͏b͏r͏o͏k͏e͏n || ͏b͏i͏l͏l͏y ͏h͏a͏r͏g͏r͏o͏v͏e

N I N E

𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍

The end of the day finally rolled around, and I was more than ready to leave this godforsaken school behind—at least until Monday. I had just reached the front doors when I heard someone panting behind me.

"Ana!" Mike Wheeler came barreling up like he'd just run a mile in three minutes.

I raised a brow. "This better be good, Mike. I've had the worst day." My voice was dry, borderline hostile.

He didn't flinch. "I need quarters. I have to call the Byers' house. I'll pay you back later, I swear." He looked like he was about to explode from the urgency alone.

I sighed, pulled out my wallet, and slapped some change into his hand. "Is something wrong with Will? Tommy H said Jonathan and Nancy skipped again. Is everything okay?"

Mike shook his head, clearly overwhelmed. "Quit asking so many questions! I'll explain later—just come with me!" And just like that, he took off.

I followed him, worry gnawing at my chest like a parasite. At the payphone, Mike shoved the quarters in and waited as the phone rang. But it went straight to voicemail.

"Hey, you've reached the Byers. We're sorry—" Click.

"Nothing?" I asked, my voice a little tighter now.

"Nothing," he muttered. "Will's getting worse. And don't tell anyone I told you this, but on Halloween night, he saw something. Like... a shadow in the sky."

My heart skipped a beat. "A shadow monster?" I whispered, glancing around as if something might leap out from behind a bush.

"I don't know what it was," Mike admitted. "But it scared him. Bad."

"Who else knows about this?"

He looked over at me, serious. "Just you and me."

We headed back to the steps where Max, Lucas, and Dustin were waiting. Mike's eyes locked on them.

"You need to tell them," I whispered.

He gave a quick nod. "Anything?" Lucas asked as we approached.

Mike's voice dropped. "We need to talk. AV room. Right now."

Everyone stood up like soldiers. Mike turned to Max and delivered a gut punch. "Party members only."

"Come on, Mike—" I started, ready to go full big-sister mode.

"No! This is non-negotiable!" he snapped before stomping inside like a madman. Dustin and Lucas exchanged guilty looks before following.

Max sat back down, arms crossed, scowling. "Do they always act like this when a girl shows up?"

I sighed and dropped beside her. "You're the first girl friend they've ever had. Cut 'em some slack."

"What about El?" she asked, brow raised.

My stomach twisted. "You know about El?"

She nodded. "They didn't say much. Just that she moved."

"It's complicated," I said carefully. "El was... different. She had her own set of issues."

"Yeah, well, I've got plenty of those," Max snorted.

I laughed awkwardly. "Noticed. Wow. That sounded awful."

Max elbowed me, grinning. "I like you, Ana."

"Right back at you. You're definitely the more chill Hargrove."