STELLA - ❝ I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever met in my entire life. ❞
Estelle Sullivan was the golden child of Hawkins, Indiana. Catholic, kind and innocent. She was confident and no one could ever take that away from her- or so she though...
thank you for voting, we won in both of our categories! you are now reading the 'best season 3 fic' as well as the 'best jane hopper fic'. thank you all x
STELLA CHAPTER FIVE THE FORGOTTEN PURSE
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
ARLO HAD TRIED HIS BEST TO COMFORT HIS TWIN, but it didn't help. Estelle Sullivan was purely miserable. Eleven didn't even try to explain herself, only wanting to shut Estelle out. The fantasy that Estelle had of her and Eleven was completely unreasonable, she could see that now. Girls aren't meant to think like that about other girls anyway.
"I mean, I don't even know why you like her- she doesn't seem that special" Arlo laid belly-up on his sister's floor. He turned his head to face Estelle, her tear-stained cheeks making his heart ache. Estelle almost scoffed at his statement, almost.
"El is the best girl that I've ever met. She's soft and she's kind," Estelle wanted to start crying again, but she knew how uncomfortable crying made Arlo- so she spared him the duty of having to calm her down or hold her. He always would for her though, even at her worst.
"Ouch, are you alright?" Arlo watched as Estelle pulled her hand towards herself after piercing it on a loose nail. The daily commute to the bus stop was usually a peaceful time between the two Sullivan twins, but Arlo knew that it would take a turn for the worst now. He could see it in Estelle's eyes.
She watched as the blood trickled out of her finger, the liquid growing slightly. Estelle could barely hear Arlo's 'it's alright' over the thoughts racing through her head. 'What if someone else had cut themselves before me, what if they had a virus or a disease', they intensified and the theories only grew. Arlo saw Estelle's breathing become uneven, he knew he would have to deal with this.
But no amount of calming words could fix the panic that was about to overcome Estelle. She had always been like this, worried that she would get contaminated. What if's circling through her head. If she doesn't get it off, something bad will happen.
The doctors diagnosed her with mild Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Arlo didn't even know what that meant- but he knew he and Estelle would have to miss the bus that morning.
Arlo quickly took his panicking sister back home, Alaric alarmed by Estelle's sobs. Arlo explained the situation, he got Estelle into the bathroom and told her to get changed- that he would bring her some new clothes. She never wanted to stay in the same clothes during an 'episode', she needed something new- something that she knew was clean. When the cut was dealt with and sterilised by Alaric, the Sullivan twins stayed home that day.
Arlo didn't leave her side then and he didn't plan on it now, whether she be having an 'episode' or having girl troubles- Arlo would be there.
The door burst open, Georgia Sullivan stood there- one hand on her right hip. "Alright get ready, we're meeting Tully's family at the- Why are you crying?" Her eyes landed on the youngest twin. Her motherly instincts in full swing.
"Don't ask," Arlo sat up, his eyes wide.
"Okay well, we're going to the fair so you need to get ready," Georgia stepped into Estelle's room. She noticed 'Hurts So Bad' playing once more, the same record on only a few days ago.
"I don't want to go," Estelle's eyes were shut, as if her not being able to see her brother and mother- it would make them not be able to see her.
"If Estelle isn't going than neither am I," Arlo laid down next to his sister, "We'll stay home together, Alaric will be here anyway,"
"No, we're going," Georgia's tone became more stern, "Alaric has the night off and we are going to spend time as a family. I've barely gotten to see either of you since you started working!"
"And whose fault is that mom?" Arlo rested on his hands which were now behind his head, a smirk beaming up at his mother.
"Arlo-" Georgia went to argue.
"You guys need jobs! You guys need to learn how to cope in a workforce," Arlo pitched his voice, Estelle shut her eyes tighter, just wanting to be alone. Georgia and Arlo's bickering just getting on her nerves.
"Don't use my own words against me or i'll ground you, smartass," Georgia kicked her son's leg lightly, so it fell off of where it was resting on Estelle's desk chair.
"Swear!"
( STELLA, THE FORGOTTEN PURSE )
Even though Estelle would rather be tucked up and away in her own bed, she had to admit that the Fun Fair looked spectacular. All of Hawkins had to have been there, she wondered if Eleven was there- if she would run into her.
"Estelle!" Tallulah waved from across the field. The Malcoms were another high class family of Hawkins, that's how Georgia knew them. Ursula Malcom worked for Georgia's company, they soon became friends as she worked her way up the ranks- Georgia took a liking to Ursula's work ethic.
"Hey," Even if Tallulah wasn't the greatest of best friends, she could always tell when something was off with Estelle.
"Why do you sound so bummed?" She asked, her arms crossed.
"I'm just a little tired," Estelle lied, "But this looks totally awesome, doesn't it?" She looked around, the ferris-wheel lighting up not that far away from the group.
"I know right?! I want to ride everything, they have a fun-house," Estelle had never seen Tallulah so excited, it was refreshing to know that under her hard, gossip-loving exterior was still a fifteen-year-old girl.
Arlo quickly said goodbye to Tallulah's older brothers, Tim and Robert before following Estelle. The line for the ferris-wheel was long, but the two was willing to wait it out if they got to see Hawkins from that high up. Tallulah already had her purse out, Estelle reaching for hers- but her pockets were empty. Arlo noticed the slight panic on Estelle's face.
"You okay?" He asked, this grabbed Tallulah's attention too.
"Yeah, I just think I left my purse at work yesterday," Estelle mentally scolded herself. She had left it at her register when Mallory let her leave early.
"I can pay for you," Arlo shrugged it off, she would do the same for him.
"Yeah, but I don't want you to be paying for me the entire night," Estelle huffed, "Did your family ride up here?" Estelle asked Tully.
"Yeah, our bikes are out by the rack near the entrance," She told. Tallulah's family strived to be the family that others envied, so when they collectively began to ride their bikes to community events, it worked.
"Could I borrow yours so I can ride up to Starcourt?" She asked, "I'll grab it and be back in like forty minutes at best,"
"Yeah, sure," Tallulah shrugged, "I don't mind,"
"Are you sure you don't want me to pay for you?" Arlo asked once more. Estelle shook her head, he knew that would be her answer before he even asked her.
"I'll be back soon," She headed towards the entrance of the fair.
The ride wasn't long, it was therapeutic and well-needed. The wind blowing through her hair let Estelle feel free. Once at Starcourt, with Tallulah's bike placed in the rack- she punched in her employee code, the automatic doors opened.
The mall was scary at night, but The Gap was right next to the entrance, so it didn't worry her too much. As she quietly made her way over to the store, her eyes fell on two men. Dressed all in black, both of them standing over six foot tall- guns in hand.
