~remember when you taught me fate? said 'it'd all be worth the wait'~
•••
Christina Wheeler, more commonly known as Chris, is Mike Wheeler's twin sister. Chris isn't your average girl. She's hiding a big secret; she's gay. Join Chris on her adventur...
DISCLAIMER: THIS CHAPTER MENTIONS HOSPITAL STAYS, DEPRESSIVE EPISODES, NEGATIVE THOUGHTS, AND LACK OF EATING. IF THIS COULD BE TRIGGERING AT ALL FOR YOU, I KINDLY SUGGEST SKIPPING AHEAD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. I WANT YOU TO READ THE CHAPTER, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY YOUR MENTAL HEALTH COMES FIRST, AND I WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.
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"your shaking shoulders prove that it's colder inside your head than the winter of dead"
August 10th, 1985
One month. It had been one month since everything happened. One month since the mall 'burned down.' One month since he died.
Chris's entire life had changed that day. She was no longer the sarcastic badass everyone knew her as. For the past month, she had boarded herself in her room, barely eating the bare minimum to survive. She rarely slept, as nightmares plagued her mind. In her dreams, she replayed herself watching Billy die, seeing the look on Joyce and El's faces after Hopper died, but most frequently, she dreamt about her friends and family dying as well. The only person Chris had talked to in that time had been Mike, and even then, she hardly said anything at all, mainly one-worded answers.
Chris tried to forget everything that happened, but she knew deep down those memories were engraved in her mind, so she found ways to occupy her time and distract her wandering mind. She spent her time doodling little images onto her sneakers and listening to tapes on her walkman, most of which came from Max.
Today was no different. Chris laid curled up on the top bunk of her bed. She had her headphones on, and she was listening to the first mixtape Max had ever made her. However, Chris wasn't focusing on the music. Instead, she was thinking of everything she had done wrong that day.
Maybe if I had insisted on going with him, I could have saved him. It should be me instead of him, Chris thought to herself.
Chris's thoughts were interrupted by her twin brother popping his head over the edge of her bed.
"Chrissy?" Mike spoke.
"Hm?" Chris pulled her headphones off and sat up.
"Mom made dinner," he spoke gently. "I figured you wouldn't want to join us, but I brought you a plate."
Chris grabbed the plate of chicken from her brother and set it down next to her. The situation was almost comical; the way Mike was bringing Chris food the same way he had brought El food two years earlier.
"Thanks," Chris mumbled, barely above a whisper.
The girl took a few bites of her food before pushing it away; meanwhile, Mike climbed into the top bunk and sat at the opposite end of Chris, staring at her for a few seconds before speaking again.
"We miss you, you know. All of us. Our party just isn't the same without you."
