CHAPTER FIVE — THE MONSTER AND THE SUPERHERO PART ONE
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"MAX, CAN we please just talk?" Jackie followed after her sister hopelessly. For the first time in a while, she had stayed at the trailer. Her bed, despite being the same one from their former house, felt smaller, and every time she tossed and turned, she was convinced she'd wake up on the floor.
Maybe it was the stress of Max hating her, the killings, or the fear that Steve was going to see that she was trash and move onto someone better. Or perhaps it was all three concerns that had kept her up all night—but yeah, she hadn't slept.
"There's nothing to talk about," Max answered shortly, washing her medicine down with water, before turning around to brush past her. "You're only here because of what I said, not because you realized it yourself. And I used to think you were like the smartest person in the world, but you've gotta be super dumb if you think that lame ass apology from last night will make me forgive you."
"Max, how on earth am I supposed to know how you feel if you don't tell me? That's how communication works."
"It's not just how I feel though." Max crossed her arms over her chest, headphones sliding down from her head to her neck. "It's the truth. You're embarrassed to be here. You are embarrassed to be seen with mom because of what she's going through. But what's worse is that you left me here by myself. You think I'm not embarrassed either? How we went from living in the suburbs to this piece of shit? You didn't think of me, that's the problem. You only thought of yourself when you left. Because you think you're better than everyone else."
Something rang in her ears. She felt dizzy, like the room was closing in on her. That line sounded so familiar, she felt panicky. Where had she heard that before? The memory was right there, if only she could... she focused too hard, and it hit her like a truck.
It had been two years prior. In the Byers' house. Specifically the kitchen. Billy had just attacked Steve. Her step-brother's taunting voice echoed in her head.
"You think you're sooo smart, don't you Jacqueline?" Billy had asked, facing her with a look of so much hatred. Jackie remembered the rifle Hopper had given her, how bad she was shaking as she held it before her. "You think you're better than everyone else around you, huh?"
"Not everyone," her own voice answered. The weapon raised, despite her unsteady hands, she loaded it. "Just you. Get the hell out or I'll shoot you."
She blinked back into the scene before her—what kind of connection was her brain trying to make there? Why had that memory decided to pop up?
Jackie was stunned into silence, and she couldn't help her mouth from falling open in shock. "Max, I didn't- I didn't leave you on purpose. I just thought that- that with everything going on the last thing you needed was to be near me when I was in my head."
