lost love

chapter 11

-november 10th 1983-

-reader's pov-

the sound of my mum's fist banging on my bedroom door was heard as she called out, "y/n?"

a second later, she opened the door and entered my room to find me laying on my bed, under the covers.

"hi honey," she soothed, "how are you feeling?"

"I- uh, I don't think I can go to school today," I faked.

"oh, that's fine sweetie," my mum actually bought my act, "I need to drop off nance, then I'm gonna check in on barb's parents. why don't you grab a book or something and come with me? we can stop by the video store on the way back, pick out whatever you want, even R-rated." she offered.

"I think I just want to stay home today. I mean, if that's okay?" I spoke softly, trying to sound as sick as possible.

"well, are you sure you're gonna be alright here by yourself?" asked karen.

"I think so.." I croaked.

"okay," she sighed, giving in, "but if you need anything, call dad at work, okay?"

"okay," I nodded in response.

she then leant forward and softly kissed my forehead before leaving my room.

"bye," I innocently called out.

"bye sweetie," my mum gently responded as she closed my door.

as soon as she left, I leapt up from my bed and peeked out the window to see her pull out of the driveway before mike cycled from out of the bush shortly after.

I then burst through my door and jumped the upstairs and basement stairs in sets of twos.

"alright, I'm back," I announced once I was with mike and el in the basement, "did you call the others?"

"yeah, they're on their way now,"mike nodded in response.

"good."

——————

we all sat in a semi circle, in front of el as she messed with the supercomm. will's fearful whimpers echoed through the walkie's speaker.

"we keep losing the signal, but you heard it right?" mike spoke.

"yeah, I heard a baby!" lucas sarcastically spat.

"what?" me and mike said in unison.

lucas rolled his eyes before explaining, "you obviously tapped into a baby monitor, it's probably the blackburn's next door."

"uh, did that sound like a baby to you?" retorted mike, "that was will!"

"-mike.." lucas trailed off.

"you don't understand! he spoke words earlier, he was singing that weird song he loves.. y'know the one by that british band. even el and y/n heard him!" mike exclaimed.

"oh well, I guess if the weirdo and her girlfriend heard him-" lucas began to tease but was interrupted by dustin. and thank god for dustin, I could feel my cheeks burning up by the second.

"are you sure you're on the right channel?" dustin asked.

"I don't think it's about that," mike answered, "I think, somehow, she's channeling him."

"like.. like professor x!" dustin exclaimed with his usual toothy grin.

"yeah!" mike agreed.

"are you actually believing this crap?" lucas asked dustin.

"I don't know, I mean.. do you remember when will fell off his bike and broke his finger? he sounded a lot like that." dustin replied.

"did you guys not see what I saw?!" lucas snapped, "they pulled will's body out of the water! he's dead."

those last two words sent the room plunging into an uncomfortable silence as shivers ran through all of our spines.

"maybe it's his ghost, maybe he's haunting us?" dustin offered.

"it's not his ghost!" mike plainly said.

"so how'd you know?" inquired lucas.

sick of the boys arguing, I leant my back against the sturdy blanket fort and allowed a deep sigh to escape my lips.

"you okay?" a soft voice that I knew to be el's asked.

"yeah.. I'm good, just these stupid boys never shut up, I swear to god." I muttered, exhausted.

el chuckled quietly at my response before speaking back, "yeah, stupid boys."

a large grin fought it's way onto my face at the fact el had learnt another new word from me.

"the girls aren't even listening!" mike sighed, which caused us to stop giggling and look at the exasperated boys.

"what?" el and I asked in sync.

"ugh, I really have to repeat myself again, don't I?" mike said typically, "right, basically we need to get el to a stronger radio so she can get in contact with will better. so we need to get her to the heathkit ham shack by getting her into school."

"which is going to a struggle." added lucas.

"and why's that?" I questioned, genuinely confused.

"well.. look at her." lucas replied as he gestured to el.

"I don't see anything wrong with her," I shrugged whilst looking her up and down.

"yeah, course you don't lovergirl," lucas muttered with a light grin as dustin playfully ruffled my hair.

———————

el and I were sat on nancy's bed as I rummaged through nancy's makeup bag. I pulled out a blush pad and a brush and wiped the brush onto the makeup before slowly raising it up to el's cheeks.

"this may tickle," I warned before gently brushing her cheeks, she pulled away with a confused look at first.

"don't worry, it won't hurt you," I assured her as she leaned in again, this time letting me apply the makeup.

"what is.. this?" she asked whilst I packed the blush away and searched for something else to put on her.

"it's called makeup, people wear it to make themselves look pretty," I explained, "I just put a thing called blush on you, it makes your cheeks either red or pink."

"are you wearing blush?" pondered el.

"no, why?" I questioned.

"your cheeks are red." she said back.

"t-they are?" I asked whilst realising that I was blushing and it was extremely noticeable, she nodded in response as her own natural blush beamed through the fake one.

I then pulled out a lipstick and a lipgloss, "this," I held the lipstick up higher, "is lipstick, it makes your lips a brighter colour," I then lowered the lipstick and raised the lipgloss, "and this is lipgloss, it makes your lips glossy. so what one do you want?"

el pointed an index finger to the lipstick.

"lipstick, got it." I spoke whilst screwing the lipstick up and softly applying it to her lips, I focused hard on trying not to screw up but I kept on getting distracted by her chocolate-brown eyes endlessly gazing into my own.

"and done," I smiled whilst putting the lipstick away, a second later dustin came crashing in, a pink dress and blond wig in hand.

————————

we all patiently waited for el's grand reveal until it finally did happen. all eyes turned to the opening door as el slowly trailed out and walked towards the mirror where she stared at herself. my eyebrows raised and my jaw opened in astonishment, she looked.. beautiful.

"wow." dustin exclaimed, proud of the outfit he had chosen out, "she looks-"

"pretty." I finished for him, "really, pretty."

"pretty," she repeated with blushed cheeks and a smile as she gazed at my own blushing face again.