GHOSTBUSTERS
Ray Parker Jnr.
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'This is a sight I like to wake up to.'

Melissa, in one of hoppers flannel shirts, bites her thumb nail. " I can feel you staring at me, Mills. You aren't slick as you think."

Jim, toasting bread on a skillet for breakfast hunched over a stove top, said overturning the crusted piece. Milly shuffled her feet, floor boards creaking from it being stepped on, closing the distance first by twisting her arms around Hopper.

" Thought I'd let you sleep in. Bring you breakfast in bed, and surprise ya. Now your' here guess the cat is out of the bag."

He grumbled, hoping to have treated her to a nice meal in bed. His demeanour changes when Milly kisses his cheek.

" Looks yummy, French toast? Smells divine, Jim. Fun fact, Did you know the French didn't actually invent this. It was long before France became an actual country. People of Rome created this and it became widely known to be a delicacy in early fourth century Italy! I learn that fact, on a trip to Rome, for a show I hosted."

Jim starts smiling, paying close attention to the passion Melissa uses describing historic details relating to plain white bread soaked in eggs and butter, his brushed eyebrow staying up 'Mhm' escapes out of his mouth.

" Oh. Ella! You gave me a fright. You.. definitely are in the Halloween spirit."

Milly shoves a finger under her nose, holding a laugh. Eleven is hidden in a cut out blanket sheet pretending to be a ghost. Hopper drops his head, using a deadpanned look, lips tightly pressed together. He starts sighing. 

" Jesus. Really. Come on, kid." Milly, her fingers barely a graze, slaps her hand on Jims tricep.

" You scared me. Don't mind your dad, he is just an old man who doesn't know when to have fun."

Jim purposefully made an effort of showing his eyes rolling, transporting the hot iron skillet to serve out the toast. " Halloween." El said, with a monotone volume in her tone. 'She's trying.' Milly laughed, internally to Elevens wanting a little fun. It's her first Halloween out of the lab. " Yes it is. But right now, it's breakfast, okay? I made this, for your mother, originally. but the darn thing came out all wrong and runny." Jim stated, handing a plate of food for Milly to her.

" they wouldn't see me."

El says, eye holes poked out for her to see, wishing to experience trick-or-treating. Melissa would give anything and grant her the courtesy of living life, like a kid her age should be. It was just too much of a risk.

Doctor Brenner, her grandfather, scouted these woods in and out for El. Hoping for the chance to capture eleven.

" The bad men. They wouldn't see me. Mom? Can I ?" El elaborated on her words. Milly, guilt eating her soul knowing she was going to be saying No, is quiet.

" What do you mean?" Jim asks, though he had an idea of exactly she is asking.

" Trick-or-treating, she wants to go out. Which in retrospect would be a good idea, she could live a day without being locked away in her, But..." Melissa words quietened. Eleven stared, under the sheet, politely towards Milly.

" you.. want to go trick-or-treating? You know the rules." Milly, standing in synchrony with hopper, self-conciliatory spoke.

" Jim." Hopper puts both hands firmly on El's upper arms. He moved around Milly going to elevens level. " I don't care. I don't care. I made the rules for a reason. You got out there, ghost or not, that is a risk."

He states, emphatic to his rule he made for her and Milly's safe-keeping. Contrary to the claim he is enacting an order for her and El to be safe, Melissa could defend herself.

" We.. we don't take risks. Right? It's real stupid." He emphasises on 'Stupid'. Turning to Melissa for her support. Milly gets in the space between Jim and El.

" Hop, hey. Baby, Let me talk to her. Alright?"

She turns her body back, facing eleven, which made Hopper give her the spotlight. Holding her sheet riddled hands, Milly could sense how disheartened she was at Jim's refusal.

" I know you are upset. You wish to have your first night out, for Halloween, and you cannot 'cause of the bad men. I can't make a promise it'll be like this next year."

Jim, pushing a hand over his beard, huffs. Though his idea of disciplinary action, and principles are old fashioned, it is a system that operates good. Melissa is rather present and capable of holding her own softer tone.

" How 'bout after I come home, back from work, I can bring Aunt Kat and Mandy to make a made up version of our own trick-or-treat. Does that... sound like a good idea. To you? Make our tradition."

Hoppers glare considerably lessens to a little smile. 'She's good with el. I wonder how that'll go when our own kids are here.'

Jim hopper could see a future, where Melissa is nurturing an infant in her arms. El is a big sister. A little girl, or boy, careless in their escapades when having fun teasing a teenage eleven. That's a dream he wished for, each night. Unknowing it is a reality Milly wanted. That she hoped to have.

" Okay." Jim, not wanting to be the 'Bad guy', says taking his place at the table. " I'm going to piggyback on what your mother suggested, I'll try to get off early. I'll go buy the Candy, and we can all sit around, get fat and watch a scary movie? I can agree with that as an idea. How is that for a compromise?" Hopper, glancing at Milly's hand holding his fingers, sees a relieved grin on her mouth curving up.

" What.. is compromise." El asks, baffled.

Not educated on simple terms and pronunciations. Milly had taught eleven certain phonetics, words, to the best of her knowledge. " C-O-M-promise. That is your word for the day. Yeah? It's something thats kinda in-between. Sort of Halfway happy."

Jim expands on his explanation, using his own logical fallacy to make it sound better for him.

" Like five one five?" El said, slow, glancing to Milly for confirmation. Melissa swallows her piece of toast. " That is right, Sweetie. Five fifteen." She vindicated, lifting her knife to move the plate El hadn't touched.

" Eat. Before your food gets too cold, missy. You don't want cold waffles."

