Chapter Text
Friday March 21st 1986 9:52 PM Hawkins, Indiana
“The Palace Arcade is closing in eight minutes. If any of you crotch goblins are still here when that clock hits ten o’clock I’m calling the cops! Thanks!” Keith’s voice booms over the intercom as he slumps lazily on a stool behind the counter eating chips.
“Seriously?” You sigh at your boss as you walk past him and take the small microphone in your grasp, covering it as you whisper, “Keith - Mrs. McCall called again complaining about you scaring her seven year old yesterday.. You know you do own an arcade and a movie rental place now, maybe you should learn to like kids..”
“No, no, no - me owning both of these fine establishments means that I don’t have to like anyone. I just hire nice people like you and Robin, even Harrington now to do my bidding,” Keith says, fumbling his hand in the bag of chips placed on the counter in front of him. You roll your eyes, sighing again before clearing your throat and leaning down to speak into the microphone, “Hey gamers! If you still need to call your parents or guardians to let them know to come pick you up, please feel free to come to the counter to use our phone!”
Keith rips the microphone from your hands and speaks quickly into it, “Or better yet! You can use the pay phone outside! Time’s a tickin!”
“Keith!” You exclaim, putting your palm over the mic. “Stop being so mean! I’m taking away your intercom privileges.” The tall man rolls his eyes as he stands from the stool, “You know what? How about you close up shop since you seem to be so passionate about not traumatizing these perfect little demons, hm? Do my bidding?”
Your heart dropped.
God, you hated closing by yourself…
“Sure,” you say quickly, trying to force a smile - “Have a good night Keith.”
“Mhm,” he hums - his hand seemingly shooing you away as he walks out the door and into the night
“Miss?” A small voice says as your attention is drawn back to the counter where four small children stood across from you. You smile widely, leaning your forearms onto the countertop as you eye the kids, “Well, hi there gamers, how can I help you?”
“We need to call our parents.. Can we call in here please? It’s scary outside..” A small boy says. “Well, of course! The real question is can I trust you four to call your rides while I shut down the arcade?” The children nod in agreement as you high five them, “Awesome - I’ll be back. Yell if you need me.”
You begin to walk away as you hear a small voice whisper, “Arcade lady?”
“Yeah?”
“You are really nice to us,” a small boy said with a shy smile.
“Well - why wouldn’t I be?” You let out a breathy chuckle as your brows furrow. “You guys are totally awesome and you’re all nice to me. And you are all far better than I am at these ridiculously hard games and you choose to like me still?! Look - I’ll be right back and whenever I come back we can talk about each of your favorite games before you guys have to leave, does that sound good?” The kids excitedly nod as you turn on your heels, starting to walk towards the back of the vibrant arcade and routinely beginning to turn off lights as you check the back rooms and bathrooms for any stray kids.
“Any stragglers back here? We’re about to close and I would hate for you to have to stay the night in a dark arcade all by yourself!” You call out, flipping off the last group of light switches and shutting off the remaining games. “Okay, kiddos! Last - call…” You trail off noticing that the fluorescent lights above you start to blink on and off, twinkling like stardust off of your furrow-browed gaze.
“Weird..”
You turn to walk back towards the front of the building only to be stopped dead in your tracks by the toll of a loud, distorted bell - echoing through your chest as your attention is brought to that of a grandfather clock towering above you.
Lights start to flash and blink all around you. Arcade games turn back on, blaring music and sounds - startling you further before everything turns dark all at once, leaving you standing in the middle of a pitch black arcade.
The distorted bell rang out again, chilling you to the core. Your eyes dart around the darkened building, growing more nervous realizing you’re completely alone in the darkness.
Alone.
Or so you thought.
Your name is spoken loudly - booming from across the room. Heavy feet hit the ground. Step after step.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Wet, heavy footsteps growing louder, closer.. until they stop. It’s silent again. Nothingness. Not a sound besides a low ticking coming from right in front of you.
You can feel the presence of something standing right in front of you, though it’s entirely too dark to tell. You’re too afraid to speak, to breath, to run. You just stand helpless and hopeless, hands clenched in tight fists - gripping whatever shred of courage you had left in the palm of your hand.
The low voice growls your name, causing you to fall backwards, palms hitting the floor as you let out a hiss. “Please - leave me alone,” you whisper as hot tears start to form in your eyes.
Harshly blinking the tears away, your eyes adjust to the darkness, making out the silhouette of a tall man standing in the middle of the arcade. “Your suffering is almost at an end,” the voice boomed, now coming from what felt like only a breath away.
“Who are you?!” You scream, clenching your jaws as you begin to scoot backwards, still on the floor. You see nothing but darkness as the bell tolls loudly in your ears yet again, “Please!”
You find the courage to hoist yourself off of the arcade floor, clumsily running towards the front of the arcade - too afraid to turn around as the bell ring out louder and louder - a low rumbling seems to erupt from all around just as your palms make contact with the glass door. Something wraps around your ankles, yanking you back to the floor as you scream, fingernails digging into the carpeted floor underneath as a force drags you back into the dimly lit arcade.
