Stay or Go

Chapter 19

I am having the same recurring nightmare since the events with Hawkins Lab. Sometimes I wake up screaming and I have to tell my mum that I saw a spider or something, mostly so she doesn't think it has anything to do with why I disappear all of the time. I do it so I can have some time to train, practice everything I learnt while at the Academy. I can't let myself be as unprepared as I was last winter, with both Richard and with the monsters that are in fact very real. That paired with my lack of sleep has been setting me on edge worse than normal.

"Son of a bitch!" My brother curses as he upturns the pillows on the sofas "son of a bitch!" I lean against the doorway and admiring my plain nails. He races into the main living room and I call out casually "another 5 minutes Dustin then you can find you're own way to the arcade." I am his ride, since everything with the upside down I have been hesitant to let him go anywhere alone. The deal is that I drive him to places and he rides home on his bike with his friends.

A few seconds later he reappears, sounding slightly out of breath he says "lets go then." I smirk and lead the way out to my new car. I sold my bike and bought a car so it would be easier to travel with other people, not everyone being fans of motorcycles.

I pull up at the arcade with my windows down, Mike and Lucas are already there. I unlock the car doors "have a good time." I say friendly and Dustin nods, scrambling to get out of the car. I frown and lock the doors again "hey!" I say "what's the matter." I can feel his friend's eyes on us but I ignore them. Dustin practically falls out of the car making me laugh.

Waving at my brother, I pull out of my parking space I head down the street back home. On the way a car goes speeding past me, catching me off guard. Loud music is playing from the car as I pull up next it at a red light I turn my head and see the person who is driving the car. He is a guy a year or two older than me, fluffy blonde hair framing his face perfectly. His head turns, his mouth turning into a smile as he chews on a toothpick. I ignore how hot my face feels when he gazes at me and turn my attention back to the traffic lights.

The boy honks his horn and I look over at him again "hey gorgeous." He says flashing a smile I am sure gets him in a lot of trouble. I give him a smile back before pressing on the gas pedal and racing off in front of him.

-

It's Halloween tomorrow which means its getting colder. I wrap my cardigan that Steve got me for Christmas last year around my body as I walk down into school. A car roars as it speeds into the parking lot, I watch as the guy from yesterday, who I know notice has California plates on, climbs out of the car. A red haired girl who looks around my brothers age climbs out the passenger side.

I roll my eyes at the dramatics of it before taking out a cigarette from the packet and move to dig around for my lighter. "Want mine?" A voice asks from beside me, I look up and see the boy offering me his lighter. I hesitate at first before taking it and lighting my smoke. "Thanks." I say after taking a drag, the boy runs a hand through his hair and leans against the wall behind us "I'm Billy." He introduces himself, I blow out a puff of smoke not particularly caring if any gets in his face "Lorelei." He raises his eyebrows.

"That's a unique name, gorgeous." He says tilting his head and taking a drag of his own cigarette. I shrug and shuffle my feet across the concrete floor "my parents were all about uniqueness when they were naming me and my brother." I muse. Billy finishes his smoke and drops it on the ground, quenching it under his boot "you couldn't show me where the office is could you sweetheart?" He asks softly and I sigh. I copy his action with my cigarette before motioning with my hand "follow me then new kid."

That makes him smirk but he does follow after me. As we walk past a group of girls, one of them being Carol I hear one of them ask "who is that?" They obviously mean Billy. Another, the one in the pink jacket replies "I have no idea. But would you check out that ass?" Billy is now standing beside me and as subtly as I can I check out his ass. He has a nice one I will give him that.

-

Tina, the girl with the pink jacket from earlier, is handing out flyers after class for the halloween party. "Hey Nancy." She greets as my friends and I leave the classroom, she of course completely ignores Jonathan and I but neither of us are particularly bothered by it. Nancy turns back to the girl and asks "could I get one more?" Tina hands her another one and Nancy races to come over to us. She shoves the flyer towards me and practically demands "you're coming to this." I look down at the orange paper before handing it to Jonathan.

"Come and get sheet faced." Jonathan reads skeptically from the paper "no I am not." I roll my eyes and nudge him gently with my shoulder. "I can't let you sit alone on Halloween." I insist "that's just not acceptable." Jonathan copies my eye roll with almost as much sass as I gave him. He shrugs "well, you can both relax. I'm not going to be alone." I raise an eyebrow "I'm going trick-or-treating with Will." Nancy gives him a look, clutching her binders close to her chest. "All night?" She asks skeptically and Jonathan nods, tucking one hand into his pants pockets "yeah." He answers. Nancy shakes her head "no, no way. You're gonna be home by 8:00, listening to the Talking Heads and reading Vonnegut or something."

Jonathan and I both laugh "she's got you there Johnny." I say and he smiles innocently, throwing about the flyer in his hand "sounds like a nice night." We stop at Nancy's locker and I cross my arms "Jonathan, just come." I say "I mean, who knows, you might even, like, meet someone." Because despite everything that happened last year Nancy and Steve are still together and Jonathan is still pining after the eldest Wheeler. Nancy opens her locker, and as though I have just summoned him out of thin air just from my thoughts. Steve appears, wraps him arms around his girlfriend and picks her up, making her squeal with surprise.

He lets go of her and she spins around to face him "oh my God!" Nancy says "take those stupid things off." By stupid things she means sunglasses and they are pretty stupid. For one he is inside and two it is October, no where near hot. "I missed you." Steve says taking off the glasses, Nancy lets out a noise and points out "it's only been an hour." I watch as he tucks Nancy's hair behind her ear "tell me about it." he says gently before they start to kiss.

Jonathan and I take that as our cue to leave. As we wander down the hall to our next class he nudges my shoulder making me look up at him.

"You coming over for movie night tonight?" He asks casually, I tilt my head and drum my fingers on my chin softly "I don't know, I might just leave you to suffer on your own." Jonathan Byers groans, throwing his head back in frustration "fine I'll come to the stupid party. Now will you come for movie night?" I stop at my class room and turn to face him.

I raise my hand and pat him on the cheek "that's all I wanted Byers." I say before slipping into the room.