" Listen to your mother. 'Kay? Or i will change my mind. Joking. I'm joking."

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Leaving the engine on, of her convertible, Milly moves and exists her car as Will got out. His costume, for school, is Egon Spengler. One of his favourite characters from the blockbuster movie 'GhostBusters'.

Mike, Lucas and Dustin were in their chosen ghostbuster attire. Proton packs, fictionalised energy-based devices that could capture ghouls, made from hard plastic on each of the boys backs. Melissa, pleased at how lively will is singing the chorus of the film based theme song going to his friends, grins.

" Hey, Spengler! Milly! You're here too. What.. brings you here? Not that I'm glad, I'm totally glad, to see you here. At school of all places. I just assumed you wouldn't be caught dead in a place like this. Or be seen with us losers."

Melissa, choosing to dress in her Agnetha from Abba flared satin blue trousers and blouse in 'Waterloo' music video, moves her shoulders.

Lucas admitted he had developed a little crush, on Milly. It wasn't intentional. He stuttered his statement. " Waterloo. I know that outfit. Man' won't stop repeating the music video, it gets real annoying cause it just repeats! That looks good on you! Mel! Though." Will, aware of his friend's puppy love crushes on his older sister, exaggerates his eye roll. " I see Amanda, there, has taught you well Luc. Next thing I will be seeing you rocking out to some Abba!" Melissa ruffles and tussles Lucas hair. He became shy.

" Wait. Why are you Venkman? There's only suppose to be one Venkman."

Mikes sudden topic change made Melissa shake her head. She did in fact see there are two printed name tags on Lucas and him.

'Oh boy. There is going to be an argument, I can feel it.'

Milly uncross her arms. Dustin, his two front missing teeth revealed when he smiles, goes to where she is. " Kathy really enjoys working with you, Mel. I asked her to take me, you know, one day to see the boutique. Or after the day is finished. My mom said she sent flowers. To say thank you for helping pay this month's bills, and rent. If you didn't give Katy her job, I don't know where she would be."

Dustin hugs Melissa, she was not expecting his gesture but reciprocates his kindness. Claudia had visited her store, to give a personal thank you for Milly giving her first born a job out of her kind heart. " Of course. And I would do it, again. If it meant Kat, you, your mom needed more time to not lose your house. Dusty." Said Milly, finding the use of his lisp adorable. Even when he is made fun and bullied for it.

" I'm gonna leave. You boys behave, and stay out of trouble, now. I don't want to be the one called to the principals office today of all days."

Will waved 'Bye'. Just as Milly is going to leave he ran up, fake-proton pack jingling, basically knocking her to her feet. " I love you. Melissa." She held his head, in her hands. " Flattery isn't going to get you out of this, Willy-Wonka. Love you, too."

On scheduled time a yellow Roan county state school bus, transporting students, stationed itself behind her. None in costumes.

" See you after school, Will."

╭━━━━━∙⋆⋅⋆∙━━━━━╮

Exiting the local town pharmacist, brown bag of pain killers and feminine hygiene products in hand, Melissa is startled to see a boy leaned on her cars hood top.

The charismatic smirk is more clear on his lips as he calculatedly stares and bores his steel eyes. His dirty blonde hair is grown in a curled mullet. Quite admittedly he unsettled her.

" I followed you here. From the middle school, dropping my sister Maxine off. Had to introduce myself to this towns very own home grown celebrity. Have to say, Huge fan."

Milly, half-hearted, smiles. Her nerves were yelling 'Danger'.

His eyes held a sinister glint to them.

" The names Billy Hargrove. I already know who you are, Gorgeous. Melissa Byers, the small town girl, who made a success and said sayonara to this shit hole town. Heard 'bout it from the little bitch. Only good thing that is going on in this town, is I get to see you."

Billy ignites a cigarette pinching the base of it. Milly moved past him, his predatory interest soars to a new high taking in how round her ass looked. She cleared out her throat.

" If you don't mind. I have to get back home, to my husband, and daughter. She is eagerly waiting on my return."

Billy, searching for a wedding ring, hums.

" No ring. Marriage troubles?" Entrapping her in a space of his arms, and the car door, he exhaled out smoke.

" the husband of yours failed to keep you satisfied. I can teach you a few tricks. If you let me. Say, My place. I could light a few candles, do all of that romantic bullshit."

Milly, offended Billy thought she is attracted to him, goes eye level and uses her strength in forcing him back.

" Woah, Chill. Babe. If I knew you'd like it rough it'd be a different story." He retorted showcasing his hands and made a mock surrender. " Don't be like that. I apologise, that wasn't gentlemanly of me. My mother taught me better. Scout's honour."

He leaned in the car window, holding the ignition control stick.

Melissa could feel her irritation forming.

" I'll be seeing you 'round. Just remember." That sounded more of a threat than him telling her.

" Bye, Babe."

He petted her cheek, leaving to a blue Camaro parked on the gutters of across the street. Milly shuddered. His touch felt as though it's a violation, to her face. Unfriendly.

Danger bells shrilled in her subconscious. She had lied about going back to hoppers cabin but now that is the safest option. Not work.

'I will call Manda' and Kat when I get there.'

JASMINE SPEAKS;

Billy has been introduced. He's going to be a big problem, for Melissa. When hasn't he not caused any in the show. Dacre is phenomenal at playing, and portraying, Billy. He did a good job. An amazing job, actually.

I'll admit first I did cry for Billy's death.

Anyway. How did you like this chapter? Milly, Jim and Elevens little family moment? Melissa being her mum/mom basically? Billy horrible flirting?

Like I said he's going to cause issues.

®️ Written By Jasmine. 2024