𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 // 𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

1

I wasn't a friend of max. I didn't even consider her my real sister.
She had a hatred for me and billy as far as I knew.
She never made an effort to talk to me or get to know me.

until the day of his funeral.

There we all were, standing in this soaking wet graveyard.
I could feel the raindrops thumping on my umbrella. I turned to my side to look at my step sister Maxine. She had no expression on her face, she just looked numbly at the ground while the pastor said a few things over our brothers grave... I wonder how she's feeling.

I recognized some of her friends, I had met Dustin and Lucas in class before.
The others looked familiar but I couldn't quite remember their names. Except Will of course. A year or so before we moved to Hawkins he had went missing for a long time. From what I heard, none of the other kids expected him to be alive. I was even told they had a funeral for him. So many funerals, so many missing kids. And now my brother is gone too.

it's so difficult for me to accept that he's gone. I could feel myself zoning out just thinking about all the times we had together. The nights he would come into my room when mom and dad were fighting and read me stories to help me sleep, when he stood in the kitchen and taught me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the first time. Him taking me for a ride on the back of his motorcycle that he got for his 16th birthday. When he gave me my first cigarette and I nearly threw up on his shoes. Even though they were stupid, those were my favorite memories I had with him.
All of them hit me like a truck and I could feel the warm tears start to roll down my face.

My best friend Chrissy walks up behind me and taps me on the shoulder.
"y/n, the rain is getting heavy. Why don't we head home?"
I feel myself slowly lift out of the daydream and I look around to see that everyone but Chrissy and I had left.
"What time is it Chris?" I said taking my hand and wiping away the tears.
"The funeral ended about 15 minutes ago. I wanted to give you some time."
She rubs my shoulder and lays her head on it.
"Thanks Chris. You really didn't have to stay here." I said.
"of course I did, I know you and billy weren't the bestest of friends but he was still your brother."
Her support comforted me, I let out a long sigh and we started walking to the car.

I hear the shrill of the brakes of Chrissy's car stopping at the edge of my driveway. I look at her and she gives me a light smile.
"Thanks for driving me home." I say as I unbuckle my seatbelt.
"anytime y/n." She says as she watches me grab my jacket and the funeral pamphlet. I open the car door and step out onto the pavement. I turn back to her and she offers a small wave. I waved back to her and slowly made my way up the driveway and into the house.

I put my jacket on the hook and kick off my shoes. The heels that I had been wearing for the service had made my feet ache. I put my hand against the wall and take turns rolling each of my ankles to hopefully give them some blood flow. I look down at the pamphlet in my hand and observed the photo they had used for the cover of his program.
Billy was smiling, which was rare but it wasn't a genuine smile.
I'm glad they at least put a photo of him where he didn't look aggressive.

Billy was known for being a bully wherever we lived. As soon as we moved here, he made it very clear that if anyone ever hurt us that he would kill them.
I remember walking through the halls and watching as the kids in front of me basically cleared a path for me. Even though, I appreciated getting to class on time it also made me feel like the attention was constantly on me.

I open the fridge and pull out a soda.
As soon as I pop the tab, I hear noises coming from the back of the house.
I set my drink down on the counter and turn to go down the hall.
All of the door was closed and the lights were off, except for Billy's.
Billy's bedroom was the last one on the left.

My heart raced for a moment. I could hear drawers being opened and stuff being moved around. For a second, I wondered if it was billy. Maybe he came back like the Byers boy did. I know it was a silly thought but what if..

I lean towards the door and take a peek through the crack. I see max sitting on the edge of his bed looking at herself in the mirror across from her.
My heart sinks. I knew it wasn't billy but it didn't stop me from hoping...
I knock gently on the door and she lets out a gasp. I open the door and make eye contact with her.

I stand awkwardly in the doorway while she looks at me with the same expression she had at the funeral.
"Hey.." I said rubbing my hands together and looking at my feet to distract me from the intense stare she was giving me.
"Hey." She says as she lowers her gaze and looks back at the mirror.
I slowly walk over to his bed and take a seat next to her.
We sit there for a moment in silence.

"I miss him too." I said as both of us shift our eyes around the room we once weren't allowed to be in.
About 30 seconds went past. Of us just sitting there in each other's company.

"Y/n I want you to know something." Max said as she grabs her knees, almost to stabilize herself from the next line that would come out of her mouth.
"Billy didn't get into a wreck... he didn't die that way or whatever bullshit they told you." She takes a breath, debating what to say next.
"Billy was murdered.. and I know you won't believe me but I need you to listen." So I did.