|| 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕 ||

El had returned to Mike's side. The two shared looks and enjoyed each other's company. It made me happy to see Mike this way. Yet, it left a somber ache in my chest and my eyes fixated on my feet as I walked my bike as my mind began to wonder.

It was wandering to earlier this morning, for what felt like the hundredth time today. Only, this time, I recalled what happened before Troy showed up. A heat fluttered to my cheeks at the mere thought of it.

'Will couldn't possibly... Could he?'

I mean, it would make sense with how he acts around me specifically. I always thought that he acted that way because we were so close.

- 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 -

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Byers!"

"Y/n, sweetie, hi! I'll go get Will. Come in, come in," A bright smile adorned her features as she beamed at me.

Come to think of it, I don't think she's ever not been smiling in all the times I've seen her.

I stepped inside the all too familiar house, warmth and comfort radiated off the walls.

"Will!" Mrs. Byers' sing-song voice carried down the hallway as I waited in the front room, bag in hand. I was excited for tonight, for Will and I to carpool over to Mike's. Mike had been planning this  all-night campaign for weeks, and the beg sleepover was finally here.

Mrs. Byers was always nice to me. She was always so happy to see me and the feeling was mutual. She has always had the ability to make me feel at home, welcomed, and completely accepted.

"Oh, hey Y/n," I looked up and saw Jonathan walking in the room, camera in hand and a cheery smile on his face.

"Hi, Jonathan! How have you been?" I asked, perking up.

Jonathan smiled as he put his camera into his bag, along with a few other items.

"I've been good. You?"

"Can't complain," I chirped.

Mrs. Byers came speed walking down the hall and joined Jonathan in the kitchen.

"He'll be right out, sweetie,"

I smiled, thanking her. She lowered her voice with a smirk on her face as she leaned in close to Jonathan, unknowingly just loud enough for me to hear.

"It's so cute, he got all nervous and is fixing his hair,"

I smiled to myself, and Jonathan did the same. I didn't give it much thought, I could have heard wrong after all.

"Hi Y/n! Sorry about that. You ready?" He was beaming, much like his mother earlier and it only made me happier.

"Yeah, I'm so excited. I can't wait to see what Mike has planned."

"Yeah, his campaigns are the best."

Jonathan grabbed his keys and headed for the front door, Will and I close behind him.

"Bye, Mrs. Byers!" I waved to her before I left through the front door.

She eagerly waved back at me. "Bye guys, have fun. Remember, call me or Jonathan if you guys need anything at all okay?"

"You got it, thank you again!"

"Bye, Mom. Love you!"

"Love you, sweetie!"

Will gave a quick wave to his mom before shutting the door after him. The two of us, bags in hand, walked to Jonathan's car.

"Thank you for taking us, Jonathan,"

"Of course, any time." I smiled gratefully and piled into the backseat.

Will and I had just got settled in as Jonathan started the car. He looked at me and Will through the review mirror.

"Everyone buckled in?"

"Yep,"

"Uh-huh,"

"Hey, Will. Why don't you show Y/n he mix I gave you?"

"What? Oh yeah!" He lit up and began digging through his bag eagerly.

He pulled out a mixtape and handed it to me with a hopeful look in his eye as he muttered a small "Here,"

"It's got a bunch of awesome music on there, like Joy Division, the Smith's, uh, Queen. And the Clash. I know you like the Clash so if you want to borrow it, you are more than welcome."

I beamed as I took the mixtape from him.

"Oh, wow! Thank you, both of you. I can't wait to listen to it!"

I looked at the tape, a huge smile on my face still. I glanced up into the review mirror for a split second to see Jonathan looking at Will, a fond smirk on his face. I turned to Will to see what he was doing.

All he was doing was watching me, obviously glad I liked the tape.

"Thank you," I leaned in and gave him a hug.

I pulled back and caught Jonathan's eye. He smiled happily at me and put the car in gear.

"All right. Mike's house it is."

And the car roared to life.

- 𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 -

I shook away the thought. Now really isn't the time. When we find Will. That's when I'll get my feelings sorted out. Right now, I need to focus on finding him. He needs me. He needs all of us.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

We were still walking, my feet grew sore and darkness had already set in.
El was at the front, taking confident strides, the boys and I following eagerly behind. That's when it hit me.

I know this road. This is Will's house.

'What are we doing here?'

She stopped and turned around, facing all of us.

"Here."

"Yeah, this is where Will lives."

"Hiding." She said.

I blinked a few times, unsure.

"But... I-I don't understand." My heart fell.

"No, no, this is where he lives. He's missing from here. Understand?"

Lucas and Dustin had finally caught up, the two of them dropped their bikes in frustration. Something in Lucas snapped, and he spoke up, clearly frustrated.

"What are we doing here?"

"She said he's hiding here."

