𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞

𝟒𝟓.

4:11pm
Michael Wheeler

I clutch an extra bouquet of flowers that I bought along with Will's one, just following my feet until I reach a gravestone.

Troy Walsh,

it reads.

I'm inside the cemetery, sitting cross-legged in front of Troy's gravestone and I don't know why. Maybe I just felt like I needed to show some respect to him since I haven't since he...

Yeah.

I guess I just can't hold myself back from wondering how things would've been if I had forgiven Troy for everything he did to Will. Would things have been better? Would he have joined the party?

Would he still be around?

That's probably the question I ask myself the most.

It's been almost two months, and I know I haven't proven to seem like I've cared lately, but I have thought about him every night since his death.

I just miss him so much.

He seemed like a shitty person but he had his own circumstances, which I know isn't an excuse, but I remembered him as a cool, funny guy... before we met Will.

I'm still struggling to understand why he had such a deep hatred for Will, and I can't help but want to know more. To talk to Hopper so I can fully understand the situation. How am I supposed to mourn if I don't know the full story?

Technically I could, but the only people who mourn without knowing the person are people who weren't close.

I was close.

A tear rolls down my cheek.

God, this is embarrassing.

Nobody is watching me, I know, but I just hate crying so much. It makes me feel like a weak person and that's the last thing I want to feel in a town like this.

I wipe that tear away and lean over to place the flowers against his gravestone before standing up taking a moment to stare at it for a little.

Then I leave.

Maxine Mayfield

"I love you."

Lucas tells me and for the first time, I smile and actually answer back the way that I should.

"I love you too."

I smile and peck his lips.

I noticed that every other time that we would hang out, whether I went over to his house or we went out, he always found a time that day to tell me that he loved me, except I always avoided returning it.

And I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why.

But then I did.

El.

I guess I just wasn't fully over her yet and wasn't ready for the concept of having a new lover. I was so convinced that I was, but that was just me lying to myself like I always do.