My heart completely plummets in my chest. "W-What?" I ask shakily.
An irritated growl comes from him. "I can't find Eleven. She isn't here, and she knows the rules about leaving." He grabs a hold of my flannel sleeve and yanks me inside.
"Cassidy, do you know where Eleven is?" He sternly looks at me.
"N-No. What do you mean she's gone? Are you sure?" I ask, running around the house looking under tables, beds, and other hiding spots.
"I'm 100 percent sure she isn't here, Cassidy!" His right hand grabs onto my shoulder, stopping me from looking around.
I'll be honest. I'm scared. El knows the rules Hopper lined out for us. She wouldn't just get up and run of like this. Something is wrong. Really, really wrong.
"Let's wait outside. She's bound to be back eventually," I tell him. We step outside the cabin and stand there, waiting for El. I sit on the steps as Hopper leans onto his hand that's perched on top of the porch railings, the other hand placed angrily on his hip.
After about an hour, I moved to stand by Hopper who is leaning on the porch rails. My head perks up at the crunching leaves. I see a figure walking towards the house. The figure stops and Hopper puts out his cigarette.
As the small figure continues, I notice the familiarity of the shape. It's Eleven.
I go to move, but Hopper puts a hand on my shoulder, shaking his head.
Eleven walks up the steps, ignoring us, and goes inside. Hopper quickly catches the screen door and barges back into the cabin. I follow behind him.
"Friends don't lie. Isn't that your bullshit saying?" he starts. Eleven doesn't stop and goes to her room. As she swings the door shut, Hopper catches it.
"Don't walk away from me!" He says angrily. He leans into the doorway as she glares at him.
I cross my arms over my chest awkwardly waiting for the fight to end.
"Where'd you go on your little field trip, huh?" Hopper asks, voice no longer loud, but still stern. Eleven doesn't speak. "Where?" Hopper asks again.
"Did you go see Mike?" Hopper asks.
"He didn't see me," she says, looking away from him.
"Yeah, well that mother and daughter did and they called the cops. Now, did anyone else see you?" Hopper pushes himself away from the doorway and does to lean on her bed, where she sits.
I replace him and stand in the doorway.
"Nobody saw me!" She says loudly. I've heard a saying before from Hopper. He says don't poke the bear and that's exactly what she's doing right now.
"You put us in danger. You realize that, right," Hopper starts to pace.
"You promised I go!" Eleven points, yelling. "And I never leave! Nothing ever happens!"
"Yeah! Nothing happens and you stay safe!" Hopper yells, slamming his hand onto her dresser. I flinch and take a step back.
"You lie!" She screams.
"I don't lie. I protect and I feed and I teach, and all I ask of you is that you follow three simple rules!" Hopper yells, taking a step closer to her. "And you know what? You can't even do that!"
A hurt look takes over El's face. I drop my arms and jump back as Hopper storms out of her room.
"You're grounded," he says from the living room. "You know what that means? It means no eggos and no tv for a week."
He goes to the tv and grabs it by the stand. It moves a little but stops. I look at El as blood starts to run from her nose.
Well shit
"Alright knock it off. Let go," he demands.
She shakes her head and keeps a tight hold on the tv. Hopper tries again, but the tv doesn't move.
"Ok two weeks," Hopper adds to her punishment time, trying the tv again. "Let go!"
She shakes her head again. "A month!" Hopper yells.
"No," El says, glaring at the man. I gulp.
"El just let go," I plead. She ignores me, eyes trained on Hopper.
"Well congratulations. You just graduated from no tv for a month to no tv at all!" Hopper grabs the power plug in from the back of the tv and rips it out.
"No!" Eleven screams. "No! No!" Eleven repeats, running over and messing with the antennas on the top of the tv.
"You have got to understand that there are consequences to your actions," Hopper says turning to look at her from across the room.
"You are like papa!" She screams. I gasp and cover my mouth. She should not have gone there.
"Really?" Hopper deadpans. "I'm like that psychotic son of a bitch? Alright you want to go back to the lab?"
My mouth gapes open. I wouldn't wish for anyone to go to Hawkins lab not even my worst enemy. Not even Tina.
"One phone call. I can make that happen," Hopper says. My hands shake with anxiety. Would he really do that?
"I hate you," Eleven tells him.
