Hometown| Mike Wheeler

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

"Guys."

"By the time they realize we're gone-" I start.

"They would be at the gate." Max finishes for me.

"Hey. Hey! Hey!" Steve claps, gaining our attention. He sets his hands on his hips, "This is not happening."

"But-" Mike begins.

"No, no, no, no, no. No buts. I promised I'd keep you shitheads safe, and that's exactly what I plan on doing. We're staying here. On the bench. And we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand that?" Steve eyes all of us, waiting for an answer.

"This isn't a stupid sports game." Mike argues, but Steve wasn't having it.

"I said does everybody understand that?" Steve repeats, ripping the towel from his shoulder and pointing it at Mike, "I need a yes."

"How are you supposed to keep us safe if we're all dead because Eleven and Ten couldn't close the gate!" I exclaim as a car engine revs outside, catching all of our attention.

Max runs to the window, peering out of it, Lucas following behind her.

"It's my brother. H-he can't know i'm here. He'll kill me. He'll kill us." Max tells us.

"Stay away from the windows." Steve orders, throwing down the rag and quickly exiting the house.

Of course, we immediately scramble to the window, watching the scene unfold.

The two meet in the middle of the Byer's driveway, and they converse for awhile, before Billy points straight at us with his cigarette.

We throw ourselves down on the couch, away from the windows view.

"Shit! Do you think he saw us?" Dustin asks, panicked.

"Yes! Obviously, he saw us, numbnuts! He pointed right as us!" I exclaim frantically, getting off the couch. We all run to the other side of the room, holding our breath as we prepare for whatever was about to come.

The door slams open, then shut. Billy's eyes dart straight to Lucas, "Well, well, well. Lucas Sinclair. What a surprise. I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max," He glances to me, a chuckle coming from his lips as he wipes his finger under my chin, "Mormon," Mike pulls me towards him.

"Billy, go away." Max demands of her brother, but of course it did absolutely nothing.

"You disobeyed me. And you know what happens when you disobey me." Billy states.

"Billy..." Max cries.

"I break things." In a matter of seconds, he had picked up Lucas by the collar of his jacket, ramming him into the wall.

"Get off of me, you-"

"Since Maxine won't listen to me, maybe you will. You stay away from her. Stay away from her! You hear me?" Billy yells at Lucas. I grab the candlestick Mike once used as a weapon, running up to the burly teen and slamming it right into the back of Billy's head.

He chuckles, letting go of Lucas so he could shove me back, before pinning Lucas up to the wall again.

I skid across the floor, holding my head as Mike and Dustin rush over to me, lifting me up.

I wave them off, although my head was pounding.

"I said get off of me!" I watch as Lucas knees Billy in the groin, making him back off.

"You're so dead, Sinclair! You're dead." Billy shouts.

Steve passes by us, walking speedily towards Billy. He pushes his shoulder, turning him around to face him, before punching him right in the face, "No. You are."

Lucas runs back to our open arms, thanking me for trying to save him.

Billy laughs maniacally, "Looks like you've got some fire in you after all, huh? I've been waiting to meet this King Steve everyone's been telling me so much about."

"Get out." Steve orders, using two of his fingers to push Billy away from him.

Billy stares at Steve for a moment, before throwing a punch.

Steve dodges it, before throwing one himself, hitting Billy smack in the face.

Billy laughs again, blood dripping out of his nose as we cheer Steve on.

Steve hits Billy twice more, before Billy picks up a plate, smashing it atop of Steve's head.

Steve holds his head, stumbling away, but Billy follows. He punches Steve, nearly hitting Dustin in the process, but Dustin ducks just in time.

Billy grabs onto Steve, "No one tells me what to do."

He headbutt's Steve, sending him flying across the floor. He races over to Steve, getting on top of him and sending numerous punches his way.

"Get off!" I scream at Billy, "Get off! Get off of him!"

Steve was motionless, his head moving with every punch.

That is, until Max walks over to Billy, shoving one of the needle's that were used to keep Will asleep into Billy's neck, before backing up.

Billy grunts, standing up. He wearily grabs the needle, taking it from his neck, before looking back up at all of us, his body swaying side to side, "The hell is this? You little shit, what did you do?" He staggered forward, and with every step he took, Max would step back.

He then stops, falling back onto the ground, Mike letting out a curse. Billy begins to laugh once again, and that's when Max decided to grab the nail covered bat that was leaning against the wall.

She raises the bat, "From here on out, you leave me and my friends alone. Do you understand?"

"Screw you." He mutters.

Max slams the bat down, right below Billy's groin. The wood floor crackles as the nailed-bat gets raised above Maxes head again, "Say you understand! Say it! Say it!"

"I understand." He mumbles.

"What?" Max asks.

"I understand." He repeats, loud enough for everyone to hear, before his eyes droop closed.

Max drops the bat, going over to Billy's side and fishing his keys from his pocket, "Let's get out of here."