defensive - mike wheeler

twenty one

then jason paused for a little, but started speaking again. "you know, i think i can speak for all of us when i say it's been a tough year for hawkins. so much loss. and sometimes i wonder, how much loss can one community take? in dark days like this, we need something to believe in. so last night, when we were down by ten points at half to christian academy."

jason turned to the rest of the basketball players.

"i looked at my team, and i said, think of jack. think of melissa. think of heather." jason continued.

"think of billy."

y/n's heart sank, hearing billy's name, she uncomfortably looked around the gym.

mike turned his head to y/n, giving her an apologetic look, but y/n didn't give him any attention.

"think about our heroic police chief officer, jim hopper. think about each and every one of our friends who perished in that fire. what did they die for? for us to lose to some.. some crap school? no. for us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat? no! no. let's win this game. let's win this game for them. and that's exactly what we did! we're gonna win this game tonight."

"tonight?" mike asked dustin, remembering that the hellfire campaign was tonight.

"how is that possible?" dustin asked.

"they call it a tournament." max intervenes.

"you win one game, you go on until there's only one team left." y/n explained to the two boys, dumbing it down for them.

-

after the pep rally, y/n walked around the halls with her and max's favorite song, running up that hill blasting into her headphones.

y/n saw chrissy cunningham come out of the counselors office, really scared.

y/n looked in confusion, seeing as chrissy never went to the counselor.

y/n brushed it off and walked into the counselors office.

y/n bounced her leg anxiously as ms. kelley sat in front of her.

"can you remove your headphones, please?" ms. kelley politely asks.

y/n takes off the headphones, and stops the music.

"sorry." y/n said, not really meaning it.

"a c in english, and a c-minus in spanish." ms. kelley reads y/n's grades, then looked up at y/n.

"yeah." y/n simply said, just wanting the conversation to be over.

"well, that's not normal for you." ms. kelley reminded her, with a smile.

"if you say so." y/n remarked, as she stared at her shoes.

"how's susan holding up?" ms. kelley asks.

"she's fine. she hates our new place." y/n explained.

"is she still drinking?" ms. kelley concernedly asked.

y/n's lips parted slightly, before she responded. "i-i mean yeah.. a little, but, well.. she's working two jobs, so it's not easy."