Trapped in Love

Act 1: Ch 1 conti..

CHAPTER ONE CONTINUE:
THE VANISHING OF WILL BYERS

everything the next morning was a rush, as it always was. Valerie would have rode to school on her bike like everyday, however her bike chain popped. she hopped it get it fixed soon, though.

the only other option to get to school was obviously her brother, Steve, who was already heading to his car clueless as he hummed a song.

Valerie mumbled things to herself, walking over and opened the door. Steve, obviously not knowing what was happening, looked up at her with confusion.

"woah woah what do you think your doing?" he held a hand up as if to signal her to stop. she still had her hand on the handle, sighing.

"i need a ride dipshit." Steve only stared, which made her roll her eyes. she was annoyed already and the morning just started. "my bike chin popped. i would bike to school but it's not happening." she added on, watching him as he sighed.

"ugh. get in." he signaled for to get in and close the door. which she did very quickly, nodding.

just like everyday, the two siblings arrived at school in silence. it kinda bummed Valerie out that they had that kind of dynamic. she pushed past it though.

the relationship between the two Harringtons was weird. actually, there was no relationship. they just lived together, which that was barely. Valerie was rarely ever home. She would crash at Will's or even sometimes Mike's. even if she couldn't stay there, she would crash in Will's hide out, 'castle byers' during warmer nights.

once she made it to school, she hopped out of Steve's car and jogged over to the bike rack. she softly smiled when she saw that they waited on her.

"where's Will?" Valerie asked softly, readjusting her book bag as it began to slip. the wind blowing her hair around.

"that's weird. i don't see him." Mike responses as Valerie furrows her eyebrows and looks around, hoping to see the familiar boy riding his bike towards them.

"i'm telling you, he's probably early to class." Lucas said with a soft shrug. a look of unease is exchanged between Mike and Valerie.

"yeah he's always paranoid that he's gonna get another pop quiz." dustin states nonchalantly, as the others shrugged.

"i hope y'all are right." the girl mumbled with a soft tone as she fixes her hair. Lucas shares her a look as if to say 'he did.'

"step right up ladies and gentlemen, step right up and get your tickets for the freak show." Troy said, smirking. he approached the party with James just close behind.

Troy and James always picks on them, including Valerie, just not as harsh. Sometimes they excluded her unless she spoke up, which she always tried to.

"what do you want?" Valerie questioned bluntly, as the boys beside her laughed. Troy sent her a glare, stepping closer to her. at the moment, they didn't know what for.

all the boys knew- especially Mike-, they didn't like it.

"get away from her," Lucas warned, stepping closer as the others nodded in agreement. even if none of them dared to do something crazy, Lucas would.

"whatever. see you later." Troy stepped away and turned to the boys spiting at their feet. "freaks." he added on before turning around and walking into the school.

•———————-•

when the final bell rung she heard out of the classroom, heading to where she knew the other three boys would be, the AV classroom. on her way there, she saw two cops. Sheriff Jim Hopper, and Deputy Callahan. the feeling in her stomach deepened, and she sped walk to the room.

when she entered, she see saw the three boys messing with some radio. Noticing the girl, Mike waved her over. "Val! come look at this!"

Valerie slips her bag off, placing it next to Mikes before walking over and stood behind him, her hands placed on his shoulders. The boy eyes flicked up to her for a moment before he looked back at the radio in front of him. "you can talk to Australia on this!"

Valerie smiles at Mikes excitement before speaking. "that's cool wheeler but there's something you should know."

"ello!" mike begins to speak into the device in a terrible Australian accent. "im mike wheela, president of Hawkins AV club."

"wheeler!" shouted Valerie, earning the attentions of all the boys. she sighed, "the cops. they're here."

"what?" mike says, his smile disappearing.

as if on cue, the cops and the principal walk into the room asking for the four of them. "excuse me, i'm sorry to interrupt. however can i borrow Mike, Lucas, Dustin and Valerie?"

Valerie exchanges glances with the boys before sucking in a breath and following them to Coleman's office.

in the office, the three boys squished onto the couch, Valerie taking the arm chair next to Mike. Hopper and Callahan opposite of them.

"so you were racing?" Hopper asked Dustin.

"yes but only till we made to my house, that was the last i saw him before Will continued on." Dustin explained.

"mirk-wood." mike spoke up. "will takes mirk-wood home."

Hopper looks over at Callahan. "have you heard of mirk-wood?" he asks him.

"sounds made up." Callahan says, shaking his head.

"it's from the lord of the rings." Lucas says.

"the hobbit." dustin immediately corrected.

Lucas turned to Dustin, clearly annoyed. "it doesn't matter!"

"he asked!"

"he asked!"

"guys shut up!" Valerie shouts, silencing the boys. "what? so your saying he's missing?"

"all we need to know is where he was last seen." said hopper while standing up. "that's it for now."

"we can help look!" mike suggested, all eyes shooting on him.

"no!" hopper said sternly. "after school you go home. all of you. that means no biking around, no looking for your friend. no investigating. no nonsense. this isn't some lord of the rings book."

"the hobbit." dustin corrected causing Valerie to roll her eyes and stand up. Hopper bites his tongue, watching the girl grab her book bag.

"i need to go. my brother is waiting outside." she lied. the truth was the room and the newly information made her feel trapped. she didn't like feeling trapped.

all the boys watch her sling her bag over her shoulders and pass Hopper and towards the door. she stops in her tracks with her hand on the knob. "check lonnie's house."

"you know Wills dad?" Mike asks.

Valerie hesitates, biting her tongue. "no." with that, she storms out of the office, worry filling her gut. she hoped Will was okay.