𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄 || 𝘔𝘈𝘟 𝘔𝘈𝘠𝘍𝘐𝘌𝘓𝘋

32. three months later

THREE MONTHS LATER

October 4th, 1985
⏰ 10:30 am, 📍Hawkins, Indiana

༺♥༻ "Turn around, look at what you see!"

Max and Stephanie sing in unison, laughing.

"In her face, the mirror of your dreams!"

Dustin throws the pair an overdramatized sigh.

"Rhymes that keep their secrets, will unfold behind the clouds!"

Max stops the two with her hand. "Wait, did we get that verse right? It's 'unfold behind the clouds'?"

"Yeah, but you're butchering it, so could you stop?" Dustin huffs.

"So then join in, Dusty-bun." Stephanie jokes, blowing a kiss to Dustin.

"Yeah, come on, Dusty-bun, why don't you join us?" Max laughs.

"You guys are so funny, you should be on Carson." Dustin smiles sarcastically.

"Can't we just hear your rendition?" Max asks, obviously annoying Dustin more.

"No."

"Please?" Stephanie continues. "Just one verse?"

"No. No way." Dustin shakes his head. "It's reserved for Suzie's ears and Suzie's ears alone."

"We all heard it." Stephanie shrugs.

"No, no you didn't." Dustin argues. "You were passed out on the floor."

"Okay, whatever." Stephanie sighs.

Both girls stare at each other for a second before continuing. "Turn around, look at what you see!"

Dustin throws the two his middle finger.

"In their face, the mirror of your dreams!"

Dustin continues to wave his finger around, shooting the message at the girls.

"Shut up, you guys!" Dustin yells, irritated.

"Rhymes that keep their secrets,"

"Stop!" He yells. "You guys, shut up."

"Oh, alright." Stephanie sighs, getting back to a sitting position. "Only if you say the magic word."

Dustin lets out a long sigh and rubs his forehead."Will you, for the love of God, please shut up?"

"Okay, now we can." Max laughs, getting back to folding the clothes.

The Byers decided to move away, after everything that had happened. They also decided to take El, since...y'know.

Obviously no one wanted to leave, Will had been one of Stephanie's first friends and now he's moving two thousand miles away. Will was the one who found out about her and Max the quickest, although she can't figure out how.

But it's for the best, the move. Will was the one everything started with, and now it'll end with him, moving away.

Stephanie finds an old framed picture of herself and Will when they were younger. One of their first Halloween they were old enough to go trick or treating themselves. Since they were only seven, they dressed up as their D&D characters. Will as a wizard and Stephanie dressed as a rogue, with a long cape and fake sword.

Stephanie sits up with the picture in her hand and brings it to Will. "Remember this?" She asks, holding out the picture.

"Oh, my God." He laughs, taking the picture from Stephanie's hand. "I do."

His laughs quickly turn to cries as he sets down the picture and pulls Stephanie into a tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you." He sniffles into her shoulder.

"I'll miss you, too, bowl boy." She answers, hugging back tighter.

Will pulls away, rolling his eyes. "You just had to, didn't you?"

"Maybe..." Stephanie shrugs. "Bowl boy."

"We should, uh, probably leave soon." Will says as he points to the door.

Stephanie looks out the door, where everyone is standing and waiting for the two to leave. "Uh, yeah, I think we should."

The two walk out of the Byers house, Stephanie's arm across Will's shoulders.

The goodbyes begin, countless hugs from each person.

Hugs, tears, laughs, everything in between.

Stephanie gives an extra hug to Joyce, knowing that this was harder on her than anyone else.

"You're such a good mom." She whispers into their hug. "Better than mine, at least."

Stephanie feels Joyce break down in her arms. "Thank you, sweetie. I'll miss you the most." She smiles while putting a hand on her face.

Everyone gets into the car, driving away, saying their last goodbyes.

Once the cars are out of view, what was left of the party gets onto their bikes and set off home, to where they'll be left with a newfound loneliness, not sure it's there, but knowing something's missing.

༺♥༻
HOLY. SHIT.

i can't believe it's done. i actually cant.

thank you to everyone who stuck around this long and an extra special thanks to Sarahcarp_gmw for staying since literally the first chapter. they've voted, read, and commented on each chapter i've posted and i couldn't be more thankful.

a little of this is based off of a chapter by throckmortonofficial so thanks for that bestie

anyways bye bitches. the song will be uploaded later bc i'm in school rn.

6/6/23