𝙂𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙚𝙧 - ᴍᴀx ᴍᴀʏꜰɪᴇʟᴅ

Chapter Fourty-One: Phase One

"Sinclairs!" Eddie says, smiling at both Erica And Lucas, "How are those, uh.. those spears coming on?" Eddie asks. Lucas gives Eddie a thumb up as a response. Ava jogs to Lucas and Erica, now interested in the spears, her being indecisive with what she wants to do. "Flip that damn thumb around." Erica says to Lucas, "What?" Lucas says. Erica then takes Lucas' spear, "It's too loose, Lucas." Erica says.

"This isn't a basketball game where they blow the whistle when your shoes fall off." Erica says, fixing the wrapping around Lucas' spear. "Okay, okay, for the record, my shoes never fall off." Lucas says, "Okay, for the record, it's kinda hard for your shoes to fall off when you're riding the bench." Erica retorts. Ava literally was just standing there watching them.

"Yet, for some reason, you show up to every game." Lucas says, "Hm, except the one that mattered." Erica says with a sly smile. "Plus, Mom and Dad forced me." She adds, "Bull. Mom and Dad cant force you to do shit." Lucas responds, knowing Erica's sassiness. "Well, even though you're a bench-riding loser," Erica says, finishing Lucas' spear, "You're still my brother." She finishes, making Ava and Lucas smile.

"Just the facts." She adds in her catchphrase. "Okay, um, that was cute." Ava says, smiling, "But i want a spear." She says, slowly taking a spear and walking to Steve and Robin. "Look, i got a spear!" Ava says with a big smile, but then remembers they're probably talking about the Vickie incident. "Sorry." Ava says to Robin, still feeling bad over the whole situation. "No need to apologize, Ava, it's not your fault." Robin responds, putting her arm around Ava's shoulder as she sat down.

"You know, it doesn't make any sense." Steve sighs, "What doesn't make sense?" Ava asks from beside Robin. "That was Dan Shelter. He graduated, like, two years ago." Steve says, "So?" Robin asks, "Which means he's in college." Steve responds. "And that means he was visiting on spring break. Fast Times was returned, like, i don't know, a week ago?" Steve says. "Right? Unless she's got some horn dog brother we don't know about." He adds.

"Which is possible." He continues, "Or she's just really into Judge Reinhold?" Steve asks, totally confused. "Steve." Robin says, "What?" Steve asks. "I don't care." Robin responds, "And i don't understand why you do either with everything that's going on." Robin adds. "Honestly, this feels like a perfect time for that little pull of the rug because.. in the face of the world ending, the stakes of my love life feel spectacularly low." She says.

"Yeah. I mean, i get you there, but.. i still have hope." Steve responds, handing Robin the alcohol that she sets down. "So do I." Ava says with a smile, leaning on Robin's shoulder. "Yeah, well, not everything has a happy ending." Robin says, "Yeah, yeah, believe me, i know." Steve says, looking at Nancy. "I'm not talking about failed romance." Robin says, noticing the look. "I just.. i have this terrible, gnawing feeling that.. it might not work out for us this time." Robin says, slightly giving Ava goosebumps. Ava felt that way, too. I mean, what if she's right? What if things end badly?

"You think we shouldn't do this?" Steve asks, "I think we're mad fools, the lot of us, but.. if we don't stop him, who will?" Robin responds. "We have to try, right?" Ava speaks up, receiving nods from Robin and Steve. "Yeah." Steve says, "Let's just.. totally ignore what Robin said and think positively." Ava says, breathing deeply. Steve sighs, "To killing Vecna." He says, holding a cup of alcohol, Robin grabbing hers too. "Slash Henry." Robin says, "Slash One." Ava adds with a smile. "But where's my alcohol?" Ava asks, frowning.

~~~

They were now driving to the Creeler house, everyone silent. It wasn't an awkward silence, but it wasn't a comfortable one, either. It was almost a paranoid silence, as if everyone was worried about how the outcome would be if they did this. But they knew they were truly the only ones that could put an end to this. If they could, that was.