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𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧

[ xiii. the second cousin from sweden ]

november 10th, 1983. thursday.

⇝ ⇝ ⇝

THE RIDE TO THE middle school was spent in silence. The roads that led through downtown were mostly empty, the townspeople of Hawkins either already at work, at school, or at home, which spared the Party the gawking attention they might have received otherwise. Rarely did children risk being seen in town during school hours because it was a known fact that one would be caught and then be faced with detention and a parent's calling. The only classmate Melanie had ever seen willing to risk it all was none other than Jason Duke.

As the cycling Party rounded a corner and drifted onto the next street, Melanie tightened her hold on Dustin's shoulders. He was leaning forward slightly, his curly hair blowing in the wind, all the while she took most of the actual seat. Leading the way was Mike, who also had Eleven pressed against his own back. She was currently staring around the town in wonder; as if she had never seen one before. She was smiling, though, and her eyes were wide and bright.

When they all eventually reach the school, however, Eleven's eyes begin to darken a bit, yet Melanie did not blame her reaction. The school's campus was huge and looming, and she knew absolutely nothing about it. Melanie sent the nervous girl a reassuring nod as the boys parked their respective bikes along one of the brick walls that made up the school. Then, after they were all settled, the group of five headed for a side door, rather than opting to enter through the school's main office building.

The hallway was incredibly quiet when the Party entered, and chills immediately ran down Melanie's spine. She found the reaction odd, considering she had practically grown up in the building and she knew its twists and turns like the back of her hand.

Their sneakers squeaked on the tiled floors as the Party walked and Melanie cringed, fearing that they were already being too loud. She subtly spared a glance over at Eleven and eyed her attire, specifically the way that her wig was slightly off.

Suddenly, Melanie began to think that what they were doing was a terrible idea. They should have never come to the school. There were too many possible and plausible ways that it could all go wrong.

Melanie abruptly halted. "Mike," She called. "We should go back."

Already a few steps ahead, Mike whipped back around to her and scoffed. "Don't be a baby."

"This isn't smart," Melanie told her twin. "We should have thought this through more."

"Sometimes it's better if you have less time to think," Dustin piped in. "That way you have less time to think of what could go wrong."

"I've already thought of twelve logical ways this could all go wrong, Dustin. And it's only been thirty minutes."

"You're being ridiculous, Mel," Mike muttered.