CHAPTER SIX
FINDING WILL BYERS

"EL!" MIKE CALLED as he approached Eleven, Mabel, Lucas, and Dustin in tow as the party rolled their bikes alongside them.

Eleven turned to face the four at the interruption, snapping out of the memories of the lab that she was reliving in her mind, and hesitating momentarily before nodding.

"Hop on." Mike patted his bike seat as the group comfortably sat on their bikes. "We only have a few hours."

As soon as Eleven sat on the back of Mike's bike seat, hands tightly gripping onto his shoulders, the group began to ride their bikes down the mini hill in determination, each of them confident that they could find Will themselves.

•

"How's the tutoring thing going?" Joshua started as he stood beside Athena, who had now shut her locker door, the two beginning to make their way out of Hawkins High.

Athena scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief at her own following words. "Every day, I'm under the impression that an hour can't possibly feel any longer than sixty minutes, but every time I tutor Harrington, it somehow becomes the most painful hour I have ever experienced. And each day just tops the previous one. Every single time."

Joshua huffed out an amused chuckle, shaking his head and itching his cheek as he tried to conceal his amusement by briefly covering his smirk. "I'm sorry, that's not funny..."

"No, you can laugh." Athena blew out a defeated breath, waving him off. "It's unbelievable."

As the pair walked towards the car park, they continued conversing, filling the time before they approached their respective cars.

"He's a jackass, but I'm sure you'll get used to it." Joshua just shrugged, trying to send her some reassurance.

Athena shifted her eyes to Joshua at the advice, the girl nodding as she faced the car park after a few seconds. "Yeah. I guess..."

"If you still need someone to complain to, though..." Joshua's eyebrows quirked upwards as he faced the girl, purposely letting his voice trail off as he sent the girl a small smirk.

Athena huffed a chuckle as she nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

The two approached Joshua's car, both of them saying their goodbyes and Athena watching him drive away before making her way to her car.

As soon as the girl arrived at her car, unlocking it and putting her backpack in the passenger's seat, an irritating voice interrupted Athena's movements. "What time?"

Athena momentarily paused, releasing a long sigh before turning around to face Steve Harrington. "Why can't I ever escape you?"

Ignoring her sarcasm, Steve just crossed his arms over his chest, cold eyes drilling into Athena's as he snapped. "Just tell me what time, Pierce."

"Five." Athena made her way to the driver's seat, responding with a curt, one-word answer before slamming the car door shut and driving off.

•

"Why did they hurt you?"

"What? Oh, that, uh...I just fell at recess."

"Mike."

"Yeah?"

"Friends tell the truth."

"I was tripped by this mouth breather, Troy, okay?"

"'Mouth breather'?"

"Yeah, you know...a dumb person. A knucklehead."

Mabel's amused eyes flickered between Mike and Eleven at their conversation, the girl practically sensing their chemistry. "Like Mike."

Mike just shot the girl a glare at the joke before turning to face Eleven again. "Ignore her."

Lucas and Dustin snickered at the words, Mabel smirking proudly at her own humour.

"Knucklehead?" Eleven questioned Mike.

"I don't know why I just didn't tell you. Everyone at school knows. I just didn't want you to think I was such a wastoid, you know?"

"Mike."

"Yeah?"

"I understand."

"Oh. Okay, cool."

"Cool."

Mike's eyes lingered on Eleven's face as the conversation came to a natural end, observing Eleven's smile as his own took over his lips at the sight.

•

Steve rang the doorbell at 5:30pm, Athena swinging it open after a few minutes and narrowing her eyes at him irritatedly. "You're late."

Athena simply turned around to approach her room, Steve rolling his eyes and reluctantly following after her as he shut the door behind him. "Why do you always want me here at five? Does something happen after six?"

"Yeah, you leaving my house." Athena quipped, slightly tilting her head for added effect as the two approached her room, situating at their usual spots—Steve at Athena's desk, and Athena sitting comfortably on her bed. "Do you have to question everything?"

Steve just shot her a brief glare before shifting his attention to his textbook, opening the page and changing the subject, voice cold. "I'm not surprised you're friends with Jonathan."

Athena released a long breath as she tore her eyes away from her notebook to the opposite wall, shaking her head slightly as she defended her friend. "There's nothing wrong with him, Harrington."

Steve just scoffed, unconvinced as he raised his eyebrows. "There's plenty wrong with him, and there's plenty wrong with you."

Athena just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's super original, asshole. Just focus on the work and stop making me waste my breath on you every day."

"Is 'asshole' your favourite word, or are you just trying to humble me?" Steve provokingly raised his eyebrows, challenging her. "Because it's not working, Pierce."

"Shut up, you sound like a five year old." Athena curtly snapped, dropping her pen on her notebook and widening her eyes at him in impatience. "This'll go way faster if you just stop talking, for once in your life."

Steve just tauntingly smirked, shifting his attention to his notebook as Athena started their tutoring session, revelling in the fact that he successfully pissed her off.

