'tis the damn season

One: exile (feat. Bon Iver)

"I think I've seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending" 

Part One 

If there was one thing I knew about Joyce Byers, it was that she knew how to make you feel welcome. She'd set up the spare room for me, and even stocked the fridge with some of my favourite foods. I'd always wished Dad and I could have stayed with them, but it was obvious my Dad and Joyce just weren't meant to be together.

I remember hiding in Johnathan's room with him and Will, while we blasted music to drown out the noise of our parents fighting. I grew up very close to my half brothers, but after Dad and I left, I didn't get to see them very often. I tried to call them regularly, especially Will. He was so young when I left, he had a hard time understanding why his sister had suddenly disappeared from his life.

It's been years since I last saw them. I was sixteen when we left, and I'm almost halfway through nineteen now. But here I am, back in my old room, as if I never left.

Except Dad's not here. And Johnathan and Will are both older now and aren't home very often, as they're out with friends, or girlfriends apparently.

I remember Nancy from elementary school. She was nice enough back then. I don't know much about her.

Will still hung out with his same group of friends as he did from when he was little. If he wasn't at Mike's then he was with Lucas or Dustin. And the new addition to their party, Max.

When I grew up here I didn't have many friends of my own. My friends were Johnathan and Will, and they were all I needed. But it was getting lonely, staying at the house all day, while Joyce was at work and the boys were out with their friends. There was so much I missed out on over the years. They had their own routine I wasn't a part of now.

I made a trip back to Dad's house yesterday for the last of my stuff, and surprise, surprise, he was no where to be found. I hadn't seen, or heard from him in three full months. He just disappeared one day, leaving me to pay the rent and any other bills that came in the mail. He'd done things like that before, but never for this long. And so, here I am, back at my ex-step mom's house, because I simply didn't have anyone else to call.

Although, I think this is better for both my dad and I. He didn't care much about me, not half as much as Joyce did, and I wasn't even hers. There was no hesitation on the phone when I told her about my situation and asked if I could stay with her. She was insistent about it in fact. Told me she wouldn't have me go anywhere else.

I finish folding the last pair of jeans and place them neatly into the dresser next to my old bed, shutting the drawer with satisfaction. I was finally unpacked. Although it wasn't quite the satisfaction I was looking for, as that was the only thing keeping me busy for the past few days since I arrived. I could have gone exploring or something, but it's been a long time since I've been to Hawkins, and I'm terrible with directions. With my luck I'd end up lost with no way to contact anyone.

So I stayed and hung out around the house. Moving from spot to spot, trying to figure out which was the most comfortable place to sit and read. I'd settled on the arm chair in the living room, just as the front door opened abruptly, scaring the living daylights out of me.

"Holy shit!" I yell, almost losing the page in my book.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you," Will smiles, walking through the door with Dustin following behind him. "I just came to grab some money, we're going to the mall," Will jogs down the hallway towards he room, leaving Dustin standing by the door.