—SET ON YOU;
Chapter Two

OPHELIA WOKE up to the landline phone ringing loudly through the house. The next thing she knew, her mother was waking her up from school, telling her that she had to go ride with Dustin to school. Of course it didn't really bother her, but the blonde begrudgingly climbed out of bed and moved for the bathroom. At the double sink stood Talia, her blonde hair already brushed through and laying flat against her back. She wore a thick, black headband to slick back her golden locks, and her eyes were coated with grey eyeliner. Her mouth was circled with white foam, her toothbrush working against her teeth. "Good, God. You look like someone took a vacuum to your hair," she commented once Ophelia stepped into the room, and she was right. The taller girl's hair was sticking every which way, board straight, and a tangled mess. Ophelia ignored her sister, snatching her yellow toothbrush from their holder and squeezing some toothpaste onto the bristles. Talia's eyes, however, were still fearfully locked on the mop on top of her sister's head. "Don't use my hairbrush. You may break it," she joked after spitting the remainder of her toothpaste into the sink.

She rinsed it down the drain before she left, glancing back to stare at Ophelia's head. "Stop!" the younger Tate girl whined, moving to close the bathroom door. "Sorry! Sorry, yeesh." The sixteen year old spit the foam from her mouth and rinses off her brush before snatching her brush off the counter. As she walked back down the hallway toward her bedroom, she allowed her father to slip past. He chuckled at his youngest, patting her shoulder. "Good luck, Champ." She gave him a look, her shoulders slumping forward. "Is it really that bad!?" — "YES!" they all three responded in unison, earning a raspy and tired groan. She finally slipped back into her bedroom, jerking her brush through her hair. It did take longer than she anticipated, but she successfully yanked through her tangles and called her sister in to braid it. "Way to go, rockstar," Talia hummed, shutting Ophelia's bedroom door behind her. The younger Tate had slipped on a nice white button up, covering the top with a brown sweater. She was still slipping her jeans up her legs.

                     "Shut up," Ophelia laughed, buttoning up her pants. "Will you braid my hair?" Talia nodded, pushing her down onto the woven vanity stool. "Steve always loved it when your hair was braided," she hummed softly, the tips of her fingers grazing against Ophelia's scalp. It felt so good, but Talia's words punched Ophelia right in the face. "Yeah, well, Steve and I haven't been talking and I think I found out why last night..." The older, petite sister stared at the saddened sister through the mirror, weaving her golden hair into a loose braid. "And what was the reason?" Ophelia felt herself tear up. She didn't want to show that it truly did hurt. She wanted to act like it didn't so bad. "He's with Nancy..." Talia's jaw dropped. "He doesn't even know her!" she snapped, tying off Ophelia's hair with a small band. "It's okay, T. It's not that big of a deal," she lied, smiling to convince her older sister. "Besides, I've got plenty of friends, anyway." — "The kids don't count, sweetie."

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SHE PEDALED faster than she had before, peeling onto Dustin's road. "Dustin!" she shouted, jumping off her bike with grace. The curly haired kid ran out of his house and mounted his bike. "It's about time! We're gonna miss the guys!" he complained, pushing off. Ophelia groaned loudly, jumping right back onto her bike and pedaling after Dustin. The boy was right, though. The duo was far ahead of the two, well farther ahead for the teenager. "Guys! Wait up!" Dustin yelled for his friends, to which the blonde silently thanked him. She was feeling a lot better about the day until a very familiar car rolled up beside her. "'Phelia!" Steve shouted out his passenger window. "Need a ride?" She hesitantly looked over at Steve, her lips pressed together. "I can't, Steve. I'm chauffeuring the kids." He nodded slowly, looking forward to find Mike, Lucas, and Dustin all peering back at them. "Oh, okay. Maybe next time." Ophelia didn't answer, she just sped up to catch up with her little dorks.

"What was he saying?" Lucas asked once the car sped around them. "He asked if I wanted a ride, but I said no," she explained, Lucas nodding. "What happened between you guys anyway?" Mike pedaled faster, his thought process focused on Will and why he wasn't with them. "It's a long... Look! We're here. Bye, guys! Have a good day!" The three waved at Ophelia, swerving into the middle school together. The teenager pedaled harder until she found the high school, peeling in and stopping her bike at the bike racks. "Ophelia Tate!" She turned at her name being called, finding Tommy H. "Looking good, cupcake." She stepped backwards as he neared, his fingers grasping the braid hung over her shoulder. "What do you want, Tommy?" she asked, shoving his hand away from her. "Just so you know, I'm back with Carol so we, uh... We can't sleep together again." Ophelia's cheeks involuntarily heated up, the blush creeping up her neck. "It was one time," she whispered. "Yeah, but you gotta admit that it was pretty freaking magical." His arm looped around her waist, her body tingling. She felt extremely uncomfortable near Tommy. "I've gotta go before I'm late. Maybe you should go find your girlfriend!"

