SERENDIPITY | WILL BYERS ³ ✔

The Mall Rats - [Pt.1]

(So some juicy shit's gonna happen this chapter, so pay attention 😏)

-Next day-

I got up early, still shaken up about last night.

It was around 9:00 AM. But right now, did I care? No.

And it's early for me and my family, okay? I'm a teenager, what do you expect?

Because of everything that just happened last night, I need to get my mind off of something.

Practicing. Sattler's quarry.

That's where I should go.

And yes, I do still practice there. Daily, if possible.

But I can't find anything else to work with at the quarry right now...

I sneaked into the laundry room, and stole some of the lint from the lint trap thingy.

It's flammable.

(I learned that at camp several years ago, okay)

I grabbed a plastic bag and stuffed as much lint in it as I possibly could.

Then, I left a note on my bed for my parents to find.

Went to the quarry. I'll be back by 10.

Would 1 hour be enough? I mean, I hope. Maybe I'll be back by 9:30, who knows?

When I finally got there, which was only a few minutes later, it seemed quiet and peaceful.

I'll just have to make do with the lint that I have with me right now.

-

-Mike's POV-

Oh, shit.

What am I supposed to tell El?

Hopper threatened me! To stay away from her!

What am I supposed to do at all?

My heart was thumping, trying to figure out what to do.

Would I have to lie? And if so, about Nana?

I was down in the basement when my mom called my name.

"MIKE!!! PHONE!!!"

"OKAY!" I yelled back.

Oh, shit. Was it El?

I nervously walked to the phone.

I then answered without hesitation.

"Hello?" I'm about to die. And if not now, El will.

I heard a sigh. "It's 9:32. Where are you?" She asked, impatiently.

Ugh, I don't know if I can do this!

But Hopper... he'll force me to stop seeing her.

"Sorry, I-- I was just about to call," I stammered. "I, um... can't see you today."

Ugh, those words hurt deep.

"What-- why not?" She asked.

"It's my Nana. She's VERY sick,"

I felt so bad lying, I swear. I mean, El was my girlfriend, what am I supposed to do?

"But-- Hop said that your Nana was okay, that it was a false alarm," She said, as I mouthed t myself, shit!!

"Yeah," I said. "That's... what... we thought it was at first, but then she took a real turn for the worse."

"Oh," She said, dully, and confused.