The Long Game━ (l. sinclair)

something doesn't feel right

Mrs. Wheeler opened the basement door with a hand on her hip, "Mike!"

Mike, in return, threw his arms up, "Mom, we're in the middle of a campaign!"

"You mean the end?" Mrs. Wheeler mimed pointing at a wristwatch, suggesting Mike look at his own. "Fifteen after."

Mike threw his head back, running up the basement stairs to try and convince his mom for more time. Back downstairs, the remaining Party continued looking for where the dice went.

"Oh, I got it!" They heard Will exclaim. He stood up with dice in hand. "Does the seven count?"

Lucas tilted his head, "It was a seven?"

Will nodded.

"Did Mike see it?" Sam asked the boy.

Will shook his head.

At the same time, Sam said, "Yes," while Lucas said, "No."

They whipped their heads to look at each other, Sam incredulous that Lucas wanted to lie, and Lucas with a wide-eyed gaze that couldn't believe the opposite.

Sam tried, "Luc—"

"It doesn't count," Lucas cut her off with a pointed tone. Sam opened her mouth to argue further, before realizing it wasn't worth it. She sighed like a disappointed mother, shook her head, then gave up.

Sam put on her jean jacket, yellow bomber jacket, and her backpack. She began heading up the stairs with the rest of her friends before Dustin stopped them.

"Yo, hey, guys," he held up a pizza box with one last slice in it, "does anyone want this?"

"No thanks," Sam responded, at the same time Lucas and Will deadpanned, "No." They all turned around again to successfully make it up the stairs this time.

As Sam was walking out of the Wheeler residence, she found Mrs. Wheeler cleaning up the kitchen. Sam sent her a friendly smile and wave, "Thanks for having us over, Mrs. Wheeler."

"Any time, Sam. You're always a pleasure to have around," the mother turned to Sam with an adoring face. "Are those boys still treating you right?"

Sam shrugged, unsure, "They're still treating me like normal, I guess?"

Mrs. Wheeler always seemed to worry about the boys' friendship with Sam — since she was the only girl in their group and didn't have much of a female influence in her life. Ever since Mike, Will, and Lucas pulled out one of Sam's baby teeth out with a door and string, Mrs. Wheeler was worried about their effect on Sam.

It was, of course, Dustin's brilliant idea to finally get Sam's last, lose tooth out of her mouth so they could score money from the "tooth fairy" and use it towards the arcade. Will tied the string around Sam's tooth, Mike held her still, then Lucas slammed the door shut. They were successful in getting her tooth out, but that wasn't the actual problem, in the end.

The boys thought Sam was dying because of how much blood Sam was losing, and that's how they found out Sam fainted at the sight of blood. Then they really did think she died. Mike's mom thought the boys attempted murder, and ever since then they were dubbed "bad influences" on Sam.

Sam didn't really blame her. The boys truly were idiots.

Mrs. Wheeler sighed, "I worry about you, Sam."

"Most people do," Sam grinned. She continued for the garage door again, "Bye!"

She finally made it to their garage where Mike, Will, and Lucas were waiting for her. Mike was still upset about the campaign being cut short, telling his friends they needed to play again and soon.