She scrambled away quickly, pushing past people to get to the doors. That night with Tommy was maybe one of Ophelia's biggest mistakes. "Excuse me," she hummed softly, brushing past Nancy and Barb, bee lining towards her locker. Their words were echoing in her ears, they were obviously talking about Steve. "Did he?" Barbara spoke softly as Nancy pulled open her locker door. Her head shook in denial as she began pulling out the needed books. "I told you, it's not like that." For someone who didn't want people eavesdropping, she wasn't talking very low. Barbara's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "Okay, I mean, yes, fine, he likes me, you know, but not like that—" she lowered her voice, "We just made a couple times." Barbara scoffed, mocking her, "We just made out a couple times— Jesus, you're gonna be so cool now it's ridiculous." Nancy smiled. "No, I'm not!" Barb rolled her eyes, her smile faltering. "You better still hang out with me, that's all I'm saying. If you become friends with Carol and Tommy H --" At the mention of Tommy, Ophelia shut her locker.

                     Both girls glanced at the blonde, Nancy shyly waving. Ophelia gave her a closed lip grin, fixing her messenger bag over her shoulder. "Hey, Ophelia," Nancy spoke gently before turning back to her locker. The blonde teenager could practically smell the guilt Nancy was bottling up. Once Ophelia began babysitting Dustin, she was constantly at the Wheeler's house. During those times, the two got really close until Nancy became distant. Thanks to Lucas Sinclair, Ophelia knew why. She sauntered away, her head hung low. She continued to walk until she ran into someone, a pair of massive hands grabbing her shoulders to keep her balanced. "Woah there, tiger," Steve chuckled, peering down at the blonde. Tommy H and Carol stood behind him, both snickering. "You know, to walk, you gotta have your head up," Carol teased, smacking on a piece of pink gum. Tommy's arm was thrown over her shoulder, fingertips brushing the top of her right breast. "Hey, shut it," Steve snapped, literally snapping his fingers at the two. "You good, Tate?" Her blue eyes finally made contact with his hazel ones, her breath catching in her throat. "Y–Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

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                     DUSTIN SPRAWLED out across Ophelia's bed, reciting everything that had gone on that day. It was beginning to get dark when the two began to leave. "As much as I don't like this Hopper character, he is right, Dust," she told the young boy, opening the front door. "How could– Who are you anymore?" His eyebrows were furrowed in a frown as he stepped out of the house. "Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Tate! Thanks for dinner!" Her parents bid Dustin a quick farewell before the blonde shut the door. "Ever since yesterday when Lucas said—" She covered his mouth, glaring harshly at him. "Stop while you're ahead.." She tried not to look, but she couldn't stop her eyes from wandering over to Steve's house. Her heart sunk when she saw his car missing. "I'm just saying. You deserve a man, not a boy– douche thing." His words cracked a smile across her face as the two moved toward their bikes. "Why do I need a man when I have my best friend. You." A blush crept along his neck, the dark shielding it from exposure. She pinched his cheek playfully, earning a scowl.

                     "Ophelia! Dustin!" Lucas shouted, alerting the two cycling out of her driveway. He had been pedaling faster than ever before, beads of sweat building across his forehead. "Lucas–" She was cut off when the boy stopped his bike, panting dramatically. "We're going..." breath, ".. to look for.." breath, "..Will." Ophelia's eyebrows pulled down at his sentence. "Who?" she questioned, her hands planting on her hips. "Oh, here we go," Dustin grumbled, slapping his palm against his face. "No, you are going back home. It's dark and it's dangerous," she spoke sternly. Lucas grimaced. "No offense, 'Phelia. Normally your technique would have worked, but Will is our friend. And nobody is doing anything." The blonde looked taken aback. "We want you to help us. Please." Ophelia groaned, pushing onto the pedals. "Come on. Before I change my mind." The two boys pedaled behind her, and followed her all the way to the woods near Will's house.

