𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒔 • 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 [2]

16•

I parked my car in the driveway of Max's house and I couldn't help but feel really fucking nervous about what we might find in Billy's room.

"His car's not there." Max said as she stared at me, uncertainty crowding her features.

"Really? And there's me thinking it was in invisibility mode." I slated as I grumpily opened the car door and got out, slamming it behind me, instantly regretting being such a bitch. El and Max both joined me a moment later and the three of us started walking towards the front door. Max quickly unlocked it and went inside, leaving it open for both El and I to follow.

After we were all inside, I shut the door and followed the girls in the direction of Billy's room. We waited outside the door for a few moments before I exhaled heavily and finally opened it.

I don't know what I was expecting to see but it looked exactly the same as the last time I saw it. Slightly messy, but comforting all the same. I made my way over to the bed and sat down as the girls started poking around. It felt strange being in here without him. After a while I found myself staring at the pictures we had pinned up on the wall beside his dresser. Pictures of me and him, us.

After a few moments, I realised that the girls were no longer in the room with me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a deep breath before heading towards the bathroom.

I stepped inside and stopped beside Max and El, who were staring at the tub and a frown made its way onto my face. The tub was filled with water and in it, were a few floating bags, all labeled 'ice'.

Slowly, I grabbed a bag that was floating nearest to me and lifted it out of the water. "Ice," Max spoke, "It's just ice. Probably for his muscles or something. He works out like a maniac, right Evie?"

"Right." I said slowly as I stared at the bag. I took a look at El and Max, who were both staring at me before I glanced into the mirror, my expression matching theirs. The three of us stood there for a moment longer, clearly not wanting to accept that there actually might be something wrong with Billy.

Suddenly, El moved away and started opening a few cabinets by the sink. I leant against the tub, remembering the time that Billy had cleaned me up in this exact spot.

I was interrupted from my thoughts as El opened the main cabinet and froze. "El, what is it?" Max asked, and I wasn't prepared for the anxiousness that ripped through my body once she lifted out the waste basket and set it on the floor. Inside was a red fanny pack and a whistle covered in what appeared to be blood.

"Evie I-" Max began, only for me to cut her off.

"Hang on, I've seen those before. I think I know who it belongs to. Come on, we need to go. Now." I explained as I grabbed the two girls and started to drag them out the door. I was in full detective mode now and I was going to find out what was wrong with my boyfriend, even if it killed me.

It was bucketing down once we arrived at Hawkins Community pool. I dubiously looked up at the grey clouds through my windshield before turning off the engine and quickly getting out. "Come on." I told the girls as we rushed passed people leaving the pool and headed towards the entrance.

El and Max followed behind me as I made my way towards reception. Momentarily, I stopped in front of a billboard and pointed at a picture. "Heather," I explained to the girls who were nodding their heads, "it's her bag and whistle." I had spent most of the summer at the pool with Billy and had became familiar with the people that he worked with. I watched as El plucked the picture from the board before I moved towards the manager and another member of staff, who were deep in conversation.

"Hey guys." I nodded, forgetting their names.

"Evie." The boy nodded.

"Hey Evie." The girl waved.

"Uh, I was just wondering if Billy and Heather had been at work today?" I asked with a slight smile, only for it to disappear once they both shook their heads. "Okay, uh thanks." I mumbled before returning to the girls. "Can you look for her El?" I said in a low voice.

"Yes."

I slowly nodded before leading the girls into the back of the building to the locker rooms. El got ready and positioned herself on the floor as Max and I sat beside her on one of the benches. Slowly, she pulled the blindfold down and the room fell into an eery silence.

A few moments passed before Max spoke up. "What do you see?"

"A door," El whispered, "a red door."

I started to bite my lip as I leant closer to the girl. The anticipation that I was feeling was so severe that I was almost afraid that it would make me pass out.

Suddenly, El whipped off the goggles and grabbed her throat, gasping for air." What happened?" Max demanded as I got down to the floor and wrapped my arm around her.

"El breathe, you're alright." I rambled, desperately trying to prevent her from hyperventilating.

"We have to go to Heather's," El spluttered, "Now."