1. Obviously, I don't own anything from Stranger things. Just Jo.
2. I want to make sure everyone understands that the mentions of bullying and some words used towards Jo are NOT things I agree with or would ever approve of saying to anyone. I do, in fact, actually have Tourette's, so a lot of what she does will be based off my own day to day tiks. If anyone is uncomfortable with reading about bullying associated with this disorder, please do not read! I don't want to upset anyone with this.
JOHANNA
Jo was still very confused when she arrived home that evening. And feeling a little sick. Ice cream three days in a row was not her best idea yet.
What had Robin been talking about, cracking a code? And what the hell was up with Steve and the Henderson kid, spying and running around the mall?
"Johanna? Is that you?" Her mother's stern voice called from the kitchen, causing her to groan silently.
"Yes, Ma!" She called back. From one look around the living room she could tell no one had done anything all day, and her mother was likely going to berate her for not doing her chores before leaving. Her head jerked back and she swallowed the noise trying to work its way out. Her mother hated when she tiked.
"Get in here!" Her mother yelled as she walked into the kitchen. Her mom raised her eyebrows at her and waved her arms around at the mess. "Did you do two chores today?"
Jo sighed before responding. "Not yet."
Her mom placed her hands on her hips and stared at her expectantly. "Well? Get to it, then." She turned back to look at the overflowing sink before brushing past her daughter on her way out. "Do the dishes, first."
Jo nodded, her lips pursed, as she dropped her bag down on one of the chairs. She was used to this kind of behavior from her deadbeat mother. Her father would go and work all day at the bank, her mother would lay in bed and sleep or reading a book, and by the time she got home, her mother was up and ready to tell her all the things she needed to do around the house before she was allowed to escape to her room.
The water was freezing cold when she turned on the faucet, and even when she pushed it all the way to the left, it didn't warm up.
"Mom, did you pay the gas bill?" She yelled, turning off the water and reaching over to hit the light switch above the sink. Nothing happened, even though she flipped it three times. A groan worked it's way up her throat. "Are you kidding?" She shook off her hands and walked into the living room to find her mother sitting on the couch with a glass of wine.
"Did you send in the gas bill?" She asked again.
"Does it look like I sent shit in today? It's on the fucking table, go do it if it's bugging you so bad." Her mother snapped, not even bothering to look her way.
Taking a deep breath and biting back her retort, Jo went back to the kitchen and grabbed the envelope labeled 'Gas Bill.' "You've got to be fucking kidding me," she hissed under her breath before turning to leave.
It was going to be a long evening.
That night, after being released by her warden of a mother, Johanna lay in bed while her mind continued to analyze what had happened at the mall. She couldn't stop thinking about Robin's weird epiphany in the middle of the mall, or the boys running after some 'evil Russian.' Maybe they were playing some weird role play game? She knew the Henderson kid did that with his little group of friends, and Robin was probably nerdy enough for that, but Steve? She wasn't sure she could believe he had changed that drastically.
Her body twitched a few times, her hand flying out to smack the wall. Once, twice, thrice, before falling at her side again. The worst part about trying to sleep- getting her body relaxed enough even with the occasional twitch or utterance. But the more she tried to lay still and quiet, the worse it flared up. Now she was so focused on thinking that they weren't so noticeable, but her brain was too wired to fall asleep.
Jo rolled over with a sigh and decided to force the truth out of the trio tomorrow. For now, she'd just have to take half a sleeping pill and try to ignore it all.
STEVE
That night, Steve lay in bed, wondering what the hell these evil Russians were up to in the Starcourt Mall, of all places. The code they translated just kept repeating over and over in his head so long, that he didn't even notice his thoughts change to Ainsworth as he drifted off to sleep.
