𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

three months later

A lot had changed for the group in the past three months.

After Hopper had died, Joyce had taken Eleven in to be her guardian. Asher had gone over to the Byers house a lot to see how Eleven was doing, with her practically being one of his closest friends and all. She had been getting better, but when something happened that reminded Eleven of Hopper, she would burst out into tears, so Asher tried to keep conversations as far away from the Hopper topic as possible.

Max, on the other hand, hadn't been doing so good. Yes, Max did keep on a strong face to everyone else, but when she was alone or when it was just her and Asher, that was when she showed how she truly felt. All she wanted was to have a relationship with her brother, but now, that was impossible. While Max acted like she hated Billy, she didn't. He was her family, even if they aren't blood related, he was her brother and still is. Max would sit and think a lot about what would of happened if Billy had survived. Maybe they would of had gotten along better now, or maybe they would of even became friends. But now, Max would never know.

Asher had been going over to Max's house everyday. Asher was too scared to leave Max on her own, being one of the few people who knew what Max's mental state was actually like. So, Asher did what he could to try and take Max's mind off of everything. Whether it'd be reading her comics with her, getting Max to teach him how to use a skateboard, taking her on a couple of dates just to get her out of the house and staying over so whenever she had a nightmare, she'd have someone there to help her. As time went on, Asher didn't only help Max, but he ended up helping Max's mom, Susan, out as well. After Billy's dad had left, he could tell that Susan was struggling, so he wanted to help her out as well. Asher would help her clean the house, make dinner whenever she was working late and he even got a job to give her a bit of extra cash, which she always refused. But, apart from that, pretty much everything was the same for Asher. Whenever he wasn't at Max's house, he was either hanging out with Eleven, smoking weed with Eddie, staying over at Dustin's, doing his community service for his probation or staying at home.

But now, the whole friend group was changing since the Byers and Eleven were moving to California. No one was happy about it, but they understood that they had to go somewhere where they were safe. Well, at least, that was Asher's thought process. He wasn't happy about losing some of the friends he had made this summer; but he wanted them to be safe, even if it meant that they had to move to a different state for that to happen.

"Turn around" Max, Lucas and Asher sing to Dustin as they are helping pack everything up in the living room "Look at what you see, in her face, the mirror of your dreams. Rhymes that keep their secrets, will unfold behind the clouds--"

"Wait, did we get that verse right?" Asher asks Dustin, just wanting to annoy him "It's unfold behind the clouds?"

"Yeah, but you're butchering it, so could you please stop?" Dustin asks, regretting offering to help Lucas, Max and Asher so Lucas wouldn't be a third wheel.

"So then join in, Dusty-bun" Lucas says, also wanting to annoy Dustin, blowing a kiss in Dustin's direction.

"Yeah, come on, Dusty-bun, why don't you join us?" Max asks, joining in with Lucas and Asher.

"You guys are so funny, you should be on Carson" Dustin sarcastically says.

"Can't we just hear your rendition?" Max asks Dustin, trying to get him to sing again.

"No" Dustin quickly replies.

"Please? Just one verse?" Asher begs.

"No. No way" Dustin says, being fed up of the three "It's reserved for Suzie's ears and Suzie's ears only."

"And ours" Asher adds on "You did sing it to us while I was nearly being attacked by Russians."

"Because it was a life or death situation" Dustin says, defending himself.

"Turn around" Lucas, Max and Asher start singing again, knowing they're getting under Dustin's skin "Look at what you see" They sing as Dustin flips them off while Lucas and Asher start dancing as well "In their face, the mirror of your dreams."

"Shut up, you guys" Dustin says as he gets up and walks out of the room, making Asher get up as well to follow him.

"I can't believe you got a girlfriend before me" Asher says to Dustin with a laugh "I'm proud of you, but I can't believe it."

"You got one right after, though" Dustin brings up "How is Max doing?"

"That's her place to say, not mine" Asher says to Dustin, being too scared that he'd bring up something that Max wouldn't want anyone else to know "I'm just trying to be there for her, you know? I've got no idea what I'm doing, but I'm trying."

"I think you're doing a good job" Dustin reassures Asher "You're over there everyday. Not many people would do that, even for their girlfriends."

"Yeah, she got lucky with me" Asher jokes, making Dustin laugh "Am I good to stay at yours tonight? I just really don't feel like going home."

"You know you can come over whenever" Dustin says to Asher "Mom will be happy that her favourite child is there."

"I'm not her favourite" Asher says to Dustin "New Mews is her favourite... I'm second favourite."

"Oh, so I'm the least favourite over a cat and you?" Dustin asks, making Asher nod his head "You're lucky that I'm not taller and work out otherwise I'd beat your ass."

"Oh yeah, I'm so lucky" Asher sarcastically says, knowing that he'd beat Dustin in a fight even if he was taller than him.

"Hey" Will says as he walks over to the two "We're all packed up now."

"I can't believe you guys are actually moving" Dustin says with a sigh as the three walk outside to see that everyone is gathered up to say goodbye.

As everyone was saying goodbye, everyone started to get emotional. Asher did start to get upset, but he didn't let it show, not wanting his emotions to get the best of him.

"I'm going to miss you Ash" Eleven says as she hugs Asher.

"I'm going to miss you too" Asher says to Eleven as they let go of the hug "Just don't do anything I would do, okay? Don't say yes to drugs, don't get into fights, don't get arrested and listen to Joyce, okay? She knows what's best for you."

"I will, I promise" Eleven says to Asher with a smile "And you don't be stupid too."

"I can't promise anything, but I'll try my best" Asher says to Eleven as she moves onto saying goodbye to Lucas as Will walks over to him "You okay, man?"

"I'm just going to miss this place" Will says with a sigh.

"Yeah, but you'll love California once you're there" Asher says to Will "You can live a normal life. When was the last time you had that?"

"Before I went missing" Will mentions to Asher.

"Exactly. You're a kid, you deserve a normal life" Asher says to Will "You'll have a good time."

"I hope" Will says before quickly hugging Asher before Joyce walks over to the fifteen year old.

"Remember what I told you" Joyce says to Asher "There are more people that care for you then you realise."

"Thank you for taking care of El" Asher says to Joyce "And I hope living in California goes well for you."

"Thank you" Joyce says to Asher "Take care of yourself, okay? I don't want to hear anymore trouble from you."

"I'll try my best" Asher says to Joyce with a nod before the four start getting into the car and the van after saying their goodbyes, ready to start their new lives.

If only they knew what was going to be in store for them.

1364 Words