SWEET DREAMS - STRANGER THINGS SEASON 1

eighteen; run away with me

"You sure Charlie wrote this note?" Mary asked as she turned to Mrs Williams, the piece of paper held in her hands as she stood in Charlie's room — which had been left exactly the way he had left it; a complete mess.

Gillian nodded, "I know my sons handwriting," She insisted but Mary didn't seem convinced as she stared down at the note, "Mary, I know it's hard to believe that Charlie would want to run away. We can hardly believe it. But you know he's always wanted more — he's always wanted out of this town." She said, trying to comfort the girl that Charlie had in fact left under his own rules and wasn't in any danger.

Mary shook her head, refusing to believe it as her gaze stayed fixated on the note. But something that Mrs Williams had said brought back a distant memory.

"Oh, come on, Mary!" Charlie had exclaimed whilst they lay side by side on the front bonnet of his car, overlooking the Quarry during sunrise, "You can be serious. Surely you want to get out of this piece of crap town someday." He had been saying after Mary told him her plans of becoming the next Chief Hopper.

Mary had sat up, looking down at her very recent boyfriend of four months, "Trust me, I don't want to be your typical Hawkins housewife. But I don't hate Hawkins as much as most people — and I'd like to follow in my dads footsteps one day." She told him honestly and he quickly sat up, reaching over to grasp her hands.

He was grinning mischievously, that smile that Mary had fallen for in the first place, "What if I wanted to runaway. What if one day I knocked on your window and said, Mary Hopper, would you do me the honour of running away with me? What would you say?" He asked passionately, holding her gaze and Mary shifted her position, eyes smiling into his.

"I'd say you're crazy, Charlie Williams." She told him and the boy looked away, lips stretching into an amused grin before he looked back to her.

"Come on, Mare. I'm serous," He said, his voice lower and the smile on Mary's face left as she stared at him in wonder. Charlie tilted his head, "Run away with me." He whispered, cocking his head, his voice breaking before he pushed himself up further to capture her lips in a gentle kiss and she slowly shut her eyes as she returned the pressure, thinking over his words.

He pulled back, eyes like honey flickering up to his, "What'dya say?" He asked her hopefully and Mary held his gaze, thinking it over. She had potential, so much potential as a young woman that would no doubt be thrown away by living in Hawkins for the rest of her life — but also, if she left, just dropped everything and ran then things could be even messier at only the age of sixteen.

Mary edged closer, her lips only a few inches from Charlie's as she smiled widely, "I'd still say you're crazy." She whispered, eyes flickering up to his, long eyelashes batting gracefully.

Charlie had felt slightly let down. But he wouldn't tell her that day, nor would he tell her that it hadn't only been a playful notion — Charlie did want to leave before time got ahead of him and he was running a garage with children to continue his legacy and the same typical Hawkins housewife.

Mary lay back down, placing her sunglasses over her eyes, looking like an actress on TV as Charlie leaned on his side, holding his head up with his hand, his elbow resting against the hood of the car, "Don't you ever want to leave Hawkins?" He had asked her, needing complete confirmation; Charlie wouldn't go anywhere without Mary Hopper, he couldn't.

Mary slipped a lollipop in her mouth, taking a long suck of it before pulling it out of her mouth with a pop, "Nope." She sang, staring out at the sunrise on their spot — their beloved Quarry.

Charlie was quiet for a moment before he took the lollipop from her lips and put it in his own mouth, "Hey!" Mary exclaimed, throwing her sunglasses off onto the car as she rolled over, her body moving onto Charlie's.

The boy grinned up at her, sunlight shining onto his face as Mary smiled down at him, that gorgeous heart stopping smile that he adored.

He took the lollipop from his lips, holding it aside before bringing his face up to capture Mary's mouth in his in a sweet gentle strawberry tasting kiss but Mary pushed down harder, still smiling against his lips.

Charlie pulled back, his usual grin on his face, meeting his eyes before he tossed the lollipop to the Quarry and pushed Mary off him, rolling her over so he lay on top of her and Mary laughed loudly, tipping her head back.

He stroked her face, eyes smiling into hers, "God damn it. I love you Mary Hopper." He whispered and Mary's eyes had widened, her lips parting into a surprised smile, eyes sparkling into his. It were the first time he had told her that.

She tilted her head, "I love you too, Charlie Williams." She said in a small voice, looking like the young lovesick teenager she deserved to be at her age before Charlie's lips were back on hers and she gripped onto his face as his hands tangled in her hair. It were the day Charlie had told her he loved her — but also the day he had asked her to runaway with him.

"Mary, honey are you alright?" Gillian was asking, comfortingly placing her hand on the girl's arm, snapping her from her thoughts and she looked up at her, looking slightly dazed.

"Um, is it alright if I take this? I'll bring it back, I promise — it's just uh, I'm sure my dad would like to inspect it a little further..." She trailed off, looking to Mrs Williams hopefully, hoping that she'd believe her lies.

"Of course. Have your father contact me as soon as possible, alright sweetheart? I haven't heard from him at all." She said and Mary nodded rapidly, although she were already hurriedly rushing towards the door, moving backwards.

"Thank you, Mrs Williams! Do you mind if I use your telephone quickly? Our lines been um, well we're not really getting a signal at the moment — storms and stuff." She said, gesturing rapidly with her hands and Gillian nodded as they headed down the stairs.

"Take however long you need." She told the girl before disappearing into the kitchen and leaving Mary alone in the hallway, where the telephone sat — a much more up to date version from the one her father owned.

Mary instantly made a move for the telephone, dialling the number quickly whilst holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, looking down at the note as the call was answered, "Hello?" Steve spoke down the receiver.

Mary straightened up in relief that he had answered the phone, "Steve, it's Mary. I'm at Charlie's right now, but I'm going to head over to yours, I need to —"

"Look Mare," Steve interrupted and she pushed her lips together, her jaw set tight, "I'm not really in the mood to hang out tonight and talk about your boy troubles, I —"

Mary cut off the more broody than usual words of her best friend, "I don't want to hang out, Steve," Mary snapped a little harsher than she had intended and she sighed, "Please can I just come over? It's about Charlie... Steve, he's in trouble." She whispered, feeling her throat begin to tighten and the other end of the line went silent before Steve was breathing out heavily.

"Alright, I'll see you soon."

                               ———

           After that Mary and Charlie flashback I suddenly ship them even more than I first did. Send help.