FREAKS

3: You're Not A Freak

"Are you alright?" The girl asked, standing up and looking concerned for me.

I wiped the tears streaming from my face, "Err, have you seen my brother? He was just-just... he was just here."

"Yeah, he left a few minutes ago. Is everything okay?" She asked.

My voice was hoarse, "I-I... I've just seen some crazy shit. Like satanic shit. And I don't.. don't know what to do."

"Do you want to come in?" She asked as I nodded.

She led me into her trailer, it was nicely decorated but there was beer cans everywhere. But, I'm used to that, so I'm not judging.

She closed her bedroom door, "You can sleep in my bed if you want, I don't mind sleeping on the floor."

I took a deep breath, "Err, no it's fine. I'll sleep on the floor."

I sat on her bed and she sat next to me. She was wearing a blue jumper and grey joggers, I was wearing grey shorts and Eddie's oversized t-shirt.

"I'm Max Mayfield." She smiled.

"Deena.. Munson." I tried to smile, "You go to Hawkins High, right?"

"Yeah, I've seen you around." Max replied.

She notices me??

"I know I sound crazy but that shit I just saw... was absolutely not normal." I changed the subject.

"What was it?" Max asked.

"I'm gonna sound insane." I shook my head.
My leg started bouncing, which she noticed because she put her hand on my thigh.

"Hey. I'm gonna believe you. No matter what you saw." She comforted me, not moving her hand on my thigh.

I gulped, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach, "Err, well, Eddie brought home this girl and..."

Max's mom knocked on the door and slowly opened it, "Bedtime-" She noticed me, "Oh hi, Max didn't tell me you were coming over."

"Change of plans." Max replied, then smiled at me.

"Well, it's a school night. So go to bed soon, okay?" Max's mom said.

"Okay, good night." Max said.

"Thank you, Ms Mayfield." I tried to smile.

Her mom left the room, leaving Max and I alone.
"Thank you." I looked at her.

"For what?" She chuckled, standing up and tying her hair back with a scrunchy.

"You know, for taking me in when I'm acting like a freak." I chuckled slightly.

"You're not a freak, I promise." Max smiled, sitting next to me again, "I hear what they say at school, you know, It's very shitty."

"Yeah. Shitty." I repeated.

~

I woke up the next day to sirens going off in the distance. We were both asleep on the floor, Max had moved her blankets to cover me too.
Max woke up the same time I did, then gave me a confused look.

"Do you hear that?" Max asked, quickly walking over to the window.

"Sounds like sirens." I replied.

We walked outside and stood on the porch, watching about 5 police cars arrive outside my trailer.
"Shit," I muttered, then I noticed my Uncle sat outside, "I'll be right back."

I ran over to my Uncle, ignoring the little rocks that were digging into my bare feet.

"Hey! Stay back!" A police man shouted.

"I live here, dumbass." I rolled my eyes, continuing to run over to my Uncle.

"Deena!" Wayne took a breath of relief, "Where have you been? Have you seen that shit in there?"

"Err," I thought for a second, "No, what happened?"

The cops would definitely think me and my brother had something to do with this. So I didn't say anything about what is saw.

"It's a girl, she's dead. I have no idea who she is!" Uncle panicked.

"Stay calm." The officer comforted him.

I saw Max walking over, trying to peer through the gap in the door from afar, trying to see Chrissy inside.

I walked over to Max, "My Uncle is loosing his shit-"

I noticed Max had seen Chrissy, because she went silent and tears filled her eyes.

"Hey! Stay back! You can't be here." Another cop shouted.

Max started running back to her trailer, "See you at school, be careful, Deena."

She left. Just like that.
I mean, what can I expect? Barely anyone is gay in this neighbourhood, and if you are gay then you just get bullied for it. But... I just thought, got a second, she might like me.