thank you guys SO SO much for all the love this book has been getting recently. as of writing this we surpassed 20K reads and that is CRAZY to me so thank you guys for all the support i love you all and enjoy part 2!! 💜
"SON OF A BITCH!" Dustin cursed angrily as he scrambled through his house. His hands pried at loose couch cushions, tossing them around the room messily. "Son of a bitch!"
The curly-haired boy dashed into his living room, digging in the creases of the sofa. "Another stupid penny," he hissed in frustration, furiously tossing the coin.
His mother flinched as the coin flew past her before she continued to stroke her cat. "Dustin, watch it!" She scolded lightly. "You almost hit Mews!"
Dustin rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh, ignoring his mother's comment. "Can I please check under your cushions?" He asked, slightly annoyed.
"Dusty," she whined, not wanting to be interrupted from her television viewing.
"Mom, please, it's an emergency," Dustin begged. She let out a groan, to which he mocked, but she got up nonetheless. He charged towards the cushions, almost knocking her down again.
A triumphant look spread on the Henderson boy's face as he held four quarters in the palm of his hand. "Love you, Mom," he exclaimed over his shoulder, running carelessly past her.
Tonight was arcade night again with the boys. Dustin liked arcade nights. They were a distraction, and distractions were good for him. It kept him from sitting at home on his bed, looking through his old stuff he used to share with a certain redhead. Or from passing by Ruby's house while she was away at work, just to ponder on how things would be if she were still here.
Dustin shook his head clear, knowing how much he needed tonight to be a distraction. The boy flung himself at the foot of his bed, gripping his walkie tightly. "Lucas, do you copy?" He breathed, resting against the bed frame. "I've got four quarters, what's your haul?"
"Take your puny haul and multiply it by five," Lucas sneered, practically smirking at the boy through the walkie.
"How?" Dustin questioned, completely stunned.
"While you were scrounging around like a homeless bum, I mowed Old Man Humphrey's lawn," Lucas replied, sounding vaguely proud of himself.
"Old Man Humphrey's got that kinda cash?" Dustin scoffed in disbelief.
"Just call Mike already," Lucas annoyingly groaned.
"You call Mike," Dustin fired back, slightly envious of Lucas's money he miraculously managed to achieve. He also didn't want to be the one stuck with the task of handling Mike, who was somehow more moody than Dustin now.
"I have to go take a shower from doing real work," Lucas chided, then added dutifully, "Like a man. Over and out."
Dustin let out a deep sigh, running a few fingers through his tousled curls. "Why do I have to deal with Debby Downer all the time?" He mumbled, slightly frustrated. "Acting as if he was the only one that lost someone."
Swallowing his anger, he flipped through various channels. His heart swelled as he finally switched to the private channel he once had with her. Static crackled, breaking the deafening silence of his frowning room. He was afraid to speak, as if he would offend her by using it without her here to respond.
"Hey," Dustin began, trying to formulate the right words he could say to her. If she was alive, and out there. And if she could hear him. He tried not to talk on the channel everyday, knowing it would only build false hope. But he just wanted an answer
To his surprise, there was one. "Dustin?" Mike's tired voice was coated with confusion.
Fury flashed through Dustin, causing him to clench his walkie even tighter. "What the hell are you doing on this channel?" He demanded, his muscles tensing with anger.
"Nothing," the Wheeler boy responded innocently, lying through his teeth.
"No, Mike," Dustin shook his head, wishing the boy was here so he could backhand him. "You know this was Jasper and I's channel," he snapped, trying to ignore the pain in his stomach the sound of her name brought to him. "It's off limits."
Mike let out a little sigh, but he understood Dustin's pain more than Lucas and Will certainly did. Sure, the other boys missed the redhead terribly, but Jasper had a place in Dustin's heart that began to rot after she left. It was the same spot in his heart that allowed him to be the hilarious and loving boy he usually was. Mike had lost a part of himself when El disappeared too.
But he had only known El for a few days. No one truly understood what terrible pain Dustin Henderson was going through.
