𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀, ( 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿 )

[17] IN OVER OUR HEADS

IT WAS THE EARLY MORNING and Mariella stood at her closet. She stood there for a moment, not doing anything. Something in her told her that something terrible would happen that day — something she needed to be prepared for. Something told her to get the pistol from the safe again. Something, something, something.

She brushed it off and grabbed dark blue floral button up from her closet and slipped it on before putting on her dark green jeans.

Carefully, she combed her long hair, looking into the mirror and sighing. Dropping the comb down, she grabbed her backpack and slipped into her parents room down the hall.

Opening their closet door, she pauses for a moment and pulls her hand back from the metal safe. 'This is crazy. You're crazy. Turn around. Go back,' Her conscious says to her. She thinks to herself before shaking her head and sighing. 'Fuck it'.

♧

Biking to Mike's house was a bore. Mariella had practically stumbled down the stairs with no greeting to either boys and dropped her backpack onto the ground before falling onto the couch and tiredly rubbing her eyes. Dustin and Mike staring at her as she rolled around on the couch uncomfortably before looking away and continuing their conversation.

"I just... I can't believe she didn't come back," Mike sighs, pacing around.

"She's gotta be close," Dustin responds.

"She said it wasn't safe. She just messed up the compasses because she wanted to protect us. She didn't betray us!" Mike says, pacing still, unable to get a hold on the situation.

"Mike, calm down," Dustin coaxes.

"If it's not safe, is that the reason why my heart is racing right now? And I feel like something terrible will happen today? And why I decided to take the pistol again? Cause' by the way, it's in my backpack!" Mariella speaks up, getting off the couch and walking towards the boys.

"Mar, cool it. You're supposed to be the rational one! Wait... you have the gun?" Dustin groans, looking to her in disbelief at her odd behaviour. Mariella DeGray never panicked. She was calm and understanding. All the time. And if she wasn't calm or understanding, she was hard.

"Yes! We're so... We're so in over our heads! Why did I... Ugh!" Mariella shouts out, breathing heavily as she waves her hands around erratically.

"I shouldn't have yelled at her. I never should've done that," Mike goes on.

"Yeah, you shouldn't have!" Mariella cuts in looking to him with furrowed eyebrows.

"This isn't your guys' fault!" Dustin tells them, staring between his two panicked friends.

"Yeah, it's Lucas'," Mike responds, a-matter-of-a-factly.

"If wasn't his fault, either," Dustin says.

"It wasn't his fault?" Mike asks in disbelief, walking towards Dustin.

"No," Dustin shakes his head as Mariella sighs at the upcoming disagreement.

"So you're saying he wasn't way out of line?" Mike asks.

"Totally, but so were you!" Dustin yells, looking at Mike with wide eyes.

"You were being unreasonable, Mikey," Mariella chimes in, recovering from her breathlessness and looking at Mike with a knowing look.

"What? Mars, can't you side with me for once!" Mike complains, voice high in pitch as he looks at the two of them with a upset expression.

"I always did with you. Why're you lying?" Mariella shakes her head with a small giggle before regaining composure. "But Dustin's right! You were in the wrong too!".

"Exactly! And so was Eleven," Dustin starts up again.

"Oh, give me a break!" Mike shakes his head in annoyance.

"Michael!" Mariella calla out his name in annoyance at his childish attitude.

"No, Mike, you give me a break! All three of you were being a bunch of little assholes! Mars and I were the only reasonable ones!" Dustin raises his voice at Mike, walking closer to him before lowering his voice. " but the bottom line is... you pushed first. And you know the rule. You draw first blood..." Dustin explains the old rule the party set in place which is barely ever acknowledged.

"No! No way! I'm not shaking his hand," Mike argues, shaking his head erratically.

"You're shaking his hand!" Dustin counters with a stern look on his face.

"No, I'm not," Mike argues.

"Yes, you are, Michael!" Mariella shakes her head. "You're shaking his hand. End of story,".

"This isn't a discussion. This is the rule of law. Obey or be banished from the party. Do you want to be banished?" Dustin again says with a stern look.

Mike looks down and shakes his head, "No,".

"Good," Dustin says before waking away and picking up his coat.

"Where are we going?" Mike asks.

"Where do you think? We're going to get Lucas. And then we're going to find Eleven," Dustin responds, picking up Mike and Mariella's backpacks and tossing them at them.

"Idiot," Mariella mumbles quietly looking to Mike with an unimpressed look on her face.

"What now, Mars?" Mike asks in a childish-complaining voice which he only ever really used with her.

"You're an absolute blithering idiot!" She answers, slinging her backpack onto her shoulders. "And... I hate calling you my best friend because you drive up the walls even though I love you very much," She adds, rolling her eyes.

Sometimes, she really regrets becoming friends with this ragtag bunch of misfits but them she remembers, how lonely her life would be without her best friends.