slut [ eddie munson ]

000

When Talia Wheeler came downstairs the morning after July 4th, she did not expect to see her parents, Gina and John Wheeler, rooted in front of the television watching the news.

If there was one thing Talia knew about her parents, it was that they avoided watching the news at all cost. Talia's mother's high school sweetheart had gone on to be Hawkins star newscaster, and John always had something to say when his face popped up onto the television screen.

So, in attempt to avoid her husband's petty remarks toward her irrelevant ex, for as long as Talia could remember Gina Wheeler relied on her neighbors to keep her updated on Hawkins latest news.

Talia made her way into the living room, leaning against the back of the couch and hovering behind her parents. Quickly reading the headline on the screen, a feeling of unease settled deep in her stomach.

Starcourt Mall had gone up in flames the night before, killing multiple people.

Wordlessly, Talia turned and made her way back to the stairs, racing up to her room. She grabbed her light pink landline phone from beside her bed and hurriedly dialed one of the only numbers she knew by heart.

The ringing of the phone caused Talia's anxiety to spike. Her panic was unjustified, she told herself. She had no reason to believe that anything had happened to Billy Hargrove. Billy had plans to go to a barbecue at Tommy H's house after his shift at the pool, meaning he would have been nowhere near Starcourt Mall.

But when the phone stopped ringing and Talia Wheeler heard Susan Hargrove croak out a strained greeting, Talia felt a burning in her eyes.

"Hi Susan, it's Talia," she paused, the silence on the other line eating her alive, "i was just wondering if I could talk to Billy? I, um, saw the news and—I honestly don't know why because he was at Tommy's last night—I just have this really bad feeling in my gut and I-"

Talia was cut off by a muffled sob, and her eyes burned even more as she struggled to hold back the tears begging to fall.

"I am so sorry honey," was all Susan could get out before Talia abruptly slammed the phone down onto the receiver, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks as she shoved her face into her pillow in attempt to muffle the screams that she could not hold back.

Talia Wheeler had never meant to fall in love with Billy Hargrove, and Billy Hargrove had never meant to break her heart.