Contemporary Life // FILLIE

Classified As A Crime

*The Next Day*

Millie's POV:

"I know right, but like- Mr. Keery could totally be a model." Sadie remarks, causing me to grimace in disgust at her as we walk, trays in hand. "Oh don't give me that look, you've said worse. Now wouldn't it be a shame if something you had said got out to the boys?" She threatens playfully, now walking backwards in front of me as we make our way towards our table. "Empty threats, Sades. You wouldn't dare." I respond simply, not worried one bit. The red does a fake pout as we reach the table, sitting down beside each other as the boys greet us, well except Caleb that is. "Why such a long face?" Gaten asks curiously. Sadie scoffs at him as she looks down to start eating her food. "I'm not a horse, moron." She states, glaring at him as she stuffs a mouthful of lettuce in her mouth. Gaten smirks as he raises an eyebrow, "You sure about that?" I can't help but smile at the two bickering, especially with Sadie looking as if she's about to explode. "Gaten you might wanna surrender this one, I think it might be her time of month." Finn chimes in wisely only muttering the last part to him. "Finn!" I scold in unison with Sadie, but it's only me that hits is arm while he only chuckles innocently with his adorable giggle. "What?" He asks in his 'I didn't do anything' voice. I suppress a grin that only comes out as a reluctant smile towards the boy. 

Sadie groans, obviously done with the boys already. "One of these days, I'm going to go off and make new friends and all you sorry dickheads are gonna come crawling to me, wishing you never talked shit to me. But guess what? I'll just flip you off. I mean, except you Mills." The fiery redhead announces, only softening when she turns to me with her kind eyes. "Oh please, we'd still have Millie." Finn retorts as he sets his free hand on mine that lays on the table, moving my thumb gently out of boredom. She rolls her blue oceans of eyes. "As if. Maybe you would, Wolfhard, but you two? Not so lucky." Sadie states while pointing her fork at them lazily. "Can we please stop talking about this? It's stupid." Noah interrupts. When I finally draw my attention to him I can notice the bags under his eyes, the stress in the way he runs a hand through his styled hair. Poor Noah. 

"Hey.. you okay?" Finn asks with concern flourishing in his voice as he puts his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Yes. I'm fine, Finn. Just like Caleb is fine, just like Sadie who's pretending she's fine but dammit Sadie, we all know your ripping yourself apart from the inside out. But fuck it! Fuck it, right? Because if we actually acted like what's happening, is happening, then that'd just be bad news. That'd be unnatural! Right Finn? Wouldn't that be too much?" Noah rants out sarcastically. Throwing his hands up before letting his fists fall back down to the table, causing a loud clashing noise due to the trays and silverware jumping at the impact. Steam seems to escape his nose with every deep breath he takes, his head hanging low to cover his face. A low sob comes out of him while he drags his hands off the table and into his lap. "I'm sorry, Noah." Finn admits quietly as he pulls him in his arms, aware off all the staring classmates but honestly, 'fuck it, right?'. He notices my guilty gaze, pressing his lips together he pulls the visible side of his black beanie over his ear until returning his attention to Noah; shushing him as he cries silently. 

The rest of us stay silent. We pick at our food all with the same depressing, saddened, and realistic expressions plastered to our faces. A few times I'll glance at the two most important teenage guys in my life, saddened by the sight and guilty that I supposedly caused it. Eventually Noah's tears dry, and Finn releases him with a small pat on the back. Noah wipes the tears from below his eyes as he sniffles, "I-I'm sorry. I guess this whole thing might be affecting me more than you guys. Shocker, huh?" He jokes, giving a fake pitiful smile that none of us return. "No Noah, you're right. We're all just trying to figure things out, I guess. And personally, I'm just scared- these things.. they're only supposed to happen in movies. But this, it's actually real life." Sadie explains with a sigh at the end. "Trust me, I wish it wasn't." Gaten adds quietly while pulling his hat down a little further. "Well hey, at least we still have each other, right? I mean, with all of us together I really think we can blow this case wide open." I confess, trying my best to lift their spirits. Gaten presses his lips together, "Maybe, but we have to talk about this somewhere where people can't eavesdrop. Can we all meet at the fire pit at let's say.. 5:30 after school?" I nod, the rest doing the same. "Good, see you guys then." He says while standing up just as the dismissal bell rings. 

-

"And that's the main function of neurons everyone, make sure to take notes! This will be on your test!" Mr. Modine exclaims, holding a red expo marker in the air before turning back to the board. "..and that's why I'm dropping out of this class!" I whisper in a mocking voice, causing Noah to snicker beside me as he takes notes. Tapping my pencil repeatedly on my blank notebook page, I look over my shoulder to peer at the clock hanging on the back wall; 3:00 pm. Great, only twenty more minutes. Yeah.. twenty more minutes of hell. I groan as I turn my head back to Mr. Brenner. "Now class, we will be discussing the structure of neurons. I suggest you take notes and pay attention for we will move rather quickly." He explains with the crooked, creepy smile that he always does. And so I sit there with my jaw in the palm of my hand, my eyes weary, and head in the clouds while Modine just talks and talks about neurons for 15 minutes straight. "So with that being said, you may start packing up for the end of the day." I shoot up in my seat, suddenly energized. Noah only smirks at my behavior, knowing how much I hate this class. "Oh my gosh, Noah, you have no-" My words get cut off by the end of the day announcements calling out names, "Noah Schnapp please report to the office, along with Millie Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, and Gaten Matarazzo. Thank you." My confused expression matches Noah's as we stare at each other in both question and fear. Why would they need to see us of all friends?

The two of us quickly shove the rest of our stuff into our bags, sling them over our shoulders, and start down the halls. "Why the fuck do they have to see us? Us?! Our group of all groups!" Noah rants, panicking. "What if it's about Caleb?! Shit, Millie, shit!" He shouts through gritted teeth as he runs his hands roughly through his slick hair. I frown, "I'm sure everything is fine, Noah. The worst thing you can do is panic." He stares me straight in the eyes, "I think it's too fucking late for that, Millster." Noah informs me sarcastically. I redirect my eyes away from him, acting as if that comment didn't give a little sting. As we turn the corner to the office the three others come into view; all of them coming from the other end of the hall. Whilst in a conversation with Gaten, Finn looks over to me and it's almost like he takes a double take. For he suddenly stops talking to the curly haired boy and speeds up his pace to meet me. "Millie," He sighs with relief to see me as he pulls me in for a quick embrace. His arms let go of my torso only for his hands to hold my upper arms. 

"Do you know what's going on?" Finn asks with his sorrowful, concerned eyes that I could easily get lost in. I press my lips together before slowly shaking my head. His lips part in fear and uncertainty, the sight of it making my stomach churn. "I'm sure it's fine Finn, probably just something stupid." I assure, to which he just nods to before letting his hands slip from my sides. We all make our way into the office, all of us confused but most of all, worried. The old secretary flashes us a smile with her over-applied red lipstick smeared on her front teeth. The sight makes me grimace internally. "Glad you all could make it. Now the staff committee and I understand you all are going through a rough patch that is due to an accident that occurred with your friend and fellow student, Caleb McLaughlin. And it has been brought to our attention that said student has committed what is classified as a crime."