[CURRENTLY EDITING] 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 ➪ 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝟎𝟎𝟑. 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲

     ALL FOUR KIDS HUDDLE around the wooden, cleared out D&D table. "And that will give us at least a few hours for Operation Mirkwood." Mike finished with their plan.
     "You seriously think that the weirdo knows where Will is?" Lucas asked skeptically.
     "Just trust me on this, okay." Mike pleaded. "Did you get the supplies?" Mike asked eagerly. Lucas dumped out binoculars, army knife, hammer, camouflage, bandana and his so-called wrist rocket out of his old, worn-out backpack.
     "Your gonna take out the Demogorgon with a slingshot?" Dustin asked Lucas with doubt.
     "First of all: it's a wrist rocket. And second of all: the demogorgon's not real! It's made up. But if there is something out there I'm gonna shoot it in the eye!" Lucas stated while using his slingshot and aiming it at Dustin before shooting he wrist rocket with nothing in it, causing the curly-head boy to flinch. "And blind it!" Lucas finished. Veronica sighed and slammed her pocket knife on the table.
     "This is all I got. I stole it from my dad but this is all I could find. If I stole a knife from my brother, he would definitely notice and I don't want want him knowing what's going on." Veronica explained, not wanting to seem like she's bringing nothing to their journey.
     "At least you tried." Dustin reassured. The two shared a smile and stared at each other for a minute.
     "Dustin, what did you get?" Mike asked. All Dustin brought was food. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a lot of food.
     "Seriously?" Veronica exclaimed.
     "We need energy for our travels, for stamina! And besides, why do we need weapons anyway? We have her." Dustin says pointing to El. The party turns their disgusted faces to El.
     "She shut one door!" Lucas shouted, still not impressed by the physic girl.
     "With her mind!" Dustin argued. "Are you kidding me that's insane!"
     Veronica threw herself onto the couch and groaned with annoyance. She peeked from her thick brown locks to lock eyes with the very confused Eleven.
     "Mad?" El whispered, crawling to Veronica's side cautiously.
     "No, it's just the boys are being stupid." Veronica chuckled, slowly getting up.
     "Stupid?"
     "I'll tell you later. I'm Veronica by the way." Veronica greeted which made El smile.
     "Ve..." El struggled for words. "Veronica..." El mumbled in astonishment. The Harrington girl smiled, knowing how excited El became when she got her name right. Dustin went over to get Mike's Star Wars Death Star toy and told them that El could make it fly. Dustin held the toy in front of her and told El to concentrate. Dustin dropped it, expecting it the Death Star to fly with El's powers; it just fell. He did it again, same thing happened. Veronica looked to him, thinking how utterly stupid this is. Veronica quickly got up and snatched the toy from his hand and tossed it to Mike.
"She's not a dog, Dustin." Veronica stated, looking to Mike who stared at Veronica, offended that Veronica could toss such a precious toy. Dustin quietly apologized before Mrs. Wheeler called the kids up to go to school. They would be done talking with El, for now.

___________

Recess came around and they spent it looking for rocks for Lucas's wrist rocket as he calls it. "How about this one?" Dustin asks, showing it to Veronica. The girl checked it out, then looked to Lucas's wrist rocket. Her eyebrows narrowed and frowned.
"Sorry, Dusty. Too big." Dustin half smiled.
"Sorry." Dustin frowned. Veronica's eyes widened before she shoved him a tad.
"Stop apologizing, man! It's all okay." She smiles, putting her hands on his shoulders. Dustin turns bright red; she let go and kept looking for rocks while Dustin admired her. He never found any girl attractive ever. Only her. Dustin's blue eyes were only drawn to the smart girl with an attitude that he's always known and most definitely loved.
"Do do you think Eleven was born with her powers like X-Men or do you think she acquired them like Green lantern?" Mike asked. Before anyone could reply, Lucas chimed in.
"Shes not a superhero she's a weirdo." Lucas hissed.
"What does that matter? The X-Men are weirdos." Mike stated.
"If you love her so much why don't you marry her?" Lucas said in defense, watching Mikes eyes widened as his stomach sunk.
"What?" Mike asked in confusion. Lucas starts making fun of Mike, going on his knees and pretends it's Mike proposing to Eleven. "Shut up Lucas" Mike yelled in anger, trying to get Lucas off of his knees.
"Yeah shut up, Lucas!" Troy belted. Veronica gripped her navy blue skirt, looking to her friends who's eyes dialed back in fear. "What are you losers doing back here?" Troy asks.
"Probably looking for their missing friend." Tory's friend, James joked.
"That's not funny." Dustin barked. He took Veronica's hand, untangling her fist and brought his hand into hers. "It's serious he's in danger." Dustin states.
"I hate to break to you toothless, but he's not in danger, he's dead. That's what my dad says."
At that point, Veronica had enough of Troy. "Troy, you're such a douchebag—"
"Shut up!" Troy yells at the angry Harrington, keeping her silent for a moment. As anger gripped her with an iron fist, her mouth began moving faster than her brain as she begins to brew close to a million insults for Troy. Just as was about to fire back, Dustin held her back. "He said he was probably killed by some other queer." Troy says while snickering which soon turned into a laugh. Mike starts to walk away, trying his best to avoid a fight. It would've worked if Troy hadn't tripped the Wheeler, who hits his chin on a rock.
"Watch where your going, frogface." Troy and James walk away. Veronica and the boys rush toward them. While the boys help Mike up, Veronica begins cursing at the two bully's, incredibly loudly.
"Do you want to get in trouble?" Mike yelled. Veronica exhaled.
"No." Veronica huffed, helping the boys pick Mike up. She began wiping off the dirt from his clothes. Veronica wipes the dirt from the Wheeler boy's chin, looking to him. Mike's brown, tired eyes lock with hers. "But if they mess with you again, I will be taking matters into my own hands."

