𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐂, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 | 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

chapter two; welcome home

꒰꒰・┄┄・𓆩♡𓆪・┄┄・꒱꒱

"IT'S JUST A DREAM." Dustin repeats to himself, heart-pounding and panic coursing through him as he slowly follows behind his toys that had somehow come to life. For all he knew they could be pulling him towards something sinister and all the poor boy had to protect himself was a can of Farrah Fawcett hairspray.

What Dustin didn't know, was that just around the corner from him stood Summer with the other five teens, anxiously awaiting for him to walk right into their trap. They tried their best to contain their giggles and excited nerves, Will having to bury his face in Summer's shoulder to muffle the noises escaping his lips as Eleven worked her magic.

To this day it still amazed Summer to see the girl put her telekinetic powers to use, and she loved it, even more, every time she saw it.

"Now," Mike whispers to El, and as the toys begin to power down he hands her a tissue to wipe away the blood from her nose.

Slowly and discreetly, the group tiptoe out from their hiding spot and gather behind their friend to execute the last step of the plan, as he investigates the toys on the floor. Lucas stands in front holding up the 'welcome home Dustin' poster they had collectively made and Max starts to count them down. When she reaches the last number all six of them blow into the party blowers and let out a sound, not unlike a horn. Though the reaction they receive from their curly-headed friend was far more than they were all anticipating.

Instead of giving the boy a nice surprise and a small fright, perhaps causing him to jump or let out a little scream, Dustin lets out an ear-piercing shriek and in retaliation sprays the contents of the metal can he had been holding right into Lucas' line of vision. Everyone else jumps back in shock, El cowering into Mike and Will and Max into Summer, as Lucas lets out an abnormally high pitched scream for a teenage boy.

"My eyes!" Lucas wails and begins to rub them.

"No, don't rub them!" Summer rushed forward to stop him. "That will only make it worse. You need to rinse them under some cold water quickly."

"I'll take him." Max wraps an arm around her boyfriend's waist and leads him into the kitchen.

Letting out a sigh, Summer turns back to the Henderson boy. "You're back less than five minutes and are already causing trouble. What on earth am I gonna do with you?" She shakes her head and pulls him into a hug.

"You guys are the ones that gave me a heart attack!" He rolls his eyes, face buried in Summer's hair.

"Well, besides the fact that you nearly blinded Lucas, it's good to have you home kiddo." She pats him on the back, squeezing ever so slightly, as she pulls away.

"Agreed, we all missed you!" Will says and he, Eleven and Mike pull him into an extremely tight hug.

When they pull apart they catch Dustin up on everything that had happened while he was away at 'Camp Know Where', most of it revolving around the new 'Starcourt Mall'. The teens spoke about the place like they worshipped it, which didn't sit all that well with Summer.