cursed (2022)

chapter ten: beginning of the end

"Turn around," Lucas and I sing in unison. "Look at what you see! In her face, the mirror of your dreams!"

We'd been singing the song to tease Dustin while we helped El, Will, and Joyce pack. Joyce had insisted on moving after everything that happened, and who could blame her? Hawkins is cursed.

"Rhymes that keep their secrets, will unfold behind the clouds," we continue to sing.

"Wait, did we get that verse right, is it "unfold behind the clouds?" I look at Dustin.

For the first time in a long time, I was happy. All the people I love in one place, but I wish it was under better circumstances. I figured that since Eleven came back for one day, even if it was just to pack, I should make the most of it.

"Yeah," Dustin nods from across the room. "But you're butchering it, so could you please stop?"

"So then join in, Dusty-Bun," Lucas blew him a kiss, imitating Suzie, his girlfriend.

"Yeah, come on, Dusty-Bun, why don't you join us?" I smile.

"You guys are so funny, you should be on Carson," Dustin rolls his eyes.

"Can't we just hear your rendition?" I plead.

"No," Dustin retorts.

"Please, just one verse!" I beg.

"No! No way. It's reserved for Suzie's ears and Suzie's ears alone." Dustin insists.

Lucas and I glance at each other and smile before starting to sing again. We even start to clap, and Lucas was dancing a bit. Dustin flipped us off, but that didn't stop us.

"Shut up, you guys!" he rolls his eyes.

"Rhymes that keep their secrets!"

"Would you guys please shut up?" Dustin narrows his eyes us, "Are you done?"

"For now," I look at Lucas and smile.

"We're never letting this one go," Lucas says as he lifts up one of the boxes. "Let's start taking these outside."

I spot Will and Mike talking in the hallway on her way to help load the U-Haul truck, but don't eavesdrop. Instead, I was thinking about how everything was about to change even more. Both Will and Eleven were leaving for good since Hopper was presumed to be dead.

It had been three months since the battle of Starcourt. The "party" had started high school, if you can even call us that anymore. Hopper had a memorial service a week after and Billy had a funeral only two days after his death. Nobody was talking about it anymore though- it was almost as if everyone was trying to pretend it never happened- everyone except me.

I've been distant towards what's left of our little friend group. According to Lucas, they'd all been pretty distant too. I guess everyone was suffering in silence. The Byers' are only back for one day to pack, that's what brought us back together. After they leave, things will go back to how they were before, if not worse.

I notice Eleven in her room alone packing, I went over to her and sat on her bed. Eleven turns to look at me from her closet, where she was putting a few more things in a moving box.

"Hi,"

"Excited about the move?" I ask, knowing it was a stupid question.

"No," Eleven gives me a weak smile.

"You know," I say, looking down at my fingers. "You were the first best friend I've ever really had."

El is silent for a moment, "Really?"