~ Hidden Love ~

CH1 - The Vanishing of Will Byers [PT 1]

> 1983 <
> SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6th <

As I dozed off sitting at a cash register, I woke up to a loud BANG onto the counter.

My eyes shot open to a old guy standing in front of the counter. I looked down to see a carton of Coors beer. I stretched my aching back and scanned the carton.

"Is that everything, sir?" I asked him.

"Yes ma'am, I believe it is." He said tiredly.

"That will be $4.57. Would you like the receipt?" I said to him with a kind smile. He handed me a $5 bill.

"You can keep the change, and no thanks." He replied and walked out with the carton in hand. I glanced over to the clock, which read; 12:57 a.m. I groaned in boredom as I let me head fall.

"This is going to be a long hour." I said to myself.

1 hour and 10 minute pass. I clocked out and tidied up the place to look presentable. The next shift worker got here and I decided to leave.I hurried to my bike in the chilly morning. It doesn't take that long to get home, because most of it is down hill.

I arrived to my house and I parked my bike along side of the house. I stumbled through the dark and finally made it inside. I made my way to the kitchen and made a glass of water. I decided to watch sone television before I went to bed. I sat my glass down of the table and plopped on the couch.

> MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7th <

"Wake it up sleepy head! It's time for school." I heard Jonathan's voice ring through my head as I opened my eyes slowly. I groaned loudly as I felt my eyes ache from the light. I laid there, but decided to get up when I heard food cooking. I yawned as I made it into my room and changed. I got my backpack and walked back into the kitchen.

"Where the hell are they?" I looked over to see Mom looking for something.

"What are you looking for?" I asked her.

"The car keys. I have no idea where they are." She said, clearly frustrated.

"They may be in the couch. I think I slept on them last night." I told her as I sat my bag down.

"It's fine honey. Oh! Found them." She said as I walked over to the dining table. I look towards Jonathan cooking breakfast.

"I hope some of those eggs are for me." I said to hopefully.

He chuckled, "Yeah, yeah. I didn't forget about you." He said while scooping eggs out onto plates.

"Okay, sweeties, I will see you tonight." Mom told as she gave me a hug and Jonathan a shoulder rub.

"See you later." Jonathan told her.

"Yeah, see you." I said with a smile.

"Where's Will?" Mom asked as she stopped walking.

"Oh, I didn't get him up yet," Jonathan said as he finished scooping out the eggs, "he's probably still sleeping." Mom sighed.

"Jonathan, you have to make sure he's up!" Mom said disappointingly and walked towards Will's room.

"Mom, I'm making breakfast. You could've got Y/n to wake him."

"I'm sorry, no one told me he wasn't awake." I said annoyed, directed to Jonathan.

"I told you both this a thousand times." Mom said, scolding us. "Will! Come on, honey. It's time to get up." I heard as she walked off.

I looked over to Jonathan, who was placing toast onto the plates of eggs. I walked over to the plates and grabbed one. "Thank you, Jonathan." I said with a grin and sat down at the table.

Mom then came back with a puzzled expression on her face.

"He came home last night, right?" She asked.

"He's not in his room?" Jonathan asked.

"Did he come home or not?" She said, moving her focus to us for a moment.

"I don't know mom, I fell asleep as as soon as I sat onto the couch last night." I said, looked over to Jonathan who was supposed to be home last night.

"I don't know." Jonathan said.

"You don't know?" Mom said, annoyed.

"No, I-I got home late. I was working."

"You were working?"

"Eric asked if I could cover," Jonathan said defensively, "I said yeah. I just thought we could use the extra cash."

"Jonathan, we talked about this." Mom said as she sighed.

"I know, I know."

"You can't take shifts when no one else will be home." She said as she scolded him again.

"Mom, it's not a big deal. Look, he-he was at the Wheeler's all day." He said, trying to calm Mom down. "I'm sure he just stayed over."

Mom sighed. "I can't believe you." She said walking over to the phone. "I can't believe you sometimes."

She grabbed the phone and I assumed she's calling the Wheeler's.

I looked over to Jonathan who was leaning on the other side of the table from me. I looked at my plate with the eggs only halfway gone. I sighed as I decided to just eat the rest of the toast.

"Hi, Karen. It's Joyce." She said on the phone. "Was that Will I heard back there?"—"Will didn't didn't spend the night?" She looked over at us. "Um, you know what? I think he just left early for.. for school. Thank you so much. Bye." A worried expression then grew on her face.

"Maybe he did leave early for school?" I said to them. "He usually does when there's a test or something."

"Yeah, you're right.. I'm sure he left early." Mom said as she did a slight smile. "Well I'm off to work. See you when I get home."

"Bye Mom." Jonathan and I said in sync, again. Mom walked out the door. Jonathan sat down and set his plate down. I sighed while finishing off my toast.

"I'm sure he just left early. I mean it's Will." I told Jonathan with a caring smile.

"Yeah."

(1010 Words)