1983 || Stranger Things

ᴛᴡᴏ | ʟᴏsᴛ

      As soon as Joyce ended the call, Julie was finishing the last fourty minutes of her shift, just like Joyce had told her to. Once she finished, she clocked out with shaky hands, grabbed her stuff and snagged her paycheck on her way out the door, ignoring her boss's calls to her.

      Julie sprinted home still in her work atire, almost getting hit numerous times on the way. It was at least a twenty minute run back home, and her bag was heavy, making the weight she carried daily on her shoulders even heavier. By the way she ran, Julie figured that people must think she was running from monsters, or something.

      But Julie didn't know that Will was somewhere close, running from real monsters too scary to fathom.

      Bursting through the front door, she found Jonathan sitting on the couch, clutching his bag nervously. He jumped up and tackled Julie into a hug immediately, finding safety and comfort in the girl's embrace.

      "What happened? He didn't come home?" Julie asked, pulling away from Jonathan and taking a seat on the coffee table in front of the couch as he sunk into the uncomfortable lump.

      Jonathan nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I was supposed to be here, but I was working. God, Julie, I should've been here." he ranted softly, tears beginning to form in his sad eyes.

      Julie shook her head. "Don't do that to yourself. If we're playing the blame game, then I should've known something was up when he didn't call. I just figured he went straight to bed." she said, playing with her necklace, but keeping it hidden from view.

      "I guess we both screwed up, huh?" Jonathan said, flashing a light smile even through the dark circumstances.

      Julie nodded. "Yeah. You more than me though." she teased with a light grin, nudging Jonathan's shoulder.

      The sixteen-year-old stared off into nothingness again, and Julie knew that he was thinking of what he would do if he never saw Will again. Julie knew that if Billy or Max ever died, she wouldn't know what to do with herself.

      "Where's Joyce?" the girl wondered aloud, just now noticing that she never saw the older woman's car in the yard.

      "She went to see Hopper about an hour ago. Right after she called you. She told us to wait here until she came back unless someone called." he answered, tapping his fingers against his bag.

      Julie nodded, and stood up from the table. "I guess we're not going to school today." she mused, stretching her tired limbs.

      "Not today. You'll have to make up your pre-calculus test, loser." Jonathan teased, unintentionally riling his foster sister up.

      "Oh, shit. Mr. Gabondi is going to kill me." Julie scoffed, bending down to untie her shoes.

      Jonathan rubbed her back reassuringly, not sure of what else to do. "You'll be fine. You're really smart for a junior." he complimented.

      "Thanks. You're really smart for a sophmore." Julie smiled while she kicked off her shoes and stood up again. "I'm gonna go shower. Maybe rest a little bit. Shout if you need me." she said, beginning the short walk to the small bathroom.

      As she entered the bathroom, she made sure to lock the door and have her clothes with her. She had learned in her time living with Will and Jonathan that you can never take too many precautions when it comes to bathroom sharing.

      Julie stripped of her dirty work clothes, putting them in the hamper in the corner. She turned on the water, undoing her thick ponytail as she waited for the water to warm. Once it did, she jumped in, feeling safe within the hot water.