DYNAMITE ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [2]

ONE

JASPER THUMBED THE LETTER IN HER hand gently, a quiet smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she felt the indentations of handwriting beneath her finger pads. El and Jasper had been writing each other letters ever since the brunette had shuttled away to the sunny slopes of California. Waiting for the same colorful envelope in the mail, stickers and doodles bordering the edges of lined paper, was probably one of her favorite activities.

She rested the newest letter from her sister tentatively on the desk, moving to pick up her polished response letter. Blue eyes swam across the page, absorbing each word and contemplating their effectiveness.

Dear El,

I'm sorry to hear things aren't getting better with Angela and her friends. If I was there I'd tell them to fuck off and probably toss a drink at one of those boys. Just don't let them get to you too badly. You've always been one of the best people I know. And I miss you everyday.

I'm sorry I can't come to California for spring break. Money has been especially tight now that Ruby's got an extra mouth to feed. Nothing new to report there, by the way. I wish she'd never come back, my mom. But I'll spare you the details this time. I'll just piss myself off.

Anyway, I think about you, Will, Jonathan and Joyce up there, stuck by yourselves. Hopper used to say Hawkins was everyone's home, that he couldn't imagine anybody leaving. I know you miss him, just like me, but I'm really happy you picked him for your hero project. He would've loved that. He's my hero too, by the way. Looks like we've got great taste.

The boys are doing good! Lucas is still playing basketball, I'm just really hoping they put him in a game soon. Mike and Dustin are totally obsessed with their new D&D club, Hellfire. Max is...well, she's Max. I'm sure she's told you about it if she's still answering your letters. We're all doing the best we can here, trying to keep it as normal as possible. Even if they never really can be.

But me and Dustin? Never been happier. He's still the same dork he's always been.

Missing you everyday, sister. I hope I can see you again soon.

Love,
Jas

Jasper reclined in her chair with a huff of satisfaction, tossing the note back on the wooden surface before glancing at herself in the nearby mirror. She frowned, tracing the strawberry hue that had begun to singe her roots again, reminding herself to buy more bleach soon.

The kitchen was simmering with the odor of breakfast and cooking noises that swayed Jasper with a small sense of peace, shoveling toast into her dry mouth. "Hey," she called to Ruby in a muffled tone, bread still lodged in between her lips. "Where'd you move the envelopes?"

"Junk drawer," the older Marrow sister replied without a glance over her shoulder, dark eyes gleaming at the eggs crackling in the frying pan. "Another letter to El? You're gonna drain our stamps."

"I'll pick up some more," Jasper offered, finally slipping the half-eaten toast between greasy fingers before fishing inside the junk drawer for a tan envelope. Her body froze, eyes trailing past the kitchen to the ominous guest bedroom door that glared white in the morning sunlight. Closed and locked, like always. She swallowed a chunk of toast harshly, throat bobbing uncomfortably. "Nothing new with that, huh?"

"Nope," Ruby replied, popping the 'p' as she shoveled eggs and bacon onto a plate. "Want some of this?"

"Nah," Jasper scooped her backpack from the floor underneath the counter, tossing it recklessly over a shoulder. "Gotta leave now if I want to stop by the post office before," she mumbled, focused on scribbling her and El's addresses on the envelope before slipping the letter inside.