Running up that hill

Chapter 3: Sleepover

Max's pov:

I heard Neil's angry voice from the basement, my heart started racing, I heard then foot steps coming from the stairs. Mike was confused, Dustin was sort of scared and Lucas was petrified. 

"Okay uh listen this gonna seem weird but I have those letters in my backpack for you guys and more." I said getting them out of my bag. "There's one for Dustin, Mike, Eleven, Will, Nancy, my mom, Steve, Robin, Hopper, Joyce, Erica and Jonathan." I said counting them. 

"And when should we open them?" Dustin asked a bit confused.

"In case something happens you know. I don't know why I am giving them to you now it's just that I thought about it" I declared lying. Lucas knew why, he knew that sometimes Billy could get a little violent and Neil could too but he didn't know it got worse until he saw the fear I had in my eyes at this moment. I gave the letters who wear destined to people not in this room to Dustin then I gave him his, I hugged him quickly for the first time ever which he appreciated. Then I gave one to Mike and I just looked at him in the eyes before he offered his hand to shook which I did smiling at him. I then walked towards Lucas who took a step back. 

"I don't want it" Lucas said a tear rolling from his eye. "I don't want a stupid letter I want you to talk to me" he spoke half whispering. 

"Take it please take it" I whispered looking straight into his eyes. He rushed to hug me tightly. 

"I don't want you to go" he whispered starting to cry. 

"I'm gonna be okay" I whispered back. I heard footsteps and then heard an angry sigh. 

"Max get away from him. You go missing for a day and you decide to stay with boys? You really thought that after our conversation the other night you could do that? No no Maxine you can't do that" Neil declared his voice scarily calm. 

"I have to go" I whispered to Lucas before slipping the letter in his back pocket. I followed Neil outside. His car was parked in front of the garage next to the basement. 

"You little bitch" he yelled before banging me against the garage's door. He putted me in the car and started driving abnormally fast. I was still recovering from the hit when suddenly he punched me. I felt dizzy, very dizzy, when we arrived at home my mom was sitting on the couch. 

"I work all the time! I work two jobs! And you runaway?! We do nothing but be nice!" my mom yelled. She often drank so she never remembered Neil hitting me, but I was afraid that if she found out he would do it to her too. I just stayed quiet before being sent to my room. Five minutes later Neil stormed in and threw me against the wall. He started hitting me. Once he finished I was laying on the floor everything around me blurry and my ears ringing. 

"You make your mother suspect something Maxine. I don't like when people suspect something." he whispered calmly. "You know what I do when people suspect something?" he said and took my baseball. "I break things" he said and took a swing at me. I felt knocked out but I couldn't again so I was just laying there. He left the room and I went to bed. It was the weekend so I didn't have to go to school luckily. I woke up by the sound of Mike's voice on the walkie talkie. 

"Guys Will and Eleven are back!!! It wasn't good were they were so there back!!! We need to do something! We go on the hill and sleepover at my house if that sounds good? Over." he yelled. 

"Oh great I'll come, over." Dustin said happily. 

"Cool I'm coming as soon as possible, over." Lucas said in his morning raspy voice. I loved his morning voice. 

"Okay let's say in about an hour at the hill? over" Mike proposed. 

"I don't know if I can come I'm gonna try. Over and out" I said turning off the walkie.