✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*🐝 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Mason's cheerful voice greeted, carefully engulfing his friend into a hug. Audrey allowed herself to ignore the slight ache she felt at the contact. Instead, she allowed a bright smile to worm onto her face.
"Hey guys." She laughed, looking behind her friend to see the rest of her friends, one in particular seemingly zoned out. "Hey, lover boy."
His eyes darted to hers quickly in alarm before his eyebrows fell, his expression now a scowl.
"I still can't believe you're with her." Carol moaned as she passed Audrey in the doorway, with no invitation. "Even after she ditched you for that freak."
"Hey, she apologized and besides, there is nothing going on between the two of them. I trust Nancy."
"Pfft yeah, and I trust Carol." Tommy joked, earning a harsh glare from his girlfriend. He raised his hands in surrender.
"Now, now girls, no need to argue." Mason said, ushering them into the doorway. Upon entry, he canvased the area silently.
As Steve walked inside, he stopped next to his friend and leaned in toward her ear.
"Adds, you really shouldn't be on your feet." She rolled her eyes at his words.
"Thanks for your concern, dad, but I'm feeling just fine." Steve winced painfully and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Can you maybe... Not compare me to your dad please?"
The girl's eyebrows pulled together in confusion, but she nodded nonetheless. Had he missed her joke?
"So where are these boxes?" Tommy asked, rubbing his hands together.
In that moment she remembered the reason for her friends being here. She gestured to the pile of boxes on the floor to their left.
"Well, we got most of them out earlier this week but there are still a few more that I can't carry myself."
"Alright, let's load 'er up!" Mason announced, reaching down and picking up a box, Carol and Tommy in tow. Steve however, lagged behind as his friends made their way back out the door, and to the car. He met her eyes and he cleared his throat.
"I'm gonna miss you."
Audrey let out a laugh at that. "Steve I'm gonna see you every day at school, and you can still drive to my place."
He nodded his head and looked away, kicking himself.
"Look, I just wanted to talk to you about something."
She watched him expectantly.
"Just seeing you like that last month... With that monster hovering over you..." He trailed off, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Audrey I've never felt fear like that in my life."
"I'm sorry." She spoke quietly, not knowing exactly what to say to ease his mind.
"It made me realize... That I can't lose you, and that you mean more to me than anyone."
"What?"
Before she could question him any more, she was cut off by a pair of lips meeting hers. In that moment a surge of electricity ignited her bones and she felt chills all around. But unfortunately, that spark faded as quickly as it came, due to the ringing that interrupted them.
"I-I'm sorry." Audrey apologized, pulling away from her friend and rushing into the kitchen, just in time for her friends to come back for more boxes.
"Are you blushing?" Mason asked, examining his friends cheeks. Steve slapped his best friend upside the head in a response and Mason winced.
"Meanie." He complained as he pouted like a baby.
"Hello?" Audrey greeted as she picked up the phone and placed it against her ear.
"Addy?"
"Will?" Audrey questioned. "What's up?"
"I need you." He whispered, voice sounding almost haunted.
"Is everything alright? What's going on." Her heart rate began to pick up and she was already planning how to get to him as fast as possible.
"I can feel it Addy, it's still here."
"Huh? What's still here?"
"I don't know."
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*🐝 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
HE TURNED OFF THE CAR ENGINE AND TURNED THE GIRL IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. She was fast asleep, having passed out from all the Christmas treats she consumed throughout the day. A smile was brought to the man's face at the sight and he huffed a breath before taking the keys out of the ignition and exiting the car.
He trudged through the blizzard of snow with Eggo Waffles in his hand that were neatly wrapped with saran wrap, with only one thing on his mind.
Once he reached the spot, he bent down before the box, opened it, and placed the waffles inside carefully. He sighed, looking intently at it before closing up the box once more.
And with that, he turned around and went the other way, heading back toward his car. The walk hadn't been but four minutes, and once he made it back inside his vehicle, he was thankful for the small distance due to the winter cold.
He turned the car on and pulled back onto the road, quietly turning the radio on.
"She'll be back..." The voice from the passenger seat assured. "I know she will."
And with the nod of his head, Jim Hopper and Audrey Valentine solidified a promise. A promise to find Eleven and being her home.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*🐝 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
well this is it.. the end of season one!
it's been such a fun ride and i really enjoyed writing this season and i cannot wait to share what i have in store for you guys the in the next few seasons. hopefully, season 4 will be out around the time i'm in the middle of 2 so i can truly plan out the rest of the story for you guys.
let me know if you enjoyed this chapter, and what you think will happen next. with steve and audrey, will, and- where is audrey moving??
thank you all so much for accompanying me on this ride and i hope you'll stick around for the next few rounds as well.
love you lots!
-gigi <3
