[ 𝙿𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝 & 𝙶𝚕𝚞𝚎 ] ~ 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝙱𝚢𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

VII - Birthday Dinner.

"I know this may be, like. . .upsetting and shit, but that future prom queen is gonna be fine." Argyle leaned back over the driver's seat to address Jane. 

"The bitch deserved it." Antonio scoffed. 

"I mean, it was just, like, rubber wheels." Argyle continued with a slow nod.

"Plastic." Jonathan corrected.

"Oh." 

"Not like hard plastic, just. . .just the soft kind." Jonathan slurred.

"Totally." 

"Don't you ever wonder why the wheels aren't wood, man? Or metal? So people don't get hurt when they get schmacked!"

"Ooh. . ."

"Yeah. Because it happens more than you think, man. Roller-skate attacks."

"Man. Hey, at least it wasn't an ice skate." 

"That nose would've been sliced clean off, man!" 

Jonathan yelled in disgust, his hands coming up to cover his mouth. 

"It could've been so much worse!"

"So much worse." Jonathan nodded.

"You guys are high off your asses. Can't you see you're scaring her? Shut your fucking mouths." Antonio rolled his eyes. "Where'd the mean chic go?" 

"Justin? Uh- we took her home to take a nap." Jonathan smiled as he said the girl's name. 

"Right." Antonio shook his head, looking over at the other three kids he was sitting with. Jane was staring forlornly out the window, anxious to get home, Mike was looking at his lap like a kicked puppy, and Will just looked. . .sad. Jesus fucking Christ had the day gone to shit. The drive back to the Wheeler's house was silent besides the two potheads laughing and muttering incoherent things to one another. Once they all arrived and walked into the front door, Opera music was blasting through loudspeakers and Justin was sitting on the couch with her hands pressed firmly against her ears and a look of pure and utter irritation plastered to her face. "Mom?" Will called out.

A strange man was in the kitchen wearing an apron. "The homeless hobo's back!" Justin shouted over the music. 

"Well, well! Aren't you lot a sight for sore eyes, huh?" 

"Hi, Murray!" Jonathan raised a hand with a dopey smile. 

"You kids like risotto?" He gave them a beaming smile. 

"Yeah." Jonathan laughed as the song came to an end. 

The Murray man turned it off. "Go, sit, sit, your mom will be out in a minute."

"Who is this man?" Antonio's brows drew together as he whispered to Will.

"An old friend." The brunet nodded in return with a tight smile. Antonio sighed, running a hand over his face before walking over to the table and sitting down across from Justin and next to Will. 

"You not get enough sleep, cranky head?" 

"Not even close, puppy." She snapped back with a snarl. 

"You sure I'm the puppy? You're the one growling." 

She rolled her eyes in irritation at the boy's remark before slumping back in her chair. "Byers, you're dead to me." She pointed at Jonathan who shot his hands up in surrender. 

"Wha'did I do?"

"You left me here with him. How am I supposed to sleep when there's a homeless man yelling about dollies!?" She scoffed as the stranger put a plate of food down in front of both herself and Antonio.