Distortion [S. Harrington]

chapter 28

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The next day, Lucy decided it was a good idea to check up on Jonathan and see if he was home. She wanted to see him and also check up on Joyce and Will. Lucy's dad had told her that Will wasn't doing too hot and she wanted to go over and help if she could.

Billy tried calling her a couple times this morning but she wasn't there to hear the ringing. He wanted to talk to her about what happened the night before, but she never answered. She didn't know it then but no one else was at the house, not even Eleven.

Passing the Wheeler's house, Lucy saw Mike by the garage getting on his bike so she slowed down and waited for him to pull up next to her.

"Hey, where are you going?" Lucy asked, leaning towards the passenger's side window.

"To see Will," Mike replied.

"Me too, hop in," Lucy said, patting the seat.

Mike accepted the offer and climbed into the passenger seat, thinking he'd get there faster if Lucy drove.

Lucy had a weird relationship with the boys in the party. She used to be really close with them when Nancy took part in their games. Lucy was still nice to them every time she saw them and they liked her because of it. So she stayed their sort of friend but never went over to hang out with them, even though they asked her countless times.

Pulling up to the Byers house, the two quickly hopped out and knocked on the door.

"Hey. Is Will there?" Mike asked.

"You know what? Now is not a really good time, he's not feeling too well. I'll tell him you guys stopped by, okay?" Joyce said, not letting them inside.

"It's the Shadow Monster, isn't it?" Mike said, looking at Mrs. Byers.

Lucy and Joyce were both surprised to hear that but for different reasons. Lucy hadn't been around the kids or Joyce lately so she had no idea what that meant. She had no idea the thoughts running through either of their heads right now.

Joyce let them in and it looked like a madhouse inside, similar to how it looked when Will was missing last year. Except this time, instead of Christmas lights, there were pieces of paper taped all of the place.

Some sort of vine-like drawing was on every one of the papers and they were put up all around the house, almost like a map. When Lucy looked at them she didn't really understand what she was looking at, not knowing what they meant.

She brushed her hand over one of the papers in the kitchen, it was sort of shaped like a split in the road. She wondered what this all meant.

Lucy and Mike spent all day at the Byers house, just hanging out there, until it was dark outside. Lucy was in the kitchen, deciding if she should go home or not, when Joyce walked in.

"You can sleep here tonight. Your dad is probably out and Jonathan isn't here so his room is free. It's not like you haven't slept in there before," Joyce said, winking at the teen.

"No, no, it's not like that at all Joyce!" Lucy's eyes were wide and her arms waved in the air as she stuttered to explain to Joyce.

"Oh I know sweetie," Joyce chuckled and then smiled. "I know about Steve and Nancy. I may have listened in once in a while, and I just think those two aren't right for each other."

Lucy smiled and went to Jonathan's room. She fell asleep quickly and didn't even think about Eleven, but that was fine because no one was at the cabin anyway.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

The next morning at the Byers house, Lucille woke up and decided to make pancakes for breakfast. She was up early and pancakes always brightened her mood so she started making them. Mike sat down at the table and watched Lucy make the food.

"I heard about a new girl at your school," Lucy said, glancing at Mike before flipping the pancake. He didn't say anything. "I also heard you don't like her."

"Yeah, maybe." He paused before saying, "She wants to join the party."

"Am I in the party?"

"Duh," Mike said. "You're like Nancy's coolest friend and the only one that's nice to us."

"Okay so why won't you let her join?"

"Max is nothing like you, she's annoying. And she thinks she can be just like El but she's not," Mike said, fiddling with his fingers.

Lucy tensed up at the mention of El. Mike didn't know that she was even alive right now or staying with her and Hopper at the cabin. She grabbed the plate full of pancakes and sat them down at the table.

"Well Mike, I don't think there is anyone out there like Eleven. But I think Max just wants to hang out with you guys, I'm sure she has no friends yet. She did just move here. Give her a chance, you might like her."

"Dustin and Lucas both like her. It's just - I - you don't understand." Mike sighed and drenched his pancakes in syrup.

"If they like this girl then they wouldn't like Eleven..." Lucy smiled and ate some pancakes. She knew Mike and El liked each other but they couldn't even see each other because it was dangerous for Eleven to leave the cabin. "You two are perfect for each other and I know she likes you."

Mike might've been a little curious on how she knew that but he just smiled and ate his pancakes anyway. After Lucy and Mike were done talking Will and Joyce walked into the kitchen, sat down, and grabbed some pancakes.