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' Fucking teenagers. '
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Eden lugged the chest out the back with Billy, dumping it at the door of the shed before she peeked her head inside. The shed was mostly covered up, but there was still a lot to go. She knocked on the wood with a smile, Nancy and Jonathan looking toward her first before the adults did the same.
'I got some stuff,' She informed them before leaning back.
Hopper stepped out of the shed with Joyce, looking down at the chest she motioned to.
'What is it?' Nancy asked; 'Billy?'
'Billy?' Jonathan queried when he stuck his head out the door.
The Lawson girl rolled her eyes and pulled the chest open, revealing spotlights and stands.
'That's why that fucking thing was so heavy,' Billy muttered.
She hit his stomach with a suppressed smile, pulling her cigarette from her lips before she released the smoke.
'I figured the less he can see, the better,' She shrugged.
'Where'd you find these?' Joyce asked.
'Mum threw them away last year when she realised her modelling career wasn't starting back up anytime soon. I figure I'd keep 'em for E- Uh, in case I needed them.'
'Well, thank you, sweetie.'
She nodded in reply, watching as Hopper's gaze turned to Billy with a glare; Joyce's slowly doing the same.
'This is Billy, my boyfriend,' She introduced; 'Billy, Joyce and Hopper.'
'Does he-' Hopper started.
'Yeh, he knows. Don't believe it, but he knows.'
'Right. Good. Let's go. This needs to be done.'
The pair nodded and lifted the chest into the shed, pulling out the lights and getting to work. They faced all the lights toward the centre of the room, before running chords to plugs them all in; testing each one of them.
'Babe,' Billy muttered as he came up behind her.
'Yeh?' She turned to face him.
'I'm gonna head outside.'
'You ok?'
'Just need some air.'
She nodded, watching as he weaved his way in and out of the crowded shed. The girl sighed and continued to secure the lights, jumping when a hand placed itself on her shoulder. Jonathan motioned for her to follow him, which she did so with ease. They walked toward the clothesline, the boy quickly pulling the clothes from. She could see the embers of the end of a cigarette through the dark, letting her know Billy was near by.
'Why didn't you tell me?' Jonathan asked.
'You weren't around to tell,' She replied as she watched him.
'Oh, come on, Ed.'
'What do you want me to say? I'm dating Billy Hargrove and he makes me happy? Because yeh, he absolutely fucking does. We've go things to work on but he makes me happy.'
The boy scoffed as he looked at her, 'Really?'
'Yes, Jonny. I don't press you on Nancy, when she's obviously gonna go back to Steve-'
'No... W-We had sex and it was incredible.'
'She had sex with Harrington, too. Look where they are now... Look, I'm sorry, Jonny. Ok? I don't say it often but I am. And maybe once this is all over, we can talk about this properly, but currently there's demodogs running around and your brother is in a coma. Get that sorted and we'll talk.'
She didn't wait for him to nod before she turned and walked away, moving to sit inside; watching over an unconscious Will. She looked toward Max when the red head came to sit beside her, a soft sigh leaving the younger girl's mouth.
'Why's Billy here?' She asked.
'Believe it or not, it's to keep us safe,' Eden whispered with a smile.
'Yeh, I don't believe you.'
The Lawson girl chuckled, 'I didn't think so.'
There was a pause between them, their eyes settling on Will once more.
'He's never going to hurt you again,' She whispered.
Max looked at her wide eyed, 'How do you know?'
'He hurts you, he looses me. And I think deep down, he can't loose us. As much as he doesn't show it, you're a sense of normality he's never had. And he's only the way he is because of his father, he can change. We'll help him.'
'You really think he can?'
'I know he can.'
'Thank you, Eden.'
A soft smile flittered over her lips as she looked at the younger girl, watching the tears in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her, holding her close for a moment. They moved apart when someone cleared their throat, looking up to find Jonathan standing there.
'I'm just... I'm just grabbing Will,' He stammered.