"Um... no!"

Anxiety began to take over my body as everyone began to argue. I wanted to defend El but, truthfully I was having a hard time with it myself.

"I swear, if we walked all the way out here for nothing–" Dustin began, but he was quickly cut off by Lucas shouting.

"That's exactly what we did. I told you she didn't know what the hell she was talking about!"

Mike, who was looking less and less patient, turned to El.

"Why did you bring us here?"

El seemed to lose the ability to speak properly. She stuttered, clearly nervous.

"Mike, don't waste your time with her."

My mind was already starting to tune out the latest argument. I brought my hand up to my chin, subconsciously scratching my wound, just so my hand could be occupied. A nervous habit of mine.

"What do you want to do then?"

'Wait a minute.'

"Call the cops, like we should have done yesterday."

'That's not possible.'

"We are not calling the cops!"

'My wound. It's... It's gone. Completely gone.'

My face contorted out of bewilderment, my mind racing to come up with any possible. But before I could register what was happening, Dustin began shouting to get our attention. I looked at him, waiting.

"Hey, guys?"

"What other choice do we have?"

"Guys!"

We all turned and watched as Dustin stepped forward. His eyes on the nearby road. We all fell silent.

And that's when I heard it.

'No. No, no, no.'

The daunting sound of sirens grew louder with every second and I watched frozen stiff as a few police cars zoom by.

'That could be anything. Right?'

An ambulance was in close pursuit.

My stomach plunged.

"Will..." the words left my mouth without me realizing. I ran for my bike and everyone else followed.

We sped off into the night, my bike tires sprayed mud all over me, soaking my socks as we zipped through puddles and over hills, but I didn't care.

I have to get to him.

He has to be okay.

He has to be.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The chase felt like it lasted for hours. Normally I would be exhausted by now, but I was too worried about Will. I was much farther ahead of everybody but not enough that we couldn't communicate.

Time seemed to stretch on forever as we rode through the fog. It was harder to recognize the area at night, but I was fairly certain we were near to the quarry.

'Oh, no. Please, no.'

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Oh, God no," I whined.

We made it down to the quarry and there were at least three police cars, a fire truck and an ambulance. A bunch of firemen and paramedics were standing just knee deep in the water.

We came to a grinding halt behind the firetruck and I abandoned my bike as soon as my feet touched the ground.

I ran to the end of the firetruck, peeking out from the side. I knew that if I made myself known they would shoo me away.

I watched in horror as they pulled a lifeless body from the water, and placed it on a water rescue stretcher.

Tears were brimming in my eyes, making it harder to tell who it was. I don't want to believe it, I really truly don't, but somewhere deep down I knew.

"It's not Will. It can't be." Mike said, disbelieving.

My heart was in my throat as I fought back the tears which were now stinging my eyes.

But then I saw it. The small, lifeless body. He was wearing the same red vest he wore on that night. I was speechless. Tears streaked down my cheeks as I lost my breath. It made me shrink into Lucas, and I allow myself to bury my face in his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around me.

"It's Will. It's really Will." Lucas whispered, and I felt tears fall on my head, telling me that Lucas had started crying as well.

The noise I made was incoherent. I let out a wail and tore myself away from Lucas's embrace.

"Will? Will!" I called.

Lucas and Dustin pulled me back. I fought and screamed my throat raw. I suddenly didn't care if anyone heard me. None of it seemed to matter anyway, there was far too much commotion for anyone to notice. I wanted to get to him. To see if it was really true. But I was too weak. Defeat set in and I went limp, collapsing onto the ground and I wrapped my arms around my torso. Slowly, my head fell to my knees where I buried my face and hid from the cruel world that took such a loving soul from us. I rocked back and forth trying desperately to convince myself that this was a nightmare.

"Mike..." El choked out. She reached a hand out to Mike's shoulder in comfort and slapped her away.

"'Mike'? 'Mike,' what? You were supposed to help us find him alive! You said he was alive!"

I couldn't stop my tears. I feel confused, angry, frightened. I feel heartbreak.

"You said he was alive! Why did you lie to us? What's wrong with you? What is wrong with you?"

"Mike..."

"What?"

She stared at Mike, at a loss for words. She turned to me, but all I could do was look up at her over my shoulder. I hugged my knees tighter and cried more. Panic consumed her as she looked at me and then back at Mike.

"Will..." I whimpered.

"Mike, come on. Don't do this man. Mike." Lucas' voice broke.

I didn't care he was leaving. It didn't even completely register. I just sat there, mourning my friend.

"Mike, where are you going? Mike!"

I sat there, numb as I watched them pull Will out of the water. I watched as Will's lifeless, pale body was carried off by strangers.

'Why? Why him?'

Another sob wracked my body as I watched completely helpless as my best friend was carried away in a body bag.