'Salt air and the rust on your door'
❀
Florence Hugh had friends. That's what she told her boys ( a group of 12-year-olds) when they asked her why she always hung out with them. In reality, she didn't have friend(s) she has a friend, Jonathan Byers. They were good friends, good enough friends too share secrets and to know when the other ones sad. However recently she'd noticed Jonathan had been a little... off. She couldn't blame him his little brother was missing.
Florence wished she knew how to comfort Jonathan with loss however she absolutely sucked at that and so it had now come to smiles and awkward waves in the hallways of Hawkins Highschool.
So now it was official she had no friends. There was a 1% chance that her partner for biology would be her friend. Nancy wheeler, was a golden girl she had easily taken that title from Florence last year after everything went downhill. But we'll get into that later.
Florence walked to the byers household. It was pretty late at night however the night before when they were studying she forgot her notes there and so she needed to retrieve them back. It wasn't just her on her way to the household because as she made her way to knock on the door she heard a car pull up. "Hugh!" She heard a familiar voice, which roamed the same halls as her, shout. She twirled round on her converse. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail and a few strands were left hanging out to frame her face. "Steve Harrington, what are you doing here?"she walked up to the brunette boy her arms across her chest and face in a confused expression.
From a passer-Byers view, it would be an odd sight to see, to say the least.
"Uh well I could ask you the same question?" Steve said copying her positions. "Well you didn't so..."Florence said looking down and back up at Steve. "Rights well I'm here to apologise to Jonathan"Steve said pushing past her. "What apologies? What do you mean" Florence was extremely confused she had no clue what the hell was going on. It wasn't until now when Steve turned to face her did she see his bruised and battered face. " Woah you look like shit" Florence said before covering her mouth.
Oops? She hadn't meant for that to come out so blatantly. "Sorry! I just mean that- well I-I- mean" Florence stuttered trying to cover her mess. Steve chuckled before saying it was fine. They were then met with silence. Awfully quiet silence. She shoved past Steve muttering to herself what was taking Jonathan so long. She knocked on his door "hey- Jonathan where are you!"she rode on her tiptoes to look through any slight gap she could find.
"Jonathan! Hey- are you in there man, I just wanna apologise I'm really sorry!" Steve said knocking on the door. "Yeah I'm here too, I'm as in flora I need my notes!" Florence called out after Steve's sentence.
The door opened.
Steve breathed out a 'hey' before noticing it was Nancy wheeler. Although Steve kept his shock inside of himself but Florence didn't. "Nancy wheeler! What are you doing here." It may have come off bitchier than intended but that was the least of her worries. "Is Jonathan here?" Florence asked trying to see past Nancys figure but she couldn't.
"Steve, Florence you need to leave right now." Nancy said an extremely serious expression and tone.
"No I'm not trying to start anything, okay" Steve said a desperate look on his face.
"I don't care you need to leave," Nancy said her expression not wavering.
"What why this is Jonathans house and my stuff is here also whats with your hand" Florence said in one breath looking at Nancy suspiciously.
"Wait did he do that to you"Steve said. Florence hit his arm "of course he wouldn't" she said.
"Nancy let me in" Steve said pushing past Nancy and Florence followed, her curiosity getting the best of her. Her face creased in confusion and she saw Jonathan Byers stood with a bat, the furniture was moved around and the smell of gasoline filled her nostrils. "Ok I gotta ask, is this a cult?" Florence asked I mean you couldn't blame her for asking both Nancy and Jonathan looked like mad people. "What no! Listen Flora you and Steve need to leave." Jonathan said, desperation in his voice.
"Christmas lights,dude what's going on?" Flora new something was up but what was it. "Yeah no seriously," Steve said from behind her.
Nancy pointed a gun to her and Steve. So maybe not a new friend, Florence thought. She held her hands up whilst Steve spoke multiple 'woahs' in order to calm the wheeler girl down.
"Nancy!" Jonathan shouted catching the attention of the three "it's here" he said lowly. Now she was freaked out she'd never seen Jonathan so scared in so long.
Crack! Came from the ceiling above them. Horror filled Florence's face as she saw the monsters body emerge from the ceiling. "Jesus what the hell was that," Steve said, heavy breathing as he followed the others to hide. "Leave now!" Nancy said. "Gladly" Florence said following Steve to his car.
He fumbled with his keys. Then looked at the blonde girl. Her hair dishevelled, her leggings and T-shirt crinkled and her face complete fear. "We have to help them" Steve said. Florence nodded she couldn't leave Jonathan in there with a literal monster.
As they quickly ran into the house they saw Nancy as it's soon to be prey and Steve swing his (weapon?) at it giving it some damage. "Holy shit" Florence said as the monster whimpered slightly. "Uh oh" she said next backing away as the monster made its way towards the blonde girl.
"Come here you piece of shit" she heard Jonathan scream and in no time a fire had occurred. She used her hands to shield herself from the smoke and flames and when she looked back there Jonathan stood with a fire extinguisher, utterly shocked.
"And I thought Mrs Howard was a monster" Florence breathed out standing up and making her way towards the trio. She hugged Jonathan and thanked him for basically saving her life. But it wasn't long until a phone ringing interrupted the safe moment.
A quiet conversation was heard and as the yellow phone was put down Jonathan said "will is alive."
Florence's mouth dropped. She'd never felt so much joy those last few months without will hurt like hell. She missed her boys, her group of nerds. It was hard to realise will was gone before. Of course, grief acts in different ways however it didn't act in any way for Florence as something inside of her heart told her he was out there. Go with your gut I guess, she thought.
𐬾𐬽𐬾𐬽
Florence hated hospitals. It wasn't the people there or the nurses or doctors it was the memories. So walking into there, willingly was a lot for Florence. However, her favourite people were there to help calm her down. She saw the three boys sat on hospital chairs 2 asleep and 1 awake. "Hey nerd" Florence said to Mike as she sat down next to him. "Flora, I missed you" Mike said slightly turning to her with a smile on his face. "I missed you to kid, I'm glad you're ok," flora said.
Once a nurse had told them will be awake and it was ok to go see him all 3 kids clambered in and flora right behind them. Her heart absolutely warmed at the hugs and happiness that she saw. "Alright alright my turn now," flora said as she made her way through excited boys. "How are you wizard" flora said. Will chuckled "better, I missed your cheesy jokes" her smile widened she didn't know what she would do without them. They were her family.
𐬾𐬽𐬾𐬽𐬾
HEY guys omg sooooo first time Florence and Steve have met not too much convo yet as they have never really talked. Basically, flora knows about eleven but not that much but they will develop a bond later on as will she with the others too!!
