you are not alone → stranger things

xii. the fight

Monday morning
Jonathan's POV

I leaned down to Nancy, meeting her halfway. Her lips were warm and soft, and her long fingers tangled in my hair gently. She smelled slightly flowery, like roses.

"Jonathan..." she gasped, breaking away for air.

I gazed into her eyes, struck dumb by her kiss, but then realized that she looked afraid.

"Jonathan," she said loudly, pushing me away and looking somewhere behind me.

I turned too late. The monster had already pounced, and it snarled down at me, drool dripping from its jaws. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out-

"Jonathan!"

I woke with a start, Mom shaking me urgently. "Oh, thank goodness, honey," she said frantically. "Will isn't here."

My eyes opened wide. "Again?"

Will had been disappearing strangely during the night since Friday. He always came back muddy and tired with no recollection of how he had gotten there.

I'd heard Mom on the phone with someone late at night Saturday, sounding worried. His name had been mentioned several times.

"I'm sure he'll come back soon, Mom," I sighed, getting out of bed. "He has the last three times, hasn't he?"

"But school starts soon," Mom said anxiously, running a hand through her hair. "He won't make it."

"So?"

She wearily walked out of my room without a word. I watched her go, then got up. The high school started in forty-five minutes. I was up early.

***

The bell rang to end school, and I was the first out of the classroom. I felt the judging stares behind my back, whispering, but I could care less. All I wanted was to get home and-

Nancy.

She was talking to that new guy, looking slightly nervous. What was his name? Bob? Billy? Yes, that was it. Billy.

I swallowed as my dream from last night hit me. Was something wrong with me?

I had dreamed about Nancy. And us kissing. And then that... that thing...

I swallowed and suddenly found myself walking towards her. If this Billy guy could talk to her, then so could I.

But Billy suddenly ducked his head down to her level. They were too close. Too close. No.

I was there in a split second, pushing him away from her. "Get away," I snarled. I glimpsed Steve across the parking lot, looking furious, looking like he had been about to do exactly what I had.

Billy slowly looked up at me, and an almost feral fury built in his eyes. With a growl, he jumped me, his fists everywhere, tearing me to shreds. I couldn't fight back. I heard girls screaming. "Don't... touch... me!" he bellowed.

And then a voice.

"Billy! Stop! He was just- just-"

Nancy. Defending me.

I began to fight back, surprising even myself. But didn't help; Billy was much stronger than me. And after a punch to my temple, my lights winked out.

Okay, you guys read the descriptions for Billy and Max, right? I hope you did or this might not make sense and I don't really want to explain lol (but I will anyway)