Beautiful Destruction.

Four.

As they arrive at the school, it was painfully evident that the boys hadn't yet left, as their bikes were still lined up outside. Both Joyce and Antionette climbed out of the car, and Joyce ventured inside. But Antionette just stood for a moment, something telling her she wouldn't find him inside, and that maybe she should be looking around outside. She made her way around the building, wandering onto the field, and that's when she saw him, Will. He was just standing in the middle of the field, his whole body trembling. She headed quickly towards him, noticing that his eyes had rolled into the back of his head, and it was almost as if he was having some kind of seizure.

"Joyce!" She turned to call. After all, she didn't know what to do, but Joyce had been dealing with this all year, so she'd have a better idea on how to deal with it. She saw her approaching, the boys following close behind her, so she turned back to Will. "You're gonna be alright, your mom is coming." She told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. The second she made contact with him, she simply stopped breathing. The second she made contact with him, all of the air was miraculously sucked from her lungs. She let go of him, but still, she couldn't find the strength to inhale. She began to scratch at her throat, as if she was being choked by someone or something. It was only when Will blacked out and hit the floor was she released from whatever hold she had been placed under. She dropped down to her knees, gasping for air. "What the fuck was that?"

-----

"It was like... when I touched him... I felt it, that, that thing, I felt it everywhere." She began. "It had its hands around my throat like it wanted me dead but it knew it couldn't so it settled with making me believe that I was gonna die."

"And this dream-" The therapist started, only to be cut off.

"It wasn't a dream."

"It couldn't possibly be real, Antionette-"

"I'm not making this up, it was real, I know what I felt." She said again.

"Y'know you're coming to the end of your sentence."

"I know."

"But I fear your progress has started to backtrack so I'm going to recommend you continue coming in-"

"No! I... I don't want to have to come here again, I don't want anymore sessions."

"You don't want them, but I think that you need them."

-----

The next morning, Antionette had no plans of getting up until she absolutely had to. Unfortunately, the phone was ringing, and it was ringing, and it was ringing. She shot up, brushing her hair from her face.

"Dustin!" She shouted, but not receiving an answer. With a groan, she reached for the phone beside her bed. However, before she could speak, Dustin's voice came through, telling her he'd picked it up from downstairs.

"Hello, Henderson residence." She rolled her eyes, about to place her phone back down, but then, another voice came through, causing her to pull it back towards her ear.

"Hey, Dustin. It, uh... It's Steve." He spoke, and even the sound of his voice made her heart break.

"Oh, hey, Steve... um, did you want something, or-"

"I was kinda hoping your sister might pick up. Y'know, I just wanted to know if she was okay."

"I... I don't know what to tell you, she won't talk to me." He sighed. "I'm worried about her, she was really upset yesterday, too upset for it to be about the argument alone."

"Just tell her that I'm sorry, okay. She doesn't have to forgive me, but she needs to know I love her. So much."

-----

She wandered into the school, not really knowing where she wanted to be. But as she turned down a hallway, suddenly, the squeaking of shoes became apparent, and she realised she'd wandered towards the gym where there was basketball going on. Still, she made her way inside, standing near the door, as her eyes scanned the room, finding Steve. He looked distracted, to no surprise, and she saw the exact moment he noticed her standing there. He'd turned, looking up at the bleachers, but then he'd made to walk the other way, when he caught her eye. She sent him a smile, and a slight wave, shifting from one foot to the other. Unfortunately, she then met the gaze of Billy, who was simply smirking at her, as he bounced the ball in place, and suddenly, and uncomfortable knot formed in her stomach, so she quickly turned, and bolted out of the door.

"No- Toni!" Steve called, following after her, ignoring the calls from his teammates as he went. "Toni, wait!" He followed her out to the hall, finding she was still walking away. "Antionette!" She stopped in her tracks, turning towards him. She shrugged her bag up her arm, as she looked up at him.

"Uh, hey." She said.

"Yeah, hi..." He returned. "What- what, uh... what are you doing?"

"I... came to watch you play, its just routine, I guess." She shrugged. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to distract you, or... make this hard on you, I just-"

"No! I- you know I love when you watch you me play, it... it makes me play better, y'know." He said. "I just didn't expect you to be stood there. I didn't really expect you to be there at all."

"I had nowhere else to go this morning... I'm usually here."

"No, I know." He nodded. "I didn't think you'd wanna see me, is all." She was quiet for a moment, making sense of what she wanted to say before it came out.

"Steve, I can't... do this." She spoke, and he visibly shrinked into himself.

"It's my fault, I know, I just-"

"No, you're not..." She paused, taking in a breath. "You're not listening to me, I can't... I don't want to do this, the whole... break up thing, it's just, it's too much, and I don't want it."

"No?"

"No! Because I just, I'm so in love with you. I'm stupidly in love with you, and I know that it won't ever go away, even if I wanted it to, but, I also... I think I just need a breather, y'know. And, it sounds ridiculous, but you've gotta admit, since everything last year, it's been non-stop, me and you, and I've not had a minute to process it for myself." He didn't say anything, but nodded. "I love you, Steve. And I want you, I'm always, always gonna want you. All I'm asking for, is a couple days."

"Couple days." He breathed. "Couple days, and then... then what? Why do you need a couple days?"

"We both need a couple days." She stated. "I don't know what's come over you lately, but your jealousy is suffocating me, and you've gotta get it under control." She looked down for a moment, a tear rolling down her face as this was becoming a hard conversation to have. "Because I can't be with you, if you're not gonna trust me."

"Baby, please don't... please don't do this." He begged, pushing a hand through his hair. All she could do was shrug, as she then turned to continue down the hall. "Toni... Toni!"

-----

Finally, home was upon her. She threw down her bag, kicking off her shoes as she practically tore off her jacket. Her whole body was on fire, and she wanted every piece of clothing off of it. One after the other, her clothes hit the floor, allowing her to pull on some shorts and a vest, even that being too much. She was so hot, and yet her skin seemed cool to the touch. Maybe she really was losing her mind.

"Mews?!" She called, knowing if anything could make her feel better, it was that damn cat. "Mews? Where are you?!" She continued, walking through the house, coming across Dustin's bedroom door standing open. "Damn it, Dustin." She cursed, as what sounded like chewing filled her ears. "C'mon, Mews, you know you're not aloud in here." She followed the noise, leaning over the chair in the corner of the room. She then let out a scream, as she had found Mews. She was dead, being chowed down on by what looked like a cross between a slug, a puppy, and a lizard. However, as she screamed, it looked up at her, it's face opening up like that of a demogorgan as it hissed at her. She would've pass out from fear if she hadn't reminded herself that this creature was near enough her spawn. But that didn't mean she knew what to do with it.