𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄 | 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄

𝙈𝙄𝙉 𝙃𝘼 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝙎𝙇𝙀𝙀𝙋𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙋𝙀𝘼𝘾𝙀𝙁𝙐𝙇𝙇𝙔, snoring softly as she snuggled in closer into her comforter.  She instantly knocked out last night after Judo training yesterday. Unfortunately, she couldn't hang out with the kids and play dnd with them because of that. The girl's arm hung from the side of the bed, her other one resting under her head.

The house phone then started ringing loudly, making the girl jolt awake and fall off the bed. Min groaned painfully, "Ow...that hurt." She mumbled as she held her head. "Chris! Can you get the phone!" She exclaimed as loud as she could.

"I can't! I'm in the middle of finishing this last-minute essay! You know how Mrs. Jones is!"

 The phone continued to ring, making her groan. She finally got up from the floor and made her way towards the living room. Min ran her hand through her hair as she stepped into the living room, grabbing the telephone off the wall, answering it. 

"Hello?" She answered, "Good morning, Min. I'm just wondering—did Will ever get back home after yesterday night?" Joyce spoke through the phone, Min rose a brow. "Um...I-I'm not sure, Mrs. Byers. I wasn't there at the Wheelers yesterday." She replied, twirling the telephone wire around her finger.

Since she was best friends with Steve Harrington and with Nancy Wheeler, she became close with Mike, Will, and Dustin.

"Oh, okay. Maybe, he just went to school early."  Joyce murmured the last part to herself. "Sorry for bothering you, Min. Goodbye." Min was about to speak until the phone line went off, meaning that she hung up.

"Weird..." Min mumbled as she put the phone up and walked towards her room to get ready for school.

*

Min finished getting ready and was looking for her car keys. The teen was wearing baggy light-blue jeans with a belt on that circled her waist, a dark-navy long sleeve shirt on, and a necklace on. She checked under the couch cushions and under furniture. After a few minutes later, she still was looking for them. The girl brought up her wrist to look at her watch, she was about to be late if she didn't find them in five minutes.

Min groaned, "Chris!" She exclaimed.

"What?" He yelled from his room as Min continued to search for the keys.

"Where are my car keys?" 

"Um...oh! I think they're on the kitchen counter! Sorry, sis! I had to get some groceries last night for today!"

"Yeah, right..." The teen mumbled, finally spotting her keys. "Found them! I'll see you later, Chris!" The girl ran towards the door as she grabbed her backpack from off the floor and opened the door, closing it firmly as she walked out the house.

Min bolted to her car and unlocked it, getting into it as she closed the door. She put the keys into the ignition, making a loud vroom noise coming from the car. The girl drove off, getting onto the road as quickly as possible.

As the teen was driving, she spotted three boys riding their bikes. Min smirked and honked, making the three look to their direction where they heard the noise. "Hey, idiots!" Dustin sighed in relief, "Min, you scared us!" The girl rolled her eyes playfully as she continued to drive. 

"Hey, Min. Quick question, why weren't you at the campaign yesterday? We were wondering where you were!" She laughed slightly, "Sorry, guys, but I had judo training yesterday and I was swamped." Min then realized that Will wasn't there with the group.

Is that why Joyce called? She thought.

"Wait...where's Will?" She asked with a concerned look on her face. Mike looked down slightly, "We don't actually know where he is...we thought he got home safe, but then his mom called and said he wasn't there. She said he probably went to class early." He replied.

"That's weird...I hope he's okay." She muttered under her breath, she then looked at her watch. Min widened her eyes at the time, "Oh, shoot! I'm gonna be late. If you guys need anything, call me!" She drove off before the three kids could say anything back.

*

As the boys arrived at school, they parked their bikes. The bell rung loudly, Mike looked around the area. "That's weird...I don't see him." He said, "I'm telling you, his mom's right. He probably just went to class early again." The three started walking towards a direction. 

"Yeah, he's always paranoid Gursky's gonna give him another pop quiz." Dustin joked.

"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen!" Troy, one of their bullies, exclaimed as he and his friend, James, walked up to the boys. The three turned around slowly, already annoyed by them. "Step right up and get your tickets for the freak show." Troy laughed.

"Who do you think would make more money in a freak show?" He asked James as he continued to look at the boys in front of them. 

Troy stepped up to Lucas and pushed his chest. "Midnight," He then went up to Mike, punching him. "Frogface," Lastly, he went up to Dustin, "or Toothless?" He shoved him. James sighed, putting his finger up to his chin, as if he was thinking hardly about this choice.

"I'd go with Toothless!" James mimicked Dustin as he looked at him. "I told you a million times, my teeth are coming in! It's called cleidocranial dysplasia." Dustin informed, "'I told you a million times.'" James mocked again with a smile on his face.

"Do the arm thing." Troy demanded. When Dustin didn't do it, James furrowed his eyebrows. "Do it, freak!" Dustin took off his jacket and threw on the ground, he pushed his shoulders together, making a bone cracking noise as he did so.

The bullies laughed and groaned disgustingly, "Gosh, it gets me every time." Troy shoved Dustin and Mike out the way. He then stopped next to Mike and whispered into his ear, "Also, tell your little teenager friend to call me." James and Troy laughed and walked off.

Dustin heard what Troy had whispered and looked at the two bullies, "She can beat your ass, you know!" He yelled as he cupped his hands on both sides of his mouth. 

"Assholes..." Lucas mumbled as Dustin picked up his jacket and backpack. "I think it's kinda cool. It's like you have superpowers or something." Mike complimented, trying to reassure his friend. 

"Like...Mr. Fantastic!" He added, "Yeah, except I can't fight evil with it." Dustin replied as the three boys walked to their classes.

*

The school bell rung as Min hurriedly walked into the high school. She sighed in relief, knowing she wasn't late. The girl jogged slightly to her locker and opened her lock with her code. She put her bag into her locker, getting out her textbooks for first period.

Once she closed her locker and turned around, she was met with a face she did not like. 

Liam Brooks. He had blonde hair, a Hawkins High Judo jacket on with some jeans. He was Sophomore like Min and was in the Judo club. No, not because he 'wanted to do it', it was because he's had a crush on her since middle school and wanted to get closer to her. 

"Hey, Min."  He flirted, Min rolled her eyes and turned around to walk the other way. Liam obviously didn't take that as an answer that she didn't want to talk to him and started to walk with her. "How was your morning?" He asked, Min sighed.

"It was fine." She replied nonchalantly, walking a little bit faster. "Hey, since we don't have judo training after school today, would you maybe want to go out?" Liam asked, catching up with her.

As soon after he asked that, the bell rung. Min internally cheered, "Can't. I have to set up the new schedule and updates for the club." She said and jogged to her class, hoping he wouldn't catch up to her.

Min finally made it to class and sat at her desk, panting slightly. 

I'm so thankful the bell rung.