Steve and Flora sat at the Harrington kitchen counter, Steve downing a cup of coffee and a waffle whilst Flora was drinking tea and eating a bagel.
"Did you know your parents were going on a business trip?" Flora asked Steve as they ate, head tilted in curiosity.
"No," Steve told her between bites, "but you know what that means? A party. At your place or mine, we can decide later."
Flora danced in her seat. "A partyyy!" She sang, "And on a Tuesday!" She giggled mockingly.
Steve smacked her on her forehead, causing Flora to nearly choke on her food. "Hey!"
"Let's go." Steve ushered Flora to leave, the pair ready to drive to school like every other day.
Once they were at Hawkins High in their usual parking space beside Tommy's car, Steve and Flora told Tommy and Carol about their two empty houses.
"Your house is bigger." Tommy pointed to Flora, "But you have a pool." Tommy finished, pointing to Steve.
"I'm down for a party at Steve's." Carol agreed.
"He just wants to get laid." Flora then pointed out, nudging Steve teasingly and then high fiving Tommy.
The group of four then entered the school, walking down the halls in hoping of finding Nancy Wheeler. They did, and unsurprisingly she was with Barbara, studying for the chem exam they had in ten minutes or so.
As she was mid-answer to a question Barbara was quizzing her with, Steve took the flashcards from Barbara's hands.
"Hey!" Nancy complained at Steve taking the revision flash cards, Steve rolling his eyes at Nancy's attitude whilst Tommy licks his finger and pokes it into Barbara's ear.
"Sorry about that." Flora muttered to Barbara as she went past, going to stand beside Steve while Tommy and Carol leaned against the wall of the High School.
Steve looked at the flashcards, shuffling through the cards. "I don't know, I think you've studied enough, Nance."
"Steve," Nancy said weakly, cut off by Steve continuing.
"I'm telling you, y'know, you've got this. Don't worry."
"I agree Nancy, you've spent so much time on this." Flora nodded along to Steve's words. "You're going to ace this."
"Now on to more important matters." Steve grinned, Flora, Tommy and Carol doing the same. "My dad's left town for a conference and my mom's gone with him, cause, y'know, she doesn't trust him."
"Good call." Tommy inputted, laughing at his own joke.
"So are you in?" Flora finished, raising a curious eyebrow at the girl.
Nancy was confused. "In for what?"
Carol giggled. "No parents? The choice between Flora's big house or Steve's big house with a pool?"
Nancy realised what the group was on about. "A party?"
"Ding ding ding!" Carol and Flora chorused, Carol's tone more mocking where Flora's was celebratory.
"It's Tuesday." Nancy pointed out, confused that they'd be having a party on a Tuesday.
Tommy sniggered. "It's Tuesday! Oh, my God." Steve hit Tommy for laughing, Flora nudging Carol for her small giggle.
Steve began to convince Nancy, speaking softly in hopes of her coming. "Come on. It'll be low key. It'll just be us. What do you say? Are you in or are you out?"
Before Nancy could respond, Carol spoke up I'm distaste. "Oh, God. Look."
At her words, the group all turned to see what she was on about, seeing Jonathan Byers putting up a missing poster for Will.
Steve's nose scrunched. "Oh, God, that's depressing."
Nancy looked at Jonathan in concern. "Should we say something?"
Carol shrugged. "I don't think he speaks."
Tommy laughed cruelly. "How much you want to bet he killed him?"
At his words, both Steve and Flora smacked him in annoyance. "Shut up."
Nancy rolled her eyes and left the group, walking over to Jonathan. Flora followed, knowing what the people close to will are feeling.
"Hey." Nancy spoke up, Flora staring in silence.
Jonathan looked surprised to see the two there. "Oh, hey."
"I just I wanted to say, you know, um I'm sorry about everything." Nancy smiled sympathetically. "Everyone's thinking about you." At her words, the three turned to see the others, Tommy slightly waving jokingly.
"It sucks." Nancy summarised, shrugging.
"Yeah." Jonathan nodded.
"I'm sure he's fine. He's a smart kid." Nancy finished as the bell went, her beginning to move away. "I have to go.
Chemistry test."
"Yeah." Jonathan mumbled. "Good luck."
"Thanks"
Flora quickly looked to Jonathan before she left. "I've been helping search for him." Once she'd finished, she went back to where the others were waiting for her, the group going to do their chem test.
Once the school day was over, two kids from Hawkins Middle came up to Flora right before she could get into Steve's car.
"Uh, Flora. We need to do the thing from yesterday." Dustin brought up, Flora's eyes widening.
"Oh yeah, of course. I'll be at yours soon, okay, Stevie?" Flora looked from Dustin and Lucas to Steve, the latter nodding albeit confused.
Once the trio got to the Wheeler home, they went up to Mike's room only to find the girl still there.
Lucas was the first to speak, voice critical. "Are you out of your mind?"
Mike immediately rebuted Lucas' words, seeming to have a reason for why the girl is still in the Wheeler house. "Just listen to me."
"You are out of your mind!" Lucas decided.
"She knows about Will." Mike announced, causing the room to fall silent.
"What?" Flora furrowed her brows, unsure of the possibility.
"What do you mean she knows about Will?" Dustin asked slowly, confusion evident in his voice.
Mike moved over to a shelf, taking a picture which had the four boys grinning due to them being the winners of a science fair. "She pointed at him, at his picture. She knew he was missing. I could tell."
Lucas was still sceptical. "You could tell?"
Mike nodded. "Just think about it.
Do you really think it was a coincidence that we found her on Mirkwood, the same place where Will disappeared?"
"That is weird." Dustin agreed, Flora humming in recognition of his agreement.
Mike continued, "And she said bad people are after her. I think maybe these bad people are the same ones that took Will. I think she knows what happened to him."
Lucas was frustrated with the quiet girl, agitation evident in his voice. "Then why doesn't she tell us? Do you know where he is? Do you know where Will is?"
Lucas had moved closer to the girl, grabbing her by the shoulders. Flora moved over to Lucas, gently removing his hands from the girl. "You're scaring her, Lucas."
"She should be scared! If you know where he is, tell us! This is nuts.
We have to take her to your mom." Lucas paced, annoyed and frustrated at what was happening.
Mike violently disagreed. "No! Eleven said telling any adult would put us in danger."
"What kind of danger?" Dustin asked, fear present in his voice.
"Her name is Eleven?" Lucas questioned face twisted in confusion.
"El for short." Mike shrugged in response to Lucas' query.
Flora looked sternly at Mike, her voice authoritative. "Mike, what kind of danger?"
"Danger danger." Mike told them, forming a gun with his hand and pointing it at Dustin, then Flora, and finally Lucas.
Lucas hit Mike's hand down in anger. "No, no, no! We're going back to plan A.
We're telling your mom." He tried to open Mike's door, each time the door slammed shut until it locked.
"No." Eleven had said sternly, the four turning to see a stream of blood coming from her nose.