Disclaimer: I do not own Stranger Things or IT. I only own my OC.

A/N: I know right? A new update? Anyone surprised? With the new season of Stranger Things of course I got motivated to finally finish this chapter. A lot happens in this chapter so be warned. Also there's a character in this chapter many of you are going to know if you've seen season four ;) I had to include him. The next chapter finally gets into season one of the show. Hope you guys are ready.

*Warning*

Drug use and self-harm occur in this chapter. So please read with caution or don't read at all.

"The cake had a trick candle that wouldn't go out, so I didn't get my wish. Which was just that it would always be like this, that my life could be a party just for me." ― Janet Fitch, White Oleander

Chapter 8: Happy birthday Gwen

On the early morning of November second, the day of Gwen Tozier's sixteenth birthday, she woke up screaming at the exact time she was brought into the world from a nightmare about IT.

The nightmare wasn't like her usual ones. In the nightmare Gwen was back in the sewers again with the IT. That wasn't the unusual part. What was the unusual part was that IT took the same deceivingly handsome man's form Gwen had seen in the sewers. The man with alabaster skin, dark blondish hair, and murky green eyes.

Gwen couldn't move in the nightmare, so she could only watch as those handsome features on the man's face started to twist into something sinister. Pennywise. ITs clown form. The form IT had liked tormenting Gwen the most as.

ITs yellow eyes and deranged smile were in Gwen's view. In her nightmare the only movement she could make was her trembling in place, and that's what she did as IT started dancing, and laughing.

Gwen suddenly cried loudly in her nightmare when IT pounced on her. Once again she found herself on the disgusting sewer floor with IT on top. IT smiled widely down at her, allowing Gwen to see razor sharp teeth that got closer and closer to her.

Gwen finally woke up from her nightmare just as IT bit her right shoulder.

And like all the other times she woke up from a nightmare, Gwen's Aunt Karen came to check on her. The older woman got to her a lot faster now that Gwen was sleeping upstairs.

Karen finished preparing Gwen's bedroom weeks ago. That meant Mike and the boys had the basement as their hangout place for themselves again. Gwen still kept them company sometimes when they played Dungeons & Dragons.

Unfortunately now that Gwen was sleeping upstairs that also meant her screams were even closer to the rest of the Wheeler household. Gwen was honestly shocked that her blood-curdling screaming had never caused three year old Holly to wake up screaming as well.

Gwen would have felt awful if she scared Holly. Just as she felt awful that her Aunt Karen would come to check on her every time she woke up from a nightmare. Gwen hated that she was disturbing everyone's sleep, but especially her Aunt Karen's.

The teenager really thought her aunt would be like her mother, and after a few times would stop coming to check on her. But no, Karen wasn't like her sister Maggie. She never stopped and her attentiveness made Gwen feel safe, cared for. Gwen remembered feeling this way a lot because of her mother when she was younger. However she began feeling less and less of this way as she got older.

After a few soft words from her Aunt Karen, and Gwen lying her ass off insisting she was fine to go to sleep again, she was left alone in her room.

Gwen pulled on her blanket, feeling pain coming from her right shoulder. Everytime she tried closing her eyes, ITs yellow eyes flashed in her mind.

Needless to say, the now sixteen year old didn't go back to sleep.

Halloween had been two days ago but the decorations were still up around the Wheeler home.

When Gwen was younger, Halloween used to be her and Richie's favorite holiday. Then their mother, Maggie, started controlling what they dressed up as, and it no longer felt like a fun holiday.

And after all that horrifying shit with IT, Gwen wasn't really into Halloween anymore. The free candy was still great.

Even if she was considered too old to trick-or-treat now, Gwen still ate the candy. This year she ate the extra bag of candy her aunt bought to pass out in case it was needed. As it turned out the extra bag of candy hadn't been needed so Gwen got to have it.

She'd eaten the candy as she watched Raiders of the Lost Ark in the living room. The teenager had chosen an adventure movie over a horror movie when she'd gone to the video store.

That's where Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin found her, lounging on the living room couch after they returned to the Wheeler house from trick-or-treating. It had just been Gwen watching the movie.