"I'm sorry," Mike finally murmured, his voice small and filled with genuine sorrow. "I know...I know how much she meant to you."
Dustin gnawed on his bottom lip thoughtfully, unsure of how to answer. The only person he had ever opened up to, other than his mom, was Jasper. He wasn't sure if he was ready to start confessing his feelings to anyone else yet. It was better to keep the emotions locked and stored away, even if it meant letting them blow up on their own accord.
"Yeah. Well, Lucas and I have six bucks total," the Henderson boy mumbled, awkwardly changing the subject. "What's your haul?"
The question caused panic to snap inside of Mike and the boy shot up. "Shit, I don't know," he stammered nervously.
Dustin spread his arms out in exasperation, despite his friend not being able to see him. "What do you mean you don't know?" He pressed, raising his voice.
"Hold on. Call Will," he snapped, cutting off his signal before Dustin could even have the chance to scold him more.
"Fucking attitude," Dustin hissed to himself, shaking his head in disdain.
Now that Jasper was gone, the boys had slowly formed fragments in their friendships. They were still close, but arguments were more likely to form without the redhead around keeping their nonsense at bay. The fights have sometimes even lasted for longer than a week.
The summer of '84 was inarguably the worst one the boys have ever had. Hardly exchanging words over the vacation, the boys almost drifted apart completely. It split more into halves, Mike and Will versus Dustin and Lucas. It wasn't until school started that they rekindled the party. Dustin can't even remember why they had severed so far apart over the summer.
A shudder travelled down Dustin's spine, and he shook away the thoughts from the summer. It had been the Palace Arcade that brought them together again, promising them nights of breaking high scores and placing bets.
Dustin, Mike, and Lucas all biked down the murky roads of Hawkins together. The three exchanged light-hearted jokes as they made it to the arcade and parked to their bikes. Another vehicle pulled into the parking lot, an ecstatic Will Byers sitting inside and waving to his friends.
"Hey!" Lucas called after the boy, flailing his arms at him.
Now all together, the four boys rushed inside and headed for the Dragon's Lair game. Dustin shoved one of his tokens in first, eager to finally beat Lucas at his own game. Things didn't go so well for him, however.
"Oh, Jesus. I'm in unchartered territory here, guys," the Henderson boy commentated, holding in his frustration.
Dustin was immediately deafened by a chorus of screams as all three of his friends panicked over the dragon stalking towards his video game character. He narrowed his eyes at the screen, finding it difficult to focus with all the surrounding noise.
"Dustin," a familiar tone muttered, the whisper sounding distant like an echo. He could recognize that voice from miles away.
A large gasp escaped his lips as he flinched away from the machine, backing away from it as if it had just electrocuted him. It didn't even matter to him that the dragon turned his character into a fiery crisp, not after hearing her speak again.
It was the first time he heard her voice in almost an entire year now, and saying it surprised him was putting it lightly. His blue eyes devoured every inch of the arcade, praying he would spot a familiar flash of dark orange hair. To his disappointment, he couldn't see her anywhere.
But he had heard her. It was the same gentle, light voice she always possessed. And he knew in his heart there could be no way he had hallucinated its sound.
"Dude, what the hell was that?" It had been Lucas to snap him out of his overwhelming trance. The Sinclair boy slapped his hand on Dustin's shoulder, shaking him lightly. "You totally just like freaked out there."
Mike and Will stared at the boy, their gazes holding concern. Dustin shrugged the worried looks off, shaking his head. "I'm fine," he uttered dismissively. "This game is such an overpriced piece of shit anyways," he hissed, jabbing his thumb at the game.
"You're just not nimble enough," Lucas retorted, his lips forming a half-smile. "But you'll get there one day. Until then, Princess Daphne is still mine!"
Dustin ignored his friend's confidence with an eye roll, a scowl forming on his face. Perhaps he wasn't in the mood for the arcade tonight after all. Especially not with the most important holiday of his life approaching, and the horrible timing of it all.
