Clean cut American kid ~ Stranger things

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Commotion.

I don't know if I was asleep or passed out but I open my eyes when I hear the commotion.

"What's going on?" I slide down from the counter top and stretch out my body with my hands above my head. My arm is sore and painful, but it's manageable. I'm told Will has been spying on us for whoever he's possessed by, and has been placed in the shed outside so he won't know where he is.

"Now wait here until we say otherwise." Hopper commands. "You." He points at me. "Need to save your energy as much as possible."

I know.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That is not the same thing as 'don't do anything stupid.'" Hopper glares meaningly at me. "I'm kidding!"

"You'll babysit her." Hopper points at Steve.

"He can't babysit me we're the same age."

Hopper rolls his eyes and shuts the front door behind him, a bit too aggressively than necessary. Steve pushes me down on the couch.

"Fifteen minutes older." He whispers and sticks his tongue out. I shove him away from me and he walks off laughing.

Time goes by. Everything is eerily silent part from the low whispers coming from the others spaced throughout the small house. I notice that my brother is keeping a side eye on me from the kitchen. I lay sprawled over to couch armrest and try to act casual while I attempt to use my mind. There's a small figurine on top of a shelf that I figure should be easy to move without effort. I glance at Steve before I concentrate on the figurine.

Come on.

"So Lucas told me that Mike told the boys that you have like powers like El."

I blink at Max when she pads across the room and sits on the opposite end of the couch.

"That little bitch," I mumbles under my breath. Max giggles. I get the feeling some of the boys don't treat her very well. That makes me think of...

"That day when I got into Billy's car, what had he done?" I ask Max. She stops smiling immediately and clenches her jaw.

"He was just being an asshole."

I study her. She looks uncomfortable.

"Has he ever hurt you? You know, physically?"

She sits quietly. I try to contain my anger.

"I'm going to kill him."

She looks up at me with wide eyes.

"Don't say that, he doesn't deserve it." Max sighs. "He's just miserable and takes it out on others to make them feel bad as well."

I knew it.

"If he ever hurts you again you have to tell me," I say seriously, "Either I'd go to the pd, or I'll take care of him myself." I crack my knuckles and it makes Max giggle again. I feel proud for it.

"I think you could take care of him," she says with a smile, "he was in a good mood the next day."

I feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I stare at Max. She looks confused at first and then her eyes widen with realisation.

"Ew Sherry!" She whisper yells and a dramatic shiver wreaks through her. 

I laugh softly, trying to keep our volume down to not interfere with what is happening in the shed outside of the house. 

"I regret everything that I just said." Max sits with her face behind her hands, trying to erase the thoughts in her head that she created herself. 

"What are you two laughing about?" Steve sticks his head out in the doorway and looks curiously at me and Max, probably wondering how we know each other, or rather how I get along with someone that isn't him or Richie. 

"Are you jealous Stevie?" I get up from the couch and stretch out my shoulders and neck. Just sitting around is making me stiff, and I'm supposed to be a ninja. I walk up to my brother and look at him. I get uncomfortable when he tries to be serious all the time. I consider tickling him. 

"How's your arm?" He asks quietly. I hold it up and feel the weight of the cast.

"S'fine"

"And you? How are you?" He looks at me with his serious eyes. He got moms eyes. Soft and warm brown. I got dads eyes. Cold and hard.

"Oh Stevie I've missed youuu!" I squeal in a ridiculous high pitched voice and wrap my arms around his waist. I try to lift him but he's too heavy and we almost topple over. I hear a loud sigh from my brother but he hugs be back even though he probably finds me annoying at most times. 

We're interrupted from our moment when the phone rings. We look at each other. Nancy runs over to the phone and hangs up. I hear my pulse rising. Someone swears. I agree. The phone rings again. The familiar sensation of angst starts to flow through my blood stream. The phone explodes and sparks flies through the room. Shit. I stand panting looking at the burned hole in the wall where the phone was just a second ago. I turn around and meet the horrified stares of everyone else. I wipe the warm liquid from my nose with the back of my hand. It comes away red.

"Great, and now you've all seen that..." I mumble and look down.

"Do you think he heard that?" Max asks. I want to kiss her for taking the attention away.

"It was just a phone, It could be anywhere, right?" Steve shrugs hesitantly. 

A distant growling sound can be heard from outside somewhere. I guess that answers it. Hopper burst through the door with two rifles. He barks orders and tells us to get away from the window. He pushes one of the rifles forward for someone to take. Nancy grabs it and they both aim against the door. We all stand still, listening, ready to act. We hear the growling again. It's louder now. Closer. The growling is followed by grunts and thuds. What is happening? 

There's an explosion of glass when a giant item bursts through the window. A demogorgon. I hear screams behind me. Hopper steps forward and nudges it with his shoe. It's dead. Someone else is out there. The door opens slowly. Everyone takes new aim towards whatever is entering. It's a girl. Every weapon I lowered.