Bad News

questions

My hand danced through the gushy air, that raced by due to the speed of the car. My fingers tapped against the flickering air, putting me in a daze.

"What happened back there?" A gruff voice asked from the drivers side. I looked to see hopper taking a quick firm glance at me, as to not crash the car. A lump grew in my throat at the thought of telling him.

He won't believe you, no one will believe you. He'll think you're psycho, like the others.

"...N-nothing" the girl mumbled, almost above a whisper. It was so quiet that she was surprised he even heard it over the rumbling of the motor vehicle. His eyes pierced into the side of her face, causing her figure to cower under his glare.

"He's in our holding a lot" he kept his eyes on the road "does that happen often? him being physical with you?" he carried on, feeling her figure tense up at the question.

"I- no, he doesn't" she avoided eye contact, fumbling with her fingers uncomfortably. He could tell she wasn't telling the whole truth, but he didn't want to pry into her to hard, in fear of scaring her into silence so he thought of ways he could get the truth out of her.

"We-we can protect you" he bluntly spoke, holding her sight for a few seconds, catching a glimmer of uncertainty "if that's what your worried about" he explained, if she bottled any confusion.

The girl nodded, uncertainly with trusting people. The rest of the way to the mystery destination, they seemed to soak in the silence. The girl got lost in her own mind, chin held by the palm of her hand, catching long gazes at the forest and natural life that passed in a flash.

Her chest throbbed with a burning clenched sensation, at the thought of what her uncle could do to her when he got her back in his hands, or if his friends caught her in public. Her body grew cold and shuddered "uh, y/n, are you ok over there?" The mans voice sounded on edge. The girl was half listening at this point, multiple instances of something going wrong playing in her mind.

A nudge to her shoulder broke her from her toxic thoughts "Uhm, ye-yea, sorry, why?" An electric shock shot through her body, coming back into reality. He sent her a side ways glance as if she should know what he was talking about "you, uh zoned out then it felt like it dropped to below negative degrees" he started.

"You radiated this misty frost off your body" he finished and that's when i noticed the wet feeling in my palm. I looked over at my window and saw frost crawling up the glass shield in an array of decorative snowflakes, it was the middle of June, so I raised my eyebrows high.

The frost that was on the door and its handle melted faster than that on the window, which explained the wetness on my hand. I scowled at the odd weather change and realized it must've been me, but how? And why so sudden without me knowing?

"It's back to normal but I thought you would know what's going on, ya' know with your powers and all" he smirked jokingly. I nodded slowly before looking at my lap "I honestly couldn't tell you how I did it" I mumbled, but he caught what I said.

"I don't even remember what you said happened in the woods, and if I hurt that man" I looked up into his eyes, mine nearly spilling over with tears of guilt and having the power to hurt innocent people "then I apologize greatly" I pressed my hand flat against my chest.

His eyes seemed to soften at my sappy feelings "hey" he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder "don't beat yourself up about it, you didn't mean it and Callahan said he knows you didn't mean any real harm" he gave my shoulder a light squeeze, which caused me to jump slightly, remember the way I was squeezed by my uncle.

I gave a short smile and shuffled out of his grip, but not to fast to seem unappreciative. I really do appreciate what Hopper has done for me, I mean, he could've shot me in the forest and told the towns people that I was a grave danger to the people here and that I was taken care of for the better part of society.

But, he didn't. He trusted me and didn't push me into doing anything I didn't want to, letting me soak up the feeling of safety I now felt with him. Even if the memories of that night plagued my mind and decimated my body, I felt safe around him.

I felt all these heart swelling feelings, but that all seemed to deflate when he pulled up at our long awaited, and frankly dreadful arrival to our destination. All the thought of trusting Hopper seemed to dim in an already dark abyss of hopes and broken trust that people left me behind in, to pick at the shambles, to piece myself together.

Only to be broken again.

He opened his door and slowly got out of the car, looking back at me, waiting for me to step out as well. He has to know I theorized he has to of known what happened at this house, El had to of told him at some point, eager to spill the juicy information she held.

He locked eyes with me and I could tell in his hickory brown eyes, that he would sincerely protect me. My hands fumbled with the door handle in nervousness. I had to stop myself and take a breath, successfully opening the door. I chewed at my bottom lip in anticipation.

Hopper guided me to the front door of the house, I gripped onto his clothed wrist, taking a deep breath in through my nostrils and out through my lips. He pressed his large thumb against the doorbell button.

The sound of the jingled bell could be heard inside the house. You hear the poised steps approaching the large wooden door. It opened and on the other side stood a widely smiling woman with blonde curly hair, pinned back.

"Oh, hello Hopper" she greeted. Her light tinge of an accent seeped through her lips at the 'southern hospitality'. Hopper flashed a tight lip smile, tipping his beige hat, before taking it off in respect.

"Hello, Mrs. Wheeler"