___________

The kids met up with El at exactly 3:15 on their bikes. "Hop on! We only have a few hours!" Veronica yelled to Eleven. She hopped on Mike's bike and they were off to complete Operation Mirkwood. After a very long bike ride and an even longer walk from there, Veronica and the party made it to where El lead them. Except this is a place the party knew very well: it was just the Byers house. "Yeah, this is where Will lives." Mike explained to El in worried tone. All Eleven could give in reply was that the Byers boy was just...hiding?
"No, no this is where Will lives," Veronica explained to Eleven again, repeating what Mike had said. "he's missing from here." Veronica looked at Dustin for guidance but he had nothing. He himself was scared and confused; mostly agitated for the mist part.
"What are we doing here?" Lucas asked very out of breath.
"She said he's hiding here." Mike replied to the boys.
"Um, no!" Lucas yelled in annoyance.
"I swear if we walked all the the way here for nothing!" Dustin began, starting to progressively yell.
"That's exactly what we did! I told you she didn't know what the hell she was talking about!" Lucas yelled in anger.
Veronica, having the strongest feeling Eleven had to be trying to say something, turned around to talk to El. "Why did you bring us here?" The girl stammers for something to say something but Lucas interrupts.
"Ronnie, don't waste your time with her."
"What do you wanna do then, Lucas?" Mike asked aggressively, trying his best to defend Eleven.
"Call the cops like we should've done yesterday!"
"We are not calling the cops." Mike yells to Lucas. Soon enough, Veronica, Lucas and Mike were all at each others necks arguing.
"Hey guys?" Dustin interrupted tried to speak, to no avail. "Guys!" Dustin hollered, now gaining the attention of all of the party. All five kids turned around to see and hear sirens and police cars. They all collectively shared a look, all knowing what this could be about. All of the kids, without speaking, immediately hop onto their bikes and dash at the speed of light to catch up with the cop cars and ambulances.

___________

The kids panted, looking to the lake behind a fire-truck. Out of the lake came a small, feeble body out of the deep dark water...it's Will's. But it couldn't be, was it? But Eleven, Will? It couldn't be! "It's not Will...it cant be.." Veronica mumbles, her stomach sinking into the dirt.
"It's Will. It's really Will." Lucas whimpered, confirming Veronica's mutters. Those words alone made Veronica break down, making her unable to speak as the big lump in her throat stopped her from speaking.
"Mike—" Eleven whispers.
"Mike? Mike what? You were supposed to help us find him alive!" Mike boomed.
"You said he was alive why did you lie to us?" Veronica yelled to El in a blind anger, her voice now giving up on her. This was the first time the party had ever seen her cry.
"What is wrong with you! What is wrong with you!" Mike screamed to El, also incredibly angry.
"Ver..Veronica?" El whimpered weakly one last time.
"What!?" Mike yelled, speaking for the crying girl. With that, Mike left. Lucas tried to convince him to stay but Mike didn't listen. Dustin on the other hand had stayed silent, hearing quiet whimpering from behind him. Dustin and Lucas looked at each other in confusion, then turned behind the, to see Veronica with cold tears streaming down her face.
"Oh...no, no. Ronnie. Don't cry." Dustin began, his voice now starting to crack; more than usual.
"Please?" Lucas begged. Veronica's glassy eyes turned to the boys. She threw her body into both of the boys, her tears staining their jackets. The boys began to cry too. Dustin distracted himself by bringing some hair behind the girl's ears. He held her head as she cried. Lucas squeezed the girl tightly, unable to think of anything but Will. Who couldn't?

___________

Dustin brought Veronica home that night. "It's all gonna be okay, okay?" Dustin reassured, stroking her hair repeatedly, trying to calm her down. "Just wait until tomorrow. I promise you, it's all gonna be okay....I swear." A silence grew, the only sound echoing into the night was whimpers from the girl who tried to stop crying. Then she pulled the despaired Henderson into one last hug.
"God, I love you Dustin." He sighed and smiled. A tear ran down his face.
"I love you too." Dustin nodded into her shoulder, watching as she weakly waved to him before walking to the door.
     Inside of the Harrington house was Steve who bit his nails watching the TV in horror. "Twelve-year-old William Byers is found..." The teen turned his attention to the door of his home closing; Steve knew exactly who it was and exactly how she would feel. Steve took a deep breath in, dreading to see her sad face.
     "Veronica?" Steve winced; her teary eyes and saddened expression was even worse than he had thought.
    "Will..." Veronica whimpered, unable to form words. Steve stood there for a moment, not knowing what to. His first instinct that he followed was going down on his knees and grabbed her. He held her as tight as he could as Veronica sobbed into Steve's shoulder. Steve's shoulder's tensed, unable to form words either. He's never felt so sad for anyone before. Veronica thought about Will. His smile, his kindness, every time he invited her over for sleepovers with Joyce. But he's gone now. And nothing will be the same. Ever.
     Steve began to stroke Veronica's puffy hair, pulling her closer. "Shh...it's all gonna be okay, all okay."