"I assume you're the ringleader in this," Ophelia hummed, looking at Mike Wheeler, his skin burning pink. "Shut up," he mumbled, dismounting his bike. The three remaining parties did the same, following him. "Why are we stopping?" Lucas asked, following Mike's eye sight. A long strip of police tape stared right back at them menacingly. "Shit," she whispered. Everyone's stomachs dropped, lurching. Will was missing. Reality dawned on the four, trapping them in their place almost completely paralyzed. A huge clap of thunder sounded overhead, startling the kids and their teenage friend. Ophelia let out a small yelp, instantly regretting letting Lucas talk her into this. The four glanced up at the sky just as a sheet of lightning cracked, illuminating the sky. A plop of water fell onto Dustin's face, his lips falling into a pout. "Oh, man. You guys feel that?" he inquired just as the drops sped up. It stuck his palm, one landing in Ophelia's eye. "I regret this," she made known, rubbing her eye. "This is insane—"

Mike's glare shut the sixteen year old right up, her lips pressing firmly together. "She's kind of right, Mike. Maybe we should go back," Dustin spoke. Yet, Mike wasn't listening. He pulled out a walkie talkie, holding it out to Dustin. "No splitting up or anything stupid like that, but stay on channel six. Just in case," he directed. Lucas, Dustin, and Ophelia stared at the Wheeler boy as he started walking forward. Lucas was the first to follow, ducking under the police tape with ease. Dustin and Ophelia shared a look before a loud crash of thunder scared the absolute crap out of the both of them. They ran after the two, ducking under the tape. "Hey, guys! WAIT UP!" Dustin hollered, leaves crunching underneath his tennis shoes. Ophelia was on the lookout, her eyes darting from every corner of her surroundings. "Dustin," she whispered, only for no answer to come. The blonde looked forward, noticing she was alone. "Shit!" she grunted, slapping her palm against her face. She held another walkie talkie, holding it close to her chest.

                     Suck it up, Tate. You're looking for Will, she thought, clearing her throat. It didn't take her long to find the kids, not with all the yelling. "Will!" she chorused, moving under a low branch. "Will, you there!?" The rain began to pummel the four, soaking their hair and clothes. Ophelia's board straight hair stuck to her face uncomfortably. She was trembling from the cool winds. "Will!" she shouted, her teeth chattering. The thunder above them stomped overhead like a giant living amongst the clouds. The kids were shaking, calling out Will's name only to get no answer. She was beginning to fear the worst, something she never wanted to believe in her whole life. But she continued to call him, praying he would come out and reunite with the four. The flashlights barely penetrated the darkness, each member pointing them in different directions. "Will!! WILL?" Mike shouted, totally encased in his emotions. "Byers!?" Lucas tried next, his eyebrows fallen. "I've got you "X-MEN!" One-Thirty-Four!" Dustin finished off. Ophelia ran her fingers through her hair, slicking her heavy locks back. Silence trapped them, the only audible sound being Dustin's heavy breathing.

"Guys, I really think we should turn back --" Lucas scoffed at Dustin, his eyes narrowed into a glare. "Seriously, Dustin, if you want to be a baby, just go home already," he spat. The sixteen year old grabbed Lucas by his shoulders. "Hey, now. I know emotion levels are high, but—" Dustin spoke up, discontinuing Ophelia's sentence, "I'm just being realistic, Lucas," he countered. From beside the blonde, Lucas responded, "No, you're being a sissy." — "You ever think Will went missing because, you know, he ran into someone bad? And now we're going to the place where he was last seen, and we don't even have weapons or anything --" Dustin's words sent a sharp jab into Ophelia's stomach. "– Dustin, shut up," Mike muttered. "I'm just sayin', does that seem smart to you?!" Mike screwed his eyes shut. "Shut up!" he shouted, silencing Dustin immediately. He wasn't angry, or in full Hulk mode. He was listening, really intensely. "You guys hear that?" he asked in a whisper. The remaining three all leaned forward toward Mike, trying their best to listen. The foliage in front of them rustled. Ophelia tensed, pulling each boy behind her protectively. From behind her, within their protective circle, Mike began swinging his flashlight around the darkness surrounding them.

"We need to go," the blonde stated sternly, grabbing Mike's wrist. Just as she did, a shadowed figure darted from behind them. Their gasps echoed together as they whirled around. Mike's flashlight landed on the figure, exposing a girl not much younger — or older — than they were. Her head was cleanly shaved into a buzzcut, her body adorning a Benny's Burgers t-shirt that was much too big for her. The girl's stare was locked on Mike, her mouth agape in shock. "Guys, we've got to—" Ophelia was cut off by the sound of the thunder thumping above her. "Okay, come on, sweetie." She ushered the boys together, advancing on the girl. The young girl flinched, alerting Ophelia that she was moving to hastily. "I'm not going to hurt you. Let's just get you out of the rain, okay?"

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Word Count; 2573