✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*🐝 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
THE SUN HAD ALREADY GONE BY THE TIME HOPPER'S CAR RETURNED, THE HEADLIGHTS SHINING THROUGH THE DOORWAY SIGNALLING HIS ARRIVAL. All four of them stood up in unison and Audrey almost caught herself falling back down, having stood up too quickly. Joyce was the first one to lead the group out the front door and to the car, stopping short when she didn't see her son emerge from it. Nancy, however, hurried past her and engulfed Mike into a hug.
"I was so worried about you." She said, pulling back and holding him at arm's length. Her eyes searched his urgently.
"Yeah.. uh, me too?" He replied hesitantly, surprised that his sister had cared so much.
Audrey watched the reunion with a bittersweet smile, trying to distract herself from the missing girl. She huffed out a breath nervously, hoping another person would step out of the car.
And to her surprise and great relief, Eleven followed after the remaining boys, looking around curiously until her eyes met Audrey's. A smile broke out onto the Valentine girls' face and with that sign, they both advanced toward each other, crashing together in the middle. Audrey sighed contentedly.
"I missed you." Audrey breathed out, hugging her tight. She then looked over her shoulder to see Lucas and Dustin, standing back sheepishly. "Get over here."
Dustin sent her a toothless grin and tackled her, Lucas in tow. It turned into one big group chat that Mike soon joined in on.
After a few seconds, everyone slowly backed apart, smiling at one another. It was then that Audrey realized one more person was attached to her. She looked down at the mess of black curls and she sighed.
"Mike... You can let go now."
His eyes widened and he jerked away as if he had been burned, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red.
"I-I-"
"Hold on a second..." Nancy started, cutting her brother off mid stutter. Her gaze raked over Eleven carefully. "Is that my dress?"
Eleven smiled sheepishly.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*🐝 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
"In this example, we're the acrobat." Mike directed, pointing toward the stick figure he had poorly drawn. Audrey's eyes squinted at the messed up lines and fought back the urge to laugh. "Will and Barbara, and that monster, they're this flea. And this is the Upside Down, where Will is hiding."
"Mr. Clarke said the only way to get there is through a rip of time and space."
"A gate." Dustin finished for him.
"That we tracked at Hawkins Lab," Lucas added urgently, gesturing widely with his hands.
"With our compasses."
Jonathan looked at Nancy, hoping she had any idea of what they were talking about and she shrugged, just as clueless. Hopper looked irritated and Joyce looked worried. Audrey was just lost all around.
"Can I have an English translation please?" Audrey raised her hand. The question made a small smile worm its way onto her face, reminding her of her best friend. That was something he would say.
"Okay so the gate has a really strong electromagnetic field, and that can change the directions of a compass needle," Dustin explained in simpler terms, watching Audrey for confirmation. She just nodded, although she still didn't get it.
