My Number One (001/Henry Creel/Vecna x Reader)

Dodging Bullets

"Nice to meet you," I replied, and it was. Somehow everyone had been so nice to me since leaving the lab. Was that normal for the outside world, or was I just lucky?

"So, where are you from?" Nancy asked. "You don't go to my school, and that's the only high school around here. Unless you're homeschooled?"

I did sort of know what the word school meant. Papa used to use that word when referring to our lessons where we'd learn how to enhance our powers. I wondered what they learned at theirs. "I actually just moved here," I said. It was sort of a lie, because I'd lived in Hawkins for years, in the laboratory, but that was totally separate from the outside world, so it didn't count to me.

"On my street?" Nancy looked quite happy.

I didn't want to lie too much and get caught up. "Um—no, I'm just visiting a friend."

"Oh, okay." Nancy nodded.

It was almost silent for the rest of the drive, until I wondered something. "What time is it?" I asked. The sky was pinky-orange, now, and before I entered the Upside Down, it had been pitch black.

Nancy glanced at her watch. "It's five."

"Five?" How had that much time passed?!

"I know, it's early. I promise I'm not a psycho, it's just, I stayed at my boyfriend Steve's house last night and I can't let my parents know. I have to be back before they wake up."

Early...? Oh, it was morning. That did make sense. I still hadn't spent that long with Mr Ballard, though, and Walter had told me he'd wake me up for my stripper shift at midnight. Walter must've woke me up later than he said he would. Perhaps he knew I needed the sleep. He was so kind to me. I felt terrible. He had probably wondered where I had went. After I visited Eleven, I would go and see him.

"Why can't your parents know?" I asked.

Nancy laughed. "He's my boyfriend, and if they knew I spent the night at his house, then they'd know what we did at his house."

"I don't. What did you do?"

Nancy laughed again. "Is that sarcasm?"

"Sarcasm?"

Nancy rolled her eyes and smiled. "Okay, now I know you're being sarcastic."

"No, really, tell me."

"You wanna know all the dirty details?!"

"Yes."

"We had sex!" She laughed louder this time, acting all giddy. "I lost my virginity!"

It really seemed like I should've known what these words meant, so I played along. "...What was it like?" I asked cautiously.

Nancy thought for a second, a light smile on her face, then she nodded with raised eyebrows. "It was good."

I smiled and nodded, too. "Cool."

The car stopped. "Well, we're here," Nancy said, stepping out.

I stepped out, too. "Thank you."

"Bye!"

"Bye."

I looked around for the house on the street that Eleven was staying at...then, I realised it was the same one Nancy was heading towards.

I almost opened my mouth to ask her to wait up, that that was where I was going, too, but then I remembered, the boys were keeping us a secret, and she must be part of their family.

I looked around, wondering about what to do.

Then, I decided to just be honest.

"Oh, wait!" I called to Nancy, catching up with her.

She turned around.

"This is your house?" I asked.

She nodded.

"My friend lives here, too!" I said.

"Who's your friend?"

"Um—Mike!"

Nancy scrunched her eyebrows. "Mike?"

My heart dropped. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. I nodded, regardless.

"Mike has friends?" She laughed, so I felt a little relieved. "...Where did you meet him?"

I faltered, unable to think of something to say. "...In town?"

Nancy shrugged. "The arcade, then, I assume.

"...Yeah." I smiled.

"Well, come on in, then. He'll be up in about half an hour to get ready for school. You can wait downstairs with me, or you could wake him up, I guess. It doesn't bother me, but it'd bother him."

I breathed out. Phew. I couldn't believe I got through it. Nancy turned back around and led me through the door that I had actually already been through once before.

In the kitchen, Nancy began pouring cereal and milk into a bowl. "Want some?"

"Yes, please."

She laughed a little. "Okay."

After preparing both of our bowls, we sat down at her dining table. "So, what year in school are you in? You look way too old to be in Mike's year. I assumed you were in high school already, but since you said you're friends with Mike, now I don't know."

I swallowed. "Um. I don't know, either."

Nancy scrunched her eyebrows again. "Why? Are you being held back a year or something?"

"I don't know. Yet."

"Oh. Well, how old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Oh, so you're a senior! When are you joining?"

"I don't quite know, yet."

"Well, let me know. You can hang out with me and my friends." She smiled. "Just don't spend too much time with Mike, or you'll turn out like the rest of his friends. Nerds."

I laughed a little.

"What are you saying about me?" I high-pitched boy's voice said from behind us.

I jumped to look, anxious of his accusing tone, but Nancy rolled her eyes nonchalantly and mumbled, "I'm saying you're a nerd, Mike."

"What are you doing here?!" he said when he saw me.

My face flushed a little red. I had been pretending to Nancy that I was friends with her brother, and how he was acting like he didn't want to see me. "Um—I came to see you. And...you know who."

He shot me daggers with his eyes. Clearly I was pushing the boundaries of what was allowed to be said about Eleven in front of his family. He sighed loudly and frustratedly. "Okay, let me get ready for school, and then we can talk about...dungeons and dragons...chapter eleven," he said, peeking at his sister from the corner of her eye to catch any suspicion.