Invisible String ☾ Nancy Wheeler

Two

NOVEMBER 6TH, 1983
HAWKINS, INDIANA

Emily's POV:

"Please tell me you finished the worksheets for Kaminsky's class."

"I finished it the day he handed it out." I snort as I continue to write out the rest of the equation. However, because of Heather's silence, I pause. "Did...did you not get it done?"

"...Have I ever told you that you're the bestest friend in the world?"

I raise a brow, twirling the coil of the telephone attached to the device. "Didn't you tell Chrissy that on Friday when she gave you the pudding cup?"

"Hey! To be fair, I didn't have breakfast." She whined which caused me to playfully shake my head with a chuckle. "Okay, yes I didn't complete the worksheets but only because I've been studying my ass off for the test on Wednesday"

"His tests aren't even that bad." I say and flip to the next page.

"Sorry, not all of us are blessed to be a brainiac in chemistry. Especially in his class." She scoffed. "It's rare for someone to pass with at least an A."

"I can't be the only one that's not worried."

Heather mimics a buzzer noise which caused me to flinch back. "Wrong! I caught Barbara and Nancy studying together on Friday by their lockers with flashcards! Nancy seemed worried."

"That's because I let Barbara borrow those since Nancy's been hanging out with Steve and his two braincells." I say, rolling my eyes in annoyance at the thought of Carol and her boyfriend, Tommy.

"Oof, I forgot...sorry." She muttered. "Don't tell me they're still giving you a hard time."

I glance down at Carol's unfinished homework, seeing that I was about halfway done. "Uh..."

"Emily!" She scolded. "I know you're not doing Tommy's homework right now."

"I'm not! It's...Carol's." I wince at her groan. "She said she would pay me and I kind of need the money."

"I told you I could pull some strings for you to work for my dad!"

"You know I'm not the best with conversations." I point out. "And your dad's coworkers would make it worse."

"...good point. Took me a bit for you to talk to me." She chuckled. "We're getting off topic! But come on, Emily. You think the chief will mind if you spend the night so that you can help me?"

"With what car?" I laugh.

"Uh hello? Hopper's of course." She snorted. "Come on, Em, pretty please? For your bestest friend ever that you love oh so much?"

I glance outside, seeing that it was already dark. "I don't know, Heather. Don't you have your notes?"

"You already know my notes are all over the place." She whined. "I'll do you a solid! Anything you want."

The phone from the living room rings which caused me to huff. "Hold on, Heather. Someone else is calling the phone in the living room and the old man is--"

"No worries. I'll just be here...suffering to read through my terrible notes." She sighed dramatically which caused me to roll my eyes with a chuckle.

"You poor brave soul." I tease, placing the telephone down before I walk out of the room.

I scrunch my nose in disgust at the empty beer cans scattered on the wooden table. Hopper was sprawled on the couch fast asleep with the tv playing in the background.