Ashes Falling Upwards (stranger things, Will x OC/reader)

Ghostbusters

"Happy Halloween!"

Ash smiled, accepting the hand that pulled her into the back of the tan car.

"Happy Halloween," Erin's mom echoed from the driver's seat, looking back at the two girls in through the rear view mirror. "Ah, Ash, you're not wearing your costume to school either?"

Erin laughed. "I told you, mom, you don't  wear your costumes to school in eighth grade."

"Says who?" The woman joked back.

"It's an unspoken rule. Right Ash?"

Ash shrugged. "I'm actually only doing this because you told me too."

Really, the only reason she hadn't worn a costume was because she'd been kept up all night by the croaking and growling of that thing. After only a few hours of sleep, she didn't have enough energy to even get close to putting on a costume.

"I'm telling you," Erin insisted, "no one's going to be wearing their costume today."

Her mother shrugged and turned back to the road, pulling them out of Ash's driveway.

Most of the drive Erin and her mother sang along to the Halloween songs on the radio, while Ash stared out the window, trying to plan out the day while not falling asleep. The one promise she'd made to herself the night before was that she would talk to Will as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, "as soon as possible" meant that day as soon as she got to school, which was approaching much too fast for her liking. After their interaction the day before, Ash had no idea how Will would react to her suddenly asking to talk to him. Or how his friends would react.

She glanced at Erin, her face in a full grin as she sang along. At least she knew exactly how one friend would react.

The car had pulled into the school parking lot, Erin's mother had waved them goodbye and they were on their way in when Erin whispered "look, someone didn't hear the unspoken rule."
Ash followed her gaze over to the group of four friends that had become their normal spectacle.

Each one of the boys was decked out in full tan suits, with large packs tied to their backs. Four ghostbusters in the midst of hundreds of middle schoolers.

"Oh my god, I feel so bad for them," Erin muttered. "That's anyone's worst nightmare."

The boys seemed to realize that as well, looking around at their normally dressed classmates in horror. The incoming kids avoided them like the plague, spreading out in a wide ring around them as they passed by. A couple snickered, along with whispers of "weirdos," "look at that," and "embarrassing!"

Okay, just walk up and start a normal conversation, Ash instructed herself for the hundredth time. Will Byers, I need to talk to you. No, no last name. Just: hey Will, I need to talk to you. Yep, okay, say that! When they were close enough she took in a deep breath, then—

"Who you gonna call!" She called, jumping into the pose with two fingers pointed out towards the group. Okay, I guess I'm starting like this?
"Ghostbusters!" The kid in the front replied enthusiastically, giving her a toothy smile. The rest of them just stared at her until her ears felt hot from embarrassment.

"Those suits are epic," Erin added, giving her a supportive smile, then adding, "but I'm sure those Proton Packs suck."

For a second her joke hung in the air, then it seemed to click in their heads. The one who had been glaring at her and his other friend laughed. Even Will cracked a smile.

"They actually don't," the first kid laughed. "But the traps do! They even open and close!"
He demonstrated a few times, grinning with pride.

Erin punched her shoulder lightly, whispering, "I've got you," then the two of them pulled away and started discussing ghostbusters gear and laughing.

Ash smiled as she watched her friend. She hadn't known Erin had any interest in ghostbusters, and yet here she was. That girl never ceased to amaze her.

"So, why are you even talking to us?" She blinked, turning to the other three. The two in the front were frowning at her, while Will was just staring from behind them. They seem really protective of him, she noticed.

"Why wouldn't I?" She countered.

"You're one of the popular kids."

"And we're the nerds," the other finished. "Aren't you scared of running your reputation?"

"P-popular?" She flushed again. "Really? Why has no one told me?"

When they didn't say anything she sighed, dropping her joking attitude. "I just thought your costumes were cool... and—" there's no hurt in lying a little, right? "And I envy the courage you have to wear them when no one else is. I think it's really awesome."

The kid glanced towards the others, and with their approval muttered, "thanks. I'm Mike, this is Lucas and Will. Over there's Dustin." He jerked an awkward thumb towards Erin and the last boy, still locked deep in ghost busting conversation.

Yes! This is going perfectly! "Ash. Over there's Erin." She repeated the motion of jabbing a thumb towards her friend.

Mike nodded, then stepped aside, looking at Will.

Ash opened her mouth to start her planned speech, but it looked like the boy had something to say so she held off on it. A few seconds of silence passed, then he said, "I need to talk to you."

"O-oh. Sure."

She gestured to the school doors. "If I'm right, we'll want some place where no one can hear us for this, right? The science room should be empty for a while."

The boy glanced at Mike, who nodded supportively. Then he followed her towards the building. As they walked away she heard Lucas mutter "I don't trust her. What if she does something to him?"

Mike sighed. "I know. We'll just... keep an eye on her, okay?"