Invisible- Stranger Things Fanfiction

Chapter Forty Two: Here You Come Again

*Nikki's POV*
All day, I'd been dealing with uncomfortable glances from the Party. Whenever I'd try to speak to them, something else would catch their eye and they'd turn their attention away from me. History was repeating itself.
Dustin especially seemed a bit moody today. Well, moodier than normal. He eyed me sympathetically when he thought I couldn't see him, but I would also catch him slightly glaring at the other male Party members. I specifically avoided talking to him for most of the day.
"Maybe he feels bad about yesterday?" Liam asked during drama class.
I shrugged. "Yesterday was nothing. We've been through worse."

   Finally, after gym, I was able to pull Max aside in the locker room. It was the last class of the day, so neither of us would be late for anything. "What's up with you guys?" I questioned. "Is it about what I said last night? Because I really didn't mean to-"
   "Nikki, it's not that," Max interjected. "We just- I don't know... we're just all trying to process all of this. I guess they- we all thought that it would be the eight of us, conquering the world. Until graduation, at least."
   I sighed. "Okay, well... it could be the nine of us?" I raised my eyebrows, hoping that Max would catch my drift.
   "Wha- No." She grabbed her backpack, starting to walk out of the locker room as we both took our hair down from our gym-mandated ponytails. "We're not putting Liam in the Party."
   "That's not what I was saying... necessarily." Lucas caught up to us in the hallway as I said this. "I'm just thinking, ya know, we can all hang out together? You could get to know him, he's actually a really nice guy, and-"
   "Well, I mean, as riveting as that sounds," Lucas said, "I unfortunately can't hang today."
   "Shoveling snow?"
   "No, um... just, ya know, a thing. The other guys can hang out today either, so don't ask them."
   Max and I exchanged a glance before each picking Lucas up by his armpit, dragging him into an alcove at the bottom of the staircase. Everyone was pretty much gone by now, so we didn't have to worry about onlookers.
   "Guys! Come on, I have to get to-" Lucas stopped himself, much to our dismay.
   "Where ya going, Lucas?" Max asked, her interrogative tone just soft enough to scare Lucas and me.
   I sighed, realization hitting me. "He's going to hang out with the guys without us girls hanging around. Aren't you?"
   "Well, yeah, but I-"
   "Why?" Max asked, sparking a rapid fire interrogation between the two of us.
   "Why can't you have us around?"
   "Is it Will?"
   "Oh, God, it's Will, isn't it?"
   "Are you doing some weird guy thing that we can't be around for?"
   "Max, that's disgusting!"
   "Oh, come on, you know guys are disgusting-"
   "Okay!" Lucas held his hands over both of our mouths, shutting us up. "Listen, you can't tell anyone that I told you, okay? It was a strictly secret arrangement."
   I raised my eyebrow, biting his hand so he let go of me, causing him to yelp. "Arrangement?"
   "Son of a bitch, you didn't have to bite me." Lucas held his hand in his other one, then continued. "Yes. Dustin got me during homeroom and said he was calling an emergency, guys-only meeting today. No girls allowed."
Max and I looked at each other again. "Did he say why?"
Lucas shook his head, holding the straps of his backpack between his fingers. "Look, I've really gotta go. He seemed pretty pissed all day, and I don't want to add to that by being late and telling you guys about this after he specifically told us not to."
   "You kinda had to tell me though," Max said. "Ya know, me being your girlfriend and all."
   Lucas nodded. "El and Sarah don't hear about this, agreed?"
   Max agreed, but I didn't say anything. "Lucas, where are you guys meeting?"
   "The old junkyard, in the bus. Why?" He seemed to realize just what he'd done about a second after he stopped speaking. "Shit. Nikki, you guys can't. He'll kill me."
   Max was staring between us with confusions evident on her face, then realization hit her. "I'll go find El and Sarah."
   "Max!"
   "Shut up and come on." I grabbed Lucas's arm and walked toward the exit of the school. Then, calling over my shoulder: "We'll see you guys there, Max!"