"What the hell is happening?" Adira muttered out as she strolled the halls of Hawkins high, an annoyed look on her pretty face as she swung her arms around in boredom. She didn't know how she had gotten where she was right now, the last thing she remembered was looking up at the stars, trying to block out the saddened cries of her dear friends and her brother and then the next thing she knew, she was in her maths classroom at Hawkins high.
The lights in the school were all on, but there was nobody to be found, no teachers, no students... hell there weren't even any flys buzzing around. It was weird to hear it so silent, usually, the school was buzzing with noise. the sounds of students chatting, basketballs hitting the ground, kids getting into fights, teachers giving lectures or yelling at some kid for something stupid.
"Jesus, I know that I made a shit ton of mistakes in my life but really? School?" Adira huffed out in annoyance, rolling her eyes. she couldnt believe that she was walking around the school right now, she could be off at some country club or the movies or something like that... or back with her friends... her family.
"Hello?" Adira called out as she reached her arm out, sliding her hand along the lockers, "is there anybody in this shit hole? Helloooooooooo!" She dragged out, hoping that her annoying tone would cause someone to respond, even if it was with a 'shut the hell up'
"Hey assholes!" Adira called out louder, "hello!" She began opening classroom doors and going in them, looking around to see if she could find someone. She searched the desks for anything interesting. She looked through the cupboards in case someone was in there, "is there anybody here?"
The school looked exactly the same as she had remembered it, the desks, the lights, the fans. Everything.
"Ya know what, I'm just gonna leave," she said to herself, "why I didn't do that in the first place, I have no fucking clue. Maybe because I'm an idiot," she scolded herself, rolling her eyes before leaving her science classroom. She began her journey back down the halls and towards the door. She softly hummed as she walked through the halls, the door coming into view, "and now I'm talking to myself, I've lost my fucking mind."
She felt oddly clean, like she had just had a long hot shower with expensive soaps and body wash. She felt light, like all burdens she had ever had were now completely lost and for the first time, she felt free. She looked down and sure enough, she was wearing a pair of docs, shorts and a shirt, topped off with Billy's denim jacket.
the air around her felt like it was the perfect temperature and the brightness told her that it was early in the morning. There was just something so peaceful about it, like nothing could ever go wrong... like nothing had ever gone wrong.
"You'd think that after dying I'd be able to escape this hell hole, but no, I start my journey in the afterlife at fucking school," Adira complained and grabbed ahold of the handle but stopped. She had to be here for a reason, she wouldn't just die and then happen to be at the school when she comes too, she has to be here for some specific reason.
But what that reason was, she really didn't know. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she would now never get to graduate, or maybe because she had made so many memories here. was it becasue she spent most of her time here, trying to get better grades to make a life for herself without relying on her parents so that she could break off all contact with them? Or maybe it was all the time that she spent here playing soccer, trying to get even better at the sport that she held so dear to her.
Or maybe it was because of all the friends that she had made there... it was where she met Chrissy, Billy and so many other people that she held dear to her. Her life practically revolved around this place
Or maybe, there was something here that she had to find.
She let go of the door and turned back around, a determined feeling brewing in her now, uninjured stomach. She made her way to her locker which was near the art rooms, the place where her and Chrissy used to always hang out.
None of the lockers had locks on them which was the first difference that she had noticed. She pulled up the handle and then opened her locker. Inside was a soccer ball, the keys to the Camaro, some deodorant and perfume, and her skateboard. There were a bunch of photos on the locker, photos of her and Billy, her and her brother, her and her friends.
She took note of how little time her and Eddie really got to spend together, it was a fast paced relationship thanks to the blessing of having known each other for so long... maybe it was rushed, but with the fear of dying everyday, who has the time to wait around and dwell? They never got any photos together.
She wondered if he would forget about her. There was no proof of them ever actually being together and they hadn't made many memories. But what she didn't realise, was that Eddie would think about her everyday up until the day that he died, he'd never move on like she had told him.
He would go on to travel the world with his band after being cleared for murder and after graduating. He would continue to write songs about her, singing about her every night all around the world. She hated to admit it, but she hadn't had enough time to fall in love with the boy, but she did believe that if they had enough time and if she had enough time to fully get over Billy, she would've. But they had really only spent about a week together. What was there not to love? Besides the smell of body odour and weed that was.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't have given you the love that you deserved," she whispered, lowering her head to look at the ground, a small whimper of sadness falling from her crimson lips.
Her head shot up suddenly at the sound of rattling in the classroom a few lockers down from her. She stood still for a moment, wondering if she had just imagined the noise, but sure enough, there was another rattling sound, like the sound of pencils dropping to the table.
She shut her locker and stepped back before slowly beginning to make her way over to the art room, a hopeful look on her face, maybe there was someone there after all.
She pushed the door open, "hello? Is there someone in here?" She looked towards the front of the classroom first and saw nothing so she then gazed towards the back, freezing in her spot, "I-" she couldn't get any words out.
