DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

3/3

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THE AUTUMN AIR WHIPPED against the two girl's faces as they walked through the woods, leaves crunching underneath their sneakers. "This is so refreshing!" Jasper exclaimed, followed by a laugh. She broke out into an energetic sprint, dodging trees and spinning in circles. "For once I'm not running away from anything. I'm just...running!"

Eleven wasn't as overjoyed or excited by the new surroundings, her face remaining solemn as she marched on.

"Hey, El," Jasper fell inside behind her friend again, too wrapped up in the smells of the forest and her own happiness to notice the very contrasting mood of the brunette. She swooped down a picked up a pine cone, running her fingers over its rough edges. "What are you gonna say to Mike when we see them again?"

Eleven's face fell at the question. She hadn't properly thought about what she would say to him, at least, not in a long time. All she had focused on was being able to finally feel his arms around hers again and maybe kiss him again. She still could remember the sensation of his lips on hers. "I don't know."

"Really?" Jasper tossed aside the pinecone, shoving her pale hands into her jacket pockets. "I have so much I wanna say to Dustin," she murmured hazily, imagining the perfect moment when she reunites with her curly-headed best friend. "He probably does too. We'll be talking over each other."

A tiny smile etched onto Eleven's lips. "You two are best friends," she simply uttered, something remiss clouding over her eyes.

Jasper swung around another trunk, then froze to face her curly-headed female friend. "Yeah?"

Eleven shook her head, kicking a gray pebble next to her foot. "I shouldn't have taken you away from him."

Jasper sighed through her nostrils, tucking a loose strand of her red short hair behind her ear. "Hey," she murmured, grabbing the girl's icy hands. "Don't do that. I had to go with you. Our powers were connected and you couldn't have defeated that monster alone."

"But I could've," Eleven whimpered, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. "You and Dustin love each other. I shouldn't have ruined that."

Jasper paused at the mention of the L word, glancing down at the forest floor. Of course she loved Dustin, but hearing it spoken from another being still caused a tingling sensation in her stomach.

"There's no time to question what could've been, El. Dustin and I are about to be reunited, anyway. And you'll see Mike again. We can't change what happened, but we can change what will happen."

Eleven nodded and, encouraged by Jasper's words, briskly wiped her tears away before she resumed walking. Jasper followed, less giddy this time, as somber thoughts crept into her mind.

What might have been if she hadn't left the party? If she hadn't been trapped in the Upside Down for so long?

Jasper had become so entangled in these speculations, she didn't even notice Eleven slip away from her view. She didn't see the mother and the daughter, gazing at a flying swing caused by the brunette in horror and confusion. Not until it was too late.

"Hey!" Jasper panted, sprinting over to her friend in bewilderment. "Where'd you go? I lost you there for a second."

Eleven reluctantly dismissed her question, too afraid to admit she had been seen by someone. "I just walked ahead a little," she lied, the tips of her ears burning red from the false words.