Fallout || Stranger Things [2]

fourteen || breakdowns and blood

Hawkins High School was permanently changed after Tatum Rivers died, but the freshman class would never know the difference. Their entire experience would be dreary without really knowing why.

     Mike Wheeler, however, knew exactly why.

     Diverging from his final class period as students poured out into the halls, Mike kept his books tucked tight under his arm. He had little energy to greet those sending him muted waves and nods, towering over most others in the hall as he headed for his locker.

     Although only a couple of months into his high school career, it was already going better than his middle school one technically. With or without Eleven's help, he hadn't been pushed or shoved – his growth spurt at the end of eighth grade had shot him up to rival even some of the seniors. His connection to Nancy offered leverage as well, gaining him semi-frequent invites to parties.

     It was easier to take his mind off of things when surrounded by loud people and shitty music, and the others seemed to agree.

     Oh, what he would give to be yelled at by Hopper or to be forced to listen to Madonna in Tatum's Jeep.

     Anything. Everything.

     "Mike!"

     Through the slowly dispersing crowd of teenagers, Dustin shoved his way through the masses at full speed.

     Mike's often solemn face twisted as he looked out from behind his locker door, brows furrowing deep as he jostled his homework into his backpack. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Dustin skidded up to him as he shut his locker. "Dude, what is it?"

     "You gotta come," Dustin putted out through heavy breaths, his large mane of curls askew. "It's Nancy."

     Filled with the anticipation he once experienced around every turn, Mike ran at Dustin's side through the school until they reached the west wing bathrooms.

     Mike's brows furrowed deep, glancing from the women's sign to Dustin and back. "Wh-"

     "I got it!" Lucas jogged down the hallway to meet them, holding up Nancy's backpack for them to see. "Mrs. Correli was very confused."

     "Okay, what the hell is going on?" Mike asked, the gears in his head spinning at a mile a minute. "Where's Nancy?"

     Lucas pointed a finger towards the girls' room. "She's in there with Max. Dude, she had a meltdown. Stormed out of class crying and ran right past Max and I, then in here about fifteen minutes ago."

     "How would you know that?" Mike asked. "You guys don't have class in the senior wing."

     Pausing, Lucas chewed the inside of his lip before shrugging. "I didn't say we were in class. We were...around."

     Mike groaned, bitter than he wasn't the one sneaking out of class with El to make out in the halls. "But what happened? Why did she freak?"

     Lucas shrugged in sync with Dustin. "Max followed her in, then came out when the bell rang to go get you and her backpack."

     Mike cautiously looked to the stick figure in a dress on the door, the forbidden pink tint staring back at him. "I'm...supposed to go in there?"

     "We'll keep watch," Dustin hastily assured, double checking the hallway that had already cleared out.

     "Shit," Mike mumbled, wincing as he pushed open the pale pink door and stepped inside. Hesitantly, he poked his head around the corner, ready to shield his eyes just in case a prank was being played on him. "Nance?"