"No freaking way!" The sweet voice called out as she dropped her pencil to the table, a wide grin spreading across her pretty face, "jeez, I feel like I've been waiting for ages!" She pushed her chair back and ran towards Adira who hadn't moved, her body frozen in place still, her breathes we're getting stuck in her throat and her heart had to be pounding a million miles at once... even though she was dead, she could still feel it. The air sucking in and out of her lungs. The thumping on her chest as her heart pushed blood through her spirit.
She threw her arms around Adiras neck and swung them side to side, happy laughs escaping her lips, "I've been waiting here for you."
Adira wrapped her arms around her and buried her face in her neck, "oh Chris, you have no idea how much I've fucking missed you," Adira said, beginning to cry and laugh at the same time as she embraced her best friend, "I should have been there. If I was th-"
"Hey! Don't blame yourself okay, it's not your fault. There was no way that you could have known what was going to happen to me," Chrissy said to her, grabbing Adiras face in her hands. She looked as perfect as ever, her blond hair up in a clean ponytail, her makeup unsmudged and perfectly blended.
Adira shook her head, tears beginning to pool as she stared into Chrissy's eyes, "no no it is my fault, I could have stopped him Chris. I could have saved you," Adira choked out. Chrissy leaned forwards and pulled Adiras face closer, resting their foreheads together
"I am so... so proud of you Adira," Chrissy told her firmly, "do you realise how amazing you are? How much you've done? You saved them countless times okay, you sacrificed your life," Chrissy told her reassuringly, "you didn't deserve to die, but you can be at peace now okay? You deserve the world."
Adira shook her head firmly, "I couldn't save everyone."
"You're only human Adira," Chrissy reminded her, "and it wasn't your job too, you did the best you could and it was a lot, you should be proud of yourself too."
"Okay?" Chrissy asked her, but she didn't get anything on return except for sad eyes, "okay?"
Adira nodded softly, throwing her arms around Chrissy her again, burying her head back in her neck, the familiar scent of roses and honey filling her senses and completely taking over, "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered out as Chrissy wrapped her arms around Adiras waist
Chrissy chuckled softly, "where else would I bloody be, we're 17 I have nobody else here," Chrissy joked. But it wasn't funny, the harsh reality of it was that it was awful... they had been lost so young and so loved... the people that cared about them would have to wait so long before they can see them again. They had so much life left to live.
They would have graduated, and then gone on in the world to do great things. Who knows what they could have done? Adira could have became a professional soccer player, or the two of them could have gone to the championships for Cheer and continued cheer before settling down. All they knew was that they had planned on spending their lives together, living next door to each other while they had their families.
They could have raised their kids together, gone over to each others house for dinner every Friday night after their day of work. But instead they were hear, cursed to be young forever and watch over the people that they loved as they grew old without them, hoping to fill the holes that their death had left.
"How about we get out of here," Adira muttered out, pulling away from the hug, offering Chrissy a small smile. Chrissy nodded her head softly, grabbing onto Adira's hand.
"Oh can we go the back way though, I just need to grab something," Chrissy asked Adira, trying to hide her excited smile. Adira gave her a confused look, wondering what the girl had to get, but she nodded her head nontheless
"Yeah of course," Adira muttered out and the two of them began their journey through the school, talking about anything and everything. Adira began to tell Chrissy what she had missed, but Chrissy informed her that she had been watching over her for pretty much the whole time except the parts she expected Adira wouldnt want her to watch over.
Adira had gone red in the cheeks at that, instantly knowing what Chrissy had meant. Chrissy spoke up, "Eddie is a nice boy," Chrissy confirmed, "but you don't love him, do you?" Chrissy said, already knowing the answer. she had known her best friend like the back of her hand, and she could tell that Eddie meant quite a lot to her, hell she literally died for him. But he wasnt Billy.
Adira gave Chrissy a small smile, shaking her head, "I'm sure I would have Chris, but I don't think I could ever truely get over Billy... he meant everything to me," Adira whispered out, a guilty feeling bubbling in her stomach as she said it
"You shouldnt feel guilty you know, you and Eddie never really talked to each other before now, and you have only been together for about a week. I saw the way you and Billy looked at each other, it was pure love and adoration. You did nothing wrong, Eddie knew that you still cared for Billy and he also knew that he loved you. You would have been good for each other if you had more time, but you and Billy are true soulmates Adira and nobody can change that," Chrissy explained.
Adira just nodded softly, still feeling guilty. They were getting close to the gymnasium which was right next to the back doors, "where is this thing that youre looking for by the way?" Adira asked in confusion, looking around for anything out of place that could have been what her best friend was looking for
"its in the gym," Chrissy said and pushed the doors open and then pulled Adira in, closing the closing the doors behind them. Adira looked at the doors and then at Chrissy, raising her eyebrow in confusion
"What is it that youre looking for?" Adira asked, her confusion only growing more and more as time passed. The large walls of the school gymnasium surrounded her. The basketball hoops hung and basketballs were scattered all across the floor.
"Hey cupcake."