•

The kids finally stopped walking, bike handles in their hands as they guided their bikes alongside them, nightfall hanging over Hawkins as Eleven concluded leading the group. "Here."

Mabel's eyes flickered to Will's house and back to Eleven as she confusedly spoke up. "Uh, this is Will's house, El."

"Hiding." Eleven whispered as she returned Mabel's gaze.

"No, no." Mike corrected, capturing Eleven's attention. "This is where he lives. He's missing from here. Understand?"

Dustin tiredly dropped his bike to the ground, releasing long breaths as he tried to regain his energy.

Lucas impatiently threw his hands up in the air before letting them fall back down to his sides, facing Mike after annoyedly glancing away briefly. "What are we doing here?"

"She said he's hiding here." Mike answered cluelessly, blowing out a breath as he faced Lucas, Mabel raising her eyebrows as her eyes flickered between the boys.

Lucas' wide eyes darted to the sides before returning to Mike. "Um...no!"

"I swear, if we walked all the way out here for nothing-"

"That's exactly what we did!" Lucas interrupted Dustin furiously as he gestured to Eleven, Eleven frowning as she confusedly glanced between the party. "I told you she didn't know what the hell she was talking about!"

"Wait, there could be something else, Lucas." Mabel furrowed her eyebrows at the boy before redirecting her gaze to Eleven as Mike chimed in, trying to give the girl the benefit of the doubt.

"Why did you bring us here?"

Eleven's lips parted, her eyebrows furrowing deeper as she tried to find the right words to accurately describe what was happening, although before she could, she was quickly interrupted by Lucas. "Mike, Mabel, don't waste your time with her."

"What do you want to do, then?!" Mike defeatedly exclaimed.

"Call the cops, like we should've done yesterday!"

"We are not calling the cops!"

"Hey, guys?" Dustin tried to interrupt the pair, who were still arguing, Mabel sighing as she looked in the direction Dustin was, eyes widening and the girl straightening up as she noticed what he did.

"What other choice do we have?!"

"I don't know, but-"

"Guys!" Finally, as Mabel called out, the entire group's attention was now focused on what Dustin and Mabel were seeing, several police and ambulance vehicles speeding towards the lake.

"Will..." Mike murmured, the kids scrambling to their bikes and hopping on, hurriedly speeding to follow after the cars.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, the kids finally approached the scene, dropping their bikes to the ground as they hid behind one of the many parked fire trucks, curiously peering out from behind the large vehicle to see what was going on.

Watching as two firemen hoisted, what appeared, to be Will Byers' deceased body out of the lake, a few other firemen supporting them, and the large crowd of policemen and paramedics shaking their heads sadly, the kids each frowned deeply in disbelief.

"It's not Will. It can't be." Mike shook his head, Lucas widening his eyes at the scene.

As the firemen brought Will's body to the shore, Mabel cupped her hand over her mouth, turning away as she began to feel nauseous at the sight, cheeks heating up as she felt tears begin to slide down her face from her eyes.

"It's Will. It's really Will." Lucas despondently muttered, voice quiet and shaky as he felt himself begin to get emotional, Dustin now crying too.

"Mike..."

"'Mike'? 'Mike', what?!" Mike furiously exclaimed as he slapped Eleven's hand off his shoulder, tears welling up in his eyes. "You were supposed to help us find him alive. You said he was alive! Why did you lie to us?! What's wrong with you?! What is wrong with you?!"

"Mike..." Eleven gasped out a breath as her lips began to tremble, eyes watering instinctively.

"What?!" Mike leaned forward and raised his eyebrows condescendingly, waiting for Eleven's answer.

When the girl didn't utter a single word, Mike just scoffed, approaching his bike and hopping on, quickly beginning to ride away without another word.

"Mike, come on. Don't do this, man." Lucas tried as tears began to stream from his eyes. "Mike..."

"Mike, where are you going?" Dustin sniffled as the group watched Mike angrily take off.

"Mike!" Mabel called out, although it was no use.

•

As soon as Mabel entered her house later that night, the girl's face puffy and her cheeks tear-streaked at the reality of what she had just seen, she caught each of the Pierce family's attentions.

Athena, noticing her sister's despair, stood up and immediately hurried over to Mabel to engulf her younger sister in a tight hug, the youngest Pierce securely wrapping her arms around Athena in response, cheek resting on Athena's chest, and her body beginning to tremble as she choked out saddened sobs.

"What happened, sweetie?" Eleanor questioned in concern as she stood up and joined her daughters, gently stroking Mabel's back and leaning down to try and catch her attention.

"It-it's W-Will..." Mabel managed to stutter out a sniffled reply through her muffled cries, the girl hugging her older sister even tighter.

Without needing to explain further, the rest of the family had gotten the message, Eleanor and Dave sharing surprised looks, while Athena's face sombrely dropped at the words.

•

© voidvaleska