𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .
AS THE GIRLS WERE ADDING SOME finishing touches to El's look. The three party members were gathering their things in the basement. This left Theo and Jupiter, who were left alone in the Wheeler living room. At first, both boys just stood around, Jupiter taking in all the family pictures while Theo was busy thinking about the situation the group had just put themselves in.
"So you lost your uncle and best friend all in one week?" Jupiter was holding a picture of the Wheeler family that was sitting on the fireplace.
Theo stopped what he was doing to look up at Jupiter before replying, "Well that's an interesting way of making conversation."
Theo was friends with a lot of clueless people, four of them being in the house currently. Jupiter did seem to act more like Will than the other boys, except when he talked. He was different than anyone Theo had ever met in that way.
Jupiter liked Theo. He was impressed at how well he was able to keep his emotions in balance. Most people would think of Theo as a punk or highly sophisticated young man. Jupiter hasn't met the punk yet, and he hasn't met the certified genius. Right now, Theo Harrington is just some kid trying his best.
"Sorry," Jupiter muttered, setting the photo back down.
Theo shook off the question before adding to his previous statement, "You lost your uncle as well. Plus, Will might not be dead."
"Wait, you don't trust your friends?" Jupiter questioned him again.
Theo was a bit taken aback by this question, but he knew the answer to it, "I do. I trust them. I just...it's better to be prepared for the worst."
Neither of the boys were looking at the other anymore. They were both staring at their hands. Theo was picking at the dry skin around his nails while Jupiter was cracking his knuckles. A lot of their nervous habits seemed to mirror the others.
"Why did you and your sister believe Mike?" Theo spoke up, breaking the silence.
"We don't. Or at least I don't. I kinda just want it to be true," Jupiter stuttered over his words but became collected by his last sentence.
"You wish my friend was stuck in an alternate dimension?"
"What? No, I...well...maybe? I mean I hope your friend is alive but I guess I also love a good fantasy novel."
"Thinking like that will get you killed."
The conversation died there, neither of them wanting to add to that comment. Both Theo and Jupiter stood in the living room awkwardly until something else would shatter the silence. Luckily for them, only a few minutes pass before they hear footsteps coming from the basement. Dustin and Mike were discussing something about the heathkit while Lucas seemed a tad bit bored of their bickering conversation.
"You know what I just realized," Lucas said, stopping the other conversation, "We don't have enough bikes from everyone."
"Well, Eleven can ride on the bike of my bike," Mike said immediately.
"Okay that just leaves Theo and the Twins," Dustin announced, seemingly oblivious to Mike's crush.
Theo and Jupiter rounded the corner and entered the kitchen as they heard voices talking.
"Isabella can ride with me," Lucas said shortly, only drawing more attention to the comment.
"Woah, do you have a crush on her or something?" Dustin, now slightly less oblivious, probed Lucas.
YOU ARE READING
The Losing Game
FanfictionTheo 'the punk' Harrington is a current freshman at Hawkins High. He was a lot younger than everyone else in his classes. Moving up a grade was the last thing that Theo wanted but the look of pride his parents had on their faces was too much for him...
