"I didn't need a hero, Billy." Darian sneers, dusting off his coat, eyes glaring.
Billy only smirks, reaching over and untangling one of Darians dark curls, quickly catching himself, pulling his hand back. "It didn't seem like that a minute ago." B...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Hawkins, Indiana
July 1985
。.✦ ☾
Cherry Lane
。.✦ ☾
Max and El are making their way to Max's house. "It's going to start pouring soon. We should be at the mall, or, like, watching a movie or something." Max says, turning to El. "You don't believe me?" El asks
They walk across an abandoned lot and onto Cherry Lane.
Max shrugs. "I believe you saw some super weird stuff, totally, but you said Mike has sensed you in there before, right?" Max asks
El sighs, but she nods in agreement. "So maybe it was just like that. Maybe Billy just sensed you somehow." Max says
They really didn't want to believe that the upside might be coming back not again. "But the screams." El says, worried. "Yeah, I know, but here's the thing- when Billy is alone with a girl, they make, like, really crazy noises." Max says with a shrug.
"They scream?" El asks "Yeah, but, like happy screams." Max says "Happy screams? What are happy screams?" El asks, frustrated. "It's like— I'm just gonna lend you my mom's cosmo." Max says
They get to Max's house, stopping at the end of the driveway. "His car is not here." Max turns to El. "You really want to do this?" Max asks
El nods.
....
Billy's bedroom.
Max opens the door and enters - slowly. El is close behind, peering over her shoulder. "Why do I get the feeling we're gonna find all kinds of wrong in here?" Max asks
The room is a mess. Dirty clothes are strewn about; the bed isn't made; heavy metal music plays on the radio; A plate used for an ashtray is sitting next to some Cassette tapes.
Max walks to the night table beside the bed. She opens the drawer. Penthouse magazines are stacked neatly. "Ugh. Gag me with a spoon." Max groans
She grimaces and nudges one of the magazines to the side. The corner of a picture pokes out from between two magazines. Carefully she pulls it out, her eyes widening when grey eyes meet hers. Darian.
Darian's yearbook photo had been cut out and neatly hidden in Billy's drawer. "Woah." El whispers from over her shoulder.
Max felt horrible, her step-brother seemed to be hiding this big and life-altering secret while also keeping the facade of a fuck-boy, but when in reality he was in love with a boy.
"Don't say anything, please." Max whispers, gently placing the picture back and shutting the drawer. "Okay." El whispers, pulling away.
Max inhales sharply. "Let's check the bathroom." Max says
....
El opens the door and switches on the light. Max is behind her as they both enter. The bathtub is full of water and empty plastic bags that were once filled with ice cubes. El stands over the tub.
"Max?" El breathes, confused.
Max stands beside El for a moment before reaching into the water and pulling out a bag. Max examines the dripping bag. "Ice. It's just ice. It's probably for his muscles or something. He works out like a maniac." Max says, trying to come up with a logical solution.
El's breath is trembling. El visually scans the room. She notices some blood on the doors under the sink counter.
El hesitantly opens the door and checks under the sink. Carefully she pulls out a small green garbage bucket. "El, what is it?" Max asks, approaching from behind her.
El reaches into the bucket and pulls out a red lifeguard first-aid kit. Then a bunched-up muscle shirt with a band printed on the front. The collar of the muscle shirt was covered in blood.
....
Scoops Ahoy. Same Time.
Erica and her friends are back for some free ice cream, taking advantage of the unlimited samples. Erica stands at the cash register, ringing the service bell continuously.
Robin has her back to the girls while studying a Russian-English dictionary and listening to the recording of the coded message on her walkman.
Finally, after the millionth ring, Robin sighs, turns to face Erica, and removes the headphones. Erica gives a final few rings of the bell, and then with a phony smile -- "I'd like to try the Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirl, please." Erica asks, batting her eyelashes. Robin returns the fake smile and the chipper attitude. "No. No more samples today." Robin says, tilting her head.
"Why not?" Erica asks, turning serious, Robin rolls her eyes. "Because you're abusing our company policy." Robin states. Erica scoffs. "Where's the sailor man?" Erica asks, looking for Steve, he was easier to bully. "Sorry, he can't, busy." Robin says with a small shrug.
Erica places a hand on her shoulder. "Busy with what?" Erica asks
Robin leans forward as if to tell a secret. "Spycraft."
....
Near some oversized potted rubber plants, we find Steve and Dusting watching for Russians. Steve, using the plants as cover, has binoculars. Dustin nudges his shoulder. "See anything?" Dusting asks
Steve shakes his head, keeping the binoculars over his eyes. "Uh, I guess I don't totally know what I'm looking for." Steve says in a small mumble. Dustin rolls his eyes. "Evil Russians." Dustin reminds. "Yeah, exactly. I don't know what an evil Russian looks like." Steve scoffs "Tall, blonde, not smiling." Dustin states
"Mm-hmmm?" Steve hums "Also, look for earpieces, camo, duffel bags, that sort of thing." Dustin says "Right, okay, duffel bags." Steve grumbles
Using the binoculars, he scans the crowd, Steve pauses on Squealers Radio Shake, finding it closed. "What?" Steve breathes, confused. "What?" Dustin asks, confused and anxious. Steve clears his throat. "Anna Jocobi's talking with that meathead Mark Lewinsky." Steve covers up.
Steve was confused about why the record store was closed, Darian had told him that he was opening and staying till closing. "Dude, if you're not gonna focus, just gimme the binoculars." Dustin says, snatching the binoculars out of Steve's hands. "Aw, Jesus Christ, whatever happened to standards?" Steve whines
Dustin rolls his eyes, peering through the binoculars. "I mean, Lewinsky never even came off the bench." Steve says "Dude, you are the worst spy in history, you know that? Besides, I don't even get why you're looking at girls. You have the perfect one right in front of you." Dustin says
Steve sighs. "Seriously, if you say Robin again --"
"Robin." Dustin cuts him off, lowering the binoculars. Steve groans. "Don't." Steve sighs "Robin, Robin, Robin, Robin-" "Stop! No. No. No. No. No." Steve whines. "Robin. Robin." Dustin continued.
"No."
"Robin"
"No, man, she's not my type. She's not even in the ballpark of what my type is, all right?" Steve says, thinking about Darian and his sweet smile, feeling a smile grow on his own lips.
Dustin groans. "What's your type again? Not awesome?" Dustin asks. Steve smiles with a sarcastic smile. "Thank you." Steve says
