"I can explain."

"Then explain." He growls putting the journal down on the table.

"Before you ask, Nancy didn't tell me."

"Good."

I take a deep breath. "Jonathan was a childhood friend of mine. When I was a kid, I was his neighbor. It was before Will was born. I left Hawkins before he was. But I kept in contact with Jonathan through the phone. Earlier last year, I heard something was happening in Hawkins and I got scared. So I called Jonathan from the city. He told me Will went missing. But nothing more."

His face softens a little and he becomes less tense. "I did research about what was going on. Such as the girl Eleven, the Upside Down, Demogorgon, your damage to the cinema sign and marking it with spray paint, the flashing lights that Will was able to speak through and that showed if the monster was nearby. That's...in a nutshell how I learned about it."

He nods silently. "So you know more than what I thought."

"I told you in the beginning that I did."

He looks down at the journal the puts a hand on his face. "I'm sorry. That wasn't my property to go through."

I cross my arms and huff. "I forgive you but don't go through my journal again or you won't get it off easy at all!"

"I know, I know."

He removes his hand from his face. "But now we've got another problem. Not only do you know about Will and his episodes. But apparently according to Dustin, he's got a little creature closed up and I believe it has something to do with the Upside Down and maybe even Will's episodes."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"Because Dustin talked to me the other day. Talking about...his discovery. He called it Dart, or some stupid name like that."

I nod and put the journal away. "I'll talk to Max and see what I can do."

"Good, okay."

He sighs. "I wish you weren't involved in this. But you know what's going on and it might be too dangerous to leave you out of it."

I puff up my chest. "I'll be fine Steve. I know what to do."

He smirks and I turn to zip up my bag. "Hey, Y/N?"

"Yeah?" I ask turning to him.

He gives me a strange look, taking a deep breath in.

"Steve, if you wanna say-"

I gasp and trip up on a wire that's left on the ground. I trip up over it and Steve's eyes widen. I grunt as I land into him, suddenly so embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Whoa, whoa, it's okay. You tripped, that's all." He reassures.

I put my hands on my face embarrassed. He removes my hands from my face and looks down at me. He's blushing just as much as I am and I notice I'm leaning against him.

"I-I'm sorry." I stammer.

"You tripped. It's okay." He says in a hushed whisper.

I look up to Steve who stares down at me. His face gets a little bit closer to me and I feel my hand inlock with his. I wanna say something, but my voice is gone and I can't. My breath is taken away from me as I stare into his brown orbs.

His face is inches away from mine and I can hear his gentle breathing and paced heartbeat. My heart beats in my chest, our lips are inches away from each other. It feels like time has stopped, and it's only me and him.

My mind runs wild with thoughts but they all focus on him all of a sudden. My hand is entwined with his and his heartbeat is in a calm pace.

"S-Steve..." I whisper, like all my breath has been taken away from me.

"Excuse me!"

We both gasp and move away from each other as the door opens. The Librarian glares at both of us.

"The bell rang ten minutes ago, get to class!"

"Shoot!" I say wide-eyed. The woman shakes her head and walks away. I look up to Steve nervously.

Steve...nearly kissed me. And when he's dealing with the break up with Nancy? What's he trying to do?!

"Y/N..." Steve begins.

"I gotta go. I'll talk to Max. See you tomorrow and I'm sorry."

I quickly pick up my bag and walk out of the library in a quick pace.

* * *

I manage to escape class quite quick and walk out of it. I notice that Billy stands up against his car, but there's a girl there. One of the popular girls Steve used to hang out with but why?

"So, your sister coming or what?" I hear the girl ask.

"Well, there's one of them. But Max is always late." Billy scoffs.

Bastard.

"Screw it." Billy says looking at his watch. "That little shit can skate home."

Wait what? He's leaving without Max!?

He spits on the ground before going around to his side. I hesitate. There's no way I'm getting in the car with Billy and some random.

"And don't call her that."

"What?" The girl asks, looking at me confused.

"Sister. The other one isn't my sister. She is but the late one isn't." Billy says pointing at me.

"Billy, I need to go find Max. It's urgent so I'll find another way home okay?"

"Sure whatever." He responds.

The girl gets in his car and they speed off.

"Let me guess. You're gonna fuck her you stupid cunt?" I retort.

"Whoa! Language!"

I flip my head around to whoever the hell said that. "Steve?"

"Sorry about getting all close to you." He apologizes, rubbing his neck.

"It's...fine. I need to find Max. Billy left off without her. Where's the school?"

"It's that direction. Want me to come with?" Steve asks.

"As much as I'd like that, I think it'd be better to explain to Max and her friends that I already know what's going on to get drama out of the way."

"Max may not even know anything. The group leader is Mike and he's been...a bit cranky recently."

"Why?" I ask.

"Eleven went missing after destroying the beast last year and hasn't been too delighted to have a girl like Max around. I'll ask again. Do you want me to come with?"