The voice spoke your name again - this time booming in a deep, raspy growl - echoing off of the faces of the surrounding arcade games.
“Join me, and become whole again. Join me and your suffering ends.”
“Leave me alone!!” You scream, harshly kicking away the force dragging you deeper into the arcade. You stumble as you clumsily stand and begin running away from the being hiding behind you in the darkness. “You cannot run from me.” The voice booms again as you scream, throwing yourself towards the exit of the arcade. Your palms slap against the glass door as you run into the night air, coming to a screeching halt as your body collides with someone.
Strong arms safely wrap around you - catching you before you can fall. “Woah! Are you okay?”
You look to the person holding you, making direct eye contact with- “S-Steve?” You whisper, blinking back tears as you look at the beautiful man staring back at you, his brows furrowed in confusion as he seemed to study you.
A warm, almost knowing small smile spreads across his perfect face as you watch his chocolate eyes seem to glance over every feature of your face, stopping at the curve of your lips before he abruptly clears his throat.
Steve stands up a little straighter, glancing to the arcade before looking back to you - seeing the tears in your eyes. He speaks, his voice low, “What’s wrong?”
“Is everything okay?” A woman’s voice rang out, your head whipping around to see her face. “Steve, what happened? Is she okay?” The short haired woman asked, her voice laced with concern. “Do I need to call the cops?”
“Are you okay?” Steve asked, looking you in the eyes before he glanced over to the woman. “Hold off for a sec, okay Robin?” She nods, looking to you before she shows a small smile.
“I- I’m so sorry. I - I - I just, I got a little spooked closing up by myself is all. Thanks for your concern..,” your voice still shakes as you look down, seeing Steve Harrington’s hands wrapped around your forearms. “I just - where are the four kids? I’m so worried. They were-“
“Picked up,” Robin interrupts, seeming to notice your still remaining fear trapped behind your eyes. “They were picked up about ten minutes ago. Are you sure you’re okay?” You begin to pull away from Steve as you look at Robin, ”it’s - no big deal. Really. Thank you for being concerned, but I should probably get home now.”
“Hey,” Steve says as his thumbs rub against your skin. “Look at me,” Steve says as you bring up your eyes to meet him.
Steve is gazing at you, his face so worried and his voice so small as he whispers, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
You look at Robin before your eyes meet Steve’s again, “I hope you two have a great rest of your night. Thank you so much for worrying about me. Really. But I’ve got to get home…” Steve slowly released you from his gentle touch, flashing you a shy smile. Robin stood beside him, arms crossed as they watched you walk away, hop into your car and drive off to your home in Forest Hills Trailer Park.
“Well, Arcade Girl may have been spooked, but damn did she look good,” Robin joked as she and Steve get into his car. “Oh, so you’re into Arcade Girl, too?” Steve asks as he cranks the car and begins to drive. “I thought you said she was too old for you?”
“Class of 84 cannot be that old! Also - what does it matter to you if I changed my mind on thinking if a girl is hot or not?” Robin retorts before she lets out a small gasp. “-Unless you too have a crush on Arcade Girl?” Steve rolls his eyes, “no, no. I just.. you see how - how great she is with all of the arcade kids. And she’s pretty. And-.”
“-And you have a crush on her!” Robin says, Steve rolls his eyes as he drives, “I do not have a crush! Put your damn seatbelt on. I swear, you’re worse than Henderson.” “Oh, come on, Harrington! Don’t you try to change the subject! Every time I have a crush, you end up crushing on them as well! Don’t make this Tammy Thompson all over again! Let me have this one thing!”
“This isn’t Tammy Thompson! This is Arcade Girl. It’s different,” Steve protested. Robin’s palm playfully slaps Steve’s forearm, gasping sarcastically at Steve, “How the hell is she any different than Tammy Thompson?! You and I both have a crush, what’s different-“
“-Arcade Girl and I have history together! Okay?!” Steve says quickly, just as he pulls up to the Buckley residence - turning towards Robin’s already curious face. “Happy?”
“Oh, no no no, Popeye. You and arcade girl have a history together? Since when? And why didn’t you mention this before?” Steve rolls his eyes at Robin before he speaks, “It was in 84..”
“Spill.” Robin smiles, adjusting herself in the passenger seat to better see Steve - resting her chin on her fists as she braces her elbows on the middle console of Steve’s car.
“Okay, fine,” Steve exhales, running his fingers through his hair. “After I dropped Henderson off at the Snowball in 84 I- I saw Nance.. Our breakup was still fresh, and I knew she wanted Jonathan - she’s good with Jonathan, happy with Jonathan… I knew that even then..” Steve breathed again, shaking his head as he continues. “I went and parked my car against the tree line of the parking lot by the school and just.. cried. I - I know it’s silly, but at the time seeing Nance and realizing she chose Jonathan over me..I just - I knew I would just never be enough for her. And then I started thinking about how I feel like I’m never enough for my parents, or - or for school.. and then Nance happened.. And I thought I wasn’t enough for anybody..”
Robin’s demeanor changed as Steve clears his throat, “I just - I cried and cried.. man, I must’ve cried for twenty minutes.. and then someone knocked on the window of my car. And I looked up and it was Arcade Girl.”
