What Are You Hiding? | Henry Creel / Peter Ballard / 001

Part 14 - Female Manipulator

Third-person POV

"I don't know," Dustin mutters as he nervously paces in front of the three teens sitting against the wall.  "They're taking too long.  What if they're dead?"

"I'm sure they're fine," Lucas assures him tiredly.

"No.  Something's off," Dustin insists.  "I mean, what the hell are we supposed to do if they're dead?  Hopper didn't make a backup plan.  He just said 'alright, let's go into a different dimension where there's a Demogorgon trying to eat us and leave four middle-schoolers behind without a hint of a plan.'  I'm starting to freak out here!"

"We can tell," Lucas mutters.

Mike sighs defeatedly.  "Guys, where the hell is Jules?  It shouldn't take this long to bandage cuts."

"Well..." Dustin starts, quickly picking up his mischievous demeanor.  "It does if you get a little distracted."  He quickly wraps his arms around himself, imitating a couple making out (much to Mike's disgust).

"Ew, Dustin!" Mike complains, shielding his eyes from the sight.

Both Lucas and Dustin laugh as Dustin drops the act.  "I mean, you gotta admit, that's what they've got to be doing," Dustin shrugs.

Mike rolls his eyes but doesn't deny it; he had to learn the hard way to knock before walking into Jule's room, so he wouldn't put it past her to pull this.

"Like sister, like brother," Lucas teases, him and Dustin bursting into chuckles at his referencing Mike's kissing El ten minutes prior.  'The cringiest way to ask a girl to the dance' quoted Dustin.

"You two are so nosy," Mike complains.

As Dustin begins to come up with a comeback, El speaks up.  "Here."

"Who?" Mike asks worriedly.

Just as El points to the portal, a hand bursts through it. 

All of the boys shout and jump back in shock, grabbing onto the shoulders of each other in their panic.

However, they quickly calm down as Joyce's body comes through behind the hand.  But nothing could prepare them for what is walking alongside Joyce, her arm protectively wrapped around him.

"Will!" the three boys exclaim, immediately running up to greet their friend.

His skin is pale and sickly, making it clear that his time in the upside down was no cake walk. He appears exhausted, the bags under his eyes comparable to those of somebody who hasn't slept in days. However, despite everything, a weak smile appears on his face at the sight of his friends.

All three boys crush him in a hug, forcing Joyce to release him.

"Careful, careful!" Joyce attempts to scold the boys, but her voice gives away her relief to see the boys reunited.

"Will, we were so worried about you!" Dustin shouts.

"We found a girl with superpowers when we went looking for you!" Mike exclaims.

"And she was able to talk to you through the radio!" Lucas adds on.

As the boys continue to gush, Joyce turns to Hopper (who came through the portal behind her but the boys were too excited to even take note of). She sends him a tired smile, her eyes lit up by the voices of the boys. "I don't think I'm going to be getting any peace and quiet for a while."