𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎

𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍
JULY 2ND, 1985

Scarlette couldn't bring herself to speak about it. The terror that had gripped her so violently that morning lingered like a shadow she couldn't shake. She didn't have the strength to put it into words, and truthfully, she didn't know if she ever would. What surprised her most, though, was that Henry didn't try to force anything out of her. He didn't press, didn't demand answers. Instead, he simply held her, offering his quiet, steady presence like a balm to her raw nerves.

He sat with her in that bathroom for what felt like hours, his arms a protective barrier around her as she sat on his lap, curled against his chest. She buried her face into the fabric of his shirt, letting the steady rhythm of his breathing soothe her. Henry's fingers gently threaded through her hair, over and over, each stroke as patient as the last. It was as if he understood that silence was what she needed more than anything. And slowly, her sobs began to calm, the storm inside her giving way to something softer, something fragile but bearable.

He was perfect. She knew that now in a way she hadn't before. She didn't deserve him, she thought bitterly, not after the way she had been pushing him away. But in that moment, she couldn't imagine being anywhere else but in his arms.

Eventually, when her tears had dried and her breathing returned to something closer to normal, they left the bathroom without a word. The weight of what had happened still lingered between them, but there was no need to talk about it. Henry had been there for her in her darkest moment, and that was enough.

Hours later, they found themselves at the Hawkins Community Pool. The sun beat down on them mercilessly as they stood by the chain-link fence, their eyes trained on the pool deck. The group had come to see Billy, the suspicion growing that he was the next to be flayed. The tension was thick in the air, a suffocating layer of dread as they watched the lifeguard move about with his usual swagger, unaware of the eyes on him.

Scarlette stood near Henry, leaning against the car alongside the others, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The cool wind brushed her skin, but it did nothing to ease the weight sitting heavily in her stomach. She stole a glance at Henry, her gaze lingering on him as the others began discussing their theories, voices low and anxious. He was focused, his brow furrowed, his attention fixed on the scene before them. The sunlight caught in his eyes, making them glow in the early afternoon light, and for a moment, Scarlette found herself lost in the sight of him.

There was a quiet strength about Henry that she hadn't fully appreciated until now, a kind of resilience that radiated from him even in moments like this. His jaw was set, his expression serious as if he were already working out a plan in his head. He was always thinking ahead, always trying to protect the people he cared about.