Steve pauses for a moment before he whispers your name, smiling softly as he continues to speak, “And she just smiled at me, her - her face was so beautiful and she was smiling at me. So I - I opened up the car door and got out. And we just talked. We sat on the hood of my car and talked the entire night. She wanted to check on me and she told me that how I was feeling was okay and normal, but that it was a lie and that I was enough as I am.. and that if people didn’t love me or appreciate me then they were stupid and wrong and I needed to find better friends.”
He lets out a breathy chuckle, sighing as a small blush warms his cheeks, “When the dance ended they played one last song for the night. A slow song. And we - we ended up slow dancing and she just felt so - so perfect in my arms. And then she had to leave and I was alone again, and I - I wish I would have done more because there’s just.. there’s something about her.. I still think about her and-“
“Oh my god.. are you in love with Arcade Girl?” Robin smiled widely. “You’re in love with Arcade Girl and refuse to do a thing about it!? That’s what was going on back there?!”
“I am not in love with Arcade Girl. I just - appreciate her,” Steve replies. “Now get the hell out of my car, Buckley. I’ll see you tomorrow at eleven.”
“Fine, fine.. but if you don’t do anything about Arcade Girl, I will.. because you’re in love with her!” She jeers, poking Steve in the chest before opening up the passenger door and getting out of the car. “See you tomorrow, lover boy!”
“Oh, shut up!”
—
The stars were beautiful on nights like tonight; clear skies gleaming brightly, shining down on you as you stare up - face to face with the abyss of the galaxy as you lay on the top of a picnic table in the middle of the trailer park.
“What is the meaning of life?” A sarcastic voice rang out from behind you, causing you to sit up - bracing yourself on your forearm as you turn to greet, “Max! There’s my girl.” You cheer, sitting up and spinning yourself around to face the redhead. “Hi,” she smiles. You smile widely, patting the tabletop below you, “Come here and tell me about your day, why don’t ya?”
Max sits beside you, trilling her fingertips on her knee, “Oh you know - my day was like everyday.. Shit.”
“Well, I really hate to hear that.. Did you try to talk to Lucas?”
“God, no,” Max says quickly, diverting her eyes from yours. “Hey, it’s okay - we don’t have to talk about Lucas. I just want to make sure you’re okay is all. Trauma buddies, remember?” You joke, playfully tapping the cassette player sitting in Max’s lap. “How is the Kate Bush cassette treating you? I hope just as well as it treated me.”
“Yeah,” she smiles softly, fidgeting with the tape player in her hands. “There are a few songs that really speak to me. It’s like she knows how I’m feeling.”
“I get that.. There’s one song on there, I’m pretty sure it’s a love song.. but it works for me? Kate Bush can do no wrong. I need to get you on Pink Floyd or Jim Croce.. have you ever tried listening to Metallica? I’m on a Metallica kick currently.. It’s a little heavy, but I think you’ll like them-.”
You and Max turn towards the sounds of screeching tires seeing your neighbor, Eddie, pulling up his van in front of his trailer.
He gets out of the van, quickly ushering someone out of the passenger seat. “Holy shit, is that Chrissy Cunningham?” Max says, turning towards you. “I’d know that hair from anywhere.. that’s definitely Chrissy,” you whisper, nodding your head as you watch the two scurry into the trailer, “The real question is what in the hell is Chrissy Cunningham doing with Eddie?”
“Who the hell knows. Look, I’ve got to go back inside.. my Mom, she’ll freak out if I’m gone too long,” Max says, standing and holding out her hand, cupping it into the shape of a C - her thumb curved downward, “See you tomorrow?” “See you tomorrow,” you say, holding up a cupped hand to hers to make a heart before you stand and pull her in for a hug. “Look,” you say, holding her in a warm embrace, your voice a bit muffled from the tight squeeze. “Don’t you ever forget, if you need me for anything, yell - or call. I’m always here for you. You or your mom. Okay, kiddo?”
You finally pull away, brushing a stray hair from Max’s eyes. “Okay, maybe I should be calling you Mom,” Max jokes, playfully rolling her eyes as she starts to walk backwards away from you. “Yeah, yeah - go inside before your actual Mom kills me! Goodnight!” You wave before sitting back down on the picnic table, laying out on the table top, just as you did before - gazing at the stars again.
“Chrissy!” You hear Eddie’s muffled screams coming from inside of his trailer.
Turning, your eyes see the trailer’s lights blinking, just like before at the arcade.. Eddie’s screams continue before the front door slams open and he runs to the driver’s side door of his van. You watch as he throws himself inside, peeling away from the trailer park and down the road into the night.
Where was Chrissy?
Your heart raced as you stood, slowly walking towards the open-door trailer before your feet started moving faster, starting to run to the door.
You shouldn’t have run to the door.. Why did you always have to be so damn curious?
A clap of nausea struck through your gut the instant your eyes fell upon the monstrosity before you. A familiar, broken monstrosity. A nightmare..
