Joey Hopper//Will Byers

The Vanishing of Will Byers: Part 1

My blonde hair whips against my face as I ride my yellow bike down the dark streets. You see, I was supposed to be at my best friend Mikes house at 10:30 am. Unfortunately my evil dad grounded me for literally no reason. I mean, how was I supposed to know when he said my bedtime was 9:00, he meant pm and not am? Besides I'm not eleven anymore. I don't need some stupid bed time, It makes me look like I'm a baby. Anyways, he had the night shift today so I couldn't sneak out until about fifteen minutes ago. Now I'm officially ten hours late and speeding to get to Mike's house before the campaign we've been planning for weeks is over. THANKS DAD. With that last thought I pull into Mike's driveway. I jump off my bike so fast that I almost fall over. Been there, done that, broke my arm, not happening again. I run as fast as my feet can take me to his basement door. Finally I fling it open.

"I'm here!" I shout, looking around the room only to find it in complete chaos. 

The whole party minus Mike are on there hands and knees seemingly looking for something.

I decide to repeat myself since no one has even given me a glance. "Umm... I'm here? Whats going on?" I question almost laughing at the state there in.

The guys finally look up at me, only just now realizing I've arrived. "Joe! where were you?" Dustin askes standing from the floor.

"Grounded."

"Like usual," Lucas sarcastically murmurs.

"What was that Mr. 'I didn't think my mom would actually care that I skipped 6th period'?" I ask doing my best Lucas impression.

"Hey! I do not sound like tha-"

"Oh, I got it," Will frantically interrupts. "Does a seven count?"

"It was a seven?" Lucas questioned.

"What was a seven? What's going on?" I ask, interested.

"Did Mike see?" Lucas asks Will, ignoring my question

Will just shakes his head no. As I look towards him I feel a weird pit in my stomach. I don't know what it is but as of lately I can't seem to think straight in front of Will. All I know for certain is that its weird.

"Then it doesn't count," Lucas says, breaking me from my trance.

With that everyone begins packing up their stuff.

"What! Did I miss the whole thing?" I ask, feeling disappointed.

"Well you were like ten hours late." Dustin says not meaning to come off harsh.

"Don't worry Joe," Will exclaims. "We didn't finish, Mike can probably add you in next week."

"Oh yes, and then Will the wise can finally ask out Princess Joey." Lucas says mockingly.

My face turns red.

"Pheww Will? Oh yuck! I-I wouldn't date Will, like ever. l-like, right Will?" I embarrassingly stumble over my words as I turn to Will, seeing his face just as flushed as mine.

"Y-yeah, Joe more like uh no. N-not ever" He says, saying that last part more like a question then he probably intended.

The other two boys laugh saying stuff like, "we'll see," and, "sure...."

Everyone starts rushing up the stairs when suddenly Dustin calls, "hey guys. Anyone want a slice?"

I look down to see a pizza box in his hands that has already been halfway devoured.

"No," we all respond in unison and continue up the stairs.

While I am slightly hungry, there's only enough room in my head to be thinking over one thing. Will and me? That seems like an insane concept. I mean, if someone had brought that up a year ago I probably would have laughed along with them but now..? Ha! What am I even talking about? There's no way I could have a crush on Will Byers, the boy whose been my best friend sense I was in pigtails...right?

I feel the cold air touch my skin as I walk outside. It didn't seem nearly as cold on the way over here, adrenaline I guess. In my rush out the door I didn't even grab a jacket.

"There's something wrong with your sister," Dustin says as I hop onto my bike.

Mike looks over to him. "What do you mean?" 

"She's got a stick up her butt." Dustin continues on.

I just sigh, I always hate it when the boys try to talk smack about Nancy. She's nice enough. It's just that's she's a moody high schooler now. She has way different priorities then a bunch of seventh graders.

"Oh come on," I speak up as I begin to ride away. "She's not that bad."

"No Joe, Dustin's right.'' Lucas disagrees, "She has been acting rude. I bet its because she's been dating that douche Steve Harington"

I shake my head. "I'm just saying, maybe we should give her a break."

"Whatever princess," Lucas says riding off in the opposite direction.

I scoff at the nickname. 

"I'll get you for that!" I scream as I ride away with the others.

I should probably explain the whole 'princess' thing. You see, it's my D&D party name. I can already hear you asking, why princess? Well to answer that I have to rewind a couple years back to when we were first forming the party. At the time Star Wars the Empire Strikes Back had just came out and all I wanted in the entire world was be like Princess Leia. I mean, she's pretty, all the good guys like her and she's a badass. What else would I be looking for? So when it came time and we were picking our names, I wanted to be Princess Joey. Well, at first I wanted to be Joey Skywalker but that was a hard no from everyone else. To summarize, as much as I hate the name now, it stuck. I'll forever be known as Princess Joe.

Dustin looks over at me and seems to realize that I'm shivering. "Hey, you want my jacket?"

"No, its fine. If I take it then you'll just be cold" I say as I ride along

"Seriously here," he throws the jacket over to me.

I think about auguring further with him but I'm way to tied to start something like that. So instead I somehow manage to put the jacket on while still keeping a steady pace.

 "Thanks" I mutter

"No problem,'' he responds as we keep riding down the now almost pitch black streets.

Will finally rides up to us. He had been talking to Mike as I left so I can only assume he just now caught up.

"Hey slow poke. " I tease as Will gets into line with Dustin and I.

"Race you guys back to my place, winner gets a comic." Dustin announces.

I can practically see the gears turn in Wills mind. "Any comic?"

"Yeah" Dustin answers after thinking it over for a moment.

With that Will seems to get a second wind and rushes off. Dustin starts screaming about him not saying go yet but the whole thing ends when Will shouts, "I'll take your X-Men 134!," and leaves us in the dust.

I definitely could have beaten him at that race. Everyone knows I'm the fastest on a bike, everyone also knows though that Will has wanted that X-Men for a while now. Heck, I even told him that if I somehow got my hands onto the thing that I'd give it to him. I guess you could say I felt like taking the L.

"Son of a bitch," Dustin exclaims as he comes to a stop at his house.

I go to turn the corner to follow after Will, we live practically right next to each other. Suddenly though I realize I'm still wearing Dustin's Jacket

"Oh, Dustin your jacket." I say, stopping my bike.

"No, don't worry about it. You can give it back later."

I smile, "thanks Dustin, Night!"

I turn the corner and from behind me I hear him scream, "night!"

Then a horrible thought runs into my mind...It's Sunday, dad doesn't have work on Sunday...Shit!

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AUTHOR NOTE: Hi guys, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter if you have any ideas please tell me In the comments. And also if you could help me out by correcting any spelling or grammar issues that would be great. My spell check wasn't working right:)

*EDITED*