"It's fine Steve. I just need to go to the school and I'll catch up with you later. Promise."

He stares for a moment before pointing. "If you head that way, you should find them."

I give him a thankful smile before running off to Max's school.

I make a quick pace up the stairs and into the hall of the building. I look around, where could they be?

My ears perk to a distant banging and I flip behind me.

"Guys, come on. Can I come in yet?"

"This should be interesting." I grumble.

I make my way down the hall where I find...what looks to be Max banging on the door locked out. I can tell the boys inside are having their own conversation about whatever it could be while she's locked out.

"Max!" I whisper.

Her head flips in my direction. "Y/N?"

I quickly dash over to her.

"What are you doing here?" She asks.

"I talked to one of my peers. Steve. Steve told me a bit of details because of some information I know that your friends probably deal with."

The door swings open to show a boy with curly brown hair and a hat in front. Black hair boy at the very back, black dude to the right and Will to the left.

"Steve? Not Harrington Steve?"

"Exactly Harrington." I nod.

The boys grumble with a mix of confusion, annoyance, and surprise. The most grumpy is the one with the black hair so I assume this is Mike.

"You guys got a little creature right?"

"How do you know that?" I assume as Lucas, asks me.

"Because Dustin told Steve and Steve told me." I answer.

I give the boys a quick glance. I mouth.

Some of them don't get it. But Mike does. His eyes widen with shock.

"You know about the Upside Down!?"

Lucas turns to him instantly. "SHHH!! Don't shout that out loud-wait you know about-"

"Yes. I know everything. Eleven, the lights, monster, bad men. I did my own research around last year before the information was shut away from the public."

"What-what-what?" Max asks confused.

We all step inside and I shut the door behind her.

"I guess Max doesn't know anything."

"Wait how did you know about it again?" Dustin asks.

"Steve, Jonathan, and Research."

I turn to Mike. "I'm gonna get this out of the way Mike because I would really like no fights."

He stands listening.

"I get that you miss Eleven but she's out there somewhere. And I get that you don't want me or Max apart of your team but you won't be able to push us away that easy and I'm on your side. I wanna help you guys."

"Why do you have a reason to help us?" Lucas asks crossing his arms.

I get interrupted when there's a screech that comes from inside the box. All of us look down at it in horror as it rattles around.

I grab something from the desk as does Mike. I look toward him and he nods slightly. I nod as well.

"Don't hurt him." Dustin warns.

"Only if he attacks." Mike says protectively.

"Just open it already!" Lucas orders.

Dustin looks to the table and grabs something. He presses the button and the creature pops out.

"Oh my god!" Max gasps.

"Holy shit!" Lucas backs up a little.

"Stay behind me. All five of you." I order.

"NO! I'll attack it too!"

"Mike-"

"You can't come to our group all of a sudden and demand what we do!" Mike scoffs.

The creature crawls around on the table. I look toward Will. He seems...very. Uncomfortable. It shrieks.

Me and Mike stare with wide eyes as we continue to hold up our weapons in defense. We watch in disgust as two legs evolve from the side.

"Oh, shit!"

"EW!!"

I raise the lamp in my hand as does Mike.

"NO!!" Dustin exclaims.

We both miss and the creature falls off the table. The door suddenly opens again and it runs out.

"NO!"

"Where'd it go?"

Dustin tumbles onto Max and Lucas falls to the side. Me and Mike run out suddenly and I quickly shake his shoulder.

"I'm sorry for intruding. I didn't think it was this bad. But let me help find it because I have the same goal in mind as you do. I've lost a friend in the Upside Down as well who isn't Barbara."

Mike gives me a weird look. "It's a long story. But it's why I left Hawkins. I wanna help then I'll tell you everything I know."

"Why did you attack him?" Dustin looks at both of us.

"Come on!"

Mike grabs my wrist and pulls me forward. He quickly let's go once he sees the marks on my arm. "Jesus you've been hurt."

"You don't wanna know." I say shaking my head.

"Don't hurt him! Don't you hurt him!" Dustin shouts at the both of us.

"Why the hell does he wanna protect this thing!?" I ask.

"I don't know and I think it's stupid since this creature came from the Upside Down! I think we should kill it!" Mike protests.

"That's a bit violent but I don't completely disagree." I huff.

We turn down the corner as the others split off in different directions. Mike and I walk down the white hall silently, looking around left right and centre.

"What kind of person did you lose?" Mike asks me.

"Huh?"

"Were they normal like Will or super like Eleven?"

I shake my head. "Mike, I can't answer that."

"They were super weren't they?" He asks.

I look behind me, then front, nobody will care. "They were gonna be."

His eyes widen for a moment before he faces forward again. "Oh..."

He lifts his walkie-talkie up and "East is clear, no sign of Dart."

We quickly run up the stairs and I huff. "Where'd you go, you little bastard?"

We walk past the corridor and straight ahead. I swear I see a figure turn to us down the hall but I ignore it.

