Shutter [Jonathan Byers] Stranger Things I

VII: Develop

de·vel·op

verb

grow or cause to grow and become more mature, advanced, or elaborate.

A heavy rain overtook the cold weather, making Hawkins seem warmer, and yet if one were to stand in the rain a little too long, it would chill them to the bone. Cars whipped by as Emilia walked to school, her boots soaked through to her toes making them numb. With a jacket wrapped around her, a toque upon her head and the waterproof rain jacket, she still was shivering violently and was only half way to the school. Living in the outskirts, the school bus didn't go that far. Walking to the first bus stop that was close enough was once an option, but that was before Carol set out on a bullying rampage just to see Emilia's life crumble a little further, a little finer.

And so Emilia Roth stopped taking the bus from the first bus stop, which was a mile out from her house, and instead she walked, every morning, the five miles to school. It was usually a very nice walk; Emilia never minded getting up earlier and getting out of the house before her father even woke up with a bad hangover and his usual bad temper that came with it. Even in the colder days, the walk was still beautiful. She made a definitive decision to walk around the road where the accident had happened, even if it took an extra half mile. Since the accident, she'd not gone back to that road, and she wondered if maybe that was preventing her healing.

Today, the walk was wearing her down. Her rain jacket could prevent most of her from getting wet, but with the brutal winds, it blew up her sleeves, snuck down the small opening at her neck, dripped down her shirt and chilled her. Only a mile into the walk, she considered catching the bus, but it would not arrive for half an hour yet, and by then -if she continued walking- she would already be close to the school. In her locker were clothes she could change into. Cars drove by without any concern of her; they whipped by and splashed water at her -without intent of course. Occasionally one would slow and pull out over the center line to give her more space, and she mentally thanked them.

Head down, she pursued, until she heard a car slow to an uncomfortable level. Her heart rate jolted like a race horse's, and she wondered where she could run to. With a backpack and being soaked to the bone, she could not run fast. With thoughts of the worst -relentless bullying taken the to next level- Emilia took a deep breath as she prepared to face the situation. She heard a car door open, unoiled hinges groaning ever so slightly and then ceasing entirely.

"Emilia!" It was Jonathan's voice, and it brought a wave of comfort over her. She looked over her shoulder and saw him standing on the ledge of the car, one hand on the top of the open door, the other on the roof of the car. "Come on, get in!"

Emilia didn't hesitate, another sign of healing she noted. Jonathan got back in the car and reached over to unlock the passenger door, and he put his backpack in the back of the car. Emilia got in, bringing half of the rain along with her, and instantly was embraced by the warmth of the vehicle. When Jonathan shut the car door, the windows fogged up and it took a moment for the car to sort all that out. When it did, Jonathan carefully pulled the car back onto the road. Emilia pulled back her hood and the strands of black hair by her face were wet and matted to her cheeks and forehead. Water beads dropped from her pinks lips. Within moments, he gained his wits again.

"You must be freezing," he noted kindly. He reached over to turn the heat on full; he gently grabbed her hand and put it by the fans. Her fingers were frozen, and he held them for just a moment too long, and quickly brought his hand back to the steering wheel. "Do you walk every day?"

She nodded, then realized he was watching the road. "Yes."

"Your dad can't offer to drive?" Jonathan's voice had a seething tone to it.

Emilia looked at her hands, colour slowly coming back to them. "He's usually still drunk in the mornings."

There was a silence. "Does he work..?"

"No, he got a pretty nice amount of life insurance when my mum died." Emilia explained bitterly, "Not that any of it should have gone to my education or something better than funding his alcoholism."

Jonathan hadn't heard Emilia say that much before in all the time he'd ever been around her. He pulled onto the main road that would bring them to the school. Only a few more minutes of driving and they would be at the school, and they would have to part ways. Jonathan recalled that they had agreed to meet at lunch to develop the photos they had taken the day before, and he found a smile break through his expression. Lunch and photography class, that was the time he would get to spend with her, and the car ride on top of that. He decided to offer her a ride home, even if the gas would begin to add up soon.

"I can drive you home after school, if you'd like," he pulled into the not-so-busy parking lot. It was still early.

"Actually... I was going to ask you something... It's stupid..." She shook her head, putting herself down before she even gave herself a chance to lift up.

Jonathan parked the car, and looked at Emilia. "No, please ask."

I'm an idiot who's failing courses and I need your help.

"It's nothing," she shook her head, "I'd love a ride home, if it's still raining."

Jonathan's almond eyes peered into her large blue ones, as if he was trying to read what she was hiding. However, Emilia was too good at hiding what she thought, even from someone like Jonathan who saw things in people that others didn't. Being the first one to look away, Emilia was embarrassed that she was failing, she was embarrassed to live with her father, she was embarrassed to walk to school in the rain every single day. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, and looked back at Jonathan, who hadn't moved since she looked away. He wanted to know more about her, he wanted to overcome the wall that she had put up all around herself. But it was too early, it was too soon. So instead, he nodded a confirmation that he would give her a ride home.

They walked through the parking lot at a brisk pace to avoid the rain, and only when they had gotten underneath the shelter of the front doors did Jonathan stop to look at her, "See you at lunch?"

Don't push him away.

"Of course." She nodded, a real smile coming to her lips and sending a shiver down her spine. Something developed within her, something she had never felt before.

They parted ways, and Emilia went to her locker to cram her wet backpack in there. She ensured her camera was safe, and took a sigh of relief. The protective casing always did the job it was intended for. She grabbed her spare clothes and walked to the washrooms, where she could make herself look presentable.

Why does it matter if you're always wanting to be invisible?

When she had changed, she stepped out of the small stall and noticed Carol was leaned up against the washroom sinks and was applying a coat of light pink lipstick. Her expression in the mirror was a vicious one, one that told Emilia that Carol knew it was her in the bathroom. Since Emilia had only changed clothes, she headed towards the door to avoid confrontation. Carol knew this was her game plan, and Emilia had reacted too slowly.