Crush Culture [M.Wheeler]

[05] THREE-ONE-FIVE

"I just got off the phone with Steve. I'm not allowed back home." Nori comments, skipping down the steps back to the boys.

"What? Why not?" Mike asks in confusion.

"He's throwing a small party, with Carol, Tommy, Barbara, And...Nancy." She explains.

"Of course that's where she went." Mike groans, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, what's El doing?" Nori points out, watching the girl sit herself down at the D&D board.

"What's the weirdo doing?" Lucas asks.

"That's what I just asked, dumbass." Nori comments, taking a seat at the table beside Eleven. Eleven places her hands on the board, closing her eyes.

"El?" Mike says. She looks up, opening her eyes. She takes the Wizard character from the board, holding it up to her face.

"Will."

"Superpowers." Dustin mutters, causing Lucas to roll his eyes, shaking his head in annoyance.

"Did you see him? On Mirkwood?" Mike inquires, stepping up behind Nori and resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Do you know where he is?"

Eleven glances over at the boy, then proceeds to push all the characters off of the board, letting them hit the floor. They all exchange confused looks.

She reaches for the edge of the board, flipping it to the black side. Holding the wizard in her hand, she slams it down onto the center of the blackness.

Nori pans her head up to look at mike, who shrugs back at her. "I don't understand." Mike speaks up towards Eleven.

"Hiding." She utters.

"Will is hiding?" Nori repeats, raising her eyebrows. The party leans in closer as the news seems to shock them.

She confidently nods.

"From the bad men?" Mike inquires as Nori reaches her hand up, placing it on top of his.

Eleven shakes her head no.

"Then from
who?" He furrows his eyebrows. El takes the Demogorgon, setting it down beside the Wizard.

"The Demogorgon?" Nori squints her eyes as the boys, still confused, eye each other worriedly. Dustin places his hands on top of his head, sighing.

***

"The Demogorgon? But— that's not even real." Nori continues to ramble on as she sits on the couch, leaning into Mike's side. Dustin and Lucas had already left, and eleven was fast asleep.

The only reason Nori insisted on staying longer was to avoid catching Steve possibly doing something she wouldn't want to see.

"Nori, give it up. We'll figure it out tomorrow, alright?" Mike yawns.

"It has to be a metaphor or something." She sighs.

"Sorry. I'll stop." She adds.

"It's okay, Nori. I'm sorry, I'm just— tired." He explains.