3-27 (A Stranger Things AU)

Chapter 13

As the sun began to set in the sky, we left the lake, skin still warm from the sun. I sat in Steve's car, windows rolled all the way down, listening to the stereo player blaring at an ungodly volume. I stuck my hand out of the window, enjoying the purples and reds that bathed me in sunset, heat dissipated immediately by the cool wind. Wind that blew in and ruffled my salty hair so it blew around my face wildly. I thought about the kiss. The way Steve's lips felt on mine. Soft and gentle and warm. I wondered if he liked it? If he wanted to kiss me again as badly as I wanted to kiss him again?

I was almost disappointed when we finally pulled into the traffic of the town centre. A long stretch of road was no longer ours and instead we were tormented by stop signs and red lights. I stared out at a run down strip of shops at the town edge. The buildings all the same crumbly grey cracked concrete. I didn't like to imagine how much asbestos was packed into the fibreglass roofings, the thought of it made the breath hitch in the middle of my chest creating a sharp pain that radiated up the back of my throat. I was so inside my head that when Robin spoke it startled me violently.

"We're going to a party tonight! You want in?" She asked me, leaning forwards from her seat in the back and wrapping her arms around my seat. I could feel her breath on the back of my neck. I twisted around to look her in the face.

"What party?" I asked, curious.

"Technically it's the Hoffman twins party but Eddie is hosting. It's out in the woods... There will be alcohol and a few illicit substances and a bonfire and a lot of loud music." Robin explained. "It'll be a good opportunity to introduce you to the young adult culture you've missed out on." She raised an eyebrow at me, daring me to say no. How could I of refused her? Besides it did sound like something I wanted to try at least once in my life.

"Hey, you don't have to do any of those things." Steve interjected, swatting at Robin who collapsed into the back seat laughing. Steve glanced at me worried from out the corner of his eyes but I sucked in a deep breath and nodded my head.

When we got back to the apartment, Robin and Nancy disappeared into their room to pick out outfits and Steve rummaged through the fridge, putting together a slapdash sandwich and wolfing it down at a speed I was sure he would choke on. I caught my reflection in the window and took in my scarred body, muddy clothes and sunburnt skin. I didn't have anything else to wear. I owned another pair of denim shorts in black, the same tank top I wore but in grey, a pair of baggy jeans, a red white and blue striped t-shirt and a grey hoodie. I didn't see the point in changing into any of those things.

At around 9pm as the sky was turning an inky blue, the sun fully submitted to the night, I made my way out into the woods, following behind the trio. A cool breeze blew through the trees, swaying them gently back and fourth. The groaning of the wood as it strained against the roots planted deep into the soil beneath my feet was so loud, I had to take the headphones that Robin had given me from around my neck and slide them over my ears. Quiet. As I ventured into the darkness, my path lit by a single narrow beam of white light from Nancy's phone's torch feature, I still managed to stumble over a few rocks and twisted roots every 50 meters or so. And just as I began to wonder if this was all worth it I heard loud music creeping into the woods. Bass thumping hard enough to feel it in my shoes. I made my way towards the light, trailing behind the others unsure, smoke from a fire stretching up into the now black sky. Grey tendrils that mimicked hands.

As we finally broke through the tree line, I came out into a clearing full of people, bodies moving to the loud hip hop that played through tall speakers. Lyrics mixed by a budding teenage DJ stood on a raised crate, smashing buttons on a digital deck. Music pounded through the enclosed space, echoing back to me, voices distorted, pitches warped. Suddenly overwhelmed by the assault on my senses I desperately tried to ground myself, fighting the rising panic in my chest, I leant into the bass, eyes closed against the strobe light, lighting up the veins on the back of my eyelids. Fractals of violet blood, pulsating and twisting through each capillary. I felt the hum of voices in the pit of my stomach, louder and louder. Twisting and folding over itself until I thought I'd be sick. I only opened my eyes when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning around I was greeted by Robin. She looked ethereal in the neon glow, that's when I noticed she was actually talking to me but I couldn't hear her over the noise.