The summer I died (BRANCE)

outside the basement

Vance felt bad. Like really bad. When Vance got back to the table, Bruce had disappeared. The only thing left was some money placed on it. Vance wasn't exactly sure why he left. Did he do something wrong? Or did Bruce never actually like him, and it was all some lie? Some sick joke on him?

He tried calling and texting Bruce non-stop, with no reply. So the next morning he went to his house. He needed answers, or he would simply go crazy.

He knocks on the door expecting to see Bruce, but instead, he looks down to see Amy.

"Oh hey Vance." She looked surprised to see him.

"Hey Amy, can I speak to Bruce?" He picks at the skin on his hand nervously.

"What do you mean? Isn't he at yours?" His heart sinks. If he wasn't there, where was he? What if he was missing?

"No. He ran off yesterday and isn't replying to any of my texts."

"Oh." An awkward silence fills the air. Both of them not knowing what to say exactly.

"Well, uh, thanks for telling me, I'll text to see if any of my friends have seen him. I'll see you, Amy." Amy closes the door, and Vance begins to panic.

He pulls out his phone and types in the group chat. He silently prays that he went to one of their houses.

Motherless skittles🫵 🏳️‍🌈🦅🦅

Me: HEY GUYS I NEED YOUR HELP RN!

Virgin🗞 🚲: what's up???

Me: have any of you seen or heard from Bruce??

Space fag👽: nah he won't reply to any of my texts 🤷‍♀️

Bro🇲🇽: ye I havent heard fom him

Me: SHIT

Virgin🗞🚲: why?? Is he in trouble??!!!!!

Me: I don't know where he is... I went to his house and he isn't there
I thought one of you would know where he is

Bro🇲🇽: oh fuck

He shuts off his phone and thinks about what to do next. The police station. Detective Showalter would sure help.

When he walks in, all eyes move and stare. Everyone was judging him silently, and he knew it. Vance saw no sign of Detective Showalter, and Officer Miller was quickly approaching, a stern look rested upon his face.

"What do you want, Hopper? Turning yourself in or something?" He chuckles at his own joke. Vance stayed silent for a few moments and gave him a glare.

"I want to speak to Detective Showalter." Vance finally speaks. A grouchy tone could be heard. He was in no mood for jokes.

Officer Miller sighs. "Sorry, he's busy."

"Well, this is important, I need to see him like now." Vance demanded. He didn't care if he had to yell. This was urgent.

"I told you, kid, he's busy." He tried to put a hand on Vance's shoulder, but before he could, Vance grabbed his wrist and twisted it.

"Don't fucking touch me!" Everyone were watching the two closely. A door opened, and Detective Showalter appears.

"What's the screaming about?" He looks to Officer Miller, who just points his head towards Vance. "Vance? What's wrong?"

"I need to speak to you and your fuckhead co-worker won't let me!" Vance drops his wrists and crosses his arms.

"Just let him talk to me." He let out a sigh. "Vance, do you want to go speak to me in my office?" He points to the labelled door.

Vance nods and follows him into the room, taking the seat opposite to Billy's dad.

"So, you going to start explaining?" He cocks an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

"It's about Bruce." He hesitates before composing himself and continuing. "He's missing." Even saying it made his heart ache. It was all his fault.

"Do you know that for a fact?"

"Well, he disappeared at the date and won't respond to my calls or texts. I went to his house, and his sister didn't know where he was, and none of the others had seen or heard from him." Detective Showalter nods his head and writes stuff down on a piece of paper.

"Ok, I'll report it, and we can organise a search party for him. Whilst you're here, do you want to talk about anything else?"

"Uh, yeah. If I wanted to become Griffin's legal guardian, what would I have to do?" He only just realised he didn't really know how everything was done. He just wanted his little brother to have a happy life.

"Well, you would have to be eighteen with a stable income and home, and you would have to go to court."

Vance bites his bottom lip. "Shit, that's gunna be tough." He didn't even know if he was able to get a job, knowing his criminal record and grades.

"Vance, my honest advice is to get your life on track real soon."

"Uh, ok."

"Just focus on school, I believe in you. That kid loves you, and you'll do great. Just don't fuck it up now."

"Thanks." Vance stands up and leaves the police station.

He picks up Griffin from Billy's house and goes back home.

The next few days are horribly slow for Vance. He tried to focus on school like Billy's dad told him to, but anytime he tried to, he just couldn't. Every day, he called the police station to ask if there were any signs of Bruce and everytime it was the same answer.

When he wasn't in school, he was in his room, rotting in his bed and smoking weed until he ran out. He got in an argument with Tom cause he wouldn't sell any to Vance as he was too unstable. Weed and alcohol was his only escape from the guilt and regret.

He ended up skipping multiple days of school. It was just a chore and a waste of time. On one day, all of his friends came to his house and said they were worried about him. They all suggested that they look for Bruce, but Vance declined. He didn't want to go anywhere. He just wanted the feeling in the pit of his stomach to go away.

A/n: sorry this is a shit chapter. I had no motivation at all 🙄