Stranger Things: Riley's Version

Chapter Twelve: The Pollywog

Riley got home that night and headed straight to bed, barely exchanging words with her dad who just stared at her as she passed by ignoring him. This wasn't the first time she had come home since the upside down in a bad mood and completely ignored him so he had learned to just let her be and that she would come to him when she was ready. She peeled herself free from her costume and hopped in the shower lost in her own world. A world of monsters and running and hiding and girls with super powers.

    She ended up in her bed eventually tucked under the nice soft comforter and staring at the ceiling. She was worried about Will, the boy had scared her. And the look on his face when she found him, well it didn't bring back any good memories to say the least. She tossed and turned for a few hours before finally deciding she had enough, she got up and threw on her slippers making her way outside to the porch. On nights like this, nights of little sleep and bad thoughts she would either work out and get out all the anxious energy or she would stare up at the stars until her eyes finally drooped closed.

    Tonight was going to have to be a stars night because she was exhausted and didn't have the energy to use working out. So she grabbed a thick blanket and her coat and made her way out to the porch sitting on a chair they kept outside. She traced constellations with her eyes and tried to distract herself with the stories of heroes and gods that went with them.

Eventually her mind flitted from the stars to a redheaded girl who was occupying her mind recently. She had had fun with her earlier, and didn't really want the night to end before Will had his episode. She was able to be close to Max, so close their hands touched and she got to hear the girls' amazing laugh all throughout the night. And when she grabbed her face and stood so close, Riley got goosebumps. She had a huge crush on Max Mayfield and she had a feeling it wasn't going away anytime soon.

Riley's eyes started to droop, so she stood up and entered the house quietly. Hopefully tired enough that as soon as she hit the bed she would be asleep. And sure enough she crawled under the covers and her eyes closed as she entered into a semi peaceful sleep.

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She woke up the next morning after a night of dreams, Max was in them so that was good but the demogorgon also made an appearance. She met Lucas out front and gave him a small smile as they waited for Mike to meet them. She was in a bit better spirits but until she saw Will she didn't think she would be back to normal.

Mike was still in a bit of a bad mood when they met him so they let him just ride in front while they talked about the day to come on the way to school. They pulled in and Lucas caught sight of Max right away. Mike rolled his eyes and walked off while the two best friends went to greet the other girl.

"Max!" Lucas yelled out as they jogged to meet her. She turned and smiled at him and waved to Riley, her smile almost growing wider at the sight of her. She waved back a little smile on her face in return as they caught up to her.

"Hey guys," Max greeted. "Ready for another amazing day at this amazing school?" She asked sarcastically.

"Oh you know it. All the amazing people that I get to see and everything." Riley responded with a smile.

"Mr. Clarke's class should be fun," Lucas chimed in, Max gave him a bit of a side-eye at that but Riley nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Clarke's class is always fun. He actually has fun teaching." Riley said as they entered the school building. Max looked at the two as if they were crazy for actually enjoying learning. They walked down the halls of the school weaving their way through the crowd of kids. Lucas and Max were talking beside her but Riley ignored them, instead looking around and watching her peers around them. As she was looking around, something caught her eye, it was a news clipping from when Will had disappeared. On it written in big bold letters was the words 'Zombie Boy'. Riley walked up to it pausing in disbelief as she stared at the clipping. She couldn't believe that people were still on this, it was almost a year ago the boy went missing. By now you would think they would have moved on but apparently not.