Eden nodded, standing to let her best friend past. She squeezed Max's shoulder before she headed out the front door, leaning against the window as she pulled her cigarettes from her pocket; bringing her gaze to look at Billy.
'You ok?' She asked.
'Fantastic,' He rolled his eyes.
She sent him a bored look, pushing through her fatigue as she slipped a cigarette between her lips. She smirked when Billy stepped forward to light it, flicking a flame up on the end of it. Eden pulled in a long breath, letting the smoke fill her lungs before she breathed it out. She stepped into the boy's chest, spinning around until her back was pressing up against his chest.
'Can we go home yet?' He whispered into her ear.
'We don't have a home that doesn't have a psycho father,' She replied as she let out another puff of smoke.
The boy groaned in reply, throwing his head back.
'But I may have a place we can stay,' She smiled slowly.
'Really?' He queried.
'Yeh. It'll do.'
'The moment this... This- whatever this is, is over. We are out.'
'Yes, sir.'
The pair looked up when the door swung open, Dustin sticking his head out to look at them with a pointed look.
'The fuck are you two doing? Do you want to die?' He asked as he stepped out a grabbed Eden by her arm and began pulling her inside; 'There are demodogs running around and you two are outside having a smoking. Fucking teenagers.'
'Jesus, kid's got a mouth,' Billy muttered.
'That's why he's my favourite... Dust, breathe. We're ok.'
'And if you had've been attacked?'
'We weren't. Chill, Dust.'
The boy ran his hand through his hair, looking up at her as she stepped away from Billy. She messed up his hair with a tight smile, shocked when he wrapped his arms around her. She held him back, placing a hand on the back of his head.
'He'll be ok,' She whispered.
'I hope so,' He croaked.
Dustin stepped back, sending her quick nod as he placed his hat back on and turned away. But as he spun around, he almost got hit in the head with Steve's nailed bat as he swung it around.
'Fuck me, Harrington,' She sneered; 'Watch it. You could've hit him.'
'Sorry, Dustin,' Steve muttered before looking back at her; 'What's your problem?'
'Seriously? You almost hit the kid in the head. Are you stupid swinging that thing around?'
'Guys,' Dustin hissed quietly.
'I didn't hit him.'
'I never said you did, dipshit. But you were fucking close,' Eden exclaimed.
'Guys! Hey!' Dustin yelled; 'Shut up.'
The pair glared at one another as they clamped their lips together, Steve being the first to turn away. Eden stomped over to sit on the couch, falling back into it; Billy coming to sit beside her. She took an angry breath out of her cigarette before she passed it to him, letting her head fall onto his shoulder. No one said a word then, it was silent amongst all of them.
Everyone looked up at the nearest light as they began to flicker, half of them rushing over to look out the kitchen window. But as quickly as it started, it stopped. The Lawson girl let out a long sigh, closing her eyes. She smiled softly when her boyfriend slipped an arm over her shoulders, placing his hand on the side of her head.
She was almost asleep when the back door opened, causing her to stand up almost immediately. She watched as the group who had been with Will walked inside in a hurry, everyone from inside gathering around the table. She rushed over to see what was going on, leaving Billy to sit on the couch. Hopper sat down, pulling a piece of cardboard in front of him as he grabbed a pen.
'What happened?' Dustin asked.
'I think he's talking, just not with words,' Hopper replied as he drew a series of lines and dots.
'What is that?' Steve asked.
'Morse code,' Everyone replied.
'H-E-R-E,' Hopper spelt.
'Here.'
'Will's still in there. He's talking to us.'
Hopper nodded up at Joyce who looked at the kids before her, fear on her face. Jonathan rushed into the other room, grabbing his boom box and a tape before he grabbed Eden as he walked back through the kitchen.
'I need your help,' He stated.
'Why?' She asked with furrowed brows.
'Because you're the only other person that's known Will since he was born. We need to keep talking to him, telling him memories of things we did.'
'But-'
'He'll be fine. Come on.'
Eden looked over her shoulder, mouthing she was sorry as she met Billy's eyes, before she was dragged out the door.