𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞

𝟏𝟎.

"Woooooo!! Byers!!!" Mike cheers, clapping his hands twice and chuckling contagiously. As a wave washes over us, I witness Holly whimpering frantically before she runs off to Mrs Wheeler.

"Damn. I can't tell if she's scared of the waves or me." I remark sarcastically, causing Michael to laugh.

"Nah, she got bored of me."

"I don't blame her." I joke and Mike tackles me, causing the both of us to fall underwater. As we both swim back to the surface, we throw playful punches and kicks to each other, laughter flooding the area.

. . .

"Will and I are gonna get a drink." Mike tells his mother before walking off to the juice bar and I follow him, trying to speed up since he's already a few feet ahead of me.

When we reach the bar, both of us sit down on a stool in front of the counter, waiting for someone to take our order.

"What do you want?" Mike asks, turning to me.

"Oh, I'll probably get a strawberry slurpee or something- I dunno." I answer.

"Kay, cool." He simply replies as someone approaches us.

"What can I get for you?"

"Can I get one strawberry slurpee and... one apple slurpee." Mike requests and I arch my brows, my full attention to him.

"You're- You're not paying for me, are you?" I stammer stupidly.

"Yeah, why not?" He shrugs.

"No- no it's fine, I'll pay for my own. We can go Dutch I don't mind—"

"Okay, okay! If you're petty enough to insist that I spare myself from spending an extra 5$ that's fine." He teases me and I nod, searching my pockets for money before pulling a note out and placing it on the counter - Mike does the same and we both exchange smug looks.

"I'm very much capable of spending my own 5$." I smile.

Dustin Henderson

"Why isn't he picking up?!?!" I curse at my phone, slamming it back into the cradle.

"Maybe because he's in California?"

"What?" I part my lips in confusion.

"I said, maybe because h—"

"No I heard you! Wait- why didn't you tell me this? Wait- why on earth is he in California? How long has he been in California?? He's been ignoring all of my calls since like- last week and it's driving me mad!" I huff, letting myself fall to my sofa.

"That's because he left last Tuesday." Steve informs me, inevitably blowing my mind further.

"How long have you known this??" I ask.

"Since he left. I'm surprised you don't know- literally the whole school knows."

"Why is he there though?"

"Michael Wheeler invited h—"

"MICHAEL WHEELER?!" I jump back to my feet, my jaw dropping immediately. "Michael Wheeler, son of the mayor of Hawkins and likely soon-to-be politically associated with other big states even more than he already is, invited Will Byers to go to California with him??"

"I'm not really surprised. Don't you know they're dorm mates?" Steve asks, making my jaw ache by how spread apart it is by now.

"Okay- either I'm dumb or Will has a double life that I don't know of." I sigh, and he mumbles something incoherently.

"What?" I furrow my brows.

"Nothing." Steve smiles and I roll my eyes, knowing it's not nothing.

"Whatever. Anyway- how do I contact him??"

"You can't. Not unless you know the hotel's number- which I doubt."

"I'll be having a long chat with him when he's back." I cross my arms and pace around the living room in worry.

"I hope he's fine! I mean- I haven't really been much of a friend to him like I should've been. Not like we're that close anyway but I wanna be... he seems cool, y'know?"

"I mean I'm sure you can talk things out. He's flying back tomorrow I heard."

I look down and nod. "Right..."

"Well- anyway! I need a drink. See ya kid." Steve declares before starting to walk off, catching me off guard.

"Wh- you can't drink! You're 18!"

"I have my ways!" He yells back, trailing off as he leaves me alone in my dorm room. I sigh in defeat.

Son of a bitch.

To Be Continued...

a.n.
cringing at how overdue this is. anyway have a great day<3