Crush Culture -E. Munson

ONE.

Nickolas Henderson watched the other students passing by with his signature cheeky grin on his lips and a half-finished cigarette between them. He watched as they got into their cars and drove off, done with High-school for the day and plans on their minds. Nick didn't mind that he was left waiting casually, leaning against the hood of his beaten-down Chevy. Instead, he was enjoying the little bit of sun this spring day had to offer. He ran a pale hand through his shoulder-length blond hair that sparkled in the light as if it was made of pure gold and sunshine.

Bright, blue eyes peeked over the rim of a pair of fashionable, most likely costly shades he had snatched out of his best friend's dashboard just this morning, matching the pale-green jumper of the same source that hung loosely on his stock-built frame. He was a pretty boy, the golden, all-American kind that turned heads while walking down the halls, self-aware enough to put a confident bounce in his steps.

There had been a time when popularity and invitations had come just as easy as it was to breathe when Nick was always close to the basketball team and could be found at the heart of every party, dancing the nights away. Thinking about it now, it was more of a fever dream than a glorious memory, and Nick had never felt more lonely in his life, regardless of with how many boys he had secretly hooked up in the back of their cars and, to be fair, he still did that. But now, he had friends who knew about it. And it turns out, a bunch of weirdos and kids was worth more than everything popularity could offer. So he had abandoned it and became the guy everyone greeted, but no one stopped actually to talk to-a good decision.

Nick exhaled a cloud of grey smoke into the air as he lazily glanced at his watch. It was way past the time he was supposed to meet up with his little brother, and his car was one of the last in the parking lot. But he didn't worry; it was perfectly normal for Dustin to forget time and space when playing DnD with his newfound hellfire club, and Nick was glad for him.

Dustin was his pride and joy and, quite possibly, the person he loved most on earth. Given the circumstances that were haunting Hawkins for the past three years, which included a boy going missing and two girls getting killed by monsters, Russians invading the city, and Nickolas almost dying multiple times alongside his brother and friends, it was only natural that he was keen on giving Dustin a ride home every day after school. And he so he really didn't mind the extra wait.

He blew another puff of smoke into the fresh spring air, leaning his face further into the sunshine that warmed his skin so deliciously. But as usual, it was hard to get a moment of peace in this town, and the school doors slammed open, revealing his curly-haired little brother with an apologetic grin.

"Sorry, I forgot the time," he announced as he made his way over, backpack rattling with every energetic step. A smirk tugged at the corners of Nick's lips as he eyed Dustin's rather loud attire made out of his club sweatshirt, a colorful open shirt thrown over, and a cap from science camp. A wave of adoration overcame him how it always did when he looked at the other boy.

"Looking sharp," he commented on the look he hadn't noticed this morning in its full glory.

"Thank you," Dustin grinned proudly, showing off his custom pearly whites as he opened the door to get into the passenger seat. With a chuckle, Nick got rid of his smoke and put it out on the floor with his sneaker, then joined his brother in the car.

„How was the game? Did you manage to take down Vecna yet?" he asked as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road to the loud screeching of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song.

„He still has a few hitpoints left, but we're working on it. The slimy boy is just too good at spotting us before we can get close," Dustin happily told him about his afternoon, and Nick nodded while his thumbs drummed along on the steering wheel.