paris | madwheeler ♡

prologue.

" je t'aime je te déteste "

I almost never go to charlotte's cafe anymore. in all honesty it used to be my favorite place, aside from the arcade of course. although, i haven't been around there too much either. lucas used to take me here for coffee before school every morning, sometimes we would bump into the other boys and jane and we would all go for coffee.

it's really hard avoiding them in hawkins, it's such a small town. i couldn't help but feel anxious around the group. they definitely liked me a lot less after lucas and i broke up officially; for obvious reasons.

we went one "breaks" every other day, constant fighting. over the stupidest things. he accused me of liking other guys, and not ever completely being into him. cheating, and lying to him. of course, none of them were true.

lucas and i started dating when we were fourteen. our relationship was okay when it was young, but when we got into high school and started maturing, we grew apart. everyone in the friend group got girlfriends, expect for will of course. sex was introduced into our innocent world, although lucas and i never got intimate like that. he got clingy, and jealous. maybe it was because we weren't having sex. but in all honestly, i just wasn't ready. he didn't even like me being around his friends, so i was never able to connect with any of them because of the jealousy.

we parted almost 5 month ago, now. we haven't talked, and we've been avoiding each other.

i don't have many friends outside of our— their, small friend group. so i've been spending most days alone.

obviously, the boys take lucas's side over mine anyways. mike didn't like me in the first place; but i guess that's my own fault for being so annoying.

of course jane doesn't like me much either, never found out why. probably because mike doesn't like me, and she's desperately in love with him. follows him around like a lost puppy. if i were mike, i would get annoyed of her very quickly. dustin and will don't really seem to care about my existence much anymore.

it's fine though, i'm okay by myself.

i payed for my coffee before leaving the small cafe. dropping my skateboard and pushing off with my right foot. i should get home before my parents do, so i don't have to explain where i was.

i had very little money with me, i never carry a lot. it sat in the back pocket of my jeans. along with a pack of cigarettes i stole from billy. i only smoke because it calms my stress. even though is probably not the best for me, who cares? i'm going to die anyways.

it was finally beginning to get warmer out. almost spring. which was good, i hated cold weather. despised it. mainly because i have to skate to school now, due to the fact that my family only owns one car and my brother no longer gives me rides to school because he graduated, surprisingly.

breaking out of my thoughts, my feet lift off the skateboard from underneath me. i descend directly off the board, trying to catch myself; which obviously fails. i fall directly on my ass and scrap my hands against the hard concrete.

"fuck." I let out, sitting up. thankfully; theyre was no one around. no one saw me fall. i pulled myself off the cold floor and approach the board i fell off of seconds ago, right before i realized that my hands were bleeding.

red blood dripped out of the many white scrap marks that were slowly turning red, all across my palm. i ignored it, of course and continued my way home down the quiet road.

turns out i didn't beat my parents home. once i came close to my drive way, i picked up my skateboard and walked the rest of the way. carrying it by my side. i entered the house, ignoring my parents conversations in the living room and billy basting music from his room.

once i make it to my bedroom, i close to door behind me and set my skateboard down against my wall.

kicking off my red converse off and hopping directly into bed is probably what i do on a daily. when i'm home at least.

my red hair danced with me as i drowned out my step brothers music with my own; hoping around my room in a dance-type-way.

although that didn't last long, knocking came from my door. i turn off my music before the door swung back open, revealing my mother standing in my door way.

"yes?" i question, knowing she needed to either tell me something or ask me a question.

the taller redhead smiled at me, leading me to my bed that was placed in the middle of my room.

"i need to speak to you about something.." she sounded hesitant, which isn't good from my experiences. i sat down next to her.

"what's wrong?" i question. trying to mentally figure out what she's about to tell me before actually saying it.

"so, your brother is leaving for collage in illinois and well.. your father and i are going to help him get set up and move himself in." she paused. "meaning we'll probably be in illinois for a few weeks."

i mean that's good news right? no parents, no step brother. no responsibilities.

"okay, so who am i going to be staying with? are you leaving me alone?" i ask, slightly hoping for a yes.

"actually, a close friend of mine has offered to keep an eye on you, bring you to school, and has a guest room you can stay in." my mom smiled, this sounds like a good thing.

"okay, when are you guys leaving?"

"unfortunately tomorrow morning." she said, calmly. "so i have to bring you to karen's house tonight so i don't have to worry about it in the morning."

was she really abandoning me into a stranger's household?

"okay, well.. let me just pack my things." i said, getting up from my bed and going to pack my clothes, tooth brush, hair brush, and every other thing i own that i may need in the next few weeks. i didn't over pack though.

i sat in the front seat of my mom's car as she parked in front of the wheelers house. then it hit me.

fuck.

my mom's friend, karen wheeler. mike wheeler's mom. fuck. fuck. fuck. i'm spending weeks living in mike wheeler's house?

i panic. i feel like i'm going to throw up. i've been avoiding the curly haired boy for months, everything is going to be so awkward. not to mention i annoy the fuck out of him by just breathing. this was going to be a long fucking stay, and i wasn't ready.