ℕ𝕆𝕀𝕊𝔼

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• 𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝙻𝚒𝚙𝚜 𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚍 - 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚘-𝙶𝚘'𝚜 •

Soon enough, the pair reached the arcade. They made a plan with Keith about getting Max into the back room so they could talk. They placed an 'out of order' sign on Dig Dug. Keith would then bring Max to the back where there was supposedly another one.

Plot twist: there wasn't.

It was all Lucas' idea and if anything goes wrong, Bea will make sure Max knows that.

The employee opened the 'employees only' door for Max to reveal an awkward smiling Lucas and Beatrice, who was already pointing her finger at the boy.

"You better get me that date now, Sinclair." Keith said pointedly as he shut the door so the three could talk.

The only way they were able to do this was to promise something in return. But Keith didn't know that both kids had their fingers crossed. What Keith doesn't know won't hurt him. Like they would prostitute their friend's sister. Dingus.

"What is this shit, stalker?" Max aggressively turned to Lucas.

"Sorry, I just needed a safe place." Lucas defends. Max turns to look at Beatrice for her explanation.

"Don't look at me. Look at Lucas. He dragged me here. Said you'd only talk to me."

"Yeah, that's because we're friends." Turning back to Lucas she asked, "A safe place to what? Be creepy?"

"Listen. I'm gonna tell you the truth about everything that happened last year, with the help of Bea. But if anyone finds out, you could be arrested." He takes a short breath. "Possibly killed."

"Killed?" The redhead asked in disbelief.

"We need to know," Beatrice pleads.

"Do you accept the risk?" Lucas asks.

"Oh, my God. This— this is so stupid!" Max complains as she spins in a circle, looking around the room for any cameras. Is she being pranked? Is this going on TV? Is John Quiñones gonna pop out of nowhere?

Sorry, that reference is 24 years early.

"Do you accept the risk?" The only boy in the room repeats slowly.

"Yeah. Sure. Fine. I accept the risk." She said shortly and she placed her skateboard down.

Sitting on the chair across from Lucas and to the right from Bea, Max leaned back in her seat with crossed arms, waiting for them to tell her everything. Lucas sits back down and gets situated. It's a long story.

"Let's hear it."

"Last year, Will didn't get lost in the woods." Lucas starts.

"He got lost somewhere else." Beatrice continued and she looked down. This isn't her favorite thing to talk about.

But they still told her. They told her everything. From Bea's bad feelings, to her sister dying, and all the way to when Eleven sacrificed herself. Max now knew it all. When they finished telling the story (Lucas more than Beatrice) they sat in silence for a while.

"I can't believe it's been that long. Feels like yesterday." Lucas sighs and Bea nods in agreement.

"Yeah. I mean, I bet. Wow."

"It's crazy. I know."

"It's crazy, but... I really liked it." Max nodded.

"Liked it?" Bea was confused as to why she would like something like that. All the kids definitely have some sort of trauma from the year before and Max 'liked it'?