"Well, I'm not too crazy about you either. You know why? Cause your a brat!" He angrily tells her. "You know what that word means? How about that be you word for the day. Brat, why don't we look it up?" Hopper grabs a dictionary from a side table and flips through it. "B.R.A.T brat." He tosses the book to El, who tosses her hand up. Stopping it in mid air with her mind.
He pushes her hand forward and throws the book at Hopper. "Hey!" He yells, dodging it.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asks her.
She moves the couch and it crashes into the side of his body.
"Eleven! Stop it!" I yell, walking towards her. She throws her hand out and sends a side table sliding towards me. I catch it with my mind and stop it right before it touches me. She moves her other hand, and I feel my feet lift from the ground. She throws me into a wall, and I fall instantly to the ground.
She storms away. "Hey! Hey!" Hopper yells after her. She throws a bookshelf down. He continues to yell after her.
She runs to her room and throws the door closed. "Hey!" He yells. Banging on her unmoving door.
"Open this door!" Hopper screams, trying to turn the handle.
I stand up and walk closer to him, stumbling a bit.
He continues to yell at her, but I zone out. My brain is so overwhelmed I can't think straight. Suddenly, every glass item in the house shatters, including the windows. I hear Eleven screaming over the sounds of glass hitting the floor. Immediately, I throw my hands over my face and crouch down.
...
For the rest of the night, Hopper collected boards and nailed them to the window frames. I decided to help him for awhile but ended up passing out on the couch.
I wake up to banging. I open my eyes to see Hopper nailing shut one of the last broken windows. I sit up and look around at all the broken glass.
I hear a slight squeak and look up to see Eleven's door swing open. She makes eye contact with Hopper then slams it shut.
He walks over and stares at the door. "Hey, Kid? Listen, um, about last night..." he trails off. " I want this place cleaned up by the time I get back and maybe I'll consider fixing the tv."
I scoff and stand up from the couch. Walking to my room, and slamming my door shut.
I begrudgingly get ready for school. Dressed in my usual attire, I run out of the house, orange flannel waving in the wind.
Driving to school quickly, I rush through the halls trying to get my shit together. My hair's in a messy bun, and I look like a hot mess.
I pass Steve and he gives me a weird look. "Hey Cass," he says, stopping.
"Huh? Oh, hey Steve," I say, looking up at him.
"You ok?" He asks, putting his hands on his hips.
"No," I sigh. "I'm stressed. El had a tantrum and destroyed the whole cabin."
"Oh, shit. Well maybe coming to my basketball practice will make you feel better," he smiles kindly.
"I'll see if I can make it," I smile back. "See your later, Harrington." With that I run off to English.
I slide into my seat just as the bell rings.
"Right on time, beautiful," Billy says, already seated and comfortable.
"Yeah, I guess so," I sigh, laying my head down into my arms on the desk.
"You know what would cheer you up? Coming to my basketball practice and watching me kick some ass," he whispers to me as the teacher talks.
I turn my head to the side, still laying down, and I smile. "Sounds great."
...
I watch from the stands as sweaty boys run around shooting basketballs into the hoops.
"Hey," I hear someone say.
I look up and see a girl with short brown hair.
"Mind if I sit with you?" She asks, smiling.
"Sure. Go ahead," I tell her.
"I'm Cassidy, but usually everyone calls my Cassie," I smile at her warmly.
"My name's Robin," she tells me. Her voice is comforting and low. Not high pitched and annoying.
"I can't believe I'm even here," I say as Billy and Steve guard each other.
"King Steve," Billy starts bantering with Steve.
Billy shoots and scores. Somehow Steve ends up on the ground and Billy walks over to him, smiling. He reached for Steve's hand and gets really close to his face, whispering something. He pretends to help Steve up before shoving him back to the ground.
Once basketball practice is over, I stand up, tell Robin bye, and make my way to my next class.
...
At lunch I walk into the cafeteria, looking around for Steve or Nancy or even Billy.
"You lost Princess?" I hear a male voice ask me. I turn around to see a boy with long, brown, curly hair. His hands are decorated with metal rings.
"N-No. I was just looking for my friends," I tell him.
He smiles. "If I was your friend I'd make sure I was with you at all times. Wouldn't want anyone harming a beautiful blonde hair on your head."
I awkwardly smile before he sticks out his hand. "I'm Eddie."
