Ambivalence

Chapter 1 - The Vanishing of Will Byers

November 6, 1983. I'm so tired, I can't wait to go home. I glance at the clock making out the hands to read 10:15 pm. "Screw this..." I mutter under my breath.

"Hey Tom, I'm headed out for the night, and if you say the popper isn't clean enough, well then sorry, not sorry," I shout loud enough for my boss to hear.

I unbutton my movie theater uniform and toss it over my shoulder.

"Night Y/n," Tom mumbles, quickly glancing up from today's paper.

I roll my eyes before heading out the back door down the alleyway. I headed towards my rusty blue 1970 Volkswagen Bug. She wasn't pretty but she was mine.

I pulled into the driveway, immediately noticing the door blown open. Concern laces through me. That's odd.

"Will?" I call out for him peering down the hallway towards his room. The door is slightly cracked and the tiniest bit of light peeks out, before flickering off. Odd. I muse. He must be tired, I mean I would be too if I played board games for hours on end.

I kick off my shoes before drifting off to sleep, not bothering to shed my clothes. 'Love of My Life' by Queen plays on the radio low enough not to wake Joyce or the boys and Chester lies curled up heating my feet.

***

"Will, come on honey, it's time to get up." I hear Mom speak from down the hall. "Will?" She asks again before knocking on my door. "Y/n, did Will come home last night?"

I look at her half inquisitively, half asleep hoping for my pillow to lull me back. "I think so, maybe?" Her face twists with worry. "His light was on last night."

"Y/n, you know better than this! If you work late while I'm working it's your job to make sure he's home." Her face is marred with worry. " Maybe he spent the night at the Wheeler's," I could see her eyes swirling with anxiety mixed with hope. She didn't like either of us working so much while Will was stuck home alone. Knowing Jonathan, he hadn't bothered to check on Will either.

"Yeah maybe, Mom" Did I imagine his light turning off last night? I'm sure he's fine. He's fine.

I dig through my room trying to find a decent-looking outfit for the day. I shrug before letting out a deep sigh. Looks clean enough.

"Y/n, hurry up we're going to be late for school!" Jonathan shouts from the kitchen. Shit.

"Sorry, sorry I'm coming, I'll be there in a sec," I mumble one hand brushing my teeth the other working through my hair debating how to tame my bedhead.

I walk out onto the porch, watching as Mom's car pulls out of the driveway. Jonathan's horn pulls me out of my trance.

"Jesus, relax I'm like 10 feet away, and I'm going as fast as I can" I huff in response.

"Well, it's not fast enough. You have your own car, you know? You could drive yourself for a change," He states as I get into the car. Well, are you gonna pay for my gas?

"So where's Mom going? I thought she didn't have work today?" I ask as I turn my head towards my brother.

"Sheriff's station." He shifts his eyes towards me for a brief second before returning to the road.

"Hop?"

"Yeah, she called the station but they said he wasn't available." I make an 'o' shape with my mouth before tuning into the radio as 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac starts to play.

***

Oh God, gross. I think as Jonathan drives past Steve 'The Hair' Harrington, Tommy H, and his leech of a girlfriend Carol chatting by their cars. Steve and I locked eyes for a brief second before he passed out of view. What a fucking tool.