Jessica Jameson sits in the basement of Mike Wheeler with her four best friends playing dungeons and dragons. She has grown up in Hawkings, Indiana all her life and been friends with these four boys for almost just as long. She has always been the only girl in the group, but she never minded it. In the group, there had always been lines drawn. In your life, you can only ever have one best friend. Mike's one best friend is Lucas. Will and Dustin had always been closest with Jessica. They like to argue over who is Jesse's best friend, but she's close to them both in a different way. Dustin is like a little brother to her, while Will... there had always been more between them. If Jesse had to say who was her best friend she'd have to go with Will, but whenever she says this she makes sure Dustin knows that he isn't her best friend, but her brother, not by blood, but a brother nonetheless.

"Something is coming. Something hungry for blood." Mike brings Jessica out of her thoughts as she looks at where he sits, with his dnd book in front of his face. She sits between Dustin and Will like she always does, while Dustin sits to Mike's right and Lucas on Mike's left. "A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness. It is almost here."

"What is it?" Will asks.

"What if it's the Demogorgon?" Dustin asks as Jessica tries to cover his mouth, but she only succeeds when he finishes saying it.

"Don't jinx it, Dustin." She begs, but Dustin takes her hand off his mouth.

"Oh, Jesus, we're so screwed if it's the Demogorgon."

"Dustin." Jessica hisses.

"It's not the Demogorgon."

"An army of troglodytes charge into the chamber!" Mike yells as he slams the piece down.

"Troglodytes?" Dustin questions.

"Told you." Lucas says, causing them all, but Jessica and Mike to laugh.

"I just hope Dustin didn't jinx us down the road." Jessica says as she feels Will take her hand in his. She fights back a smile.

"Wait a minute." Mike whispers.

"Dustin." Jessica says in an accusing tone.

"I didn't jinx it, Jesse!"

"Did you hear that?"

"You so did!" Jessica yells back.

"That... that sound? Boom... boom... Boom!" Mike yells as he slams his hand on the table.

"You jinxed us!"

"That didn't come from the troglodytes. No, that..." Jessica squeezes Will's hand. "That came from something else." A tense silence fills the air. "The Demorgon!" He slams the piece down, causing them all to groan.

"Told you." Jessica says as she pinches Dustin.

"Ow, Jesse."

"Jinxer."

"We're in deep shit." Dustin curses.

"Will, your action!" Mike yells.

"I don't know!" Will wines.

"Fireball him."

"But he'd have to roll a 13 or higher!" Jessica says.

"Jesse's right, too risky. Cast a protection spell."

"Don't be a pussy-"

"Hey." Jessica says.

"No offense." Lucas adds. "Fireball him!"

"Cast protection."

"The Demogorgon is tired of your silly human bickering! It stomps towards you. Boom!"

"Fireball him!" Lucas yells.

"Another stomp, boom!" Mike yells.

"Cast protection." Will turns to Jessica. She squeezes his hand.

"Fireball, Will, I believe you can do it." She smiles at him, causing him to smile.

"It roars in anger!" Mike yells.

"Fireball!" Will yells as he rolls the dice, but the dice rolls off the table.

"Oh, shit!" Dustin yells.

"Where'd it go?" Lucas asks.

"I think it went under the stairs." Jessica says as she stands and watches. She's dressed in her black skirt, red t-shirt, black sweater, and converses. She isn't getting on the ground to look.

"Where is it?!" Lucas yells.

"I don't know!" Will shouts.

"Is it a 13?" Dustin asks.

"I don't know!" Will yells again.

"Where is it?" Lucas asks.

"Oh, my god! Oh, my god!" Dustin repeats.

"Snap out of it, Dustin and help!" Jessica snaps.

"Why don't you help?"

"Because I'm in a skirt!"

"Why wear a skirt for dnd or did you just want to impress Wi-ow!" He yells as Jessica pinches him.

"Shut up!" She snaps.

"Mike!" Jessica hears Mike's mom yell.

"Can you find it yet?" Lucas asks.

"Mike!" His mom yells again.

"No, I can't find it!" Will shouts.

"Mike!"

"Oh, my god! Oh, my god!"

"Dustin, stop it already. You're making me nervous." Jessica complains.

"Mom, we're in the middle of a campaign!" Mike complains as he looks up at her.

"You mean the end? Fifteen after." She tells him.

"No!" Will yells.

"Oh, my god! Freaking idiot!" Lucas shouts.

"Why do we have to go?" Will complains. Jessica sighs and slips her jean jacket on, pulling her out of it and pushing it off her shoulders.

"Oh, I got it!" Will shouts. "Does the seven count?"

"It was a seven?" Jessica asks as she peers over his shoulder.

"Did Mike see it?" Lucas asks.

"No."

"Then it doesn't count." Lucas says as they all get ready to leave. Lucas leads the way up the stairs with Will and Jessica behind him.

"Yo, hey, guys and Jesse." They turn to see Dustin with the pizza box. "Does anyone want this?"

"No." They say together before heading up the stairs.

Jessica misses a step, but Will catches her before she can hit the stairs. "Thanks." She smiles, causing him to smile back. "Can I ride with you on your bike? I walked here tonight. Riding with a skirt isn't fun."

"Sure. I don't mind." Will smiles as they head out of the basement and to the front yard.

"There's something wrong with your sister." Dustin says as he comes out after a few minutes.

"What are you talking about?" Mike asks.

"She's got a stick up her butt." Dustin says as they get their bikes.

"Yeah." Lucas agrees. "It's because she's been dating that douchebag, Steve harrington."

"Be nice." Jessica cuts in.

"No, Jesse, he's right, she's turning into a real jerk." Dustin says.

"Guys, she isn't that bad." Jessica argues.

"She's always been a real jerk." Jessica rolls her eyes before hopping onto Will's bike. She stands on the pegs and holds onto Will's shoulders as he turns his light on.

"Nuh-uh, she used to be cool." Dustin says. "Like that time she dressed up as an elf for our Elder tree campaign."

"Four years ago!" Mike shouts as they start down the driveway except for Will and Jessica.

"Just saying."

"Later." Lucas calls.

"It was a seven." Mike and Jessica look at Will as he says that.

"Huh?" Mike asks.

"The roll, it was a seven. The Demogorgon, it got me. See you tomorrow." Will says before putting his kickstand up and starting down the road.

"Bye, Mike!" Jessica calls as they ride down the road. Jessica holds gently, but firmly onto Will's shoulders as they ride down the road.

"Goodnight, ladies." Lucas calls as he heads up his driveway.

"Kiss you mom goodnight for me." Dustin calls to him.

"Night, Lucas!" Jessica calls.

"Race you back to my place? Winner gets a comic."

"Any comic?" Will asks.

"Yeah." Dustin says.

"What are you waiting for?" Jessica asks, causing Will to peddle faster.

"Hey! Hey!" Dustin yells. "I didn't say go!"

"I did!" Jessica calls back with a giggle.

"Get back here!" Dustin shouts, causing Jessica and Will to laugh. "I'm gonna kill you!"

"I'll take your X-Men 134!" Will shouts back as they pass Dustin's house.

"Good job." Jessica giggles as they ride down the road.

"I'll lend it to you when I finish." Will smiles. "Here we are." He stops by her house and she hops off.

"Thanks, Will." She smiles. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Jesse." Will smiles. She leans over and kisses his cheek, causing the two to grow pink in the face.

"Night, Will." Jessica starts up her driveway and waves bye to Will once more before going into the house. Jessica sighs as she sees her father passed out with a beer bottle hanging from one hand and the picture of her mother from the other. She walks over and takes both from her father and puts a blanket over him. "Night, daddy."