" i don't know,
i always thought you guys were just friends. "
in which a lightning-struck girl and a camera-flashing boy are thrown into the murky waters of their town
[ jonathan byers x oc ]
[ stra...
eccedentesiast (n.) someone who hides pain behind a smile -Collie's Journal, Edition 2
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THE next morning, there's no smell of breakfast cooking from the kitchen as there always sis.
Instead, Colleen plays with a small bowl of cereal, pushing the pieces around with her spoon. She hardly slept the night before, yet she isn't at all tired. She doesn't expect to see Jonathan at school, so she plans to visit afterwards and see how he and Joyce are holding up.
As always, at precisely 6:50, Eleanor Raynes appears in the kitchen and is taken aback by the sight of her daughter slouching and barely eating.
"Colleen?" she asks, stepping closer. "What is it?"
Colleen doesn't glance up as she replies dully, "Will went missing two days ago."
Eleanor, much to Colleen's shock, simply walks on and retrieves her keys from the hook. "That's terrible!"
It's obvious Eleanor's worried tone is fake, which sparks an unusual anger within Colleen. She glances up from her cold breakfast, eyes narrow.
"Joyce is hysterical. Jonathan is worried sick." She stands, facing Eleanor as she rummages in her bag for something. When no reply comes, she growls, "Don't you even care?"
Eleanor looks up at her and frowns slightly. "Do not use that tone with me, Colleen Raynes. Of course I care. It's awful that Will has gone missing, but I have things to do. You can't expect me to skip work because one child vanishes." Colleen's hands ball into fists and she scowls as her mother opens the garage door. "Do not accuse me of being heartless. Understand?"
Eleanor stares at her daughter, waiting for a response. Colleen remains silent, jaw clenched. "Understand?" Eleanor repeats, lower this time.
At last, Colleen drops her expression and glances away. "...Yes, Mother," she says.
Eleanor nods and disappears, closing the door behind her. A moment later, the car pulls out and away.
Colleen scoffs and leaves her cereal, grumbling to herself as she grabs her bag and slams the door on her way out.
Later that day, between second and first hour, Colleen closes her locker and works her way through the crowd of students. She reaches a corner as someone calls,