Her Uncle Ted had gone upstairs and was snoring, and her Aunt Karen had been trying to put Holly to sleep for the past hour. It was taking longer than expected thanks to all the candy Holly had eaten.

Gwen asked Nancy if she wanted to watch the movie she rented with her but Nancy said she already had plans.

Nancy didn't tell Gwen what those plans were but the Tozier girl had a feeling Steve Harrington was involved. The ass. Not that Gwen told Nancy this, even though she really wanted to let her cousin know how much of an ass she thought Steve was.

Gwen thought she really was going to end up spending Halloween night alone, especially after Jonathan cancelled at the last minute on her saying he had to take a shift at his job. To Gwen's delight she watched the remainder of Raiders of the Lost Ark with Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin.

Apparently the boys loved the movie and didn't mind watching it from the middle instead of the beginning. From what Dustin happily told her, he and the others had seen the movie a whole bunch of times already.

So Halloween night did end on a good note.

The same paper Jack-O-Lanterns that were stuck on the walls (the ones Holly made with her mom) remained there as Gwen sat down at the kitchen table for morning breakfast.

Gwen wasn't in the best of moods thanks to her headache from waking up early and not going back to sleep. She'd been up since four in the morning and she sure felt like it.

"Gwen!" Holly called out happily from her high chair. Gwen waved at her, feeling awkward. Even after a month of living with the Wheelers, Gwen still felt odd being liked so much by her little cousin.

The quiet good morning Gwen gave to the rest of the Wheelers was echoed back to her in a much better mood by her Aunt Karen and Nancy.

Her Uncle Ted spoke in a monotone voice, while Mike's greeting was simpler, and didn't sound as forced as the other good mornings she'd gotten from him before.

Gwen thought that to be an improvement.

"Here you go Gwen." Karen smiled, setting a plate of pancakes in front of her. The whipped cream on the pancakes spelled out a one and a six. There were strawberries and blueberries on it. "Happy birthday."

The older woman wanted to wish her niece a happy birthday earlier but decided it probably wasn't the best time to do so after Gwen woke up from a nightmare. So Karen decided to wait until breakfast time.

It was a sweet gesture from her aunt, it really was. Gwen, however, felt like crap for receiving a sweet gesture in the first place, even on her birthday. She felt awful for waking up her aunt so early. Her aunt worked on making this for her though, and she wasn't about to throw the gesture aside.

Gwen tried her best at giving a convincing smile. "Thank you Aunt Karen." The older woman smiled again before turning to go fix herself a plate.

Her Uncle Ted idly wished her a happy birthday from behind the morning newspaper he was reading.

Nancy was as prim and proper as she usually was. "Happy birthday Gwen." She told her with a genuine smile.

"Yeah, happy birthday Gwen." Mike mumbled poking at his eggs with his fork. He had pancakes as well, only his didn't have whipped cream, strawberries, or blueberries on them.

Without giving it a second thought, Gwen reached for his plate that was across from her and started using her fork to put strawberries and blueberries on his pancakes.

Despite seeing what she was doing, Mike narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Gwen shrugged her shoulders. "Giving you a few of my strawberries and blueberries." She casually told him, pushing back his plate.

Mike looked at the strawberries and blueberries that were now on his pancakes. He really did like it when his mother put them on his pancakes and he was a bit disappointed when he saw that only Gwen got them. But it was her birthday after all. He wasn't about to demand any and ruin the morning for his cousin. Even if he wasn't completely fond of her yet.

"I didn't ask you to." Mike retorted, annoyed because he'd been trying to be polite. "Besides, they're for your birthday pancakes my mom made for you."

Gwen popped a strawberry into her mouth. She chewed and spoke after. "Exactly, they're mine so I can give you some if I want to."

Mike let out a huff. "You don't―"

"Just eat them." Gwen cut him off.

"Eat your breakfast Michael." His father commented flatly, eyes still on the newspaper he was reading. Gwen had no idea if her uncle even heard their full conversation, or if he just chose to suddenly turn on his ears. After thinking about it better, Gwen realized it was more than likely the latter.

"Fine…whatever." Mike muttered. He munched on a strawberry, inwardly happy that he got to have some for breakfast with his pancakes. Not that he'd tell Gwen.

