The loneliest number

Chapter Three: The Pollywog

Alex was sitting at the table waiting for Hopper and El. She had a triple-decker Eggo extravaganza that her and Hop had made to cheer up El with, in front of her. Once they had both sat down Hopper cut it up so the three of them could share. "Good right? Know the great thing about it? It's only 8000 calories." Hopper said. "Isn't that a lot?" Alex asked. "Yeah." He answered. 

Hopper looked and saw the TV wires leading to El's room. "You visited him again last night?" He asked. "He said he needs me. 

"What made you check on him." Hopper asked only to receive a shake of El's head in response. "I know that you miss him, alright? But It's too dangerous." Hopper comforted. "Nancy says that he seems fine. Yesterday may have just been an off day for him." Alex said trying to better the situation. 

"You're the last thing he needs right now. You're gonna see him soon. And not just in that head of yours. You're gonna see him, in real life. I feel like I'm making progress with these people." Hopper added. 

El lent forward. "Friends don't lie." 

"What?" Hopper asked, realising maybe his way of comforting didn't work. "You say soon on day 21. You say soon on day 205. You now say soon on day 326?" She said angrily.

"What is this? You're counting the days now like you're some kind of prisoner?" He huffed. "When is soon?" El asked angrily. "Soon is when It's not dangerous anymore." Hop answered only for El to respond asking "When?" again.

"I don't know." Hopper answered honestly only making El more angry. "On day 500?" Hopper repeated "I don't know." El asked again. "On day 600?" only to be met with another "I don't know." El  began to raise her voice. "Day 700? On day 800?" they began yelling over each other. Alex covered her ears at the sound as the voices in her head started yelling too. She began running around the house trying to find her Walkman. she found it on her bed and instantly calmed down. 

Hopper kicked the table bringing Alex out of her panic. "Come on. Let me take you to school." He said glaring at El's door.

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Alex was watching Steve and Billy play basketball. She saw Billy whispering things in his ear before Billy pushed Steve and scored. Nancy walked in and called out "Steve!" Steve glanced at Alex quickly who nodded at him to go.  

Billy walked over to Alex and sat down next to her. "How's the plan to make Harrington jealous going?" He asked. "He tried to kiss me last night." She answered bluntly earning an "Oh shit." from Billy.

"I left before he could. He wasn't in the right mind." She explained. Meanwhile Nancy and Steve where talking. "Oh and also. You don't love me." Steve said bluntly. "

I was drink Steve. I don't remember any of that." Nancy defended. "So that makes everything you said, what? Just bullshit too? No! Cause I see the way you look at Jonathan." Steve pointed out.

"Okay... well, I see the way you look at Alex!" Nancy stated making Steve furrow his brows. "What?" He aske. "You think i don't notice how angry you get when she's near Billy, or how you act when she's around." Nancy informed. There was silence for a moment. "We need to break up." Nancy sighed. "Yeah." Steve agreed before getting called back into the game.

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Alex walked towards Billy only to see he had a girl from Alex's class standing next to him. "Hey Billy! I need to talk to you. Is this a bad time?" She asked when she noticed the other girl.

"Not at all." he said before looking at the other girl. "Go home." The other girl just scoffed and walked away. "What's wrong?" He asked turning back to Alex. "Ever since Steve spoke with Nancy when you two were playing basket ball he's been acting... weird around me." Alex confessed. 

"Weird how?" Billy inquired. "He tries to get away as quick as possible, he is stuttering and calling me Alexia. Not Alex or Lex like he usually does." Alex answered. 

"Maybe he's finally realised he feels the same. You did say he tried to kiss you last night." Billy theorised.