It Gets Stranger [Stranger Things x Reader]

fifty six

my eyes flutter open as the light from outside starts to come through the curtains. mike's arm was resting on top of me, palm up, as we lay together on the couch.

i looked at his watch. it was 5 in the morning.

"fuck." i breathe out, pushing mike off of me and standing up.

he mutters something but i can't really make it out.

"i gotta go. i didnt mean to fall asleep, i told eddie i'd be back last night." i panic, knowing i was gonna be in trouble with eddie and my uncle once i got home.

mike starts to sit up and looks down at his watch. "i have to start getting ready, flight leaves in a couple of hours."

"oh yeah." i slide my shoes on before going over and giving mike a kiss goodbye. "i'll see you in a week."

he smiles at me. "i'll miss you."

"yeah." is all i say before running out the door.

—

as i get closer to the trailer park, i see several police cars and emergency trucks lining up down the road.

max comes down the road, riding her skateboard. her eyes go wide when she sees me.

"y/n!" she says, skating faster towards me and causing me to stop.

"what happened?" i ask.

"don't go down there, they'll just interrogate you too." she says, motioning for me to turn around.

"max, what happened?" i say, still standing just standing.

"i'll tell you in a second, come on! we have to go get dustin."

—

"chrissy cunningham?!" dustin practically screams, pacing around his room.

"you're sure it was chrissy?!" i join in.

"yes, she was in her cheerleader outfit. it was the same thing she was in when i saw her with eddie last night." max explains.

"no way, eddie would've mentioned hanging out with chrissy cunningham." i say, shaking my head. "did you tell any of that to the cops?"

"no." max says. "but i can't be the only one who saw them together. i mean, they stood out."

"eddie the freak with chrissy the cheerleader?" dustin says, still pacing.

"exactly." max says. "y'know, his name's not in the news yet or anything, but i guarantee you eddie is suspect number one right now."

"that's crazy." i say, standing up from dustin's bed. "eddie didn't do this. no way."

"yeah," dustin agrees.

max makes a face, looking off to the side.

"no way." i repeat.

max shrugs. "well, we can't rule it out."

"yes, we can." i say.

"y/n!"

"he's my brother, max! you don't know him like i do!" i argue.

"eddie's not how people think he is. i mean, when we got to high school, lucas and y/n made all their sports friends. mike and me? i mean, no one was nice to us." dustin says, leaning towards max. "no one except eddie."

"okay. well, they said the same shit about ted bundy." max argues.

my jaw drops.

"yeah, he's a super nice guy," max continues, "but then he's murdering women on the weekend."

"so you're saying eddie is like ted bundy?" i ask, wide eyed.

"no, i'm not saying-" she shakes her head, "i'm saying that we can't presume anything, okay? i mean, you weren't even there, y/n. how would you know?"

dustin turns to me. "why weren't you home?"

"it doesn't matter." i say, angry that max was accusing my brother of being a murderer.

"it just doesn't look good for eddie." max says.

dustin sighs, plopping down on his bed next to me. we sit in silence for a moment before he looks up at max.

"why haven't you told the cops this?"

max crosses her arms. "i...i don't know."

"you don't know?"

max hesitates for a moment, looking around. she sighs, walking over and sitting on the other side of me.

"after i saw eddie and chrissy go in the trailer...something else happened." she explains. "i was just sitting in my living room and then the tv started messing up, so i went over to fix it. but...when i did, the lights in my house started flickering. but only for a second."

dustin stares at her intensely, listening to what she was saying.

"then, i heard someone screaming out in the distance. when i looked out my window, i saw eddie running out of his house and out to his van. he drove off really fast. i thought it was weird. nothing that weird or anything. i mean...eddie always drives like a maniac, and the power goes off at my place all the time. it's a piece of shit. but..."

she pauses and i look up at her.

"this morning, i started to think back, and...i don't know." she looks over at me . "the look on his face. he was scared, y/n. really scared. maybe he was scared because, y'know, he just killed someone, or, maybe...because...i- i don't know."

max looks back down at her hands and dustin looks at me, softening his face.

"something else killed her." dustin suggests.

max's head shoots up, looking over at dustin. she nods.

"but that's impossible." she shakes her head. "right?"

"i don't know." i say softly. "it should be."

"there's only one person who knows what actually happened." dustin says.

max and i nod. "eddie."

dustin stands up from his bed and starts to gather things in his bookbag before leading us out of his room. "have you talked to anyone else?"

"no." max says. "i can't reach lucas or nancy, and mike's in-"

"california." dustin mutters. "shit, shit, shit."

we walk past his mom in the living room and start going out the door.

"dusty, where are you going?" dustin's mom asks frantically.

"to see a friend." dustin answers.

"you heard the news. it's not safe!"

"good point! we'll be extra careful. thanks mom, i love you. bye!" dustin says before quickly shutting the door.