Smoke Clouds || Billy Hargrove { 1 }

2

'C- Com-Compromise?'

'C-O-M-promise. Compromise. How about that's your word for the day? Yeah?'

'It's something that's kinda in-between. It's like halfway happy,' Eden explained as she clambered down the ladder.

'By five-one-five?' El asked.

'Five fifteen,' Hopper nodded; 'Yeah, sure.'

'Promise?'

'Yes. I promise.'

'Eden?'

The girl looked up at her name, her eyes flickering from Eleven to Hopper; guilt setting in them.

'Um, I,' Eden looked at Hopper who silently begged her with his eyes; 'Yeh, I'll be here by eight thirty. Eight. Three. Zero.'

'Promise?' El asked.

'I promise, kid.'

'Halfway happy.'

She smiled slightly as she watched the curly haired girl shrugged a shoulder and began to eat, drying her plate before she wiped her hands.

'Alright, I'll see you guys later,' She waved.

'Eight. Three. Zero?' El called after her.

'Eight. Three. Zero.'

^^^^^^

About half an hour later, Eden strode into the Byers' house as though it was her own; smiling as she saw Jonathan with his camera in hand.

'Jonny, please, no photos,' She teased.

He rolled his eyes and walked into the living room, knowing she would follow. The girl smirked when she saw Will, his little brother, all dressed up in a ghostbusters costume complete with the pack and blaster.

'Wow, look at you, little man,' She stated; 'Definitely gonna call you if I ever see a ghost.'

'Eden,' Will smiled as he ran over to hug her.

She carefully wrapped an arm around his back, smiling over at Joyce Byers, the two boys' mother.

'Hey, Eden,' Joyce smiled; 'How are you?'

'Hey, Joyce. I'm good,' She replied.

'Alright, let's get some photos so you can get to school.'

Jonathan held up his camera toward Will, 'Three, two, one.'

The camera snapped and Jonathan direct Will to hold up his blaster so he could take another, the boy smiling the entire time. After a few more shots, he was done.

'Alright, let's get you to school,' Joyce smiled.

'I'll drive him. I'm here to pick up Jonny anyway,' Eden suggested.

'Oh, would you? Thank you, sweetheart.'

'No problems.'

Will quickly ran out the front door, the teens walking behind him as they said goodbye to Joyce. As they got out to the car, Will was standing in front of the passenger side door before he was kicked into the back by his older brother. Eden got behind the steering wheel, starting the engine as the two doors shut, before she pulled out into the street. Jonathan put a tape into the player, turning the volume up at the song began to play.

They all sang along the entire drive to the middle school, Will scrambling out of the car quickly when he saw his friends putting their bikes in the rack. Eden shook her head at the four of them, all of them dressed up like ghostbusters. She pulled back onto the road, heading toward the high school; getting Jonathan to light her cigarette that she held between her lips.