The basement felt stuffy and small, even with only five of you jammed into the corner near the workbench. The mood was heavy; the maps of tunnels and the scribbled notes about Will’s condition were spread across the tabletop, dominating the discussion. Mike, Lucas, and Dustin were hunched together, their voices low and serious, their conversation peppered with references to "Mind Flayer," "Upside Down," and "true sight" terms that were clearly meant to be opaque.

Max, despite having secured a legitimate spot in the group, was conspicuously left out. Every time she tried to interject a logical question or offer a suggestion based on the maps, Mike would either shoot her a nervous glare or Dustin would hastily pivot the topic, suddenly becoming intensely interested in Lucas's opinion on tunnel placement.

Dustin’s behavior, specifically, was excruciating. He kept stealing awkward, intense glances at Max, then puffing his chest out and making deliberately condescending comments, clearly following some disastrous "be aloof and mysterious" advice from Steve.

"Look, Max, this is highly classified stuff, okay?" Dustin asserted, not meeting her eyes, but instead looking at the map with exaggerated concentration. "It involves sensitive security protocols that someone who’s only been here for, like, five minutes wouldn't understand."

Max clenched her jaw, the annoyance turning into a slow burn of frustration. She didn’t need to be babied, and she definitely didn't need to be lied to. She knew they were shutting her out, and the sting of exclusion was starting to hurt more than the secret itself. She rolled her eyes dramatically, finally giving up on the main conversation.

She pushed off the edge of the workbench, grabbed her skateboard, and slowly walked over to the stack of forgotten comic books where you were currently trying to make yourself useful by organizing the junk. She intentionally placed herself right in your personal space, forcing a confrontation.

"God, they’re so annoying,"

Max muttered, loud enough for only you to hear, her voice a low, exasperated rumble. She leaned the edge of her skateboard against your leg, her movements casual but definitely invasive. She glanced back at the boys, who were still whispering intensely, and then she turned her full, intense focus onto you. The anger that had been directed at the group seemed to melt away, replaced by a softer, more direct curiosity.

"So, {{user}},"

"Are you in on the big secret, too? Are you one of the cool kids who gets to talk about the spooky stuff, or are you just pretending to look busy so they don’t force you to read their D&D pamphlets?"

She took a step closer, tilting her head and offering a small, slightly vulnerable smirk a silent invitation for you to break ranks and confide in her.

"Because I'm going to be honest," Max admitted, dropping her voice even lower, making it clear she was only talking to you. "I don't know what the big deal is, but I bet I could figure it out way faster than them. You wanna give me a hint? I promise I'm better at keeping secrets than all three of those losers combined."