instagram。byeler

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐯.

𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆.

max groans and punches the clothes that won't fit into her suitcase. she just got the location of where billy and the group will be heading for this trip and texted them ten minutes after the confrontation. she hopes they aren't having as much trouble as her when it comes to packing clothes.

well... maybe jane will have a little trouble, but that's understandable.

because you know... she never packed a bag before— well rather, has never packed clothes for more than a day or two, and having to pack clothes for over two weeks is going to be pretty difficult for a first timer—

you should get back to worrying about yourself and not other people don't you think max?

damn my subconscious.

pushing all her weight down on the clothing seemed like a genius idea until the outcome didn't turn out how max planned. the edge of the suitcase looked ready to just about explode, and since max doesn't own a second one this whole experience so far is turning out to be total dog shit. terrible. absolute scum of the earth.

"fuck! i can't do this!"

max jumps on her bed and lands on her back, making the suitcase wobble at the edge of her bed as she lay next to it. a minute turns into two which then turns into ten where max just stares at her ceiling contemplating what actions she has committed to end at such a stalemate.

maybe i can ask steve?

max sits up grudgingly and stares at the phone sitting innocently on her dresser.

would he even know how? maybe jonathan can help? are we even considered friends? acquaintances? he only knows me as will's red-headed friend...

a beat passes by (and so does a stray cat through the window) before max gains the courage to give steve a call.

this should be easy, steve and jonathan are with each other twenty four seven, so that means wherever steve goes, jonathan goes.

three rings before steve picks up.

"y~ello?" (a/n yes i'm making steve say yello because he's white like that)

"hey steve."

"max? hey, how you doin?"

"not very well..."

"why not?"

"..."
"i can't fit my clothes into my suitcase..."

"can't fit— are you leaving hawkins?"

"well technically yes and no, but so are the others!"

"..."
"why the hell didn't you guys not tell me?!"

"i don't know to be honest, maybe dustin has an answer; call him when you're done helping me."

"wait, wait, wait. you want me, and jonathan who's with me by the way, to come over to your house and help you pack your suitcase, so you can what? go on a field trip with the rest of the little shits?"

"yeah that about sums it up."

"..."
"we're on our way."

"thanks for the help."

max ends the call with a grin on her face, doing a celebratory dance in the middle of room while she waits for the iconic red BMW to pull up to her house.

it takes twenty minutes for steve and jonathan to enter the mayfield/hargrove driveway. it also takes two knocks from the owners of said BMW and max is watching out for billy's weights like they're minefield bombs.

the creaky front door opens and max is greeted with the local gay couple on her porch.

"sup little red." steve is the first to greet her while jonathan lags behind, but still greeting her with a small almost non-existent wave. max punches both of them as a form of greeting and leads them to her room.

"welcome to MTV cribs." max hands circle her room like she's like some tour guide. "this is my room."

"i sure hope it is." jonathan rolls his eyes at the stupid joke.

max gives steve a look. "listen here steven, this is my moment." her eyes are threatening. "so listen and wait until it's your time to speak." her demeanor changes and she's back to smiling, kind of making both of the teenagers worry for their own wellbeing.

"anyways... this is my sleeping quarters," her bed. "this is my second door," her window. "this is wear i store my clothing," her closet. "and this is the main issue where i called you guys," she gestures to the overflowing, allergic reaction-looking, suitcase that's seated on her twin bed.

steve sighs. jonathan pats his back in both pity and sympathy. max's smiles turns strained and forced the longer they stared.

steve claps his hands and walks over to the atrocity that is the suitcase. "lets get this show on the road you shit."

steve went through the basic necessities of a two-week trip that max had gladly given him and johnathan the information once they decided to help.

max, steve, and jonathan finished up in about two hours. the once-dirtied room is in better shape than before, as the clothes max had picked out had been folded and/or sorted through thoroughly.

"steve?"

the man in question turned his head to look at max, a motherly frown drawn across his face.

"yes?"

"thank you."

steve raised his brows in surprise, but his frown turned upside down and into a smile when he processed what max had said. steve musses up max's hair and max wacks his hand away, embarrassment running along her face and neck, the red stopping just below her collarbone.

"no need to thank me."

steve starts walking to the front door, jonathan now in tow after using the restroom. his back is turned and steve raises his hand, signaling a goodbye wave.

"just have fun."

max stares before turning around, her back facing the front door. she blows a raspberry and furrows her brows, but her smile never left her face.

of course i will stupid.

——— NOTES ! ———

good news, i'm not dead.
bad news, i don't know how to continue this.