"Whatever," Dustin grumbled, avoiding the idiotic grin plastered on lucas's face. "I'm still tops on Centipedes and Dig Dug."
"You sure about that?" Another voice taunted from behind the boys. Keith approached them, giving Dustin a mischievous smirk.
"Sure about what?" Dustin huffed, becoming more on edge with every minute.
All he wanted from tonight was a simple distraction. Something to keep him from continue wondering if his best friend was still alive or if she had died that night with El and the Demogorgon.
Now, all he wanted was to go home and sleep off this newfound feeling inside him. He had heard her voice again, but he had already gotten his hopes up so many times this year. Risking the disappointment again just wouldn't be worth it.
Keith didn't answer Dustin's irritated question. Instead, he shoved another cheeto into his mouth and continued to gaze at the boys with his pig-like eyes.
"You're kidding me," Dustin growled, gently pushing Will out of his way. "No no no no no," he murmured to himself, panicking as he rushed towards the Centipedes machine. Much to his dismay, someone had beaten his high score
"No, no!" Dustin shouted in defeat, slamming his hands down on the Dig Dug machine. He had lost his title on both games.
"751,300 points," Will exclaimed, peering at Dustin with huge eyes.
"That's impossible," Mike interjected.
Dustin glared at the video game screen, reading the name next to the larger score. He moved away from the game, glowering at Keith. "Who is Madmax?" He demanded.
"Better than you," Keith replied with a snicker, clearly amused by the boy's suffering.
Infuriated, Dustin showed him the middle finger, but managed to bite back any sharp comments.
"Is it you?" Will asked Keith accusingly, pointing at him.
"You know I despise Dig Dug."
"Then who is it?" Lucas questioned.
"Yeah, spill it, Keith," Dustin snarled, taking a step towards him. The other boys exchanged incredulous looks. None of them were sure on why Dustin was in this mood.
"You want information, then I need something in return," Keith informed them with a mouthful of cheetos.
Mike glanced at his friends to find the other three boys staring at him pleadingly. "No," he declared, shaking his head aggressively. "No no no, no way! You're not getting a date with her."
"Mike, come on!" Lucas pressed. "Just get him the date."
"I'm not prostituting my sister!" Mike cried defiantly.
"But it's for a good cause," Lucas argued.
"No, you know what?" Dustin shoved himself between the two boys, tired of their bickering already. "Don't get him the date. He's gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to your whole family," he glared at Keith.
"Acne isn't a rash and it isn't contagious, you prepubescent wastoid," Keith blurted out, offended by Dustin's words.
"Oh I'm a wastoid?" Dustin repeated mockingly. "You know what, she wouldn't want to go on a date with you! You make, like, what? Two-fifty an hour?"
"Nice perm," Keith snorted, running out of clever insults for the boy.
"Oh, you're gonna make fun of my hair?" Dustin placed a hand on his chest, gesturing to himself. "It's better than whatever the hell is on top of your head! Literally no girl ever would want you to bone her."
"Dustin, chill," Lucas placed his hand on the curly haired boy's shoulder. "It's no big deal."
"That's what everyone keeps saying!" He shouted, gaining the attention of every curious eye in the arcade. "Everyone thinks that it's no big deal, but to me it is! I'm tired of pretending like it's not," he whirled around, storming out the door of the arcade.
Keith watched the angry boy go, unfazed as he shoved another cheeto in his mouth. Mike and Lucas glanced at each other in confusion, their eyebrows knitting together.
"Didn't know your little friend was so passionate about video games," Keith commented with a smirk.
"I don't think that was about Dig Dug," Lucas murmured, pressing his lips together. Mike nodded in agreement as the Sinclair boy voiced his thoughts. Everyone knew that Dustin was still grieving over Jasper.
Wind blew back the curls on Dustin's head as he raced down the shadow-filled streets. He dreaded the idea of going home at the moment, so he found himself taking a sharp turn towards her house. The trees looked ahead, peering down on the boy as he continued to bike down the road. Their gnarled branches seem to smile evilly at him. You lost your best friend and you're never getting her back.
