STRANGERS ♱ yellowjackets

25. the day the music died

NATALIE LOOKS AT THE SLEEPING GIRL, her fingers running through her knotted hair. The girl snores softly as she sleeps at the girl's side, her body squeezed tightly close to the older blonde's as they share a blanket. Natalie stayed up the whole night, watching over the younger Hopper twin as she was sleeping the shrooms off.

As the morning takes over, Bunny starts to stir more in her sleep, finally waking up from her peaceful slumber. The girl blinks slowly as she starts to wake. Her eyes find Natalie who gives the girl a tired smile.

"How are you feeling?", Nat asks, her voice hushed, even though it's only them two at the attic. Bunny frowns as she brings her hand up to her face, rubbing her eyes confusedly. "What-", the girl starts, looking around the attic confusedly as she tries to get up. Natalie sits up as well, cracking her neck as she rubs the back of it. "What do you remember?", Natalie asks, her eyes not leaving the girl's temple as the younger girl looks around confusedly.

"I don't... just the party, and I remember I went to the attic with Jackie and- oh my God!", Bunny suddenly remembers the whole night, memories flashing before her eyes like photographs as she tries to make sense of what has happened. Natalie runs her hand up and down the girl's back in a calming manner, "Yeah, I know."

"What happened?", Bunny turns to look at Natalie, not understanding why they were all suddenly acting like that. Natalie sighs as she looks away from the girl, "Misty..."

Bunny rubs her temples, feeling the headache from the poorly slept night creep in. "No, I mean, what the fuck happened with Travis and Lottie?", the girl asks, remembering what they tried to do to the boy. Bunny turns to look at Natalie, panic swelling in her eyes as she looks at the girl confusedly, "Nat... something happened to me yesterday."

Natalie takes a deep breath in as she nods, bringing her hand to the girl's hair. "Yeah, I saw it", the girl confirms as she soothes her hair down, "your trip was pretty bad-"

"No, I mean, something else. Like with Lottie, she- she um.. marked me", Bunny explains, her memory fuzzy as she recalls the happenings of the previous night. Natalie cocks an eyebrow, "Bunny, you know that Lottie is like insane, right? Her and her wicca bullshit - it's not real", the girl says, but Bunny shakes her head.

"No, it felt so real", the girl insists.

Natalie cocks her head, "Listen", she starts and shifts in her place, cupping the girl's face into her hands, "You've never done drugs like that before. You have anxiety attacks all the time, your brain is just not like... I don't know, meant to handle those kinds of things." As Bunny looks into Natalie's eyes the flame of fear calms down a bit. The girl nods after a moment of silence, leaning into Natalie's touch.

They stay quiet for a moment, Natalie wraps her arm around the girl and Bunny leans her head on her shoulder.

"Jackie kissed me yesterday", Bunny says suddenly, her brows furrowing as she remembers the conversation the two had in the attic. Natalie snickers, thinking the girl was joking, but after Bunny doesn't say anything the girl realizes she isn't joking.

"Wait- for real?", Natalie asks and Bunny nods.

"But Shauna was having sex with Jeff and I think Jackie was in the middle of some crisis. She went on and on about how love isn't real and nothing matters", Bunny tells the girl, as she fiddles with the hem of the girl's shirt, "and I kinda snapped at her. I feel bad."

Natalie nods, her jaw slightly clenched.

"Are you mad?", Bunny asks sadly. Her intention wasn't to upset the girl. Natalie shakes her head, "Not at you."

"Don't like to shoot her, please. I feel bad for her. I mean, imagine if your best friend was fucking your- wait, never mind. Do not imagine that", Bunny quickly says as she shakes her head in disgust, making Natalie laugh.