𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 | stranger things

twelve

Wren hurried down the hallway with Dustin and Max, their footsteps echoing through the empty halls of the school. The air felt thick with tension and worry as they searched for any sign of Will.

"Where else could he have gone?" Dustin asked, his voice tinged with worry as they rounded a corner to another deserted hall.

Max looked around, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any clues. "I don't know," she replied, her usually confident demeanor wavering slightly. "We've checked almost every classroom."

"Are you sure he didn't just go home?" Wren asked, her shorter legs struggling to keep up with the taller kids. She broke out into a slow jog to match their pace.

"Will!" Dustin called out. "Will!"

They rounded another corner, nearly colliding with Mrs. Byers.

"What's going on?" the woman asked. "Where's Will?"

Lucas threw open the side door and came sprinting in. "The field!" He hurried out the door, the other four following behind him. Mike was with Will, whose eyes were shut as he stood in a trance-like state.

"I just found him like this!" Mike's voice was laced with worry for his friend. "I think he's having another episode!"

"Episode?" Wren frowned.

"Flashbacks from the Upside Down, we think," Dustin clarified.

"The Upside Down?" Max questioned. "What's the Upside Down?"

"Nothing," Lucas and Dustin said at the same time.

Mrs. Byers shook Will's shoulders, calling out his name. A few moments passed of her crying out to him, desperately pleading for him to wake up. Will's eyes shot open. He gasped for air before falling into his mother's arms.

As Mrs. Byers led Will to the car, the boys, Wren, and Max watching them leave from the front steps of the school. Wren's mind was racing from what they had just witnessed. She wasn't in the loop at all, but she had a feeling that maybe these "flashbacks" Will was having from the Upside Down were actually happening. She just didn't know how.

"Okay, that totally freaked me out." Max was the first to break the silence. "Did that not freak you guys out?"

"Two episodes in two days," Lucas said, ignoring the redhead's question.

"It's getting worse," Mike noted.

"You think it's True Sight?"

"What's True Sight?" Wren asked.

"It's nothing," Lucas dismissed her question.

Wren frowned deeply as the boys walked away, Dustin sending her and Max a small, apologetic smile – which she did not return. She understood why they didn't want to tell Max, but for those assholes to keep her in the dark after everything that went down last year wasn't fair.

"You get the feeling they're keeping something from us?" Max asked, crossing her arms as her brows creased together.

Wren sighed. "They're always keeping secrets." She walked down the front steps, making her way across the street to where her bike stood alone in the bike rack. She hopped on and started pedaling in the direction of her house. She heard wheels behind her, a small frown tugging at her lips when she saw Max out of the corner of her eye following on her skateboard. "What are you doing?"

Max shrugged, keeping her eyes on the road ahead. "I'm not really in any rush to get home. Figured you might want some company."

Wren's shoulders slumped as she continued to pedal, her bike's wheels clicking softly on the rough pavement. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting an orange hue over Hawkins. Wren glanced at Max beside her, the girl's red hair streaming behind her like a fiery banner.

"You shouldn't be hanging out with me," Wren mumbled, her voice almost lost to the hum of crickets and rustling leaves.

Max raised a brow, her skateboard kicking up a pebble. "And why's that?"

Wren's grip tightened on the bike's handlebar. "You could be hanging out with someone more interesting. Someone not so . . . " she shrugged, "boring."

Max rolled her eyes, easily keeping pace with Wren's slow pedaling. "I don't want someone more interesting. I want to hang out with you."

Wren huffed, her eyes narrowing as she tried to find a retort. "Do you always have to be so stubborn?"

Max chuckled, a smirk playing on her own lips. "Maybe. Do you always have to be so grouchy?"

Wren frowned. "I'm not grouchy."

Max grinned, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at Wren. "Sure, you're just a ray of sunshine."

"Shut up," Wren grumbled.

"Point proven."

They rode in silence for a moment, the steady rhythm of their wheels and the crickets' song the only sound between them. The sun continued its descent, painting the sky in hues of pink and purple.

As they neared Wren's house, Max spoke up again. "So, are we just going to ignore the elephant in the room?"

"What elephant?" Wren questioned.

Max rolled her eyes, an exasperated but amused look crossing her face. "The one where the boys clearly don't trust us enough to include us in their secret little meetings?"

"They're assholes."

Max chuckled. "They are. But the fact that they're still keeping us in the dark after what happened this afternoon . . . it's bullshit."

"Complete bullshit," Wren agreed, hopping off her bike when they reached the driveway of her house.

Max followed suit, her skateboard tucked under her arm. "We should confront them about it," she suggested. "Make them tell us what they're hiding."

Wren shook her head. "That won't work. Not with their almighty leader, Mike, calling the shots."

"God, I can't stand him," Max muttered. "I can't believe you two are related."

"Trust me, I wish we weren't." Wren started up the porch steps, her shoulders tense.

Max followed her up the steps and onto the porch, the wooden floorboards creaking under their feet. She leaned against one of the support beams as Wren unlocked the front door. "So what do you suggest we do instead?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I say we just forget it. If they want to keep secrets, then that's their business. I won't give in and help save their asses when they come begging for forgiveness." Wren pushed open the front door. She could smell the dinner her mother made wafting in from the kitchen. "I, uh . . . I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Max."

Max frowned, not entirely satisfied with Wren's answer. "Yeah. See you tomorrow," she replied as the dark-haired girl started to step inside. "Hey, Wren?"

Wren turned around. "Yeah?"

There was something in Max's expression; hesitation, mixed with a hint of concern. "Just . . . be careful, okay?"

Wren frowned. "Careful? I'm just going inside to eat dinner. I don't think that's exactly life-threatening."

Max shifted, her eyes flitting to the dim house behind Wren and back again. "I know, I know. It's just . . . with the guys keeping things from us, I just have this weird feeling. That's all."

"I'm sure everything's fine," Wren said, her voice betraying a bit of uncertainty. "It's just the boys being their usual secretive selves. Nothing to worry about."

Max sighed, clearly sensing Wren's hesitation but not pushing the issue. "Yeah. You're probably right."

Wren stepped fully into the house, shutting the door behind her. The sound of the lock clicking echoed through the hallway before fading into silence.