so close, yet so far // jancy

Chapter 4

The back door of the cafeteria swung open, and Nancy jumped back to avoid being hit. Two teachers walked out, chattering about their weekend plans. They were luckily not paying attention, so Nancy quickly slipped in the cafeteria. She gazed around, looking for a place to sit. She normally sat with Jonathan everyday, but he wasn't there. She found a seat isolated from everybody else, and she sat down exhausted.

She didn't have any other close friends ever since Barb had passed away; Nancy had distanced herself from others. Even though she sat alone, she would much rather sit alone then to have to sit next to somebody she didn't want to.

Nancy was glad Tommy and Carol had graduated; she couldn't believe that she used to sit with them at lunch. They were both at college, somewhere faraway, somewhere Nancy had never heard of. She didn't even care what it was called, just that they were faraway from her.

Steve had graduated also, but he didn't go to college, at least not yet. For now, he was working with his dad in Hawkins. He picked all the kids up (except for Will) everyday for school. They all loved him; they even called him their honorary dad.

Nancy wished she had lunch with Mike, but he had 5th period lunch. It made her sad, considering she was a senior and he was a freshman; this was their only year in high school together.

She lay down her head on the table, falling asleep once more.

.....................

Joyce stared at Will; her eyes reflecting nothing but worry and anxiety. Jonathan sat backwards on a chair, and his arms were crossed. Will stared dead ahead, hardly making a sound.

"So the mind flayer wants you to join him... through the gate?", Jonathan asked.

Will nodded. "Yes. He wants me to be with him."

Jonathan shuddered at what he said. Joyce squatted down next to Will.

"Will, do you feel okay? Anything weird... or just anything at all?"

"I feel fine to be honest. I mean I'm still terrified of what happened in my... my, uh, episode. But if you mean like... last time this happened, to compare to that I feel perfectly fine."

Joyce let out a sigh of relief. "Glad to hear that."

"And you said the gate is at the Hawkins lab?", Jonathan persisted.

"Yes."

"Like right now? Now in this exact moment?"

"Yes."

"So to my understanding, you're basically saying the gate is open again? Open right now in this very moment?"

"Yes."

Jonathan rubbed his forehead in frustration.

Why can't this thing leave us alone?

He stood up abruptly, and headed out the door. Will immediately chased after him.

"Jonathan, don't you dare do it."

Jonathan spun around. "Will, just let me handle it, okay?"

"No! It is too dangerous! Do you understand? If you leave and go to the lab, the mind flayer will get you. I can't lose you, Jonathan."

Jonathan felt his heart splitting in half. He embraced Will tightly, again crying.

"I won't go."

Will smiled through his tears. "Thank you. I just want you to be safe."

"I want you to be safe too. Let's go inside."

Jonathan wrapped his arm around Will, and they walked together back into their house.

.....................

Nancy stared at her watch, growing impatient. She was in 7th period, and it was her last one for the day. She just wanted to go home to the comfort of her bed. All she wanted was her bed, and to have some food.

She just had to make it through the next three minutes, then she would be free of this prison. She then remembered that she had no ride home. Again, she always got a ride with Jonathan to her house.

Damn, I've got to stop relying on him so much.

She decided she would just find Mike, and ride home with him and Steve. As awkward as it was, it was, to her, better than walking all the way back home.

The final bell rang, and she was the first to jump up and sprint off. She had to find Mike before he left.

Nancy went to his last class, but she couldn't find him anywhere. She cursed herself, and continued looking for him. She couldn't find him anywhere, and she realized she had spent twenty minutes looking for him.

Oh, of course, he has AV club today.

She trudged out the double doors, preparing for the walk home. She kept reminding herself of her bed and food, and that motivated her. She got no further than a few feet before her lips curved into an immense smile.

Jonathan was standing in the parking lot, leaning against his car. He returned the cheesy grin, and Nancy rushed over to embrace him tightly. After she pulled away, he directed at his car.

"Need a ride?"