𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝙳𝚘𝚕𝚕.

𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞

I broke up with Jason last week and it went around the school like a virus, everyone knows me and Jase split and I wasn't upset about it. I didn't feel sad, or that I was missing out on anything. I actually felt relieved that it was over with. "How are you feeling?" "Great, absolutely amazing Gare bear." "You don't miss him?" "Not at all." We were at my house, sitting on my bed and watching TV. "Damn, I bet he's crying so hard over you right now." "I bet he's all like, NO! I MISS HER SO MUCH! WHY DID SHE LEAVE?" I dramatically acted out for Gareth, crawling all over him while pretending to cry and being over the top. "You sound so much like him! I bet he's doing exactly that right now."

I was now in his lap, looking up at him. "Yeah, I bet." "C'mon, you need to sleep." He told me. I sat up as he got off my bed and I crawled underneath my sheets. "Goodnight Lou." He said, going to walk out of my door. "Gare?" "Mhm?" "Can you, stay with me? I'm scared of my dad." "Yeah sure." He began to take some bedsheets out of my wardrobe. "No no, in my bed." "You sure?" "I really don't wanna be alone gare bear." "You don't mind if I-" He grabbed the bottom of his shirt. "No it's fine." He took off his shirt, leaving him in just his cargo shorts and socks. "C'mon, I'm tired." He jumped into my bed, making himself comfortable next to me. "Goodnight Gare bear." "Night Lou."

The first Saturday of spring break I woke up laid into his side, his arm wrapped around my waist as he snored softly in my ear. I looked over at my clock and noticed that it was four in the morning, it wasn't unusual for me to wake up randomly like this, but I took advantage of the fact that I'd rolled over onto his side. I started to snuggle into him a little, burying my face in his chest, positioning my leg over his waist, and putting my arm over him, my hand resting on his shoulder. He's a heavy sleeper too, so I knew he wouldn't wake up while I fell back asleep in his grasp.

I woke up again to him knocking something over on my nightstand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." "What're you reaching for?" "That glass of water." "Five more minutes Gare, then I'll get up and you can get it." He looked a little shocked at how comfortable I was with him, but I misread his shocked look as he didn't want me laying into him like this. "Sorry, did you not want me to-" I started to get up but he pulled me back into him. "Five more minutes." He said, smiling at me. We both cuddled into each other again, enjoying each other's embrace for a while.

We didn't realize how much time we were holding each other for, until the phone rang. "I'll get it, stay there Gare." I got up and my hair was messy, my clothes were all twisted and I was exhausted. "Hello?" "Hey doll." "Let me guess, you want Gareth?" "Yep." "Alright, hang on." I carried the phone into my room, it was on the wall outside so I didn't have to travel far. I gestured for Gare to come and take the phone. "Hello? Oh, hey Eddie. No we didn't. That's because I was just making sure she was okay. Oh shit, I forgot. Yeah, I'll be over in a sec, bye." He hung up the phone and walked back over to me, "Eddie's having a hellfire meeting at Mike's house so I gotta be there now." "When are you supposed to be there?" "Half an hour ago." He said, adjusting my pyjama shorts for me. "Don't leave Gare, can we go back to bed?" I wined, crashing into him and hugging him as he hugged me back. "You know I'd stay, but Eddie would kill me." "Fuck him, let's go back to bed." "Lou! I have to go." He chuckled a little. "Fine, I guess you can go." I finally gave in, letting him go.

He looked back at me and smiled, placing his hand on my head and ruffling up my hair. Walking back into my bedroom, I sat down on my bed as he put his shirt and shoes back on. "Call if anything happens okay?" "I will." "Promise?" "Promise." I walked him over to the door, making sure he left okay. "I'll be back in a few hours, bye Lou." "Bye Gare." I gave him a quick hug as he walked away, shutting the door behind him.

I went back up to my room and crashed on my bed, thinking about what just happened. I seriously just cuddled with my best friend of sixteen years; Holy shit. I wasn't growing feelings for him though, I just needed someone to be there for me. Maybe I was doing this with the wrong person. I mean, I wasn't missing Jason, and Gare is my best friend and those were the only two men I really knew well that were my age, except for one. Eddie. But there's no way it could be him that I was missing out on, I hate him to the core.

We actually used to be best friends, Gareth, Eddie and I all used to be a tight friend group. Until one day in elementary school, Eddie thought it would be funny to tear the limbs off my doll; any other doll would have been fine, but the one he chose had a special place in my heart. He chose the one my mother gave to me before she passed. He still doesn't know that to this day. It was the last thing she gifted to me before her horrible death and it was all in the news.

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN DIES TRAGICALLY, FOUND DISMEMBERED IN A LAKE SITUATED IN HAWKINS.

I won't go too far into it because it's pretty gruesome, but it tore me apart when I found out that the middle aged woman, was my mom. Without going too far into detail, she was kidnapped, tortured and then dismembered as an attempt to make her unrecognisable. Her death never sat right with me. All she did was go out for groceries, I offered to go with her but she detested and said, "I'll be quick, my love. Don't you worry." I remember those being the last words she said to me. It's been fifteen years and personally, I don't think that's very quick. The lake they're talking about in the article is lovers lake, I can't even stand to look at it anymore but I used to love it there.

Time had flew by and I was waiting for Gareth to come back, until I heard the phone ring. "Hello?" "Lou, my mom's going outta town for the week and she's making me go with her." "That's fine." "I really don't wanna go but I don't wanna leave her on her own, you know?" "Gare bear, it's fine. Go and have fun with your mom alright?" "You'll be okay on your own for a week won't you?" "I'll be okay. I'll call if anything happens, okay?" "Alright Lou, sorry I didn't get time to come over and say goodbye." "Don't sweat it." "I guess I'll see you in a week, bye Lou!" "Bye Gare bear!" He hung up the phone and I crashed back onto my bed, fearing for the following week. Gareth was the shield that protected me from my dads harsh blows, so him being away for a week was a lot to wrap my head around.