Girl Afraid (Dustin Henderson x reader)

Chapter 2

"And let's hear it for your Tigers!" I heard one of the announcers say. Two people were holding up a banner as the basketball team walked through. Normally I wouldn't care but Lucas was one the team.

"Good morning, Hawkins high!" Jason said, he was like a total Steve Harrington in highschool but way more of an asshole. "First off...hey. First off, I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn't be here. Give yourselves a big hand" Jason said, as cheers erupted from the crowd "and of course, of course, I have to give a special shout out, to the best and the prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger cheer squad" Jason said, as cheers erupted once again.

"Give me a break" I groaned as I crossed my arms over my chest. This was terrible and hard to watch. Chrissy, one of the girls on the cheer team just happened to be dating Jason.

"Chrissy...Chrissy, I love you babe." Jason said as he looked down at his girlfriend. 'Awws' came from the crowed at such the sweet moment.

"Gross" Max said as she shook her head.

"It wasn't even cute" I said as I rolled my eyes.

"You know...I think I can speak for all of us when I say it's been a tough year of Hawkins. So much loss. And sometimes I wonder, 'How much loss can one community take?' In dark days like this, we need something to believe in. So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half to Christian Academy, I looked at my team, and I said, 'Think of Jack. Think of Melissa. Think of Heather. Think of Billy. Think about of heroic police chief, Jim hopper. Think about every one of our friends who perished  in that fire.  What did they die for? For us to lose to some...some crap school? No. For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat? No. Lest win this game. Let's win this game for them' And that's exactly what we did!" Jason said, the crowd started to cheer again. I tensed at his words. He was a huge dick. Hopper or Billy didn't die for some fucking basketball team. They died to save the world. "We embarrassed those candy asses in their own house, and now tonight, tonight, we're gonna bring home the championship trophy! Let's go!" Jason said as the crowd went crazy.

"Tonight?" Mike said to Dustin. Shit, they didn't know. And I had no idea how I was gonna tell them.

"How is that possible?" Dustin asked as he looked at us.

"They call it a tournament. You win one game, you go on until there's only one team left" I said to them. Mike and Dustin were silent.

...

"I don't get the big deal. Just talk to Eddie" Lucas said as we were walking around school. I was standing between Lucas and Dustin and Mike on the other end. "Get him to move Hellfire to another night."

"Just talk to Eddie? Why don't you just talk to your coach and get him to move the game?" Mike asked as he was being stubborn.

"I think that's a great idea, Mike" Dustin said with a smile.

"Thank you Dustin" Mike said with the same smile. I rolled my eyes at how childish they were being.

"This is the championship game" Lucas said as he was getting upset his friends weren't understanding.

"And this is the end of Eddies campaign. A semester of adventuring has led to this moment, and we need you." Dustin said as he looked at his friend.

"Yeah, and the Tigers don't. You've been on bench all year" Mike said, I hit him at his rude comment.

"That's not the point" Lucas said.

"Please, arrive at the point" Dustin said.

"If I get in good with these guys, I'll be in the popular crowd, and then you will be too." Lucas said, it would be nice to be liked by really cool people.

"Has it ever occurred to you that we don't want to be popular?" Mike asked him as we stopped at Lucas's class.

"You wanna be stuck with the nerds and freak for three more years?" Lucas asked us.

"We are needs and freaks" Dustin said.

"But maybe we don't have to be. Look, I'm tired of being bullied. I'm tired of girls laughing at us. I'm tired of feeling like a loser. We came to highschool wanting things to be different. Right? And I know Y/n wants it too. I see her staring at Rachael and her friends all the time. She wants it" Lucas said as he looked at me. He did? I mean I always wanted to be well liked but I never had the balls to say it.

"I-" I tired to say before I was cut off.

"She's fine" Mike said as he didn't even bother to listen. I put my head down. Maybe I was fine.

"Whatever" Lucas said, Dustin ans Mike both scoffed before they walked away. I stayed there staring at Lucas.

"I'm sorry" I said as I went over to him and hugged him. He tensed up for a minute before leaning in to the hug.

"You're fine" Lucas said into my neck. I pulled away and looked up at him. "You're coming right?" Lucas asked as a little hopelessly.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world" I said with a smile. He smiled and we did our small handshake before I walked away going to my class.

Lucas was one of my best friends and I knew how much this meant to him and I had to. I wasn't going to miss this for anything. And I just hope Dustin and Mike would understands. I didn't want to sit around doing nothing all night instead I could be supporting one of my bestest friends and that's what I'm going to be doing.