like i can \/ nancy wheeler

xxvvviv. died in your arms

"I just... I have a few things to say." Colby cleared his throat, standing up straighter. "First off, I'm a dick. I shouldn't have broken your camera, but I... I just-"

"What I did was wrong..." mumbled Jonathan knowingly, staring at the ground.

"I... yeah, that's what I thought." Colby released a shaky breath. "But, I saved your SD card," he pulled it out of his back pocket and handed it out to Jonathan, who hesitated. Colby looked down at his hand urgently, and Jonathan took it slowly. "And here's this."

He held out the box, and Jonathan took it, opening it slowly. When he took the lid off, his eyes widened slightly. He took the camera out of the box before glancing back upwards at Colby.

"Y-You're serious?" Jonathan gaped, looking frantically between the camera and Colby, who was standing nervously in front of Jonathan. He nodded. "I can't accept this."

"You can," Colby nodded to Jonathan, "because I broke your camera in the first place."

Jonathan looked back up, clearing his throat. "Thanks, Colby."

"Yeah. Also," Colby took a step closer to Jonathan, making the latter flinch slightly, "I was with those friends of your brother's... something happened."

"Did you see it, too?" Jonathan looked over at the group by the grave with wide eyes. Nancy was looking back at them. Colby frowned.

"See what?"

"The thing me and Nancy found."

"You and Nancy...? What?"

"Jonathan!" Joyce had cupped her hands around her mouth, still standing by her husband and the priest. "Jonathan, the ceremony is about to start, sweetheart." her voice cracked a little, and Colby immediately felt terrible.

Jonathan turned back towards Colby, an apologetic grimace on his face. He looked slightly more pale than usual, which wasn't to say that Jonathan wasn't a pale kid; he was. He had darker bags under his eyes, and Colby knew it was because he'd lost so much sleep thinking about Will.

"Sorry." Jonathan mumbled out, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Uh... can we talk after? Me and Nancy were planning on it anyway."

Colby nodded after a beat of hesitation. "Y-Yeah. Okay."

˗ˏˋ 'ˎ˗

"It's times like these that our faith is challenged," Colby stood beside Cassie as Pastor Charles droned on incoherently. Nancy was standing a few feet away from Colby, and they locked eyes a couple of times. Steve wasn't invited to the funeral. It didn't surprise Colby in the slightest.

Eventually, the ceremony was over, and Colby dropped a few roses on the casket. He passed Mr. Byers, mumbling a nonsensically "sorry for your loss." He felt Mr. Byers' hand slap him on the back, and he jolted forward out of line.

"I'm gonna head to the car," Cassie spoke into Colby's ear when she noticed that he was staring at Nancy. "Just... whenever you're done."

He turned around, his eyes somewhat wide. But then, he nodded. Cassie turned on her heel, heading to the car. Colby shoved his hand into his pockets and exhaled.