Daisies || Max Mayfield

73: Welcome to the Upside Down

"I love you too."

"Everyone's watching us, aren't they?"

I picked my head up, and she lifted her's to look around. Steve and Nancy were watching through the window, while Robin was peeking through the door, and Eddie and Dustin were crowded behind her. Lucas and Erica were staring at us, the lanterns left on the ground.

"Yes."

She laughed, looking up at me. "I'll see you soon, right?"

"See you after this is all over." I leaned down and kissed her softly. She kissed me back before pushing me away.

"You have to leave."

"I know." I hung my head, stepped back, and climbed on the bus. When I turned around to wave out the door, her face was a deep red as she waved back. Lucas was staring, and Erica was laughing.

"Come on, sit down," Steve said.

I sat next to Dustin and Eddie on the couch, hiding my face as I felt everyone's eyes watching me. Steve pulled away from the sidewalk and continued driving, watching the mirrors.

"You guys aren't gonna say anything?" Eddie asked.

"We know," Robin said, pointing to Steve and Dustin.

"Wheeler?" Eddie looked at her. "Nothing?"

"I thought we all knew?" She asked, looking at me.

"What?"

"You and Max." She shrugged. " I thought we all knew."

"What?" I stammered. "N-no. Wait what? You knew?"

She nodded. "Since she and Lucas broke up? It was because of you?"

I froze. "What?"

"Nancy, how'd you know that?" Steve asked.

"They were shouting in my basement, of course, I heard them." She replied. "I thought we all knew."

"Wha-no." I groaned. I looked at Eddie. "You're not gonna yell at me or anything?"

"Why would I yell at you, Harrington?"

"I-I dunno," I exclaimed. "I-Isn't-Is there anyone here that's gonna like, yell at me or something? Call me something. Why are you all so cool about it?"

"You thought we'd yell at you?" Steve asked.

"W-well yeah." I shrugged, leaning back.

"Daisy, we're not going to hate you," Dustin assured me. "No one in the group will."

"Seriously?" I groaned. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Steve scoffed. "We're actually good people, you know?"

I rolled my eyes. "Wait what did you mean with the thing about Max and Lucas? That was half a year ago."

"Yeah." Nancy nodded. "I thought they broke up because of you?"

"N-no." I frowned. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you guys were always acting like a couple."

I nodded slowly, still confused. "Was it that obvious?"

For the next five miles, we rode in silence. Steve drove while we sat quietly, everyone waiting for the next word. We could save the world tonight. Or destroy it. 

Steve stopped the camper on the side of the road. When we walked in with all our supplies, the camper residents had disappeared. Good. 

"Okay. I wanna run through it one more time." Nancy began. "Phase one. We meet Erica at the playground. She'll signal Max and Lucas when we're ready. Phase two. Max baits Vecna. He'll go after her, which'll put him in his trance. Phase three?"