far too young to die ✰ m.w.

CHAPTER SIX

"Hey, Mom," Emily said after Joyce had answered the phone. She was back at the Wheelers' and was calling her house from the basement. "I was just wondering if I could stay the night here at the Wheelers' tonight?"

"I don't see why not," Joyce said. "But last time I saw you, you were still in your dress. Do you need me to drop you off some clothes?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

"Another thing... is Dad still there?"

"No, honey, I made him leave."

"Good. Never let him back again."

"I won't, baby, I promise."

A few minutes later, Joyce did as she said she would, dropping off a duffel bag full of clothes and other necessities for Emily. She immediately changed out of her dress, glad to finally be out of it, and into some comfortable clothes she could sleep in, and brushed her teeth. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Mike angrily destroying the fort they had made for Eleven. She rushed over to stop him and the two ended up hugging for a good while.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The next morning, after having blueberry pancakes made by Mrs. Wheeler for breakfast, Emily and Mike were back in the basement, and Dustin had just arrived.

"I just... I can't believe she didn't come back," Mike said with a sigh, pacing in front of the remains of Eleven's fort. This was the whole reason Emily had stayed the night, after all, just in case Eleven would come back; at least, that's what they had told themselves, and each other.

"She's gotta be close," Dustin said.

"She said it wasn't safe. She just messed up the compasses because she wanted to protect us. She didn't betray us."

"Mike, calm down," Emily said. "We know."

"I shouldn't have yelled at her. I never should have done that."

"This isn't your fault, Mike."

"Yeah, it's Lucas's."

"It wasn't his fault, either," Dustin said.

"Okay, that's where I'm gonna have to disagree with you," Emily said.

"It wasn't his fault?" Mike repeated. His pacing had stopped as he faced Dustin.

"No," Dustin said.

"So you're saying he wasn't way out of line?"

"Totally, but so were both of you!"

"What?" Emily and Mike said together.

"And so was Eleven."

"Oh, give me a break," Mike said.

"No, Mike, you give me a break! All four of you were being a bunch of little assholes! I was the only reasonable one. But the bottom line is... you pushed first. And you know the rule. You draw first blood..."