Nancy shook her head at him before looking at Gwen. "Sorry about my brother. He has no manners even when someone does something nice for him." She suddenly yelped when Mike kicked her under the table. She returned the kick which earned her a glare from Mike.

"Settle down now." Ted told his kids halfheartedly, more focused on the newspaper's sports section.

"Gwen! Birthday cake!" Holly exclaimed with a smile.

"No, not yet Holly." Karen answered sweetly as she returned to the table. "That's until later."

"Really, a cake's not necessary." Gwen sheepishly let her aunt know. "This…" She gestured to her birthday breakfast. "This is enough."

"It's your sixteenth birthday." Karen gently reminded her. "Now I know you told me you didn't want anything extravagant but you at least need to have a cake. It's not really a birthday without a cake. I promise you're going to like it."

Gwen felt the stares from Mike and Nancy. It made denying having a birthday cake even more awkward. So she relented. "Okay." She softly said.

"Then you can open your presents after dinner tonight." Her aunt went on to say.

Presents?

Gwen wanted to protest that they shouldn't have gotten her anything but knew it was already too late for that. Before she could say anything the house phone began to ring. Her aunt went to answer it.

"Gwen?" Karen called out, phone against her ear

"Hmm." Gwen was all she could say with the pancakes in her mouth.

Her aunt smiled kindly. "It's for you. Your mom and dad."

Gwen finished eating what she had in her mouth and then got up from her seat. Her aunt handed her the phone once she was close enough.

From the kitchen table Mike curiously watched Gwen talk to her parents on the phone. Her reaction wasn't one of absolute happiness like he expected her to have. It was her birthday and her parents were calling her. Shouldn't she be happy? The mild smile on her face said otherwise, and that puzzled Mike.

Mike went back to eating his breakfast, barely listening to whatever his mother was telling Nancy. His attention went back to Gwen when he heard her laugh. The teenager's demeanor changed. She was laughing now, like actually laughing. and her smile was brighter.

"Richie! Stop singing happy birthday to me, you sound ridiculous. Yeah, even over the phone." Gwen shook her head slightly from amusement, and it made Mike wonder what else was said that she found so funny. "Beep beep, Richie!"

Mike looked down at the pancakes on his plate, his fork poked at one of the strawberries Gwen gave him. The twelve year old realized then and there that he only ever saw Gwen happy like this whenever she spoke to her brother.

Gwen wasn't one for celebrating her birthday. Even before everything she went through with IT, Gwen never liked the extra attention the day brought her.

Thankfully only a few people at the high school knew it was her birthday. Nancy obviously knew, and she mentioned it to Barb.

Jonathan also knew because of Will, who had been personally told by Gwen. And Robin only knew because of a question game Gwen and her played during Study Hall.

So the birthday wishes were limited, and Gwen was glad for that.

Jonathan respected Gwen's request about keeping her birthday as simple as possible. When he saw her at school he quietly wished her a happy birthday before giving her the mixtape he made for her. He passed along a chocolate bar saying it was from his mother.

Gwen smiled when receiving both of the gifts. She really hadn't expected to receive gifts from the Byers. But to learn that Jonathan took the time to make her a mixtape with the help of Will? Yeah she was almost speechless.

Joyce gave her chocolate and Gwen knew there was a meaning behind the gift after the shoplifting incident and her coming to Gwen's aid.

Barb gifted her with stickers, and not the girly kind Nancy had decorated inside her locker. The stickers Barb gave Gwen were of various rock bands she had talked to her about.

Robin brought burgers from a local diner during lunch for Gwen. Robin said they were the best burgers she'd ever had, and once eating one for herself Gwen could understand why she thought that.

These were all gifts Gwen was grateful for, and she thanked everyone individually. Except she still felt like she didn't deserve any of their kindness.

However, there was one thing Gwen wanted for her birthday, and she wanted to get it herself.

Now what did Gwen want for her sixteenth birthday?

A car? No.

New clothes? No.

What Gwen wanted was weed. She'd never gotten high before. But what better day to get high for the first time than on your sixteenth birthday? She thought it was rather poetic.

Like at any high school the students at Hawkins High talked. Soon enough Gwen found out who exactly she needed to ask for to buy weed from.

