Neighbors - Strangerthingsau

Chapter 16

Welcome Home Eleven

After a few days, Hopper decided it would be safe enough for El to come home. The party decided to throw her a welcome home party, along with a "we're sorry for making you spill out all your darkest secrets" party.

No matter how much they thought about it, they couldn't wrap their heads around the thought that their friends had telekinetic powers. But none of the less, they felt horrible for making her say it. So, about an hour before El was going to be home, they went over and started setting up the party.

They didn't have much to set up other than a welcome home banner and some balloons. They hoped El would just say it was the thought that counts and forgive them.

About fifteen minutes into getting ready they heard a car pull up the driveway. They looked at each other before darting off towards the window. Once they got to the window they saw Joyce and Jonathan pulling up, coming back from grocery shopping. They all let out a breath of relief they didn't know they were holding.

They went back to setting up as Joyce and Jonathan walked through the door, carrying bags full of food. Joyce stopped in the entry way and looked around at the decorations. Confusion immediately took place. "What's all this about?"

"Just a welcome home party for El." Will stated.

"Gosh guys," Jonathan chuckled. "You act like you haven't seen her in years!"

"I think it's sweet." Joyce smiled at the kids. She and Jonathan left to go put away the groceries to leave the party setting up. Once they got in the kitchen they set down the bags of food they had.

"Do you think they're acting weird?" Jonathan questioned his mother. She looked up at him with shock and surprise in her face.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know, they just seemed off I guess." Jonathan shrugged.

"They're doing something nice for a friend that's probably having a hard time right now. There's nothing off about it."

45 minutes later, Hopper's car pulled up the drive away. Everyone quickly got into place to surprise her. Joyce and Jonathan stood by the wall wanting to see what El's reaction will be.

The whole house went dead quiet for a minute, until they heard the door open and saw El's face. Then the whole house erupted with the party screaming "SURPRISE". El looked at the party for a minute before giving them a soft smile. She walked across the room to them only to go right pass them to the stairs. And as fast as she arrived, she was gone.

The party looked down disappointed in themselves. They knew this was probably going to happen. But they had a sliver of hope that she would forgive them. She had just squashed that hope by walking away.

Hopper looked confused by El's actions because she had not said a thing about it to him. She knew if she told him he would yell at her for telling the party, then he would yell at the party for making her tell them. She didn't want her friends to get into trouble, no matter how mad she was at them.

Joyce was confused too. She didn't know what had happened. She thought that maybe it was because of her family emergency. But something told her that it was more than that.

Jonathan knew something was up. He knew the party was acting strange. He knew that his step-sister wouldn't blow off her friends unless she had a good reason to. She was a down-to-earth girl. She understood people made mistakes, and she wouldn't get mad at them for making those mistakes unless it really hurt her. Jonathan also saw something that no one else saw when she walked through the front door. He saw a flash of pain run through her eyes. It was quick, but he saw it.

He quickly went up the stairs after her. By the time he got the upstairs, her door was already shut. He knocked on it lightly and waited for an answer. A few seconds of waiting the door opened a few inches. Another second later, the door was fully open. He looked at her, her eyes had that pained look they had when she had arrived.

"You alright?" He spoke barely above a whisper. El shook her head and step away from the door, letting her brother in completely. He stepped in and closed the door behind so nobody in the living room could hear them talking. He walked over to her quietly, and sat beside El on her bed.

They sat in silence for a minute. He didn't want to push her to talk about something that might make her uncomfortable. So he just sat, ready to listen if she wanted to talk.

Another minutes passed by. He looked over at her and a tear spilling out of her eye. And another one. Then before you know it, there came a waterfall of tears. He sighed and gave her a hug only a brother could give. She melted into his embrace as she continued crying, getting his shirt soaked with her tears.

No words were said. No words needed to be said. He didn't need an explanation from her, nor did he want one. He just wanted her to feel safe. To feel safe in this whole world, this town, this family. He did exactly that because for a few seconds El forgot about her friends, her past, papa. For a few seconds she truly felt safe.

Authors Note!!!
Wow!!! Jonathan finally coming into the story. These next few chapters I'm going to try to have El get a little more interaction with other characters that have only really been background people. That's because I don't want them to be just background people I want them to be in the story.

Who do you think I should put in the story more? Please let me know!

Also I'm probably going to be writing more authors note because, even though I have my story ideas, I want to hear some stuff that think could be interesting in the story that I just didn't think of.

Also let me know of any spelling mistakes. I don't proof read because I'm lazy. Why do you think I only post once a week?

Anyways got to go finish the chapter for Letters to El.

See ya next week!!!