“Oh my god,” you whispered seeing Chrissy lying on the floor of Eddie’s trailer. Her arms and legs were snapped, her jaw broken, her eyes burst and bleeding.. The sight made you fall to the ground, gripping the grass below you in your fists as you scream, crying out in agony.
Memories flash before your eyes, upsetting you further as you collect yourself from the ground and run back to your trailer and barricade yourself inside. You slink against the door and into the floor, screaming loudly as hot tears stream down your cold cheeks. “No!”
The image of Chrissy’s broken body was the only thing you could see whenever you closed your eyes. Her once beautiful and kind eyes now bloodied and empty.
“Not again…” you whisper. “Please - no not again…”
Memories come flooding back. The bloody hardwood floor.. the broken bodies…
Tears stream down your face as you cling to yourself, sobbing into the crook of your arm - hoping to find a small shred of safety in your own touch.. wishing you could be swept up in another’s arms, wanting to feel a sense of belonging.
“Please… No…”
—
The sounds of sirens wake you, quickly sitting up off of the floor of your trailer with a gasp. Morning light poured through the window of your trailer. The sirens continued, bringing you to your feet as you spy through the blinds of your window and out towards Eddie’s trailer. Police cars were scattered around, police men held crowds of curious neighbors back as more people began to crowd around.
Your thoughts are nothing but of Eddie and Chrissy. Watching them go inside of Eddie’s trailer and only Eddie coming out. Your mind replays seeing Chrissy’s body laying on the floor, broken and bleeding - a disfigured and twisted version of what once was a beautiful and kind girl. A girl you had known since her freshman year of high school.
You had known Eddie even longer than Chrissy. Eddie Munson, your friend since sixth grade. Your friend all because Eddie punched that asshole Tommy Hagan in the face after he slapped your ass in the hallway in front of quite literally everyone at Hawkins Middle. Eddie has always come to your defense, been your greatest protector since. Especially whenever you lost your grandparents in 83. Even when Eddie fell behind and didn’t graduate, the two of you stayed thick as thieves, always watching out for one another and having spend the night parties in your trailer.
The phone rings, pulling you from your thoughts and back to reality. You rush, abruptly picking up the phone and saying, “Hello?”
“Hey - I can’t make it to the arcade today, I need you to come in and cover the shift,” Keith’s voice came through the speaker, cutting you off before you could even get a word in. “And I can’t take no for an answer. See you in twenty minutes.”
The line ends.
Cursing under your breath you quickly change into different clothes, grab your things and get into your car - driving off to the exit of the trailer, only to be stopped by a cop.
“You can’t leave,” he says, leaning against your car. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”
“Sir, please..” you whisper up to the man. “I - it’s just me. I have to go to work or I can’t pay my bills. Please. I have to go to work.”
The officer is reluctant but let’s you leave, sending you down the road and into the heart of downtown Hawkins, Indiana.
—
Only six people came into the arcade within the span of eight hours. The only real thing keeping you company was the pregame music coming from the surrounding arcade games and the muffled television playing the local news.
Like clockwork, each person that came into the arcade came up to the counter and chatted with you about the murder in Hawkins. Word travels fast in a small town. One after the other, person after person knew more than the last.. Telling you more information about what you already knew and worrying more and more about Eddie as the hours passed.
People are curious, you know.
A young boy - probably around thirteen, came up to the counter and gave you his tokens in exchange for some candy. He flashed you a smirk before he leaned across the counter, whispering, “You’re friends with Eddie Munson, right?”
He didn’t give you a chance to answer, spitting out, “Did you hear they’re saying that freak murdered Chrissy Cunningham last night?”
That was it.
You had to find Eddie.
Quickly ushering the boy from the arcade, your palms smack lights off, ignoring the arcade games as you run out of the building, locking the door behind you before running towards your car and driving away towards the nearest gas station.
—
Glasses clink together as you walk through the forest after parking your car near a dock on Lover’s Lake. The flashlight you gripped in your hand bounced off of your thigh - shaking light illuminating your green path to your one and only stop, Reefer Rick’s currently vacant house.
You know Eddie too well. You and Eddie had hung out here far too many times before trying to escape reality for a few hours for this to not be his perfect hideout. Tucked away and sitting vacant near the lake. Perfect.
Your grassy path turned to paved concrete as you made your way to the house, shining the bright light into the dirty windows.
Nothing.
“Come on.. Where are you, Eds?” You breathe, walking past the house and towards the boathouse. You stop dead in your tracks hearing voices coming from the structure.
What if Eddie was in trouble? What if whoever murdered Chrissy is in there with him? You couldn’t leave your best friend alone like this.
Creeping towards the door you steady your breath, turn off your flashlight and grip it in your palm - moving quietly before your hand hits the door handle to the boathouse.
With not another thought you fling the door open, wielding your flashlight in your hand as if it were a sword ready for battle as you step into the boathouse. Your eyes meet Eddie’s before a force takes you to the ground with a thud, knocking the air out of you - the beer bottles you had brought Eddie crashing all around your head.
“Holy shit, Harrington!” You hear Eddie scream. Your eyes open, meeting Steve Harrington’s gaze, quickly noticing his body fully pressed against yours, and the hard ground against your back as he lays on top of you.
