THATS SO 80s - Steve Harrington

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One

It has been quite a few months since we moved to California. I'm loving it over here, it's a stress-free environment. I have never felt happier, yet alone at the same time.

I'm attending Cali Highschool, finishing our last years, Jonathan and I. I love Jonathan, I do, but he's become quite the stone head if I'm honest. I can see why, I know why he does it, but I don't completely agree with it.

El and Will are attending High School, too. They both seem to be loving it and making new friends. El has even learnt to speak better English with the help of all of us now, it wasn't just me.

I have my own room along with Jonathan, El, and Will. No one has to share a room because Joyce has a really good job, she gets to work at home now. Will is painting a lot, drawing art that he won't show me or El. We've been asking for weeks about it, but he doesn't say anything. He just denies it and doesn't show us his work.

I'm currently getting ready in my room, listening to girls just want to have fun as it reminds me of Nancy a lot. It's still our favourtie song to this day. I miss her. Spring break is almost here, in one day. And that means we can go to Hawkins.

And by we, I mean Jonathan. I think he's still going to come with me, at least. Once I had gotten ready for school I walked down the hall to see if El was ready.

She was sitting in her room, creating a visual aid she had been working on for weeks. She told me that her teacher, Ms Gracey, wants her students to create a visual aid of a hero. El came up with the idea of creating our Dad and I'm just now seeing the final product. She's working on our cabin, and there's even a Dad figure there. I felt so proud.

"Wow!" El looked up quickly, seeing me. She smiled. "That looks so great, El. You will for sure get that A and Dad will be so proud."

I placed a hand on the chair, standing behind her. "You think so?" She asked, smiling.

"I know so." I grinned. "Come on, we gotta go to school. Argyle is almost here." Argyle is Jonathan and I's new friend. He's also a crackhead, basically. Super laid-back guy, but most of the time he is high along with Jonathan.

"Okay," El responded and quickly picked up her things. There was loud honking, which means Argyle is here. He works at Surfer Boy pizzas and uses the van to get around everywhere. His hair is longer than mine and El's combined.

Will and El both bring out their visual aids as Jonathan and I followed. I could smell the weed coming off him. He and I make eye contact before I shake my head at him. He knows I disagree, but I won't say anything about it. It's how he deal with his trauma, getting high and forgetting it ever happened.

Me? Sometimes I go to counselling, but I rarely go. It doesn't help me in the way I hoped it would. So, I just pretend that nothing ever happened and so far it's been working.

We piled into Argyle's van. Will, El, and I are in the back while Jonathan climbs into the front. Argyle turns to us. "Hold onto your butts, brochachos." Argyle speeds off and I swear this man is worse at driving than me. Which is scary to think about.

I think... I've finally adapted. And that my mental health is okay.

I think.

︾

"What do you think, Byers?"

To stay close, Jonathan and I have taken up most of our classes together. At the start of the year, we didn't like the fact we'd be so alone, so we agreed. I didn't really like wood-shop class, but here I am, making a birdhouse beside Jonathan. This is where we met Argyle. He was in this class and introduced himself to us. Then we became a trio.