DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

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JASPER HAD FALLEN into a conscious sleep in Dustin's arms. The nap didn't last long when she woke to the sound of the gym doors slamming closed. Jasper sat up, startled, to see Mike storm back towards the group. He must have left and was just returning from wherever he had wandered to.

The redhead rubbed her sleepy eyes, surprised at how exhausted she felt. She curiously peered at Mike as he marched back to the group. "What's wrong, Mike?" she questioned, her voice unbelievably scratchy.

"They're gone," he declared, a hint of annoyance in his words.

"What?" Lucas drew back in a mixture of shock and confusion.

"Nancy and Jonathan. His car's gone," Mike explained.

"They're probably just sucking face somewhere," Dustin shrugged lightly. Jasper, who had shifted positions to lay on Dustin's side, let out a small chuckle at the boy's comment.

"Gross," Lucas scoffed, clearly not as amused.

"No. No way!" Mike shook his head, also unimpressed with Dustin's remark.

"They must have went with Hopper. I know Ruby and Joyce did," Jasper announced, chewing on her chapped bottom lip. Worry coursed through her for her dad and sister, knowing that they were walking into a deadly dimension where a monster lived.

"No," El stated simply, her brown eyes quickly glancing at Jasper.

"What? Did you see them? Do you know where they went?" Mike dropped a string of questions on El.

"Yes," El replied.

"Where? Where did they go?" Mike demanded urgently. Concern for the two teens, more specifically his sister, glimmered in his dark eyes.

"Demogorgon," El responded. Just the word was enough to send shivers down Jasper's spine.

"Um, what?" Mike exclaimed, raising his voice. "They went to go kill the Demogorgon? Are they stupid?"

"I'm so fucking tired," Jasper declared randomly, feeling the heavy weight of her eyes. She looked sullenly at Dustin as the boy gently got to his feet, as well as Lucas. El and Jasper huddled together while the three boys all stood in a small circle, bickering with one another.

"Guys, guys," Mike hushed the overpowering voices of the other two boys. "This is crazy! We can't just wait around." The Wheeler boy sassily placed both hands on his hips.

Jasper leaned over towards El, whispering softly into her ear. "I can see why you like Mike so much." A smirk adorned her face.

El's sleepy eyes shot open, averting to the redhead. The girl's cheekbones had reddened to a dark maroon. No words left her mouth as she continued to gawk at Jasper.

"Mike, in case you forgot, we're still fugitives," Lucas pointed out. "The bad men are still looking for us.

Dustin hummed in agreement. "Yeah, and we don't even know where your sister is."

"El and Jasper can find them," Mike responded surely. He had begun to put way too much faith on the girls' shoulders after seeing them in the pool.