A group of teenagers run over to the scene, the familiar faces of Robin, Max and Eddie gaze down at you.
“I am so sorry,” Steve stands, brushing off his hands on his pants before extending his arm to you - only for Robin to reach in front of him and help you up instead, brushing off the back of your shirt and hair before saying, “Great job, Harrington. Glad you still have what it takes to take a woman to the ground via body slam. I’ll make sure your next date knows to wear a helmet.”
“Who is random girl?” A curly haired boy asks as he approaches where you, Max, Eddie, Steve and Robin stood. “We can’t bring anyone else into this.. she has to go,” he says, matter of fact, placing his hands on his hips.
“She’s cool, Dustin,” Max nods, leaning herself into you. “Calm down!”
“How do I know that?” Dustin asks, cocking his head to the side.
“Because she’s my best friend,” Eddie pipes up. “And she’s seen me shit myself and throw up at the same time after too many beers and still chooses to be my friend.”
“I thought we weren’t going to tell anyone about that?” You whisper, side eying Eddie as he rolls his eyes. “Eh - everyone probably thinking I murdered Chrissy, what’s telling people I shit myself going to do?”
“That’s why I came looking for you,” you reply, hurriedly speaking to your friend. “I came here because I know you didn’t do this. There’s no way an actual person could have done that to her.”
“Wait, how do you know what happened?” Steve asks, him and Dustin both now standing with their hands on their hips as the seemingly gawk at you.
“She’s our neighbor,” Max says, pointing her fingers towards herself and Eddie. “She lives right in between us.”
“She makes us cookies on Thursdays,” Eddie says with a small smile as he looks at you, placing his palm on the back of your head.
“These two dorks write your stupid campaigns on Thursday nights too,” Max says, sarcastically rolling her eyes.
“So that’s why we don’t have dnd on Thursdays..” Dustin murmurs under his breath. “What’s your class and level, Arcade Girl?” The boy smiles villainously, like he had trapped you in his question awaiting a stupid reply.
“You must be the infamous Dustin Henderson I hear so much about. Well, Dustin - I am a chaotic good, half elf, sorceress - level 14,” you say with a smile, crossing your arms over your chest. “How did you like the latest campaign?”
Dustin is quiet for a moment before he whispers, “Fine.”
“Fine?” Eddie retorts. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“She’s cool I guess.. And if she is sticking around you two might want to sit down for this conversation..” you and Eddie sit down beside the window of the boathouse as the group surrounds you, Dustin sits right in front of you. His voice is calm as he says, “well, what I’m about to tell you might be difficult to believe..”
Dustin tells the two of you about his friend named Eleven and how she had super powers and about Hawkins Lab and the Upside Down. He talked about his friend Will disappearing and Barbara dying. You didn’t think things could get worse until he brought up the Mind Flayer and what it did to all of those people in Hawkins - how the Starcourt Mall was really a Russian government coverup in hopes of creating a gate to the Upside Down.
Each bit of information worries you more. Each new detail reminds you of the day that still haunts you.. now Chrissy’s death makes that day feel just as fresh as it did in 1983.
“Now what did you see when that happened to Chrissy?” Dustin asks. “Dust particles? Smoke?”
“Nothing - I saw nothing,” Eddie breathes, tears start to form in his eyes. “It was like she was in a trance.. or - or a spell.”
“Or a curse..” Dustin whispers. “Vecna’s curse..”
The two continue talking about this undead creature of great power that curses people, wondering if that could be what happened to Chrissy.
“Hey, are you okay?” Steve’s voice whispers from behind you. You turn, looking up at where he stood, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed - almost as if he were standing guard behind you as he looks down at you. “This is a lot of information to learn at once, just wanted to make sure you’re okay. It’s okay if you aren’t okay.”
“Thanks, Steve,” you smile weakly. “It is a lot of information to learn in one sitting.”
“So.. here’s the thing. I gotta get home, my Mom will freak out if I’m not home in the next fifteen minutes to let her know I’m alive. With everything going on I didn’t realize it had gotten so late, I’m sorry,” Max says to the group. “Could someone drive me home? I can stick around, my mom is just weird since Billy..”
“I’ll take you,” both you and Steve say simultaneously - quickly looking at one another before turning back to Max.
“Honestly, I don’t think anyone needs to be alone right now,” Robin says. “What if we all crashed here with Eddie?”
“Not happening,” Steve shakes his head. “Someone has to take Max home.”
“What if you all came to my trailer and stayed the night? I have food and drinks and we can watch a movie or something to calm our nerves,” you suggest, looking up to the surrounding teens. “What do you think? I have board games!”
“What about Eddie?” Dustin says.
“Shit! You’re right,” you whisper. “What about Eddie?”
“We can just leave him here,” Steve quietly suggests. The group turns to him. “No one is going to be left behind - alone - with all of this shit going on in Hawkins again,” Robin retorts. “We got past russian guards once, I think we can get Eddie past Hawkins’ Police Department.”
—-
And that you did. You, Steve, Robin, Max and Dustin snuck Eddie past the police and into your trailer with ease all thanks to a hair tie.
