Crush Culture [M.Wheeler]

[34] THE RETURN OF AN OLD FRIEND

While some went to go set up the shed so it would appear unrecognizable to Will, Nori stuck beside Dustin and Lucas, looking through the trash.

"Why do I have this job again?" She complains, rummaging through the items. "Because we said so." Dustin responds.

She sighs, shaking her head and looking for anything that might help them. "Hey.." Dustin says, causing both her and Lucas to look up at him.

"I'm.. I'm sorry about Dart and all. I guess I just thought that he was my friend. I was wrong." He admits. "I broke the rule of law, so I mean, if you want your girlfriend to take over my spot in the party, I understand." He adds, looking to Lucas.

"She's not my girlfriend." Lucas laughs. "I saw you two holding hands in the bus, Lucas. Like how Tiny and Mike are always so close." Dustin shakes his head.

"Whoa, don't bring me into this. This is Lucas' love life." Nori defends. "So you admit that Mike is a part of your love life?" Dustin smirks.

"I don't— I.. no." She denies. "Look, that's besides the point. Max was just scared." Lucas points out, relieving Nori. "Maybe, but I could feel it." Dustin comments.

"Feel what?" Lucas asks. "The electricity." Dustin yells. "Oh, Jesus. Did Steve tell you that?" Nori rolls her eyes. "Tiny, stop talking and go kiss Mike or something." Dustin dismisses the girl, causing her to scoff.

"You know what? I'm gonna go back inside where I am respected." She crosses her arms, standing back up. "No, Tiny, you're staying right here." Lucas grabs her arm, pulling her beside him.

She groans, taking a seat on the grass. "Whatever. Both of you, cut the obliviousness, and just leave me alone." Dustin rolls his eyes, walking off.

The two sit there in silence, sighing. "We all know you like Mike, Tiny." Lucas points out. She purses her lips, then awkwardly nods.

"Maybe. But I know you like Max." She responds, raising her eyebrows. "Fair enough." Lucas shrugs.

"Okay, promise me this, Tiny. If I ask Max to dance at the snowball, you have to ask Mike." Lucas holds out his hand. "What? No. He doesn't... he doesn't like me like that." She shakes her head no.

"Of course he does. Don't be stupid." Lucas rolls his eyes. "You're doing it." He takes her hand, shaking it for her. "I hate you, Lucas. You know that, right?" She calls as he walks away.

"Love you too! You shook my hand, cant break a deal!" He yells. "No! You shook it for me—" she sighs, noticing that he was no longer listening.

***

While Mike and the other adults went to speak to Will in the shed, everyone was left with nothing to do back in the house. Nori sat against the walk beside Max, across from Lucas.

Suddenly, Hopper barges in with Joyce. "What happened?" Dustin asks while the others stand up, surrounding the table. "I think he's talking, just not with words." Hopper says, writing down a series of lines and dots onto a lines paper.

"What is that?" Steve asks. "Morse code." All the boys and Nori respond. "H-E-R-E." Hopper writes. "Here."

"Will's still in there. He's talking to us." Hopper states.

They continued to transfer the Morse code via a walkie talkie to the others who stayed back at the house, sitting down with a translator.

"Dash, dot, dash, dot." Dustin repeats as he writes it down. "Okay, got it. C." Lucas informs.

Another letter. "L." Lucas states. "Dash, dash."

"O." More beeps come, then Lucas checks once more. "S."

After more letters and multiple dashes and dots, they were finished. They gather around Nancy, reading the sign.

"Close gate." As soon as they say that, the phone rings. "Shit. Shit." Dustin yells, running over and slamming it down, hanging up. When it continues to ring, Nancy takes it, ripping it off from the wall.

"Do you think he heard that?" Max inquires. "It's just a phone. It could be anywhere. Right?" Steve nods:

They hear screeching from afar, looking out the window. "That's not good." Dustin comments. "You think?" Nori agrees.

The others walk back in, Jim taking his guns. "Hey. Hey, get away from the windows!" He orders, forcing Max, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Nori away.

"Do you know how to use this?" He asks Johnathan, holding up a gun. "What?"

"Can you use this?" He repeats. "I can." Nancy says, reaching out for it. Steve, Nancy, And Jim stay in front, their weapons ready to go and guns pointed at the door.

Lucas takes his wrist rocket, holding it back in front of his face. "Where are they?"

Mike takes a small metal cup, handing another one to Nori. "Thanks." She whispers. They hear another screech, causing them to turn around.

"What are they doing?" Nancy questions. Suddenly, a demo-dog gets thrown straight in through the window, causing everyone to scream, backing away.

Once it seems motionless, they slowly come forward. "Holy shit." Dustin comments. "Is it dead?" Max asks.

Jim uses his foot to lightly kick it, confirming Max's theory. With another sound, they turn around to face the door.

It creaks, its lock turning around on its own. In a panic, they raise their weapons. The chain lock slides, then it begins to open.

Who they saw come through the door, shocked them all. Nori gasps, dropping the metal cup she was holding. They all lower their weapons, chills running down their spines.

"El."

authors note

This scene always gives me the chills
I feel so bad for removing
mileven dude I love them so much :(