Her house was still the same simple cabin that rested peacefully on its own land surrounded by woods. It was always the perfect place to him, and he used to envy her for how tranquil her home was.
Now, knowing that she wouldn't be inside to greet him, the house had a more demeaning look. The lights glowing in the windows were like sinister eyes glaring at him, warning him to go away. But he didn't. He let his bike fall carelessly in the mud, plopping down on the front porch.
A sigh fell from the Henderson boy's lips as he clasped his hands together. "I miss you Jas," he mumbled sadly, allowing himself to feel the ache in his heart. "I really miss you."
Slowly, Dustin leaned back laid his back on the wooden floorboards of the porch. He tried to listen to any sounds, imagining that Jasper was inside waiting for him. "I haven't been myself," he admitted, resting his head in his folded arms. "You can't really blame me, can you?"
The front door suddenly flung open with a loud creak. Ruby Marrow stood in the door way, her slim figure leaning against the frame. "Dustin, what are you doing?" She questioned, her brown eyes glimmering with worry.
Dustin shot up from his current position, glancing over his shoulder at her with huge eyes. "Uh, nothing!" He chirped, scrambling to his feet hastily. "I,uh, was just...lost?" It came out more as a question.
Ruby sighed through her nostrils, pushing herself off the door frame. "You can come in, if you want," she pointed her thumb behind her invitingly. "Don't think I don't know about you sneaking off here some nights."
Dustin's jaw dropped in sheer guilt and surprise. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again!" He exclaimed, whirling around and charging towards his bike.
"Dustin, stop!" Ruby yelled, her loud volume causing the Henderson boy to freeze. She pressed her lips together tightly, examining the curly-haired kid. "I get it, okay? Really. I miss her too."
Dustin hesitated, clenching and unclenching his grip on the handlebars. Despite the drastic difference between the two half siblings, he couldn't help but picture Jasper's face on her older sister. "Do you?" He challenged, his own words surprising him. But he saw Ruby around town enough to notice she wasn't hurting as much as he was.
Ruby's eyes shut tightly as she let out another dissatisfied sigh. "Grief is handled in many different ways, Dustin," she expressed, feeling a certain fondness for the sad boy. "I'm handling it my own way."
"I know," Dustin nodded, finally allowing his bike to drop to the ground again. "I'm sorry for snapping. It's just," he paused, "Sometimes it feels like everyone is starting to forget her. And I'm just stuck in time, never able to get the sight of her out of my head." Surprise wallowed from inside him. He had kept his feelings hidden from his friends for so long, and now he was just casually admitting them to Jasper's sister.
Ruby slapped her palm against the door, eyeing Dustin with a pained look. Her lips trembled, as if she wanted words to spill out of them but couldn't. Finally, she moved away from the door, stepping out into the crisp autumn air. "Come inside, Dustin."
"I can't," his words of denial sputtered out of his mouth. He feebly shook his head, fighting the desire to step into the familiar, warm scent of the Marrow house. "I have school, and my mom—"
"I'll call your mom," Ruby interrupted, pulling her thin sleeves past her wrists and hugging herself. "I'll wake you up early tomorrow so you can leave to get new clothes."
Dustin's fingers drummed his thighs nervously as he considered his choices. He wanted more than anything to sit in her room tonight, and oddly enough, breathe in her faint scent. "Don't you think it's a little weird?" He finally asked.
ruby shook her head, sending the boy a knowing smile. "Not as weird as leaving all her things behind. Sometimes I even go in there to dust and vacuum, you know? Keep the place clean. I haven't give up on her. We don't really know if she's dead or alive. You shouldn't give up too. But you're grieving, Dustin. And maybe sleeping here tonight will give you some closure."
His head was demanding for him to say no. In his head, he wanted to leap onto his bike and flee from her home. But his heart, the one that ached for any trace of his best friend, told him to stay.
So with one final long, yet content sigh, he joined Ruby inside the familiar walls of Jasper Hopper's former home.