False Start

Episode Four: The Body

authors note! Here's the episode ya'll been waiting for! It's a bit of a doozy, lots of byers drama in this one, some cusses, angst, Stacey realizing she is in love with her best friend, Stacey deciding to tell Jonathon about El, Joyce freak out, Edited i think. 

It's a quiet morning.

You roll over, the sunlight streaming through your curtains, and for a moment you forget. It's a blissful moment, sweet naivety that strokes your cheek and coaxes your eyes open. As you throw your arms over your head and stretch, last night's events haven't caught up to you quite yet.

Then you feel Jonathan's body next to yours and for a moment you're confused. He never sleeps in your bed whenever he spends the night, being ever the gentleman. No matter how many times you offer, he always insists on respecting your mother's wishes and sleeping on the giant beanbag chair within your room, and it always makes your heart warm.

Your mother had specifically bought the beanbag for Jonathan when you were thirteen. He had been spending more and more nights at your home, sneaking in through your window to avoid his parents fighting. At first he would simply fall asleep on your carpet, despite your many reassurances that he could sleep in your bed, so when your mom unexpectedly barged into your room one morning and saw him lying face down on the ground, she freaked.

Once you had explained everything to her (with Jonathan's permission), she had shoved you guys into her car, dropped him off at his house, and then found the beanbag at a garage sale for $10.

"This way, he'll have a place to sleep that's soft and cozy, away from my young daughter," she had said during the drive home. You had covered your face in embarrassment at her implication, but you were also incredibly proud to call her your mom at that moment. She may be overbearing at times, but she was the kindest woman you've ever met.

You rub your eyes and glance at the bean bag that sits between your bed and wall, its dusty blue color almost glowing in the early morning light. Then you glance at Jonathan, who has woken up before you, and notice the redness in his eyes and the dark circles now darker than ever.

Then it all comes rushing back to you.

Will's body in the quarry.

Holding your brother as he mourned his friend.

El, so quiet and shy and sweet, running away after your cruel dismissal.

Jonathan showing up to your window hours later, broken and devastated.

Then, late into the night, the two of you falling asleep, side by side in your bed, both needing each other more than ever before.

The two of you get ready without saying anything. You hand Jonathan some spare clothes of his that you keep in a drawer before giving him some space as you go and take a shower. You spend longer than usual getting ready, but you pay no attention to the clock. There's no way you're going to school today. You're not leaving Jonathan alone for even a second.

Jonathan finishes getting ready before you do and waits in your room. Neither of you have said anything yet, last night being too fresh in your memories, but words aren't needed between the two of you.

You take his hand and lead him into your kitchen and wordlessly hand him a banana. He stares at you, and you stare back, silently challenging him to decline the food. He needs to eat. You've noticed how thin he's gotten with everything happening.

He sighs, knowing he won't win this fight, and takes a bite out of the banana in a mocking manner, but you're just relieved he's eating.

You grab your own breakfast before writing a note for your mom, informing her that you'll be with Jonathan today and promising to make up any missed assignments as soon as you can. Then you quietly go into Dustin's room to check up on him, but his bed is empty. You glance at his alarm clock and note the early hour, he doesn't normally leave for school for another thirty minutes, which makes you frown.