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chapter two , the weirdo on maple street
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Kennedy was silent as she stood with Carol. Carol was talking and raving about Tommy Hagan, explaining how she hated something about his car. Kennedy couldn't get the Byers family off her mind. She couldn't scrub the guilt off her body no matter how long she spent trying to scrape it off her skin until it turned raw.
It was eating at her. Like a parasite gnawing at her brain while the rest of her tried to keep going. She didn't know how long it'd be until she snapped.
"Kenny, are you even listening to me?"
The auburn-haired girl looked up from the tiled floors. She clenched her jaw as she tried to force a smile. "Yeah, sorry."
Carol sighed, "I get it, you're upset, but the world is still turning. We still have lives to live." She reasoned as she slammed her locker shut.
"No, I know that. It's just," The two girls began walking down the hall. Kennedy held books in her hands as she shrugged. "I know the kid. I know their entire family and I hate that this is happening and that I can't do anything," Carol listened to her closest friend ramble, tilting her head.
The redhead clicked her tongue. "I know. It sucks. But there's nothing anyone can do until the cops find him. Right?" Carol wasn't the nicest person in the world. She was inconsiderate and a tad selfish. She wasn't a horrible person, she just felt like she needed to keep up with the world, no matter the cost. And she was a good friend to Kennedy. Ever since they met when Carol was ten and Kennedy was nine. Carol was the one that always steered Kennedy on the path Kennedy needed to be on. Carol was a good distracter, keeping Kennedy away from the overwhelming thoughts she had 99% of the time. That was how they were. How they've always been.
Kennedy gasped as she felt someone tickle her sides. She jumped back, stumbling into Carol as Steve Harrington and Tommy Hagan appeared on either side of them. Kennedy scowled, smacking Steve's chest. "You're an ass."
"Don't hate the player, hate the game."
"And what game would that be?" Asked Carol, leaning into Tommy as she rose a brow.
Steve shrugged, strolling a few steps ahead of them now. "Wouldn't know." He approached two girls walking past, snatching a stack of notecards from the taller one. Kennedy recognized them instantly. Barbara Holland and Nancy Wheeler.
Kennedy wasn't close to either of them. Barb and Nancy weren't exactly part of the popular crowd. They were sophomores like her, and they were also as smart as (if not smarter than) her. She didn't mind either girl. They seemed nice enough and they at least weren't so oblivious unlike Kennedy's other friends. But they were never close.