We hear voices check around on the talkie such as West and no Dart. Mike goes through into the gymnasium and I look around. Mike focuses on a door that's swinging open and close and I tap his shoulder.

"You good?"

"Y-yeah." He stutters.

He turns to look away and I follow his lead. "Stay here."

I give him a confused look. "I'm going into the guy's bathroom. No girls allowed!"

He walks in and shuts the door behind him, and I sigh. I have nothing to do.

Hawkins...

I shut my eyes for a moment.

"Y/N!! Y/N WHERE ARE YOU?!"

I flinch. Shivering. "Finley..."

"HELP!! HELP ME PLEASE!!"

"FINLEY!!"

I run down the hall and see a man in a black suit with grey hair. Finley screams as he's dragged away. There's a recent mark on his arm.

005

"HEY!!" I yelp as I'm grabbed from behind.

"LET ME GO YOU BASTARD!!" I scream, kick and fight.

"LET FINLEY GO!! LET HIM GOOOO!!"

The man smirks and crouches down to look at me. I spit in his face and he doesn't like that at all.

"Y/N?"

"FUCK OFF!!" I growl.

"Y/N? Y/N? Y/N!!"

I shoot my eyes open and see Max and Mike standing in front of me.

"Are you okay? What's that?" Max asks.

I quickly look down at the crumbled photograph in my hands before shoving it in my pocket.

"Nothing!"

Mike seems irritated and shoves himself past me. I give Max a weird look and she shakes her head.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Max asks Mike.

"I don't hate you." He replies. "How can I hate you? I don't even know you?"

"But you don't want me in your party!"

"Correct." Mike answers coldly.

"Why not?"

"Because you're annoying then Y/N shows up out of nowhere. And we don't need another party member or two." He turns around to face us both.

"I'm our paladin, Will's our cleric, Dustin's our bard, Lucas is our ranger, and El is our Mage!"

Eleven...

"El? The Eleven Y/N said before?"

"Someone!" He snaps. "She was in our party a long time ago. She moved away, okay?"

I feel bad for Mike, because I know that isn't the story. But he shouldn't be growling at my sister!

"She was a mage?" Max asks as he continues to walk. She puts her skateboard down and skates alongside him, I jog to catch up.

"Well, what could she do? Like, magic tricks or something?" I ask trying to be nice.

"Well, I could be your zoomer." Max stops in front of him. "And if Y/N tags along, she could be theorist! She's quite smart."

I give Max a warm smile, Mike flashing his head between me and Max.

"Those aren't even real things."

"They could be." I shrug. "I've got a lot of good ideas and hey, I found about the problem at Hawkins when I wasn't even living there."

He hesitates but goes to watch Max skate on her skateboard again.

"See? Zoomer."

"Mind-blowing." He says unamused.

"C'mon, you know you're impressed." She chuckles.

"I don't see any tricks. You're just going around in a circle."

"If it's so easy, you try it."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know how."

I chuckle as Max continues to turn and spin while me and Mike watch. Mike turns to me.

"What'd you say about the theorist again? There's no way possible to know what happened in Hawkins if you didn't live here."

You're right...I snuck away from the city to visit Finley and try to rescue him. Maybe see Jonathan and meet Will. But both failed.

I chuckle nervously. "I have my ways, you wise paladin."

He smirks as I run, hop and jump around. I jump up and do a backflip as well which makes Mike and Max go in awe.

"So then you admit, both me and Y/N are quite impressive." Max grins.

"I think if I spent, like, all day practicing, I could do what you two do."

"But what would you rather do?" I grin.

"I would give you a million bucks if you could." Max nods.

"Okay, you're making me dizzy now." Mike huffs as she continues to go in circles.

"Please just stop."

"I'll stop when I join your party." Max huffs.

I turn my head only for a moment, to see the same figure I thought I saw. They stand in the door of the gymnasiam, looking out through it and their voices drown out as I get a good look at her. Fuzzy brown hair, brown eyes.

She notices me, but I know she focuses on Mike. This must be Eleven. He must've liked her. And she must've liked him.

Just like Finley...

She suddenly grows angry, looking at Max and her head tilts slightly.

Max grunts and I flip my head behind me. Max falls backward onto the gym and off her skateboard.

"MAX!!"

"Jesus! Are you alright?"

I turn my head back to the gym and Eleven walks away. Oh my God! Should I tell Mike!?

"Yeah, yeah I think so." She holds her waist as I help her to her feet.

"What happened?"

"I don't know." Max shakes her head. "It was like a magnet or something pulling me off my board. I know that sounds crazy."

Mike doesn't seem to think so however and we exchange glances. His head turns to the doors but unfortunately, Eleven is gone.

"Mike?"

He runs out the doors, looking left and right. He stands there sadly and I look toward Max.

"Is he okay?"

I shake my head. "I know why that happened Max."

"Why?"

"I can't say. I'm sorry."