"Cassidy," I reply, shaking his hand. My eyes glance out the window behind him to see Dustin waving dramatically at me. "I-I gotta go. Nice meeting you." I say quickly before jogging out of the cafeteria.
When I get outside, Dustin is there. "Dustin what the hell!" I whisper yell at him.
"AV room now!" Dustin commands grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the middle school. In a full on sprint we get to the front doors quickly. Lucas, Mike, and Max stand by the front doors. I jog up the steps with Dustin.
"AV room. Let's go," Mike commands. We all get to the door about to open it. Max stands up with her skate board.
"Party members only," Mike says to Max.
"Come on Mike," Dustin sighs.
"No! This is non-negotiable," Mike tells him.
Wow, this little shit is becoming a brat.
We each tell Max sorry and go inside the middle school, rushing to the AV room.
"Will didn't want me to tell anyone. On Halloween night, he saw a sort of shadow in the sky," Mike tells us.
I lean back against the wall. "A shadow?" I ask.
"What kind of shadow?" Lucas asks.
"I don't know. It scared him," Maybe Will really has True Sight. I mean if he could really see into the Upside Down, maybe he say that shadow again yesterday.
"So that's why he was like that in the school yard?" I ask, crossing my arms.
"Maybe," Mike tells me.
This is getting really really weird.
"Can it hurt him?" Lucas asks, shifting in his seat. "I mean the shadow thing isn't from our world."
"I'm not sure. Dustin?" Mike looks at Dustin for his input.
Dustin gives a drawn out answer. "Theoretically, it can't hurt him."
I glance up at the clock on the wall. "Shit! I gotta go. See you guys later!" I yell, running out of the room then out the building.
...
I rush out of the school, knowing I really need to go home to Eleven. When I'm about to reach my car, I feel a hand wrap around my arm.
"Cass, slow down," Billy tells me.
I sigh and drop my head. "I feel like all I've done today is run around for everyone."
"Then stop running. Take a deep breath and do what you want to do," he tells me, letting go of my arm.
"You know, you're kinda wise when you aren't holding up that whole macho facade," I laugh. He starts to laugh to but just shrugs.
Billy looks up for a second. "Who's the kid Max is talking to?"
"Oh, that's Lucas Sinclair. He's a good kid," I tell him, watching as they argue and yell at each other.
"I wonder why they're fighting," I say watching the way they act.
Max has been left out in their friend group, I bet it's about her being in the boys' party.
Max starts to skate over. Lucas throws his hands in the air and walks away. "Who were you talking to?" Billy asks even though I just told him.
"No one," she tells him, obviously pissed.
"No one?" He repeats as she opens her car door.
"It's a kid from my class," she tells him, getting in the car. Billy opens his car door getting in too.
"Were you arguing about being in their party?" I ask, leaning down to look at her through Billy's open door, ignoring our proximity.
"How'd you know?" She asks wide eyed.
"Lucky guess. My sister was in their party," I tell her.
"Wait. Was your sister El?" She asks in disbelief.
"Oh, uh, yeah," I say. "Well, um, I gotta go."
"Cassidy, wait," Billy yells, suddenly jumping out of the car. "We should, uh, hang out... soon."
A smirk creeps across my face. "Are you nervous, Billy Hargrove?" He shuffles a little bit.
"No. I'm not nervous Cassidy," he retorts, looking at the ground.
"You so are!" I exclaim. "I'd love to hang out." I feel my cheeks heat.
"Are you nervous?" He asks, slyly smiling.
"Never," I say back. "Gotta go, Billy. See you later."
"Wait, Billy, I just remembered our Chemistry homework," I say, spinning to face him again.
"Looks like our hangout is getting pushed to tonight. Maxine get in the back," Billy says.
"No, no, it's ok Max, you can stay up front. I'll get in the back," I tell her, hopping in his backseat and throwing my backpack beside me and next to his.
His entire car smells like him, and it's truly wonderful.
Billy speeds to his house, and swerves into his driveway,
"Jesus Billy. Can you not go 100 miles an hour, you're gonna get yourself killed!" I yell at him, quickly climbing out of his back seat, with both our bags.
I hand him his bag and close the car door. By the time we make it inside, Max has already gone to her room.
"Let's do our work on the couch. The lighting is good there," I say, looking at my surroundings. Billy shrugs and struts to the couch, throwing himself onto it.
I pull out my work, and he does the same. I start to explain what needs to be done until I hear boots thumping across the wooden floor.
