DISCONTINUED
Alina Fairgrieves-Byers and Gabriel Burton have learned to expect the worst, but that doesn't make things less disappointing.
𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄
( 𝐎𝐂 𝐗 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐑 )
( 𝐎𝐂 𝐗 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐘𝐄...
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the buzzer beater
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. ✧ ・゜. +・o ✧
Instead of risking his grandmother's reckless driving, Gabe decided to walk home from school. The half-hour that took was spent lost in such deep thought that he quickly grew out of touch with his surroundings, his body moving him on autopilot across crosswalks and past familiar landmarks. His sneakers scuffed against the sidewalk, kicking a particularly large stone. His face was blank, his expression carefully neutral, even though inside, he was going through a whirlwind of emotions. Practically everything that had happened in the past two years circled through his mind, beginning from the moment he'd decided to run away from home to the present moment. It wasn't fair. He'd escaped his father only to be swept into the conspiracy that was Hawkins, had a few months of bliss before everything fell apart again, and now, when everything was supposed to be over, he was still unable to get a break. His grandpa was dying. His friend group was slowly but surely falling apart.
Eddie drove by in his obnoxious car, rock music blaring from the windows. Fortunately, he didn't notice Gabe—otherwise, he might have shouted out his window how disappointed he was in Gabe for skipping Hellfire. As if he was skipping. As if he'd just decided out of nowhere to not show up.
Just one more day, Gabe. Just one more day, and you'll be in California. Maybe things will be better there.
One could only hope.
When he finally arrived home, Nicole was in the front yard, being watched over by their grandmother. Dolores sat in the rocking chair she'd placed on the porch for this exact reason, pretending to be excited by the rocks Nicole toddled up to show her. Bags circled her wrinkled eyes, and her hair was unwashed.
A twinge of pity went through Gabe. His grandmother deserved better. At seventy-two, she should be comfortably retired, not taking care of two children and her sick husband. But she simply didn't have enough money to send George off to a care home, and Gabe and Nicole didn't have any other living relatives. Gabe's father had never even told him his mom's name—in fact, he barely spoke about her at all. And Gabe didn't have any uncles or aunts, either.
