WHISTLEBLOWER | ❝It only gets stranger...❞
Hawkins has never looked back on the events of November 1983. They know the surface-level story. 'The boy who came back to life.' Will Byers is alive and well, while the futile search for Tonya McCarth...
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WEDNESDAY 31st OCTOBER, 1984
DAPHNE has never felt instant regret as much as she does right now. Standing in front of Tina's house, she instantly bears witness to an overflowing mass of drunk and rowdy teenagers stemming from inside. Even Mötley Crue blasting through the stereos can't drown out the obsessive chants of those out in the front yard — when the crowd parts a little, Billy Hargrove appears to be the pinnacle of the attention. He spouts a torrent of beer up into the air like a whale, leeches like Tommy H. practically kissing the ground he walks on.
Yep, Daphne thinks to herself. Definitely instant regret.
She has a feeling Amy feels the same way, judging by how she feels her already backing away to the car. What were they thinking? What was she thinking? Even having been lucky to never be invited to one of these, Daphne always knew deep down these parties were nothing special. Repulsive, even. A cesspool of underage drinking, kissing in bathrooms and bad decisions.
But before she can even think about aborting the idea, Felix has an arm around each of the girls and is ushering them towards Tina's house. "Aw come on, you're not backing out already are you?"
"This isn't the kind of party I was thinking of, Felix," says Daphne uncomfortably in response.
"You've been here, like, five seconds. Don't judge too quickly! They're fun once you get into them."
"You say that like you're a seasoned party-goer," Amy interjects sceptically.
Felix either doesn't hear her or ignores the statement. As they walk through the wide open front door, Daphne feels the music thumps through her chest so hard that it rattles her ribs and confuses her heartbeat. Costumed bodies are everywhere, writhing mindlessly to the music in a wide array of dance moves. Underneath suggestive devil costumes and leather jackets, she is able to recognise some of her classmates — a number of the faces shock her, as she witnesses them in a more primal state than she's ever seen at school.
... So this is what all those wildly fantasised High School parties entail? They really do look better in the movies.
Daphne suddenly senses that Felix has vanished, and panics until she sees his painted face swimming above the smaller party goers. She and Amy flock like lost sheep over to him, where a pair of girls seem to be cooing (correction, thinks Daphne, viciously flirting) over him. The pair hover awkwardly next to him, expecting at least some sort of introduction... which never comes. Watching Felix interact with the others the way he does feels so wrong — it's like he is a whole new person, and Daphne so far isn't convinced she likes it.
