek.