❝ in the seventeen years i've been on this earth, i've never met anyone as f#@!%^g stupid as you. ❞
in which two kids on the opposite sides of the social spectrum find solace in one another during a strange period of time.
ESTELLA COLLINS STAND ALON...
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CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX ; ATTITUDE also known as; ( vecna's curse; part one)
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THE FIRST THING STELLA COLLINS DID IN THE MORNING WAS CALL WILL BYERS AND WISH HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. She had woken up groggy from the exhaustion of the trip home, her body weighed down in her mattress, and her eyes slightly puffy. She had pulled herself out of bed and shuffled into the kitchen, muttering a 'good morning' to her mother, who told her that it was almost eleven o'clock (Stella reminded her that it was still technically the morning).
If it was eleven in Hawkins, it was only a few hours earlier in California, something Stella was thankful for, as she'd rather not wake up the household with her phone call. She tapped in the phone number and listened to the line ring, before the person on the other end picked up. "Hello?"
"Happy birthday!" Stella mustered all the energy she could into yelling through the headset. She heard a laugh ring in her ear, and a call out to someone else in the house.
"Hey, Star!"Will's voice still contained its softness, even over the phone. He had clearly just woken up as there was a slight rasp to his words, but his excitement was evident. "Thank you. You know, you've never forgotten a single one."
"How could forget the birthday of Will the Wise?" she scoffed, her voice teasing. The phone pulled away from the wall, the curled wire following her back into the kitchen where she began to raid the pantry. Her mother sent her a disapproving look as she opened a new packet of chocolate cookies, but with one cheeky smile, all seemed to be forgiven. She shoved one in her mouth and continued talking. "So, what's on the agenda today?"
"We're picking Mike up from the airport later, and then we're taking him to the roller rink," he said. "El and I go all the time - it reminds us of you."
Stella couldn't hide her smile. Despite his moving halfway across the country, he had never stopped being an utter sweetheart. The move seemed to have been good for him, as Hawkins had brought him nothing but horror and despair. He was one person Stella knew deserved the world and more, and despite not having seen him in a while, it brought her comfort to know he was safe, and he was coping.
The two spoke for almost half an hour before they were kicked off by their respective parents, who complained about the running phone bill. Joyce had said a very sweet greeting, as had El. Stella wished Will a happy birthday one more time, before she placed the phone back on the receiver, ending the call.
Then, through the window, she saw Mike Wheeler.
★☆
Stella managed to catch Mike just as he was loading his suitcase into his mother's car. He had grown significantly since she'd last seen him, his limbs gangly and his hair hanging just above his shoulders. At this specific moment in time, he was also wearing an interesting ensemble that he must have deemed appropriate for his trip to California. Will had mentioned his excitement in his most recent letter. "Mike!"
