Y/n's pov
The sun beat down on my skin as we walked up the never ending hill.
The backpack I was carrying's straps were rubbing harshly on my shoulders with every step I took and my face felt like it was melting off.
"Aren't we high enough?" Lucas asked.
"Cerebro works best at a hundred meters." Dustin stated.
"You know, I'm pretty sure people in Utah have telephones." Max said flatly.
"Yeah, but Susie's Mormon." Dustin said.
"Oh shit. She doesn't have electricity?" Lucas asked, surprised.
"Oh, that's the Amish." I corrected with an eye roll.
"What are Mormons?" Will asked.
"Super religious white people. They have electricity and cars and stuff, but since I'm not Mormon, her parents would never approve." Dustin explained.
Max, Lucas and Will nodded in understanding.
"It's all a bit... shakespearean." Dustin said.
"Shakespearean?" Max scoffed.
"Yeah. Like Romeo and Juliet." Dustin nodded happily.
"Right." Max said.
"Star crossed lovers." Dustin continued to explain.
"We got it, Dustin." I rolled my eyes.
"Hey guys! This is fun and all, but..." Mike tapped his watch obnoxiously.
"I have to go home." El said.
"We're almost there!" Dustin said, staring at them bizarrely.
"Sorry man." Mike said, not even sounding sorry. "Curfew."
Mike started to walk back down the hill, taking El's hand.
"Good luck." El said with a smile, before turning and following Mike with a giggle.
I stared after them, my eyes burning holes in the back of their heads.
El never used to be like this. Mike wanted her all to himself and he was being a selfish little shit.
"Curfew at four?" Dustin asked in disbelief.
"They're lying." Lucas huffed.
"It's been like this all summer." Will said with a frustrated shrug.
"It's sweet." I said, not even fully believing my own words.
"It's romantic." Max said, sounding like I did.
"It's gross." Will said.
"It's bullshit." Dustin said, his voice dripping in disappointment. "I just got home."
"Well, their loss, right? Onwards and upwards!" Dustin said, taking off in a run that was an unnatural speed for the heat. "Suzie awaits!"
We all groaned at the remaining walk and followed Dustin.
"Will come on!" He yelled.
Will, who was standing and looking away from us, quickly turned and ran to catch up with us.
Dustin was the first to reach the top of the hill, Will the last.
"Made it!" Dustin exclaimed happily as I chucked the bag I was carrying on the ground and collapsed on the cool grass.
"Yeah, only took five hours." Max exaggerated, dropping down next to me.
"Why couldn't we just play D&D?" Will asked, plopping his things down.
"I'm so thirsty." Lucas said.
I opened my eyes and stood up at the sound of obnoxious water-guzzling coming from Lucas as he dumped the cool liquid into his mouth.
"Did you seriously just drink the rest of our water?" I deadpanned, glaring at my boyfriend.
Lucas slowly spat the water out of his mouth and back into the canteen as he held it out to me with a sheepish smile, which I shook my head to with a sigh.
Dustin started unzipping the bags with cerebros parts.
"Well? Don't just stand there! Come on and help me!" Dustin said.
Lucas, Max, Dustin and I assembled the base of the radio antenna and Will took up the job of dismantling some bare umbrellas.
Dustin had been layering tinfoil, strip after strip in the same spot until he realized that the roll didn't have very much to go. He kept the duct tape to himself and only distributed it to those who asked, giving us each a small piece.
Once we had finished assembling Cerebro, we were sweaty and tired.
"Pretty impressive, right?" Dustin said, proudly gazing at his project.
Several of us nodded, too tired to talk.
"Now." Dustin said, plopping down on the grass beside his receiver. "Ready to meet my love?"
Dustin was met with scattered agreement.
"Yeah."
"Sure."
"Go ahead."
I plopped my head down onto Lucas's chest as Dustin brought the receiver up to his mouth.
"Suzie, this is Dustin. Do you copy? Over." He said into it.
Complete radio silence.
"One sec, she's probably... she's still there." He said, turning back to the radio. "Suzie...this is Dustin. Do you copy? Over."
"I'm sure she's there. You know, maybe, she's like, busy or-" Dustin said.
"Yeah." Lucas quickly agreed, looking anywhere but Dustin.
"You know, it's around dinner time." Dustin said.
Everyone else was quick to mutter an agreement.
"Suzie." Dustin tried again. "This is Dustin. Do you copy? Over."
The sun had began to set and the only response on the radio was hisses and crackles from the other side.
"Suzie, do you copy? This is Dustin. Over." Dustin said desperately.
——
"....Do you copy? Over." Dustin said for the millionth time that night.
The summer moonlight spilled onto the hill that we still occupied.
Max and Will laid on their backs side by side, stargazing.
Lucas and I lay with my head on his chest, our eyes closed with the night breeze.
And Dustin clutching the receiver.
"Suzie! This is Dustin! Do you copy? Over." Dustin said, sounding more frustrated and disappointed with each minute.
The breeze softly and gently picked up, making the trees shake delicately.
It was a very pleasant night, and I would have fallen asleep if it weren't for Dustin's constant yelling into his radio.
"Suzie, this is your Dustin. Do you copy? Over." He said, again.
I softly sighed and opened my eyes.
"Suzie, this is-" Dustin started.
"Dustin! Come on! She isn't there!" Max said suddenly, growing frustrated at his constant calling.
"She's there, all right? She'll pick up." Dustin argued back.
"Maybe Cerebro isn't working?" Will offered, craning his neck up to look at the commotion.
"Or maybe Suzie doesn't exist." Lucas said, sounding agitated.
"She exists!" Dustin said, getting more and more defensive.
"Yeah right." I scoffed.
"She's a genius and she's hotter than phoebe cates, no girl is that perfect!" Lucas said.
"Is that so?" I asked, shooting up from the grass and staring down at my boyfriend with raised eyebrows. "I see how it is."
"I mean," Lucas stuttered. "You're perfect. I mean, you-you're per- I mean, like, you're perfect in your special way-your own special way." He said, sitting up.
"Nice save, Lucas." Max chuckled.
I released a laugh.
"Relax, I was teasing. I'm obviously perfect and Dustin's obviously lying!" I said.
I stood up and put my hand out for Lucas to take.
"Come on, Don Juan." I said, pulling him to his feet.
The two of us started to walk down the hill, hand in hand.
"Where are you going?" Dustin called after us.
"Home." I shouted back. "And you should too."
Dustin watched in sheer disappointment as we retreated down the hill.
"What time is it?" Lucas asked as we came to the bottom of the hill.
I checked my watch. "9." I stated as Will and Max both came running down the hill.
"Hey, Y/n!" Max called to me.
I turned to look at her and she had one of those 'Max has an idea' smiles on.
"Wanna sleep over?" She asked.
"Hell yes!" I replied.
"Goodnight Lucas." I walked over to Lucas who was getting his bike and stood on my toes to kiss him.
He put his hand on the back of my neck to kiss back as Will started making those fake gagging noises again and snickering.
"Oh, barf, get a room." Max rolled her eyes, smiling at me knowingly.
"Let's go!" I pulled away from Lucas and turned to Max excitedly.
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