ARTEMIS | Max Mayfield

- Chapter 2 -

- A R T E M I S -

- Red Hair, Blue Camaros, and Colorful Realizations -

- 3RD Person P.O.V -

     Pedaling down the street, a usual short-cut she takes to and from her workplace, Artemis Whitelock happily felt the rush of cold autumn air flutter against her body. A small upturn of her lips was plastered on her face as she bopped her head to the beat of Super Trouper by ABBA, a few of the lyrics being muttered by her. Though Artemis forgot to take her Walkman with her, she played the tune in her head anyway.

Just after leaving a confused Steve Harrington in her wake, Artemis started making her way towards her intended destination, Palace Arcade. It was a quaint, neon stripped arcade frequently visited by kids, teens, and tweens alike, it was so because it seemed to be the most popular around Hawkins.

The sun was still above yet tufts of fluffy clouds started swirling the sky. It was a chilly time in the year. Autumn, Artemis' second favorite season while winter takes first place in her heart. Artemis loved the coziness both season leave her with.

The flaps of her too big jean jacket continues to shift from the intense winds, her hair blown and parting from her face as the cool air nipped at her cheeks and noes. A rosy color rising on her tan skin. Artemis stood on her pedals as she happily accepted the brushing breeze.

While riding down the asphalt road, in the quiet of her own mind, Artemis thought of how she would go about her day. She concluded that she had a few hours to do at work and the following would be her free time, which she usually spent at the arcade anyway seeing as she wouldn't be there to work but to play then. But right now, she felt like doing something else.

'What to do...' Artemis pondered while tapping her fingers on her bike handles, steering it to turn right on the street. It was basically muscle memory for her, having gone to the arcade many times before.

As Artemis took her eyes from the road and onto the row of trees and houses lining the street, she saw and passed the familiar house of Michael Wheeler, one of Will's friends. Speaking of the short boy, Artemis considered to hang out with him after her work instead of staying at the arcade. She turned back to the road.

The girl pedaled lightly as she chuckled quietly. Just yesterday, Will Byers had once again tried to pull her into learning and playing D&D with him. As always, Artemis was never convinced, yet. In honesty, Artemis did find the game intriguing and played into some of the things the girl liked, which was creativity and fantasy fiction. Only, Artemis wasn't in the mood to learn and play it just then.

Artemis thought about it all the way until she saw the neon and rotating sign of the Palace Arcade.

The girl knew how much Will liked the game and was nice enough to run Artemis through the game and its rules, which she knew to be time consuming. She had been a witness to one of Will's party campaign planning.

But in a good mood, Artemis considered, 'Maybe.'

Yeah, just maybe, Artemis might finally let Will teach her.

She imagined that the boy would be ecstatic at the offer, he had been trying to get her roped into the game since he played it the first time with his party friends.

So, she decided she would, after all, Artemis felt light and nice today.

With a soft smile and a gentle look thinking of how Will would be beaming at her, she looked all around her before turning to ride her bike across the street and into the bike racks near the arcade.