-november 9th 1983-
-reader's pov-
"El!" I called out to eleven, who was just blankly staring, with a worried expression at a cat. a cat that was now running away, in fear of the sudden loud sound.
"you okay?" I asked as her gaze turned to me.
El nodded her head before I tapped the seat of my bike, "hop on, we've only got a few hours."
el stumbled down the grassy slope before clambering onto the back half of my bike, whilst I got onto the front and gripped the handlebars.
she rested her feet on the foot-pegs that were designed for backies like this one before wrapping her arms around my waist tightly. I felt my whole face heat up and turn a crimson colour before I kicked on the pedals and the bike started to move along with dustin, mike and lucas'.
———————
birds squawked as they glided through the sky above us, all the trees that towered high were now virtually leafless as we all continued our trek down the abandoned railway track. the three boys were quite a bit behind me and el, immersed in their own conversation as we walked.
"why did they hurt you?" el asked, breaking the bearable silence.
"what?" I questioned, confused whilst heaving my bike through the fallen leaves.
she pointed a finger to my left eye and the large bruise that surrounded it.
"oh um, that.." I let out a sigh, "I'm not gonna lie to you so I'll just tell you the story.."
el looked at me, her interest was very obviously peaked.
"basically, at school there's these two mouthbreathers called troy and james.. they're not very nice to me and the guys and when they bullied us today, I thought I'd try to stick up for us," I explained, "so I broke troy's nose and I have no clue how I did it because I didn't even touch him but then because I did that, james thumped me right in the eye.." I then pointed to my black-eye, "and that's how I got it."
"o-oh.. what is mouthbreather?" asked an unbeknownst el.
"well, y'know.. a dumb person, a knucklehead." I informed.
"knucklehead?" repeated el.
"y-yeah... and it probably makes me look really stupid, not just this dumb bruise but the fact I stood up to troy and lost.." I rambled, "the whole school knows but it's not like I'm popular anyways so-"
"y/n." el interrupted.
"yeah?" I spoke.
"I understand." she calmly said.
"oh, okay, cool.." I looked at her as she continued walking, "cool.." but I could feel my cheeks turning all rosy.
——————
we had been walking around town for hours, it was now nighttime and the sky was no longer a light dreamy blue in colour, it was pitch-black. the lights of our bikes lit up the path as we finally came to a stop outside will's house.
"here," el pointed to the ground.
"yeah.. this is where will lives," mike spoke.
"hiding." el said in response.
"no, no, this is where he lives," informed mike, "he's missing from here, understand?"
"what are we doing here?" asked an exhausted lucas.
"she said he's hiding here." answered mike.
"um.. no!" lucas snapped.
"I swear, if we walked all the way out here for nothing-" dustin began but was interrupted by lucas.
"that's exactly what we did!" lucas cried out, "I told you she didn't know what the hell she was talking about!"
"why did you bring us here?" mike asked as he turned to el.
my interest from the boys' argument was pulled away when I heard the faint sound of sirens in the distant.
"guys.." I spoke, but gained none of their attention, "GUYS!" this attracted their attention and they followed my gaze to find that I was looking at a line of ambulances, cop cars and fire engines that were zooming down the road.
"will.." a concerned mike said under his breath as we all ran back to retrieve our bikes.
el and I jumped on my bike before I set it up and took lead, in front of all the boys as we shot down the road, in pursuit of the sirens.
——————
my bike skidded to a halt before me and el leaped off and took refuge behind a fire truck. the boys joined shortly after and we peaked around the side of the truck to see a small, frail body being lifted out of the quarry water.
no, no it can't be.. it's not will.
I focused even more and my heart dropped when I noticed the body was wearing a red and yellow puffer jacket, the same one will always wore.
"it's not will.." stammered mike, "it can't be.."
my lip quivered and tears stained my cheeks as the lifeless body grew more clearer, every single thing about it looked like will.
"It's will, it's really will.." trembled lucas.
we all then stepped back a little before el spoke, "y/n.." she reached a hand out to me but mike slapped it away.
"Y/N? Y/N? y/n what! you're supposed to help us. you said he was alive. why did you lie to us?" mike yelled in her face, "what's wrong with you?!"
a tinge of deja-vu swept over me, it reminded me of when troy was shouting at me earlier.
"what is wrong with you!" mike repeated.
el only quivered and sniffed in response but mike had had enough, he stormed away and picked up his bike before marching up the hill.
"mike, cmon man.." lucas said with teary eyes.
"mike?" I called out but my voice was all shaky.
"mike? where are you going?" dustin quivered.
but mike didn't stop walking, he stormed up the slope until he was no longer to be seen.
"I-I'm gonna go home now guys.." sobbed dustin.
"me too.." lucas wiped the tears from his eyes as he followed dustin up the hill.
I turned to el, she was also crying her eyes out.
"I-I'm sorry," she croaked.
"I-it's okay.." I replied before launching myself into her arms and we stood like that for what felt like forever.
"I'm so so sorry.."