SKATER GIRL , STRANGER THINGS

two

The day seemed off to Flora. Melancholic, almost. Each period dragged on, lunch with Nancy, her friend Barbara, Steve, Tommy and Carol feeling more dull than usual.

They were sat on a table with 8 seats, two spare seats left which wouldn't get sat in. It was obvious that Barbara didn't like Tommy and Carol, and somewhat Steve and Flora, but it was also obvious that Tommy and Carol didn't like Nancy all that much either.

"So, how does everyone feel about tomorrow's chem test?" Flora mentioned, raising a casual eyebrow to the group as she ate her lunch, which had consisted of a sandwich and chips.

Nancy sighed, "I have to study tonight." Barbara nodded slightly in agreement.

"Aren't you amazing at chem though?" Flora questioned in confusion, earning a nod from Nancy.

"I don't like chemistry." Carol said unconsciously, muttering to herself.

"Unless it's sexual." Tommy noted, laughing to himself as Carol smacked his arm with a shake of the head.

Lunch had turned bland from there, the six splitting into their own quiet conversations. Like the first half of the day, the final periods were as boring as the first, feeling like they lasted a lifetime.

At the end of the school day, Flora was sat on the hood of Steve's car, Carol sitting on Tommy's car opposite Steve's, the pair chatting about anything that came to mind whilst they waited for the boys to finish their basketball practice.

"You don't like Steve, do you?" Carol randomly asked, earning a scoff from Flora.

"He's my best friend. Nothing more, never has been and never will be anything more." Flora replied, "We're just close."

Carol nodded in understanding, laughing slightly. "I've always wanted to ask that."

"You always could have." Flora shrugged without a care, looking down at her nails.

"How long have you and Tommy been together?" She asked in retaliation, tilting her head in curiosity.

"We're always on and off," Carol shrugged, "but we first got together last year I think."

The two girls continued on with casual conversation until the boys were back, hair damp from their post practice showers.

The four then got in their respective cars, Tommy and Carol in his car whilst Flora and Steve were in Steve's car.

"Where to?" Steve questioned, turning to Flora as he drove out of Hawkins High car park.

"My place." Flora decided, "I need to get into the skates."

Steve chuckled, always finding Flora's connection to her roller skates a hilarious mystery. "Why do you always wear them?" He asked, this time not being the first nor last time that question will be asked.

Flora shrugged, "Fast travel, I guess." Laughing at her own response, her head tipping back onto the headrest.

Before the duo could go far, Flora shot forward and turned on the radio, immediately beginning to sing along to the Madonna that was playing. Steve soon joined in, the pair continuing to sing until they arrived at Flora's house.

As soon as they were back, Steve lounged on her sofa, watching tv whereas Flora went up to her bedroom, kicking off her trainers for her roller skates.

Once she was back downstairs, Steve shook his head in exasperation. "I very seriously don't understand how you manage to wear them in any environment. Even stairs!"

Flora chuckled, sitting down beside Steve. "Stevie, there's a lot of things in the world you seriously don't understand."

Flora then turned on the news channel, gasping at what was on the screen. A Hawkins Middle School student has went missing, his name Will Byers.

"Hold on, that's the freak Jonathan's brother." Steve pointed out.

"That's Nancy's younger brother's best friend." Flora added, her hand to her mouth in shock.

Soon enough it was time for Steve to go to the Wheeler residence, Flora driving Steve's car to the house and watching in amusement as he struggled to climb the house 'like a ninja'.

As she watched that occurance, Nancy's younger brother was sneaking out of the house, looking at Steve in disgust.

As he began to bike away, Flora leaned out of the car window, looking at the young boy. "Hey, young Wheeler!" She yelled, gaining the boy's attention.

"What?" He rolled his eyes at the older girl, knowing she was a friend of Steve's.

"Im Flora Emery. Need help and/or a ride?" She asked, raising a mischievous eyebrow to the boy.

"I'm fine for the ride." He stated.

"You looking for Will?" Flora then questioned, looking at the boy sympathetically. "I want to help find him."

"Fine. The name's Mike, by the way." He told her as she got out of the car, skating to catch up with him.

"Lead the way then, Mike Wheeler."

Flora and Mike soon ended up at a place with two other boys who were also friends with Will.

"Who are you?" One boy had asked her, confused at why she was there.

"I'm Flora Emery, Nancy's friend. I want to help find Will."

"Okay, well, I'm Dustin Henderson! A curly haired, gappy toothed boy grinned to her, Flora kindly smiling back.

"Lucas Sinclair." The other boy introduced himself, a red bandana tightly wrapped around his dark hair.

When they arrived to their destination, it was Lucas who spoke first. "Ah, man. This is it." The three pre teens got off their bikes, staring at a red and white taped off area.

Dustin looked to the night sky, driblets of rain beginning to fall. "Hey, guys. You feel that? I think maybe we should go back." He then wiped the rain from his face, turning back to the others.

Mike immediately denied Dustin's words. "No. We're not going back. Just stay close. Come on." Lucas and Mike then began to go under the barrier, Flora and Dustin not moving an inch. One from fear and hesitation, the other from concern over the three boys. "Just stay on channel six. Don't do anything stupid."

If you're scared, I can stick with you." Flora offered the younger boy, giving him a kind and reassuring smile.

"Please." Dustin murmured to her, before looking back at Mike and Lucas. "Hey, guys, wait up. Wait up!" The two boys waited for Dustin and Flora to catch up, the four then delving further into the forest.

Mike was leading the group through the forest, the rain now pouring heavily.
"Will! Will!" He yelled, his flashlight pointing in many directions as he looked for his friend.

"Byers!" Lucas followed on from Mike, all trying to find Will.

"Will we're here to help!" Flora then yelled, her voice arguably being the loudest.

Dustin tried another approach to find his friend, "I've got your X-Men 134!" He then spoke again, voice more unsure. "Guys, I really think we should turn back."

Lucas was not a fan of Dustin's attitude, scoffing at his friend. "Seriously, Dustin? You wanna be a baby, then go home already!"

"I'm just being realistic Lucas!" Dustin yelled back in response to Lucas' words.

Lucas then shouted back even louder. "No, you're just being a big sissy!"

Dustin blanched. "Do you ever think Will went missing because he ran into something bad? And we're going to the exact same spot he was last seen? And we have no weapons or anything?"

Flora winced, looking at the three kids. "That's not the mindset we want right now."

Mike turned to Dustin, "Dustin, shut up."

Dustin tried to explain himself further. "I'm just saying, does that seem smart to you?"

"Shut up. Shut up. Did you guys hear that?" Mike shushed the group, the three boys pointing their flashlights in a joint direction. Nothing was there, so they pointed them in a different direction.

And this time, the four saw a girl around the same age as the boys with a shaved head and oversized t-shirt, shivering in the rain.