"Bil- who's this?" Billy's dad asks. I look up at him. "Oh, hello, Mr. Hargrove. I'm Cassidy, I brought Max home the other day, and I just so happen to be Billy's chemistry partner." I smile at him in the nicest smile I could muster.
"We're just working on homework, sir," Billy says almost timidly.
"Fine then," Neil says, retreating to another room.
Why was Billy so timid? He's never scared of anything.
...
After writing the last sentence, I hear a beep from my bag before a panicked voice starts talking.
"Cassidy, come in Cassidy," Dustin yells panicked.
I dig through my bag and pull out my walky talky.
"Yes, Dustin?" I ask.
"Meet me at my house. Dart's missing, and we could use your powers," he yells.
I gasp and my head whips around to Billy who's eyebrows are furrowed.
"O-Ok Dustin. Be there in a minute," I tells him.
"Billy," I start.
"What does he mean powers?" He asks, confused. Without thinking, I clamp my hand over his mouth.
"Shh, I need your car now!" I whisper yell, pulling him up and stuffing my stuff in my bag. I practically drag him out the door. I jump in the drivers seat.
"What are you doing?" Billy asks, shocked I'm in his seat. "Passenger side now!" I order before closing the door.
I adjust the seat, and I start to drive to Dustin's house quickly.
"What did he mean by powers?" Billy asks again this time a little more frustrated.
"I- You weren't supposed to find out," I tell him, pushing the gas pedal further.
Billy laughs dryly. "This isn't funny, Cassidy."
I lift my head quickly and Billy cigarettes fly out of the cup holder and into his lap.
"What the hell?" He yells. "H-How did you..."
"I have powers, Billy, and you have to promise me you won't tell anybody. I know that's a huge secret to keep, but you need to promise me," I tell him desperately, tears prickling in my eyes.
Billy doesn't speak at first. "Ok. I won't tell anyone. Who all knows?" He asks.
"Nancy, Steve, Jonathan, Hopper, and the boys. I'm not sure if the boys told Max," I sigh, overwhelmed he found out like this. He's easily my best friend, and I never wanted to bother him with this.
"I-I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to find out. No one was," I say, a tear sliding down my cheek.
"It's ok, Cassidy. It's just a lot to take in. Just please, for me, don't cry." He reaches up and with his thumb swipes the tear off of my cheek.
"Ok," I whisper, taking a deep breath.
"Cassie, come in, Cassie," I hear Dustin say over the walky talky in my lap.
"Yes," I hold it up.
"I don't need you anymore. F-False alarm. I found him. He killed my mom's cat. Over," Dustin tells me.
I drop the walky talky in my lap before slowing down and parking on the side of the road.
I lay my head on the steering wheel and scream. "Dammit Dustin Henderson!"
"Wait, so you don't need to go... use your powers," Billy asks after I'm done screaming.
"I guess not. I fucking told him not to keep that monster. I told him, and now his mom's stupid cat is dead and you know my secret, but it doesn't matter because this was all pointless." I yell into the steering wheel.
"Well, we can just go to your house," Billy suggests. "Because you have so many explanations to give right now."
I sigh and sit up, nodding.
"Are you ok with staying over at my house?" I ask him.
He nods and lays his head back. "Actually, yes, because I don't want to go back home."
"Will your dad get mad at you?" I question, laying my head back too, but still looking at him.
"I'll just make up a lie like always," he mutters.
I nod sadly and start to drive to my house. I park his car and get out. We start to walk, but I quickly grab his arm to make him stop.
"Trip wire," I tell him, lifting my foot and stepping over the string. He does the same with a very confused look.
"Why do you need a trip wire?" He asks.
"I'll explain everything inside," I sigh, pulling him towards the cabin and up the steps. I do my secret knock on the door. El opens it wide and stares at me then at Billy.
"Four," she says quickly with wide eyes.
"It's ok, Eleven. He's my friend and he knows," I tell her stepping in with Billy at my heels.
"Nice job on cleaning up the cabin," I tell her. "Hopper home?"
She shakes her head and walks over to the tv messing with it like it's going to work.
"My room's this way," I say, leading Billy. "El, if Hopper comes in, don't tell him I have a friend over."
I shove Billy into my room and shut my door quickly.
"Ok. I owe you an explanation," I start. "For starters, I'm number 004." I pull my sleeve up and show my wrist.