“I can’t believe we just did that,” you whisper, smiling as you look at Eddie sitting on your couch staring back at you with a soft smile plastered across his face. “I can’t believe we just snuck you past the cops…”
“You’ve gone bad,” Eddie joked, taking his hair out from the hair tie.
“Ha! She’s gone bad? Never in a million years,” Max sits on the couch beside him as they both make themselves at home, just like they do any night they come over. “She’s too pure. Could you guys not hear her jaws grinding from stress the entire car ride here? She can’t handle the pressure.”
“We all were squished so close together in Harrington’s car, I heard things I didn’t even want to hear,” Eddie jokes, playfully slapping Dustin’s back. “Like whatever the hell is going on in Henderson’s stomach. You might need to get that checked out, man.”
“Very funny,” Dustin shrugs, rolling his eyes at Eddie. “Well, if you’re planning to stick with us, sneaking Eddie past cops is nothing compared to what could possibly be to come,” Dustin says as he and Robin start to look around your trailer. He grabs a toy from a nearby shelf, still in the package - holding it up and gazing at it, “Wait.. Is this real?”
“Do you think I’d have fake Star Wars action figures still in the box sitting on display in my home?” You retort.
Steve lets out a small laugh, looking back at you as he walks past you and sits on the couch right beside Max, “I see Dustin’s finally met his match.”
“Oh my god,” Robin says, holding up a vinyl record. “You have the entire Woodstock Concert Series recordings? When all of this is said and done I’m coming over and we’re listening to this one day. Hell, multiple days. We can have food, we can make a week out of it. How we- how would we work? Who - ya know, who needs work whenever we could just listen to the entire Woodstock recordings? I wonder if it has the thunder storm that came through recorded on the…” she pauses, snarling her nose and making a face before eyeing Steve, “Oh god, I’m doing it again.. my mouth won’t stop.”
You laugh, “Honestly, you could have kept going and I would have kept listening. We definitely need to do that. You could even sleep here! I haven’t had a sleepover in years! My bed is super comfortable.”
“Hey now!” Steve says abruptly, his eyes darting back and forth between you and Robin, noticing Robin was making a face at him. “Uh.. I -,” he looks around, quickly grabbing the remote from the coffee table and awkwardly holding it up, giving a weak smile. “I found the remote! Hey now!”
“Hey!” Robin loudly cheers, her eyes widen before looking back at you. “Yay!”
“You guys are funny,” you say with a smile, staringt to back away from them, “I’m gonna go make some kind of food for us. Who’s hungry?”
“Me!” Eddie and Dustin yell.
“Oh my god, you have a bass guitar? You play instruments too?” Robin picks up the red instrument, putting the strap over her shoulder and strumming the strings before looking back up to you. “What do you not do? Are you actually the most perfect human?”
“She doesn’t run, I mean, she can - it just looks weird,” Eddie jokes, standing from the couch and walking towards you. “And she’s lactose intolerant and she’s scared of clowns. She isn’t perfect, but she tries to be.” He opens the fridge, grabs a beer and heads over to sit back on the couch. “But she is a good cook. And she is a killer bass player, even though she doesn’t play in my band anymore.”
“I wanna hear you play,” Robin smiles. “I want to hear you both play. You have to join the band again, Arcade Girl. Please. Do it for me. I wanna see you slap da bass.”
“Maybe,” you say, preparing food. “It’s been a while.”
”Holy shit, it smells so good in here, I’m starving,” Dustin says. “I am so excited to eat. Thank you for cooking for us.”
“Ah, Dustin is a fan of Arcade Girl now he knows he is being fed,” Robin jokes, still strumming the bass’ strings - bouncing her brows as she looks at Dustin. “I too am very thankful for this food that you’re making us.You are so…” she turns to Steve, “…maternal and warm. And might I say that I love your hair.”
“Thank you, Robin. You are so nice,” you smile. “So, who all is staying the night?” You ask, starting to count hands in the air. “Oh, all of you. Perfect.”
-
Mr. Mom plays quietly on your small television as you are surrounded by a group of sleeping teenagers with bellies’ full of warm food. Eddie is asleep on the floor beside Dustin, Robin is asleep in the Lay-Z-Boy, Max’s head is in your lap - finally asleep.
“They’re all kinda cute whenever they’re asleep,” Steve whispers from where he sat on the couch beside you. Max’s constant adjusting before ultimately falling asleep on you pushed you right beside Steve, hip to hip.
You look around the room before your eyes meet his, “You’re right. Even if they kinda snore, they are cute.” Your fingers brush hair from Max’s forehead as you look down at her, studying the freckles kissing her porcelain skin.
“She loves you,” Steve says. “I think we all do.”
“You think?” Your cheeks grow warm, looking at Steve again. “Oh - I.. you’re probably so uncomfortable,” you pause, slightly adjusting realizing that your elbow is pressing into Steve. “Let me just-.”
“No, let me - Max looks comfortable,” Steve adjusts, placing his strong arm around where you sat beside him - wrapping perfectly around your shoulders. “Is this okay?”
