unpredictable ; jonathan byers

chapter ten- eleven

Jonathan

"Jonathan? Jesus Christ,"

The mention of my name made me break the deep gaze between Casey and I and I glanced up, my eyes furrowing at the sight of my mother storming through the police station towards us, the two deputies and Chief Hopper following closely behind. "Mom?" I questioned, standing to my feet.

"Guys, wh-what happened?" She stressfully asked, turning to one of the officers. "Why is she in handcuffs?"

"Joyce, I'm fine," Casey reassured my mother.

"Well, she assaulted a police officer, that's why," The deputy answered.

"Take them off!" My mother shouted.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that,"

"Take them off!"

"You heard her, take them off," Chief Hopper ordered the deputy.

The other deputy still hesitated. "Chief, I get that everyone is emotional here, but there's something you need to see,"

As the the Chief followed the two deputies out, Nancy and Riley walked in, pulling up chairs on the other side of Casey. We all waited in a somewhat comfortable silence until the Chief walked back in, carrying our box of supplies. I gulped and looked downwards as he set it on the desk in front of us.

My mother's eyes furrowed as she looked through it. "What's all of this?"

"Why don't you ask your boy? We found it in his car," Hopper suggested, giving all four of us stern looks.

I felt my jaw tick as I sat forward in my seat. "Why were you going through my car?" I asked harshly.

"Is that really the question you should be asking right now?" Hopper asked, leaning towards me with his hands braced on the desk. "I wanna see you in my office."

"You won't believe us," Casey told him.

"Why don't you give me a try?" Hopper shot back, his voice low.

That was when the four of us teenagers relocated to his office, Casey's hands finally being released from the cuffs. As soon as the tight metal was off, her hand quickly found mine, lacing our fingers together. We continued to hold hands as we talked with my mother and Hopper as a source of comfort.

Hopper held the picture that captured Barb and the monster in the same shot, examining it closely. "You're saying blood draws this thing?"

"We don't know," I told him honestly.

"It's just a theory," Riley chimed in.

After the four of us explained our story, angry shouting could be heard from the reception area and Hopper told us to stay in his office as he went to go check it out. Shortly after, my mother pulled me into the hallway to talk. She didn't say anything at first, but that was because I knew she was upset with me. I had hid the proof from her, I had hid the fact that I believed her. She had every reason to be pissed at me.

I decided to speak first. "I'm sorry, mom."

"What, you're sorry?" She asked with an almost distressed tone. "That is not good enough, Jonathan."

"I know,"

"That's not even close. That's not even in the...in the ballpark," She told me.

"I wanted to tell you," I admitted. "I just-"

"What of this thing took you, too? Or Casey?" She then asked me, unshed tears beginning to form in her eyes. "You risked your life...and the lives of those three girls."