Dotson and Harrington |Steve Harrington|

Orange Hair Ball |chapter 28|

Exactly a month had passed by since that horrible night. But tonight wasn't about that. Tonight was Christmas Eve. The one day the four boys were able to schedule they're campaign with Will. As they boys were in the basement, Jackylen was upstairs helping Mrs. Wheeler with her annual Christmas baked goods. So sweet they could make your teeth fall out.

"Thank you again Jackylen for helping me. I know how tired you must be from babysitting," Mrs. Wheeler said, putting on some white frosting on the second sponge cake they've made.

"Oh no problem Mrs. Wheeler," Jackylen slightly laughed, cutting some strawberries for the cake. She rolled up her white long sweater sleeves, fearing they would get dirty. She has been wearing lots of long sleeves lately. "It beats sitting at home and doing nothing."

"You and your dad don't have any Christmas Eve traditions?" She asked, confused and surprised.

"No," Jackylen replied, getting quieter. "Not since I got to high school."

"I'm so sorry sweetie. I hope you know you can spend Christmas with us anytime."

"Oh Mrs. Wheeler, you're too kind." As she started to sprinkle powdered sugar on the cake, Jonathan and Will came up from the basement.

"Hey boys," Mrs. Wheeler greeted them, seeing bright smiles on both of they're faces.

"Hey, Mrs. Wheeler," Jonathan said.

"Hey, wish your mom a merry Christmas for me, okay?"

"Yeah, thank you. Uh, merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." As they started to walk out, Jackylen rushed over to them and whipped her sugary hands on her red plaid pencil skirt.

"Wait Will," she called out. As she fought Will, Nancy came downstairs with a present for Jonathan. "I have a Christmas present for you," she said, reaching in her bag nearby. She pulled out a little leather sack that seemed to have something clacking together inside.

"What is it?" Will asked, opening the tiny bag. He looked inside and as his eyes started to glow, the pieces rolled onto his hand.

"This is the limited edition D and D dice collection, how did you get this?" He asked, freaking out a little too much.

"It was just something I found at the store. Cost a little more than I expected but I don't care. Made me think of you," she replied, gazing down at the young boy. Without a single word, he wrapped his arms around her torso, hugging her so tight she couldn't breath.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Merry Christmas Will." She pulled away and ruffled his hair a bit. "Now get going. Spend the last few hours of Christmas Eve with your mother."

As she pushed him towards his brother, she watched as they opened the door and walked out into the light snow. As she scanned outside, she saw a familiar car belonging to a young curly haired boy.

She slightly laughed as she shook her head, thinking about his gift. She made her way down into the basement where she was met with the smell of the snacks Lucas had bought only a few weeks before and farts. Farts from middle school boys.

"Were you just having a farting contest down here or did you guys really just sit on your asses for more than ten hours?" Jackylen laughed, admiring the two boys who were wrestling.

"It doesn't smell like ass," Mike defended. "Does it?"

"Jackie, do I have to go?" Dustin complained, flopping down on the couch.

"I'm sorry Dustin but Mrs. Wheeler called your mom twenty minutes ago. I don't know how long she's been sitting out there."

"I told her to pick me up later!" She shrugged as she gestured him out.

"Come on. I have to give you a Christmas present anyways. It's outside." Dustin got up from the old couch and followed Jackylen outside to the porch as small partials of snow fell on them.

"Jackylen I love you dearly but I'm freezing," Dustin said, hugging himself tight. "Can we hurry this up." Jackylen just smiled as she pulled the animal crate from beside her and presented it to him. He looked at her confusingly. "What the hell is this?"

"Just open it," she gestured. As he opened the gate, his eyes widened as he pulled out the figure inside. A small orange tabby cat. He gasped.

"Jackie-"

"This is Mews. She is two years old and is an orange tabby. I got her at the pound a few days ago. I already told your mother and she is thrilled to have another cat."

"You got me a cat?"

"Of course I did. I wanted to get each one of you something special." He hugged the hat close as he looked up at the girl.

"You didn't have too..." he took a slight pause. "Couldn't you call it something else? Like, 'Ren'?"

"Dustin," she chuckled. "Do you want to call it 'Orange Hair Ball'? That's her name. That's what you'll call her." He sighed, a bit disappointed in the given name of the cat but he didn't complain that much.

"Other than the name," he said, now gazing at the cat. "Thank you. I'll take good care of her."

"I know you will," she said, taking the cat from the boy and putting it back in the crate. "You'll take care of her better than I ever will."

"For the past month you've been taking care of us..."

"And it's a miracle I've managed to keep any of you alive." They both laughed as they heard a car knock, signaling to both of them they needed to wrap up the conversation.

"I have to get going," he pointed out, taking the crate away from the girl.

"Merry Chritmas Dusty." He quickly put down the crate and hugged her once more in the snowy night that was over them.

"Merry Christmas Jackie." As he looked up, a smile appeared on his face. Watching as some of his missing teeth wouldn't matter to her.

"Now get going! I don't want to get you in trouble." With a smile on the young boys face, he picked up the carte and got in the car. She woved to Dustin's mother as they drove off into the dark night of which is Hawkins Idiana.

A place there nothing went wrong until last month.After she realized Ms. Henderson was finally off the street, she headed back inside and headed, once again, went back down into the basement, presented with the two boys throwing food at each other.

"Boys, what the hell are you guys doing?" She chuckled, sitting down in one of the fold up chairs .

"Lucas said I'm bossy," Mike complained, shooting another chip at him.

"Mike called me dumb!" He retorted, also throwing a piece of food.

"Dumbass," she whispered, to herself.