𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐌 彡 [b. hargrove] [✔]

─ 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞.

*ೃ༄𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

It all happened at the age of seventeen.

That was when Magdalena May fell into the undeniably charming world of Billy Hargrove and refused to crawl back out. It was like a spider web encapsulating her in the greatest way possible.

The happiness that the girl felt each and every day knowing she was in a stable relationship was gone, however. It was replaced by internal torment caused by how the universe decided to seal the fate of her favorite guy.

None of it truly felt real.

In all actuality, it felt like a big 'fuck you' from the universe and Magdalena subconsciously experienced the way every bit of hope evaporated from her body the moment her boyfriend took his final breaths and left her with poignantly haunting sentiments that plagued the poor brunette as crystalline droplets ran down her already tear-stained visage.

"You...You changed my life, doll. You really did. We'll make it to California one day...Just you and me."

Billy had rasped out, using his remaining energy to look up at Magdalena and somehow comfort the selfless young woman who gave it her all to change his outlook on most things—to turn him into a respectable man.

"I-I'd like that. Just me and you. California is not ready for us. I...I love you, Billy."

Magdalena declared as serenely as to not disturb her boyfriend's final moments. The young woman wanted Billy's endmost memories to be tranquil and good. Magdalena did the best she could to keep her anger and sadness away whilst gingerly caressing her boyfriend's face with her thumb. As for the passionate "I love you" recited by the brunette, well, it was never returned. But it didn't need to be because Magdalena saw the adoration within Billy's baby blues—the same eyes that were becoming dull...lifeless. As much as her heart wished to reject the idea, Magdalena took it upon herself to prompt her boyfriend to close his eyes and just rest. So she did. Leaning down, the girl whispered the most beautiful and kind things into Billy's ear, but not before placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

A final farewell.

It wasn't until the young man took his last breath that his girlfriend realized it was all over. Everything nice was cruelly ripped away from her as if she was being punished.

Magdalena's piercing screams bounced off the damaged interior inside of Starcourt. Her throat was raw by this point and her clothes were soaked through by warm red liquid, emanating a slight metallic scent. Those gorgeous green gemstone eyes were completely glossed over with translucent crystal tears flowing down the apples of her crimson cheeks as she held her boyfriend's bleeding figure close to herself.

Lulu was right about it all.

About the craziness. About the flesh monster. About the girl called Eleven. None of it made sense. But Billy, he was...gone now. And the hysterical brunette refused to let him go. Her best friend watched from the sidelines, exhausted and shaken up by everything she had been through with a group of middle schoolers while Max was doing exactly the same as Magdalena. The little redhead was bawling her eyes out over the sudden death of her stepbrother.

Though, the scene hit no one more than Magdalena May who was feeling like physically exploding from how fast her heart was beating as she stared straight down at Billy. The girl was visibly shaking as shivers coursed through her body and her echoing wails of pain continued to repeat themselves. One after another, those cries of utter despair tumbled past her lips like a banshee screeching into the night. Bile was beginning to rise from her stomach though she swallowed it back down and felt herself on the verge of a panic attack. The fresh blood between her fingers was something that sent Magdalena's head spiraling even more.

Lulu turned away from the sight and felt her eyes water while she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. She knew she'd have to console Magdalena over her loss. And she would. Lulu was willing to do it over and over again until Magdalena's heart healed. But curing a broken, empty heart was easier said than done. The brunette didn't want to continue on without her boyfriend.

She didn't want to stay in Hawkins. She didn't care about anything anymore. The moment she witnessed the life leave Billy's ocean eyes, that's when Magdalena May gave up on it all. She gave up on all those ambitious aspirations she and Billy had. None of those bullshit plans mattered if the guy she was meant to share them with wasn't around.

The summer of 1985 had been such a drastic contrast from every other year. Especially when she met her boyfriend. They were happy then. Everything was fine then. Nothing mattered back then. They loved each other infinitely and it was going to be the two of them against the world. It was supposed to be Billy Hargrove and Magdalena May forever.

It all happened at the tender age of seventeen.