Always By Your Side *Mileven* // SEQUEL

Almost a Freshman

~Nancy's POV~

I sat in my bedroom, looking at the bulletin board on my wall.

It had been so hard on me, the last two years. It was hard enough losing Barb. After we had gotten justice for her, I was so happy her parents knew the truth, and I finally started to feel okay again.

But six months ago that all changed.

I walked up to the bulletin board, at a picture of Mike and I. We looked so young. 

In the picture, Mike's arms were wrapped around my torso, pulling me into a hug. next to us were Dustin, Will, and Lucas. They all looked so happy, especially Mike. 

I just couldn't believe he was gone.

If I could go back in time, I would have spent more time with him. I would've told him how much he meant to me. I really took him for granted sometimes. I didn't realize that until he was gone.

~~~

-Six Months Earlier-

I was in my room, on the phone with Ally. I was talking about going over to her house possibly the next day to work on our science project and then have a sleepover. Ally had become one of my closest friends every since Barb, well, left.

I heard someone knock on the door downstairs, and then I heard my mom talking to someone. Not too long after, she was calling my name.

"Nancy! Please come down here!" My mom called.

"Sorry Ally, I have to go. Bye," I said, hanging up the phone.

I walked downstairs. I looked to see my mom's eyes filled with worry. She and my dad were talking to some policemen, and there were several police cars out front.

"I think you all should sit down for this," Callahan said.

We all sat down in the living room. I starting to get really nervous.

"Now, have any of you seen Michael Wheeler today?" Powell said.

"Well, I haven't seen him since breakfast," my dad said. My mom nodded in agreement.

"I haven't seen him since this morning either. I assumed he went to one of his friends' houses. He has been seeing that girl a lot," my mom told the police.

I could feel my palms get sweaty.

"Nancy, have you seen your brother today?" The Callahan asked.

"Uh, no, not since breakfast," I replied.

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you that your son was assumed dead this afternoon," Powell told us.

At first, I thought I had misheard him.

"What do you mean, dead?" My mom asked, frantic with worry.

"All I can say is that your son is dead," Powell said, standing up.

"How could something like this have happened? What caused this?" My dad asked, comforting my crying mom in his arms.

"I'm afraid we can't share that information. It's classified," Callahan said, standing up also.

"Wait, so you're telling us, Mike is dead, but you can't tell us how he died?" I said, standing up too. I could feel my voice wanting to let out a sob, and the tears well up in my eyes.

~~~

-Present-

I stood there, holding the picture in my hand, admiring it. Mike wasn't even thirteen when he had left us. If he were still around, he would be fourteen, almost a freshman. 

It was early August, and high school would be starting once again soon. I would be a senior, and Mike would have been a freshman. I guess I'll get to see all of his friends at school.

I could feel tears streaming down my face.

I missed Mike so much. It was terrible, looking in his room and seeing everything perfectly intact. No one dared to touch anything. El's fort was intact soon. Hopper didn't usually come by. I didn't really talk to El at all after the incident. I was too afraid to face anyone and tell them how I really felt.

I guess things couldn't really go back to how they were before. That broke my heart.