3-27 (A Stranger Things AU)

Chapter 11

By the time Steve returned pleading to be let back in, trailed by Eddie and the kids who all looked pretty sheepish, Nancy and Robin had showered and gotten dressed.

"I'm hungryyy..." Mike groaned pulling at his stomach.

"Me too." I added quietly.

"Well..." Nancy sighed. "How about we go to the mall?" She suggested, leaning over the countertop. With noisy cheers from the kids, Eddie looked over to me, biting down on his bottom lip, eying me like a bomb, he sighed, shook his head and then threw his hands in the air in defeat. The mall it was.

Star court mall was like an 80's time capsule, balconies lined with neon light strips and brightly coloured shop fronts, Cyndi Lauper playing over the crackling speakers. The hot air barely circulated despite the masses of people milling around, shoulders bumping, sneakers squeaking on the dirty linoleum. I struggled to tolerate everything. I could feel my bones being wound tighter and tighter until I felt like my skin was so stretched over them I wanted to rip it off with my bare hands. Robin caught my panicked breathing out of the corner of her eye as she lead slightly ahead. Without missing a beat, she pulled the headphones from her pocket and placed them over my head, securing the noise insulating foam over my ears.

Immediately a wave of calm washed over me. Settling me into the environment that now hummed around me, not shouted. I was so grateful I almost started crying but she didn't catch this as she had already turned back around and was pointing out a Burger King to the kids. The generosity of the people that now surrounded me came so easily to them that giving was nothing more than saying a simple please and thank you. It was like living on a different planet. I was so used to begging and pleading and fighting that honestly it unsettled me a little. I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably.

Trailing behind everyone, I tracked them with my peripheral vision, using my focus to try and make out the names of the store fronts we passed, hoping to recognise any of them. There was an Abercrombie, Hot topic, Forever 21 and then a Planet comic. I stared at the decorated window, the figures of varying superheroes and villains plastered to the smooth surface, their smiles and smirks aimed outwards.

Eddie suddenly appeared beside me, as if falling from the sky, making me jump and scream. The throngs of civilians turned to stare as I gripped my chest, staggering backwards as I choked on my own saliva. He smirked at me, staring to laugh as I hyperventilated, my heart exploding against my ribcage.

"You idiot!" I hissed, attempting to right myself, tugging on the edges of my cardigan, wrapping it around my torso. He just lifted and eyebrow and cocked his head, shrugging his shoulders.

"Payback." He grinned.
Forget accidentally killing him with my powers, I wanted to throttle him. I glared at him, squeezing my fists tightly around the balls of wool that were my cardigan, making my knuckles pop white.

"Was the jaw not enough?" I growled. Eddie's face faltered for a few seconds as he realised that I had actually hurt myself when he deflected my blow to his head with the frying pan. His big brown eyes widened and then he suddenly snapped back into his casual mischievous posture, a quick shake of the head, folding his arms across his chest defensively.

"That doesn't count. It was an accident. Besides you haven't even apologised to me yet for trying to decapitate me with heavy kitchen utensils." He prompted pointing to his head. I snapped. Grabbing the male by the collar, my sleeves slipped down my arms, revealing the racing black veins, pulsing and twisting beneath the skin. My eyes flashed as I drew myself against his body. Eddie froze, his face collapsing as he flinched away from me.

"Whoa! Take it easy!" Steve physically separated us, wrenching my fists from his vest, and stepping between us.

"I was just kidding!" Eddie gasped.