𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐜 ᴱˡᵉᵛᵉⁿ ᴴᵒᵖᵖᵉʳ ⁺ ᴹᵃˣ ᴹᵃʸᶠⁱᵉˡᵈ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴏ

Words 1393 - Edited

El had already gotten off the bike at this point so I heaved myself upwards feeling my back pop and I sighed with relief. Mike ushered us to the door but his hand reached for the brass knob yet it remained motionless, the cold seemed to nip and taunt us as we stood there, "Guys, I think it's locked," Mike huffed slightly rubbing his arms as me and Dustin both deadpanned, "No shit Sherlock." I stared blankly at him, "Move." I shoved Mike out of the way so that I can get to the doorknob, I reach into the fabric of my jacket pulling out a stainless steel pocket knife.

I carefully insert the knife into the keyhole then abruptly slammed it upwards effectively opening the door, I mocked bowed before speaking, "After you my good people," I heard Dustin snort and Mike huffed, "You're an asshole Y/n," "Thanks, I know!" I beamed before walking into the house and following after Mike.

I led El upstairs, "We need to clean all this," I motion to her scuffed face and boop her nose, "up." It prompted her to smile and I grinned back at her. I yawned holding a hand over my mouth as I turn and started walking once again, "You know I stayed up late with Dustin and we went out looking for you?" I glanced at her in my peripheral vision and saw her look off to the side embarrassed, "I'm sorry Y/n." she shyly responded as we entered Mike's bathroom, "Don't be. But you pull that shit again I won't be so nice anymore." I grin up at her my eyes closed. El shifts nervously seeming to be intimidated, "Gah! I'm just kidding you." I nudge her playfully before squatting down to grab a rag from underneath Mike's sink. I push myself up turning the sink on before I wet the rag, looking at El again I press the rag to her face holding her chin in my hand and slightly tilting her face.

***

"Still pretty?" El questions as she holds a hand on her head where the blonde wig once was, her voice was soft but laced with a sad tone. "Always," I smiled softly at the girl and gently moved her hand from her head. She curiously looked at my hand taking it in both of hers and turning it over, "What happened?" she traced an old scar running through my hand then looked at me, "Old fight, James was being a total bitch to some kid. He had Troy and Jennifer with him but still beat the shit out of him, sadly he had a knife on him." I shrugged and El let my hand go nodding.

I looked myself over in the mirror, my eyes were sunken dark purple circles surrounding them and I sighed, my hair was raggedy, face bruised small cuts adorning it. My eye flicked back to El, "We should probably get back to the others before Dustin and Mike jump to conclusions." I grinned putting back up the goofy idiot front. Eleven stifled a giggle trying to worm it's way past her lips. She grabbed back onto my sleeve but as I went to open the door Dustin practically flung it off it's hinges, "GUYS!" he huffed attempting to catch his breath, "Downstairs, NOW!" he groaned before gripping my arm and dragging me and subsequently El into the Wheeler's basement. I felt and heard some squealch beneath my feet and I gagged, "GROSS MIKE!" I peeled moldy pizza off of my shoe before throwing it into the trash bin. I lean over and murmer into El's ear, "I feel bad for having to leave you rot in this dump!" She snorted and I grinned as I turned to face Mike and Dustin, "So why did you wind yourself running up the stairs?" I corked and eyebrow at Dustin. He simply motioned to Mike who was holding his radio, my ear twitched picking up the sound of Lucas' garbled speech. "THEY -@#$* ABO-/ €LE#@º!" I tilted my head, "What is he saying?" Dustin shrugged, "Beats me." "I REPEAT TH- B@% MEN @¡• CO&#%@!"

"Mad Hen?" Dustin paused his tail flicking in thought, "Does that mean anything to you?" He glanced at me and Mike before my eyes widened, "Papa." That single word caused Eleven to go rigid along with Dustin's and Mike's eyes widening. "Mike, did your mom schedule any repairs?" Dustin shouted out, "No; why?" He looked at Dustin then it seemed to click and they both bolted for the door, "STAY HERE!" Dustin yelled holding a finger out to stop us as he closed the basement door. I flipped off where he left out and stuck out my tounge, "DRYSHITE!" El cocked her head in confusion, "Means a dull or boring person." I shrug.

Dustin sent the door flying into Mike's wall leaving a noticeable dent his head leaned back as he presumably apologized to Mike before shouting, "WE NEED TO LEAVE, NOW!" He shouted motioning for us to move. Me and El looked at eachother before I shrugged and bolted up the stairs out the front door and hopped onto our bikes. I looked up seeing a man in a white van speaking into a walkie before I kicked off and started peddling down the newly repaved road. Mike muttered a curse as he looked back, "WE HAVE COMPANY!" Mike shouted before Dustin told Lucas to meet up at Elm and Cherry.

"MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" He shouted as he was speeding inbetween little kids on a playground who of which quickly scattered. "Shit." I muttered as my bike had hit a root causing me to loose control. I quickly stopped the bike but started to pedal again catching back up with Dustin and Mike. I shook my head as we got back onto road no vans in sight just Lucas rounding the corner, "Did we loose them?" Mike asked only jinxing it. "Alright shitbirds, manuver three." They nodded and shifted their bikes into a formation Mike was left front, Dustin right front, Lucas back middle, and I was center middle. I quickly flicked out a spare lighter and some gasoline I had on me. "Close your eyes." I mutter to El who nodded and burrowed her face into my back. I grinned manically unscrewing the cap and throwing the bottle behind me then quickly throwing the lit lighter after it. "Boom!" I shouted laughing as the canister had exploded the vans had stopped but one more was in front of us.

My mood swiftly shifting from an arsonistic joy to annoyance. "Three down one to go." I growled out at this point Eleven had her head up and was looking back at the chaos I had caused then back to the front her eyes widening as she saw then van. Her face hardened in anger as she flicked her head the van flew up, "Holy shit!" My eyes widened as I saw the van start to fly and it landed on the burning pile creating an even more devistating explosion as the fluids from the car mixed with the hungry flames.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT! THAT WAS-" I flung my bike to the side arms up in celebration but was promptly cut off by Lucas, "Awesome." He nodded and look to Eleven who was sitting down on the ground, "Hey, uhm, look. I'm sorry about the things that I said earlier. You really are awesome and you aren't a traitor, and i'm sorry. Can you forgive me?" Lucas shyly rubs the back of his neck looking away but then back to Eleven when she starts to speak, "Friends don't lie," she nods, "i'm sorry too."

Dustin elbows me remembering my earlier statement, 'fine' I mouth rolling my eyes, "Hey Lucas, guess I also have a few things to apologize about. I'm sorry for throwing you earlier, but let's be real here. You ever say something like that again and i'll beat the shit out of you." I grin and he does to. I hold out my hand in the gesture for a shake, "So we good now Barbie Girl?" I tilt my head at him grin still playing on my lips and he nods shaking my hand as Mike and Dustin snicker about the nickname. "Not funny." He looks over my shoulder giving the two one of his 'almost mother stares'.