The nearness of Steve made your heart race in the best way, feeling your bodies starting to melt into one another where you sat on the couch. Steve was warm, he smelled of musk and sandalwood. You could feel his heart racing as your eyes meet his once more.
He’s so close.
So handsome.
He looks into your eyes, gazing into them before he pulls his vision from yours, clearing his throat and looking around your trailer.
“This is impressive,” Steve whispers.
“What? My trailer?” You scoff. ”It’s not really that impressive if you knew the story.”
Dread washes over you as the low toll of a bell.. the same sound from back at the arcade last night rings out around you. Your head whips around the room, looking for any signs of the grandfather clock from before.
“I’d love to hear about it,” Steve shrugs, adjusting himself even closer to you. “You know, if you ever wanna ya know talk about it. Or - or explain it. I mean, you’re almost two years out of high school and you own your own trailer. I’m a year out of high school and all I have to show is me working at Family Video. I could use help getting my shit together, so I’m open to advice.”
Steve noticed the change in your demeanor, seeing your shifting eyes and feeling your heart start to race. “Hey, are you okay? I’m sorry if I’m - I’m too close.”
Tell him.
You let out a soft chuckle, “no, it’s okay - It’s nothing special and the story is sad. I won’t bore you with it. I do wish I had some kind of advice for you.”
“Hey,” he breathes, looking around your home. “This is incredible and I’m used to sad stories now. If you wanna share, I’m all ears. I’ve got plenty of sad stories to share. And if you don’t wanna share, that’s okay, too.”
Tell him.
“Steve.. I promise you, it’s not a good story. There is already enough negative stuff going on all around us,” you protest, looking down at Max again as you brush through the end of her pulled back hair.
“Do you remember me?” You whisper, eyes still on Max.
“Of course I remember you.. how - how could I forget someone like you?” Steve whispers. “Ya know, I should have added something to that list of things Eddie said you can do. The list of things you’re good at.”
“Yeah?” The pads of your thumb caresses Max’s brow, too nervous to look at Steve.
His face leans closer to you, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispers, “I would add that I think you’re a fantastic dancer.. and I’d love to do it again sometime.”
Your face turns, nose brushing against Steve’s as you eyes meet his. “You do remember…”
“Of course I remember,” he smiles before he whispers your name. “I think I’ll always remember you.”
Steve’s heart is drumming against your body as he licks his lips, “Steve, there’s something I need to tell you.”
The bell rings out again, though you choose to ignore it.
“Okay,” he nods, eyes locked on yours. “You can tell me anything. Whatever it is, I’m all ears.”
“Are you guys about to kiss?!” Robin screeches, waking the group from their slumber. You and Steve pull away from one another, immediately looking away and down at your feet.
Max sits up, her sleepy eyes staring at you and Steve, “Holy shit!”
“Guys, please,” Steve says. “Leave her alone. It’s my fault, I-.”
You stand from where you sat beside Steve, walking across the room from the group and shaking your head.
“What’s wrong?” Steve asks.
“You - you all need to know.. Steve asked how I live here by myself, so I’ll tell you. I need to tell all of you..” you breathe, balling your shaking hands into fists. “You deserve to know. You guys told me about everything, the Upside Down, Eleven… all of it. So, I need to tell you..
“Woah.. what are you talking about?” Robin sits up, worried as she watches you start to pace. “I was just messing with Steve more than you when I said that a second ago. I’m sorry if I freaked you out.”
“No, no.. it’s okay. It’s not that.. It’s just - I just..” your sad eyes flash to Max and Eddie, both staring up at you before your eyes shift to the hallway of your trailer, seeing a grandfather clock facing you - taunting you with its ringing. “I have something I need to tell you guys… something about my past. It’s why I’m in this trailer. I - I didn’t wanna bring it up because I don’t like talking about it, but then Steve asked and.. and… I know you guys now,” you clear your throat before continuing. “I didn’t wanna bring it up before at the boathouse because I didn’t want anyone’s pity.. or for anyone to think of me differently.. but I hope - I think you guys won’t because you all have stuff too..”
Your eyes stare at the ground, too afraid to look at your friends.
“At first I didn’t think it mattered, that my story didn’t matter. But now I’m scared that it matters.. and I don’t want my story to matter because that means that whatever this is - Vecna, the boogeyman… whoever this is that’s murdering people in Hawkins has been killing for years.”
Your chest starts to rise and fall trying to regulate your breathing - starting to feel light headed.
“Okay…. My mom died suddenly when I was a baby, a brain hemorrhage during labor. Right after she died I went to live with my only living relatives, my grandparents - my mom’s parents.. right here in Hawkins. Over near the Byers’ house on that big farmland. I lived with my grandparents from the time that mom died until around 1983.”
Your eyes glance over to Eddie, who was giving you a weak, downturned smile. “It’s okay,” he whispers. “Go on, it’s okay.”
“Well, here’s the thing. Uh, Eddie and Max know this story, but it’s not the full story. They haven’t heard it.. no one actually knows the full story. And I thought what happened was nonsense until what happened with Chrissy and I learned about everything you guys have been through..” you shake your head as tears start to form in your eyes.
