SKYFALL, stranger things

014. the halloween party

"Be safe!" Mom called to us.

"I hope it doesn't suck!" Bob imitated Dracula, and I noticed that he had put some plastic fangs in his mouth. I laughed out loud at this.

Jonathan started the car, with me in the passenger side and Will in the back. Then, we started the drive to Mike's, where we were meeting up with the rest of the boys. The quiet hum of some random song on the radio was the only sound as we all were lost in our own worlds.

"I just don't get what she sees in him." Jonathan suddenly spoke.

"What?" I asked, looking over at him. He was shaking his head disappointedly.

"Bob."

"He's nice, Jonathan." I punched his arm playfully. "I think he's good for Mom."

Jonathan scoffed.

"Yeah, and he doesn't treat me different." Will piped up from the backseat.

I turned around to look at him, noticing that he was slouched in his seat, staring out the window. I frowned as his words sunk in. He noticed I was staring and looked to me. He shrugged. "I mean, I can't even go trick-or-treating by myself. It's lame."

"You think I'm lame?" I asked.

"No, but, it's not like Nancy's coming to babysit Mike, you know?" He went back to looking out the window, letting out a deep breath.

The silence fell over the car once more, and I faced forward to glance at Jonathan. We exchanged a worried look but didn't say another word.

We arrived at Mike's house not too long after. He, Dustin, and Lucas were all outside. Jonathan parked along the curb and gave me a side glance which made me start to worry about what he was plotting.

He slowly turned to look at Will in the back. "Hey, listen." He started. "If I let you go on your own, you promise to stay in the neighborhood?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Jonathan! Wha-"

He cut me off by elbowing me in the ribs, which shut me up. Will was nodding eagerly. "Yeah, totally!"

"And be back at Mike's by nine." Jonathan went on.

"9:30?" Will bargained.

"9:00." Jonathan stated. "Deal?"

They shook on it before I could get in another objection. Will started to climb out but then Jonathan grabbed something out of his bag and extended it to him. It was the camera that Bob had given him.

Okay, Jonathan was officially off his rocker. Had he done some sort of experimental drug in school today, given into peer pressure or something? This has no logical explanation.

"Don't let any of your spazzy friends use this, all right?" He handed the camera over to Will, who took it carefully.

"I hope it doesn't suck!" Jonathan imitated Bob as I sat there and stared at him, frozen in shock. Will chuckled at this and then shut the car door. He met up with the group at the end of Mike's driveway, and then they were on their way. As soon as Will was out of listening distance, I jerked to face my ridiculous older brother.

"Jonathan, what the hell!?" I scolded. "Are you crazy? Mom specifically told me to go with them and watch out for him!"

I rolled my eyes and turned to open my car door, but he locked it before I could. I looked back at him with my mouth agape, in disbelief of the pure audacity of my brother. He was giving me a sinister smirk.

Then, he pulled out a neon orange paper out of his jacket pocket and handed it to me. It read: Tina's Halloween Bash.

Immediately my anger softened. "A party?" I was now returning Jonathan's mischievous smile. "I've never gone to one of those."