Stars | Stranger Things x The Goldfinch

Chapter 5-Best Friends?

"Твой отец дома?" (Is your father home?) I ask Boris as we walk.

"Нет. Твой?" (No. Is yours?)

I laugh dryly. "Нет, почему ты думаешь, что мы идем к тебе домой?" (No, why do you think we're going to your house?)

"Справедливый. Извини." (Fair. Sorry.)

"Не беспокойтесь об этом!" (Don't worry about it!) I smile. "So William, how are you?"

"Um. I'm fine...." Boris looks at him. "You sure, Sweet Boy?"

William blushes slightly and looks down. "Yeah, yeah, I mean -" He cuts himself off.

"It's OK." But before I can continue, Will cuts me off. 

"No! No, it's not! Because Mike is supposed to be my best friend! I mean, we say we're best friends, but he doesn't act like it! It's been months! I've gotten two letters that were literally a paragraph each and one 10 minute phone call! Meanwhile, El has a book of letters and an hour long phone call every other day! I mean, I get El's his girlfriend, but he's been treating me like shit since last summer! And I'm sick of it! But he's my best friend and I can't just move on!

I've been sending letter, after letter to all of my friends, and no one's responded! Maybe I'm overreacting. They could be busy! But it still fucking hurts! They've been my friends the entire time I've lived in Hawkins, now I left and they treat me like shit? 

 I get they have lives! But would it kill them to reach out? At all? I mean, I wish Mike called longer, but at least he did call, right? And maybe they just assume I have a busy life now too? Which, I don't know how, I mean, I've lived my entire life in Hawkins, all my friends are in Hawkins! 

I hate not being home, I hate not being able to talk to Mike, but maybe it's better this way? I don't know, like, maybe, now that I'm here I can tell how much my friends really care about me, but I hate it! 

I hate that they don't call, I hate that they don't write, and I hate that I want them to, because they obviously don't want to, which means they don't care, and I hate that I care, that they don't! Because I feel like I have to move on, but it's hard! 

I can't handle all the bullying again! All the name calling and the stares! I hate it! And I can't go through that again! The only way I even got though it was because of my friends, but now they aren't here! And they don't even care! 

Now I'm friendless and ranting about it to two random people I just met a few hours ago! And honestly-! They're acting like better friends than my old 'friends' have in two years, and I barely even know these people!"

William looks down at the ground, his face red. "But yeah, it's fine. I'm fine."

"Aw, William!" We stop walking and I pull him into a hug. I knew he was bottling stuff up, and now, he hugs me back as if, by me hugging and listening to him, a weight was taken off of his shoulders."

"Sorry for calling you guys 'random people'."

I laugh lightly. "Don't apologize. We'll always be here for you, William" I reassure him.

"Да. No matter what."

"Thank you guys."

"Of course."

We begin walking again, and after 5 minutes, we arrive at Boris' house.

"Here we are!"

It might look small to some, but it looks as if it fits two perfectly. Besides, Boris' father was never home, so it was pretty much just him.

"It's nice." William says. "Indeed" I agree.

"Good size. Bedroom has window. Has backyard. Very nice indeed." Boris confirms. He smiles and leads us inside.

"Make yourselves....word...ah! Comfortable! I grab drinks. William, what you want?" Boris walks to the fridge and opens it. "We have water and beer."

"Beer?" I can tell William hasn't drank before. "Да, it's the good kind!" 

"Really?" This excites me, but I'm not surprised. Boris always has the good kind. "Принеси мне пива." (Grab me a beer.)   

"Of course, Zlata! What for you, William?"

"Um... I've never...." I can tell he's nervous. "Don't worry! You don't have to have a beer!" Will visibly relaxes. "We still like you." I tease

William smiles. "Yeah, I'll have a water please."

"Of course, Sweet Boy!" Boris returns to the living room with the drinks, two beers and a water.

"Sit!" He says, encouraging Will to sit. He does, sitting on the sofa. Boris sits next to him, and I sit in front of them on the floor.

"Спасибо, Бора!" (Thank you, Bora!) "Злата, конечно." (Of course, Zlata.)

"Thank you Boris." "Your welcome, William."

I take a drink of the beer. 'Holy shit! This is the good beer!'

"I'm really sorry for ranting to you guys earlier..."

"No! Don't be sorry! We're here for you. Friends, yes? It's what we do." William smiles. His whole face lights up at my words. "Uh, uh yeah! Yeah!"

I smile back at him and Boris smiles too, and adds on. "Don't worry about those, тупые." (Dumb ones) "We're your friends now, OK?"  

"OK."

I smile and hold my beer in the air. "To our friendship!"

William and Boris laugh and hold their drinks to mine. "To our friendship!" They agree.

867 Words

A/N
Hey guys!
How's your day? Let me know!

Unfortunately, I am not feeling well, I missed school Monday, two classes on Tuesday, I'm drowning in homework and late work, and I might have an ear infection.
BUT HEY! It's OK!

I also want to give a special thanks to my friend IluvmesomeBagles for the amazing fan art! Love you so much!

Have an amazing day, you lovely people! Hope you like this chapter! I know it's personally my favorite published one so far, but let me know what you think!