“I came home, it was Saturday March 5th 1983. It was cold, and dark when I got to the farmhouse. My grandparents normally waited for me on the wraparound porch whenever I had to either stay at school late or work late. I can still imagine them sitting there in their rocking chairs, my grandpa with a book and my grandma crocheting something beautiful as always. But, this time I showed up and no one was waiting on the porch, which I didn’t think too much of until I walked inside and smelled dinner burning and stepped in water coming all the way from the kitchen sink.”
You sigh, swallowing hard before speaking again.
“I shouldn’t have looked for them. I should have just called the cops. But like with Chrissy, I let my curiosity get the best of me. I - I walked deeper into the house and- and.. I found my grandma first. Her arms and legs were snapped in half, her jaw looked like it was dislocated.. and her eyes.. gone. Bloodied. It’s like they exploded. My grandpa was a room over, same exact thing. Same. The legs, the jaw, his eyes…” you start to cry. “It was the day before Will went missing and a few days before Barbara Holland died. The police handed the case over to some other people.. they said it was a murder suicide. They kind of just closed the case, even though I begged.. I pleaded. They just forgot about them, about me.. which is fine, it’s fine. Will was missing and then Barbara. I just.. I tried to forget about it like they did.. and I was doing good but then I saw Chrissy.”
“What..” Eddie breaths, blinking back tears.
“I uh - Hopper, he was the nicest. He set me up, he actually used to pay for me to live here so I had somewhere to stay. I don’t know why he was so kind to me.. but, he was. And he would visit me and make sure I had food. All he wanted was for me to graduate and get out of Hawkins.. And then he died too..” your voice cracks as panic courses through your veins - your heart feeling as if it were trying to drum itself out of your chest.
“Everyone I love dies. Everyone I get close to leaves me… I - I think I’m cursed somehow. And I needed to tell you guys that, I had to tell you guys before it got worse or - or it got to you. Or it got me..” your voice breaks again as you start to sob. “I don’t want you guys to die like everyone else. I- I have nothing… nothing besides you guys…”
Your hand grips your chest, feeling yourself spiraling into hyperventilation, your vision getting hazy around you as you gasp for air through your quickly closing throat.
“Oh shit!” Steve yells,
Eddie and Steve are the first ones to you, Eddie standing in front of you, his hand gently caressing your balled up fist you had to your side, spreading out your hand with his and holding it gently; Steve stands behind you, placing two fingers on the side of your neck to check your pulse, snaking his arm around your waist, “I think she’s having a panic attack.” He looks to Robin.
“Oh god,” Robin whispers, quickly getting up from the chair and running into the kitchen, “I’ll get some water.”
“She has these, but they’ve gotten worse lately.. I don’t know why,” Max says. “Try to sit her on the ground. Robin, grab some ice and wrap it in a towel, or grab some frozen food. Peas, broccoli, whatever.”
“Lean back on Steve, okay?” Eddie coos as both of the men slowly crouch to the carpeted floor of your trailer’s living room, both holding you in their grasp. Robin runs over with a glass of water and a bag of frozen peas, “got it.”
Eddie hands the water to Max, “What do I do with these?”
“Her chest. The cold will help her right now. She’ll feel like she can breathe,” she explains.
Steve sits behind you on the ground, legs spread as you sit - back laid against his chest as you continue to hyperventilate, feeling like you’re slipping further away from reality. He moves stray hair from your clammy face, blowing cold air from his pursed lips onto the back of your neck - his head cocked awkwardly to the side.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Eddie whispers, slowly placing the peas on your sternum. “Doesn’t that feel good? It’s going to be okay. Just look at me, please?” He sniffles as tears fall. “I hate seeing you like this, please - please it’s going to be okay.”
Max comes over, sitting on her knees as she grabs your hand. Dustin and Robin come closer, awaiting further instructions on how to help you. “Hey, everything is okay right now. Okay? We’re here.”
“Are you - you going to leave me?” You mutter through quick breaths.
“You’re stuck with us now,” Dustin whispers. “And when this is over we’re playing DND together.”
“And we’re going to listen to Woodstock!” Robin says sweetly.
Steve whispers in your ear, low enough for only you to hear, “And I’m going to be there for all of it, because all I want to be is beside you. Just lean back on me, it’s okay - I got you. We aren’t going anywhere.”
“You can’t get rid of us now,” Robin smiles, sitting on the ground. “And we’re going to stay with you until you’re better.”
“All of us,” Eddie wipes his tears, still holding one of your hands in his.
Your breathing slows, finally calming down as your tired body leans against Steve’s warm chest - gripping onto Eddie and Max’s hands as you smile. “I love you guys,” you sigh, looking at the group. “Thank you for helping me.”
“Well, you’re part of the group now - you’re basically family now. Part of our party.. We will always be here to help,” Dustin smiles. “Can’t get rid of us now.”
“I don’t think I want to,” you smile. “Thank you guys so much…”
“We’re going to figure this out,” Dustin assures you. “We always do.”
“And you’ll get to meet everyone else. They will love you, too!” Robin exclaims.
“Everyone else?”
-