╰┈➤ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴

                            𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 - 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘣𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘰

                                    ❛ and i could be a pretty girl,

                                  shut up when you want me too❜

 "I WANT TO BE VICTORIA LEE."

Definitely the way to open up a conversation with an already pissed off looking Melody. Melody sighed taking of her headphones, "I don't know who that is." "Why are you upset Mel?" "Billy has Wheeler over again." She responded bluntly, her face as red as her bloodshot eyes. "Do you hate Nancy?" "Angelica, he has Angelica over not Nancy." "Do you hate Angelica?" "Maybe I just hate how loud she is." Max was confused by this. "Angelica always seemed like a calm person-" "That's not- listen Max." Melody swiveled around in her desk chair.

"Billy likes Angelica. Angelica likes Billy so when she comes over here and goes to their room she screams." "Is Billy hurting her? I thought you said he liked her." "No they're good screams, happy screams."

"Happy screams right," "Anyways, tell me about Victoria Lee." Max sighed as she flopped on her sister's bed. "How do I even begin to describe her? She's like an angel, a surprisingly short, feisty angel. Everyone loves her, I think all the guys might have a crush on her. Hell I even-" Melody shot her a look, "And I tried to talk to Billy about it and he says I'm jealous of her, that or I'm a dyke." Melody flinched at the slur which Max failed to notice. 

"I don't think your jealous of her Max." Melody said turning back to her work. "Then what am I?" But Max never got her response as another moan was heard through the house, she heard her older's voice quiver. She never knew that why Angelica being over always affected her sister so much.

And frankly she was too scared to ask.

NEITHER WILL OR VICTORIA CAME TO SCHOOL

The party had an idea on why Will didn't show up and if Ben was still sick and Vickie's ankle was still sprained, she would have to ride with the Byers, explaining why she didn't come to school either. "Then why doesn't Victoria's mom just drive her." All conversation paused at that. "Mother?" Mike asked. "Yeah when Billy and I dropped her yesterday her mom was home." The boys all shared a look of panic, for what reason? Max wasn't sure. "Max, was there a tall man with black hair in the house." Lucas asked slowly. "He would have a gold watch on his wrist and a cigar in his mouth." Max shook her head.

"Maybe they're okay then." Dustin said attempting to calm a panicked Mike. "Why wouldn't they be okay?" Mike shot Max an annoyed look, "You ask too many questions." He snapped. Lucas shot him a glare.

"Do you want to come with us to check in Vickie after school?" Lucas suggested, "You know, sprained ankle and all." Max nodded confused, taking a sip of her milk carton before sticking out her tongue in disgust. They were all hiding stuff from her, multiple things and she was going to find out what they were whether they liked it or not.

VICTORIA WANTED MORE THAN ANYTHING FOR HER PARENTS

to leave. She knew they would eventually they never stayed for long and if they did they left for even longer. She stirred the Sundubu Jijigae, her fathers favorite dish, slowly trying to avoid looking at the table where her mother and Mrs.Harrington sat, chatting whilst periodically taking sips of their wine. "Such a pretty little thing she is, must get it from you." Mrs. Harrington chuckled, "She'll make a perfect little house wife."  Mira wore a smug smile as she flipped the page of her magazine. "What about that Wheeler kid she's always around?" Vickie felt the spoon slip out of her hand. 

The clank of the spoon against the metal pot caused the two to look at her. Victoria painted the sweetest smile she could across her face. "My apologies." She whispered. The two smiled, "What an Angel. How's your ballet going dear?" "Very well Mrs.Harrington, we have a recital coming up soon." "How lovely." "It's in duets my partner, Luna-" "Hush , Gyeong-Hui, that's enough, finish stirring your father will be back soon." 

A set of rapid knocks were heard on the front door. Victoria set her spoon on a near by cloth, "I shall get it mother." She got off her stool, limping her way down the luxuriously decorated hall. She opened the door to see Mike, Lucas and Dustin smiling up at her. Max was there as well, avoiding her gaze.

Panicked she stepped onto the patio closing the door behind her. "What are you four doing here?" She hissed, glancing over the group. "Max told us your mom was back, so we assumed your dad was as well. We wanted to check if you were okay..... if Ben, was okay." Dustin explained slowly. Victoria sucked in her breath. "How sweet of you, unfortunately I am busy at the time, I would love to invite you to join my mother, Mrs. Harrington and I but I am too busy preparing lemon meringues for us to enjoy."

The boys eyes widened, "I'll have to ask you to come back at a later time." With that she turned back into the house closing the door. "Well that was weird." Max muttered folding her arms, "She was talking so proper and did you see that dress it was so-" "Mira." Mike interrupted. "Well I was going to say-" "Guys, you heard what she said right. She's making lemon meringues, we have to help her." 

The boys nodded while Max shot him a confused look, "What does-" "Vickie hates anything lemon flavored, refuses to go near it. It's our signal for when her parents are back home and things are going wrong, anything that has to do with lemon is a signal but only when her parents are here, keep that in mind." Dustin quickly explained as the four made their way over to their bikes. "But why would you need a safe word?" "You ask too many question you know that right." Mike snapped. "Because Mira and Oliver Lee aren't the best parents, or people in general." Dustin explained.

"So how do we save Vickie and Ben?" Max asked Lucas turning to look at him as she mounted her skateboard. "Angelica Wheeler."

✎ 𝘎𝘺𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘨-𝘏𝘶𝘪 𝘪𝘴 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢'𝘴 𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. (𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘯𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴)