ARTEMIS | Max Mayfield

- Chapter 4 -

- A R T E M I S -

- Pretty Girls -

- 3RD Person P.O.V -

          Artemis Whitelock leaned back onto the metal casing of her locker door, her head down and her grey eyes trained to the tiled floor of Hawkins Middle's hallway. Her hands were deep in her jacket's -- not one of Steve's -- front pockets as she waited for Will Byers to take out his books for their next class of the day, science, with Mr. Clarke.

She already had hers in her black book-bag.

Artemis heard the boy open his locker door with a clang, but she picked her head up when there was a silent pause on the Byers' end.

She watched as Will held something in his hands while his head was hung low, his shoulders tense.

Artemis quietly came up beside him, her curious look washing away and being replaced by a glaring scowl when she saw what Will was holding.

The Whitelock frowned deeper, seeing the newspaper clipping of Will's case; The Boy Who Came Back To Life by Benjamin Buck.

She saw a picture of Will next to the texts and her jaws clenched seeing the photo vandalized by a green marker. There were x's on each of Will's eyes and the words 'Zombie Boy' was written over the paragraph talking about Will.

Artemis had seen these cheap bullying tricks being done to Will ever since the new school year started, and she tried to keep all of them away from reaching her best friend, but she could only get most.

She knew how sensitive Will was, especially after the incident with the upside-down and Artemis didn't like seeing him so upset like this. So, she tried as much as she can to help him, along with the party's help.

She would tear down jokes about him from the bulletin board posted by bullies, glare at others who would stare at him too long while they passed the hallways too. And she once caught a sleazy boy in their grade trying to slip insulting notes in Will's locker. So, she grabbed him before he could do it and slammed him on the wall, daring him to do it again and she'll ruin his social life and his face, before letting him go when he was about to pee his pants.

Though Artemis was new and a 'girl' everyone knew she wasn't to be messed with.

She was the tallest girl in middle school, she was best friends with King Steve 'The Hair' Harrington, she lived in Loch Nora, and she was rich. Everyone who messed with Will Byers would never wish to be caught by her.

But Artemis couldn't always catch everyone.

She took the clipping from the Byers boy and ripped it to unintelligible scraps of paper before tossing them into a bin.

The boy next to her was frowning and craning his head around to see if he could find the culprit, his green eyes wandering to each end of the school's hallway.

The school bell above them rang loudly and everyone in the halls started to rush into their respective classes, not looking to be late and given a time in detention.

Artemis took out Will's books for him and closed his locker door.

He looked upset as he accepted the book handed to him by the Whitelock girl.

"C'mon, Will." She wrapped an arm over the boy's shoulder who leaned lightly onto her side, feeling the girl's natural warmth that he always found comforting.

"Don't mind them, they're assholes who don't know shit and have nothing good in life."

Will slightly smiled at her; he knew his best friend was trying to cheer him up again. He also knew how the Whitelock was very empathetic though has a hard time expressing her feelings or even knowing what to physically do with her observations. So, he appreciated every time she tried to help him. "Yeah. Thanks, Art."