"It was really polite of you to invite me over for dinner tonight Miss Byers."

"Oh please...Y/N, just call me Joyce."

I met Bob, her boyfriend about five minutes ago and he seems like a pretty chill dude. Funny too. I heard about what happened to Joyce's husband and I despise the fucker. But Bob makes her happy. And that's nice to see. He also seems like he would be a good guy for Will to be around as I can tell the difference with how he and Joyce treat Will.

"Well put the future down and get me a clean bowl." 

I laugh as Bob puts down the camera to require for her task. I look down the hall and notice that Will isn't in the lounge. Jonathan wanted me to talk to Will more, maybe he's in his room.

"What are you working on?" I hear Jonathan's voice ask.

"Zombie Boy? Who's Zombie Boy?"

"Me."

"Did someone call you that?"

"Hey...You can talk to me. You know that, right? Whatever happened. Will, come on, talk to me."

"Stop treating me like that!"

I back up slightly. Maybe it's not a good idea to listen in on the conversation but...shit okay.

"What? Like What?"

"Like everyone else does! Like there's something wrong with me!"

I decide to try and break up what could be emerging of a fight so I knock on the frame of the door. Both boys turn in that direction as I poke my head through.

"Hey Will! I thought I could check up on you since I only met you the other day...for like, one hour."

He seems distressed. Both of them do.

Zombie Boy.

Will sighs and puts his drawing on his bed.

"What are you talking about?" Jonathan tries to bring the conversation back up. Problem is, I'm not good with resolving specific arguments.

"Mom, Dustin, Lucas, Everyone. They all treat me like I'm gonna break. Like I'm a baby. Like I can't handle things on my own."

I frown as Will pauses. Poor Will. There's probably more to it than what Jonathan told me but I can't shake the fact that Will is feeling overwhelmed. Not emotionally but because of the feeling like he's being treated childishly, maybe even delicate.

"It doesn't help. It just makes me feel like more of a freak." Will states.

"You're not a freak." I say.

"Yeah, I am." Will turns to me.

"I am." Will says turning to Jonathan.

The room is filled with silence as Will goes back to his drawing. Jonathan looks toward me and I cross my arms.

I have to do something!

"Yeah, you are a freak, Will."

He looks up and Jonathan gives me a look of shock. "What?"

"Because I'm a freak too."

I go in his room and Jonathan moves over so I can still on the bed with him.

"She's serious. You are a freak. She's a freak."

"This guy's a freak." I say putting my hand on Jonathan's shoulder. Jonathan gives me a weird look which I can tell Will tries to hold in a laugh.

"But what Will. I may not know what has happened to you well. I may not know what you've been through but everyone has been through something so tough that makes us feel different all of a sudden. Whether it's good or bad. All of us. Are gonna feel like freaks at some point in our lives and that's okay." I reassure.

"Do you want to be normal?" Jonathan asks. "Do you wanna be just like everyone else?"

"Being a freak is the best. I'm a freak."

"Is that why you don't have any friends?" Will asks Jonathan.

I smirk and shake my head. Wow, Will.

"I-I-I have friends, Will." Jonathan chuckles.

"Then why are you always hanging out with me?"

"Because he's your brother and you're his best friend! A best friend is special. Because best friends are awesome and you can do anything with them. And you trust them lots too." I answer.

"That's true. And I trust you a lot." Jonathan smiles at Will.

"And if I was Jonathan, I would rather be best friend's with a Zombie Boy than with a boring nobody." I comment.

"You know?"

"Okay...Look." Jonathan says readjusting himself on the bed.

"Who would you rather be friends with? Bowie or Kenny Rogers?"

"Ugh." I laugh with Will's reaction and he looks back up with a smile.

"Exactly. It's no contest." Jonathan shrugs.

"The thing is Will, nobody normal ever accomplishes anything meaningful in this world. You got it?"

"So it's better to be a freak. I'm a freak, you're a freak and he's a freak too. And I'm happy enough to stand on top of a mountain to scream out 'we're freaks and we're proud' if that'll make you laugh." Jonathan gives me a thankful smile.

"Well...Some people like Kenny Rogers."

"Kenny Rogers." Bob comes out of literally nowhere.

"I love Kenny Rogers." Bob chuckles. All three of us exchange glances, smiling happily. I wink at Will and he grins.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Will laughs.

Bob takes a look at the videotapes on the shelves and picks them up.

"Mr Mom! WHOO! Perfect!"

All three of us go into a small fit of giggles as Bob walks off.

"Well. That wasn't so bad huh?" I ask with a wide grin.

"It was nice." Jonathan chuckles.

I turn to Will. "I'm not trying to belittle you or anything. But if you need to talk to any of us, even me. I know what it's like to feel belittled and treated like a child. And...I still gotta get to know you if we wanna be friends so feel free to talk to me Will."

Will nods happily before all three of us get up. Will goes out the room first, leaving me and Jonathan.

"Hey. Thanks for coming by his room. I mean, not like that just-"

"I know Jonathan. It's fine. Talking to Will and Bob being Bob is actually the first time in a long while I've felt happy like that."

Jonathan smiles thankfully and motions for me to leave first. He goes after me and shuts the door behind him.

* * *

Bob and Joyce laugh from a specific quote in the film that Bob picked up as me and Jonathan watch the movie with them. We're not really as amused as they are, I'm kind of bored actually. Will watches the movie silently, eating popcorn and Jonathan yawns.

I look at the time. Maybe I should probably get going after this movie, I don't wanna be rude and leave right now...

My head zips back as the phone suddenly begins to ring. Joyce also gathers a look of shock as she looks behind her.

It's not my phone so I don't wanna answer it. I look toward Jonathan who then looks toward Joyce.

"Let it go." Bob tells her. "Probably just a crank call."

The phone continues to ring a bit after that I shrink down slightly. There's no way Billy would've gotten the number to this house...right? He knows I'm at Jonathan's! So he shouldn't need to call here...

I notice that Joyce isn't laughing as the phone continues to ring, almost a bad feeling crossing over her face.

The phone eventually stopped ringing and the movie ended. I said my goodbye's and thanks for having me over before I left the house and put my lights on for the motorbike.

I ride back to my house and park my motorbike in the shed.

"Why the fuck were you so late?"

I hear Billie's voice on the doorstep and I sigh.

"Was it you ringing the phone?"

"Phone? Where?"

"When I was at Jonathan's?" I turn to him.

"Oh. No, I don't even have that guys number." Billy says throwing a cigarette onto the ground.

Weird...

"Well to answer your question...I was having dinner with them and they decided to put on one movie. I'm making friends with the younger kid, Will. So I decided to stay for that movie then go back home."

"Well, you have school tomorrow Y/N!"

"Yeah, no shit!"

I attempt to walk past him but he grabs my wrist. Tightly.

"Ah-"

"You aren't allowed to speak with me in that tone." He growls.

"I'm just as old as you are." I say lowly.

His grip tightens and I wince, scratching at his hand. He smirks. "Yeah but I'm a lot stronger than you."

"Let me go." I plead.

"Or what Y/N?" He says lowly.

He tightens his grip and I wince, shutting my eyes. "Billy! Stop!" I beg.

"Or-"

"Let her go, Billy!" Max yells.

"Two girls one guy." He huffs standing straight.

Billy nearly pushes me off the step as he let's go and there are red finger marks where his hand was. 

"You gotta get some sleep anyway. Tomorrow's the big Halloween Party so have. Fun."

I mouth a thank you to Max before the both of us girls storm off to our rooms and shut the doors behind us.