To Love a Boy ☆ S. Harrington

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⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ 

𓆉 ⋆.˚𓇼 ⋆.˚𓆟

November 11, 1983

Magnolia stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dress Claudia had bought her for the funeral wasn't all that bad, but she'd probably keep her coat on the whole time. The dress reached just above her knees, and had an awkward neckline. She supposed that's what you were expected to wear to a funeral. Magnolia had never had anyone she knew die before. When she'd imagine it, she always pictured it being some old relative she hardly knew, not her kid cousin's best friend.

After applying her lipstick, Magnolia walked out to the living room where Dustin waited for the two women of the house to be ready.

"So, I heard there was a fire at your school," Magnolia started awkwardly. She wasn't exactly sure if she was supposed to be talking about the obvious event of the morning or avoiding it at all costs. So, she figured avoiding it would be the best option for now. It's what she always did.

"Oh, uh, yeah. No big deal," Dustin shrugged.

"I mean, it kind of is," she said, her voice going up a pitch.

Before the two could continue their riveting conversation, Claudia finally walked in and announced that it was time to go.

𓆉 ⋆.˚𓇼 ⋆.˚𓆟

Cemeteries were scary Magnolia decided as she looked around at the tombstones that were littered across the dry grass.

Magnolia stood next to Nancy, who was too busy listening to the service. She felt bad for not paying attention, but after everything that had happened in the past two days, her mind couldn't pick a single thing to focus on.

Her eyes snapped towards her younger cousin as she heard him and his friend giggling over something. Well, he didn't seem to be broken up about everything. Mrs. Wheeler was quick to shush the boys before Magnolia did.

𓆉 ⋆.˚𓇼 ⋆.˚𓆟

As everyone began to walk over to the funeral home for the wake, Nancy pulled Magnolia with her to find Jonathan. The three teens ducked down behind a rusty fence to discuss Jonathan's findings.

"This is where we know it's been for sure, right?" Jonathan asked as he holds a map of Hawkins that's decorated in three red x's.

Magnolia leaned over Nancy's shoulder to get a closer look. Maybe it was selfish, but she was beyond relieved that none of the markings had been near her house.

"So that's..." Nancy began.

"Steve's house," Jonathan nodded. "And that's the woods where they found Will's bike and that's my house."