𝚊𝚋𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 ➪ 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚢𝚎𝚛𝚜

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Oɴᴇ

𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎
╔═══════════════╗
𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚔𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍
╚═══════════════╝

When science class started, the only thing Genie could focus on was Will's empty seat. It seemed to taunt her. 'Where's you're friend, huh?'

The anxiety was filling her with dread. Will never missed school—not if he could help it.

Suddenly, a wave of excited, bored, annoyed, and tired emotions ran through her.  It was like her body was trying to find something other than the Will to focus on.  Whatever this weird sensation was, it was only making Genie panic more.

Then it was gone. All of it, gone in the blink of an eye. She couldn't figure out what just happened. Her heart was thumping so hard she thought the whole class would be able to hear it.

"Genie?" Lucas's voice snapped her out of her thoughts—or emotions, "You good?"

The rest of the class had left and the only people in the room were the three boys and Mr Clarke.

"Huh? Um, yeah—yeah I'm fine." She said quietly, shoving her books in her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

Mr Clarke was leading the kids into the AV club room where the new Heathkit Ham Shack surely awaited them. The group had been waiting for the Heathkit for weeks so this was an exciting day for them.

Mike fiddled impatiently with Mr Clarke's keys and swung the door open.

The group ran in and crowded around the machine. It sat on a table, shining in all it's glory. There was one long microphone sprouting from the top. Below the mic was a shit ton of buttons and knobs, most of which would probably never be pressed.

"Woah." Mike breathed, lightly twisting the knobs.  Genie leaned through the spaces between the boys and watched as they admired the Heathkit.

"Ain't she a beaut?" Mr Clarke smiled proudly.

"I bet you could talk to New York on this thing." Dustin said excitedly.

"Think bigger." Mr Clarke said.

"California?" Lucas turned to ask his teacher who shook his head, a smile on his face.

"Bigger."

"Antartica!" Genie exclaimed. The group looked at her oddly and she shrugged, "or not, whatever."

"Australia?" Mike asked, ignoring Genie's comment.

Mr Clarke nodded and the five kids gasped.

"No way!" Genie gushed.

"Oh man, when Will sees this he's gonna blow his shit!" Lucas enthused excitedly.

"Lucas." Mr Clarke looked at the boy with a stern expression.

"Sorry." Lucas mumbled and Genie suppressed a chuckle.

Genie took the headphones and placed them on her head while Mike turned the knobs curiously.  "'Ello, this is Mike Wheeler, president of the Hawkins Middle AV Club." Mike leaned into the mic and said in a fake Australian accent.