𝐌𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐀 // M. Wheeler

[𝐗𝐈𝐈] UPSIDE DOWN

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The kids milled aimlessly around the room, Mike padding over to the gym doors to look for Nancy and Jonathan, who'd disappeared a few minutes before. He came back frowning. "They're gone." 

Lucas looks up. "What?" 

"Nancy and Jonathan. His car's gone."

Dustin snorts. "They're probably just sucking face somewhere."

"Gross." Lucas says, looking, well, disgusted.

"No. No way!" Mike wrinkles his nose.

Kathryn, still shaken up, but trying to stay positive, smiles slightly. "Better them than her and Steve, don't ya think?"

Dustin and Lucas paused and then agreed, Mike shaking his head and saying both were gross. There was a slight pause before Dustin spoke up again.

"Did they go with the chief?"

"I don't know." Mike said, shrugging.

"No." Eleven finally spoke. 

"What? Did you see them? Do you know where they went?" It was a wonder that his friends hadn't gotten whiplash before this point given the speed at which he fired questions the quiet girl's way. 

"Yes." She answered.

Maybe it was more of a wonder he was being so patient with her answers. "Where? Where did they go?" 

Eleven chilled the entire auditorium with her next words- well, word. "Demogorgon."

The room dissolves into chaos for a few minutes, Kathryn's face falling into a frown again. She's so, so ready for this entire experience to be over. They're 12, for pizza with pepperoni's sake! 

Mike, ever the leader, speaks up over the noise. "Guys, guys! This is crazy. We can't just wait around."

Lucas, clearly the number two. "Mike, in case you forgot, we're still fugitives. The bad men are still looking for us."

Kat snorts. "Bad men. We seriously need a better name for them. Sounds like we're five year olds playing make-believe." She gets pessimistic when she's upset. 

"Yeah, and we don't even know where your sister is." Dustin adds. Then, looking at Kat, lips twitching into a slight grin. "You're short enough to be five." 

She sticks her tongue out playfully at him, but her grin falls as Mike continues talking. "El can find them..." 

Dustin's grin has vanished again, too. He shakes his head, brown curls peeking out from underneath his baseball hat. "Mike, look at her. I still think we should stick to the chief's plan."

Kat bites her lip, thinking. Lucas pipes up in the answering silence. "Exactly. We stay here, keep El out of sight and keep her safe. That's the most important thing, remember? Besides, she's okay. She's with Jonathan." 

Kat speaks up at that. "I agree, Mike. El is tired and she's really our only advantage against adults with guns, and cars, and who knows what else. We should stay. 

Dustin nods in agreeance with Lucas. "Yeah, and she's kind of a badass now, so..." Without futher warning, he turns to leave. 

Mike's expression twists into confusion. "Well, where are you going? You just said stick to the plan!"

Dustin half-turns back their way, giving Mike a 'duh' face. "I am. I'm just gonna go get some chocolate pudding! I'm telling you, Lunch Lady Phyllis hoards that shit." 

Mike scoffs. "Are you serious?" To which, Kat finally laughs, just trying to keep herself distracted from everything that could go wrong.