𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

vii. THE RISOTTO.

    

     THE three boys and El now sat together in the van, all four sitting together. "I know this may be, like, super upsetting and shit, but that future prom queen is gonna be fine. I mean, it's just, like rubber wheels." Argyle said and Charles wasn't in the mood to say anything or interject, staring out the window.

"Plastic." Jonathan corrected, glancing at him. "Not like hard plastic... just--just the soft kind." He explains and Charles just kept his eyes fixated on the passing houses and streetlights. "But you ever wonder why the wheels aren't wood, man? Or metal?" Argyle suddenly asked so Charles now glanced over at them.

"So people don't get hurt when they get shmacked." He then says and Charles looks away, rolling his eyes. "Oh." Jonathan only says, staring blankly ahead. "Yeah, because it happens more than you think. Rollerskate attacks." Argyle glanced back again at the four teens, two of which are staring out the windows miserably. "Man. Hey, at least it wasn't an ice skate." Jonathan spoke up.

"That nose would've been sliced clean off." Argyle gestured and Jonathan raised his hands over his nose. "Ohh!" He exclaimed in disgust as Charles glanced over, scoffing softly. "It could've been so much worse." Argyle says and Charles wished he had his Walkman.

"So much worse." Jonathan turned back to them and Charles glanced over, squinting his eyes a bit at the older male. "In the grand scheme of things, it's just a little blip." The eldest Byers says as Charles looks out the window again. "That's a funny word, man. Blip." He says and Jonathan repeated it so they go back and forth until they made a little tune out of it. Charles sighs, rubbing his temples in annoyance. "Are you okay?" Will whispers.

"Yeah. Just peachy..."

They arrived to the Byers' home and enter the house together, El up ahead with Charles behind her and behind him, Will and behind him, Mike along with Jonathan and Argyle. "Mom?" Will called out, confused by the classical music playing so loudly. "Well, well. Aren't you lot a sight for sore eyes, huh?"

At the sight of Murray Bauman, Charles just stood there, frozen in his spot as he blinked for a couple seconds. "Hi, Murray." Jonathan waved, smiling. "You kids like risotto?" Murray raised the pan and his smile faded a bit when he saw the look on Charles' face. "Yeah."

"Kids, come on, sit and eat."

At the dining table, Jonathan, Argyle and Charles sat across Mike, El and Will, Charles and Will directly across from one another and the Byers boy constantly glancing over at the Dumont who's just pushing his food around on his plate as Murray spoke, "so, there I was, headed down the I-5, going to see a client in Ventura. I'm looking for a motel to stay for the night, and suddenly, bam, it hit me. Didn't the Byers move here?" The man explained.

"Small world, isn't it? It's a small world." Joyce says and for a split second, Charles think that they're acting a bit weird, almost like they're covering something up but he's too distracted by the thought of his mom he can't bring himself to look away from the plate of delicious food in front of him. Not even to look at Will.

"So, I thought hey, you know what? Why don't I stop by? Say hello to my old friends?" Murray says and Charles finally looked up, seeing the man look his way. He quickly diverts his gaze back to his food he still refuses to even take one bite out of. "It's so sweet of you." Joyce smiled at the man. "Sweeter of you to let me stay." He says and Charles holds himself back from rolling his eyes so hard they might fall out.

"And he cooks too." Joyce says, glancing around at the kids as Charles just set down his fork quietly to take a sip from his water. "Mm, and cleans. A little regular housewife." Murray says as he plays with his hair and Charles finally looks at Will and he sees that same worried look in his eyes. "You should just stay."