𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀, ( 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿 )

[09] SURROUNDED

THEY WALK THEIR BIKES UP A GRASSY HILL, Mike up front, followed by Mariella and Eleven, Lucas and Dustin. It was silent for the most part, the sound of their shoes crunching on dead leaves.

"Why did they hurt Mike?" Eleven asks, looking at Mariella curiously. She had noticed the cut on Mike's chin when they picked her up from the power-lines.

Mariella is silent for a moment, looking to girl and asking "What do you mean?".

"His..." Eleven starts, unable to find the word and points to Mariella's chin.

"Oh, that," Mariella starts, trailing off and looking away.

"I was tripped by this mouth breather, Troy, okay?" Mike interjects, looking back at them.

"Mouth breather?" Eleven asks, confused, brows furrowed as she looks between the back of Mike's head and Mariella's cheek.

"Yeah, you know, a dumb person. A knucklehead," Mike answers. Mariella sighs at the incorrect definition he provided to the clueless girl.

"Knucklehead?" Eleven repeats, more confused than ever now.

"He means someone who breathes through his mouth. But, we also use it as a word to describe someone we don't like," Mariella butts in. She's been the only girl in this group for a long time and she's be damned if she let the next one be confused by the boys vocabulary.

"Oh. I get it," Eleven nods, a smile forming on her lips.

"Let's try using easier words, Mikey," Mariella giggles softly, smiling to Eleven.

"Easier words, Mars," Mike agrees, nodding with a chuckle.

♧

They tread on until dark, Mariella pulling at her black sleeves in order to keep warm from the Autumn chill in the air. At one point, stopping in her tracks and unzipping her backpack to pull out her dark green corduroy jacket.

Her teeth chatters as they continue wheeling their bikes through the woods, Lucas and Dustin whispering amongst themselves, saying things such as 'do we really trust her?' And 'where are we going?', watching as Eleven confidently led the way.

Noticing their surroundings, she begins to get a familiar vibe from it. The familiar dirt trail and dead trees, it could only lead to one place.

Wheeling her bike next to Mike, he instantly smiles when he sees her. "Hey,"
He says.

Ignoring his greeting, she whispers softly to him, "Isn't this the way to Will's house?".

Mike looks around for a moment, taking in their surroundings and registering the familiar white house with chipped paint. Finally, Eleven stops. Right in front of the rundown house. To be more specific, Will's house.

"Here." Eleven says, turning to the group with her arms limp at her sides.

"Yeah, this is where Will lives," Mike responds, apprehensively as Mariella turns to Dustin and Lucas who were catching up, wheeling their bikes while panting. Mariella grimaces in newfound frustration. She had placed all hope in finding Will to following this odd girl! How could she have been so... So... Stupid!