As she'd come to find out, it was a guy named Eddie Munson who sold weed to the students at Hawkins High. He was a student himself. A Senior actually, and with the small amount of people Gwen talked to she learned that he wasn't very studious.

Gwen by now knew who Eddie Munson was. Not personally, and she didn't have any classes with him but she heard him very loud and clear whenever she ate in the cafeteria without Jonathan. Eddie was a rambunctious person who had a flair for the dramatics and often stood on lunch tables. So it was hard not to notice him.

The Tozier girl was informed that Eddie usually conducted deals away from school grounds. She didn't know if the male classmate Gwen had spoken to was a friend or a client of Eddie's but she was told to meet Eddie in the woods. There was a spot where she could wait for him until he got there after school.

And that's where she was currently doing. Waiting.

Gwen wasn't at all scared to be in the woods alone. It was still daytime, and anyways she'd been in much scarier places. Like the fuckin' sewers with an evil entity lurking. It was hard to beat that as a scary place to be.

The now sixteen year old sat down on the wooden table that was in that area. She didn't know how long Eddie would take so she decided to listen to the mixtape Jonathan gave her to pass the time. She pressed play on her Walkman after putting on her headphones.

The song Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses started blasting in her ears. This was the same song Gwen sang during the fourth of July festival in Derry.

She's got a smile that it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood memories

Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky

Now and then when I see her face

She takes me away to that special place

And if I stare too long, I'd probably break down and cry

Gwen sang along. She wasn't at all spooked when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Not sensing any real danger near her, she turned around.

Eddie Munson stood there with his long curly unkempt hair and his leather jacket and ripped jeans. Gwen noticed the Black Sabbath t-shirt underneath his leather jacket. She nodded her head at that, slightly impressed.

"Hey." Gwen calmly greeted him as she took off her headphones.

Eddie appeared slightly taken aback at her passive response. "Huh, and here I thought I was going to scare you." He sounded a little bit disappointed but he was still grinning.

Gwen put her Walkman inside her backpack. "Sorry to disappoint." She grimly replied. "It takes a lot to scare me."

Eddie tilted his head at her. Gwen Tozier. Nancy Wheeler's cousin. Word spread fast at Hawkins High and even though he thought he was better than the sheep at his high school who easily conformed, he still had ears and eyes.

Before today Eddie had never spoken to Gwen. He'd only seen her around school. The elusive brunette either hung out with shy Jonathan Byers or by herself, minding her own business as she listened to her Walkman. She was attached to that thing, and from what he was able to hear right now she had a nice set of pipes.

Eddie took a seat across from her with the chain on his belt hitting the table. "Ah, a woman made out of ice." His brown eyes gleamed.

"Ice melts." Gwen replied somewhat dryly. "I don't melt." She told him, not breaking eye contact.

Eddie found her comment to be diverting. However there was a part of him that took what she said seriously. He nodded his head at her. "No, I guess you don't." She really wasn't like her cousin, at all.

Now he didn't know Nancy personally but from what he saw around school she was with Steve Harrington now. For him that said plenty enough about Nancy Wheeler. When it came to Nancy's cousin, however, Eddie got a different vibe. He should have known Gwen was different in a good way after seeing her wear a Led Zeppelin t-shirt.

Even now Gwen wasn't dressed like most of the girls at Hawkins High. The jeans she had on were old, and she was once again wearing another band t-shirt. Today she had on a Blue Oyster Cult t-shirt with a dark green military jacket thrown over it. She really must have loved that jacket with the amount of times he'd seen her wear it. Not that he was one to judge since he was the same way with his leather jacket.

"So how much?" Gwen asked, getting to the point as to why they were in the woods.

Eddie set the metal lunch box he brought with him on the table. "I'll sell you half an ounce for twenty. It's a fair price considering how much you get out of it." He told her, opening the lunch box to show her the bag with the weed. "I only accept cash as payment, and for obvious reasons I won't be giving you a receipt."

The no receipt part made sense. Who would want a receipt for purchasing drugs? "That's fine with me." Gwen reached for her backpack where she kept her money.

Eddie snapped his fingers. "You know, I've seen you around Gwen."

Gwen paused her movements but she remained casual. Hawkins High was a small school, so of course he'd seen her. "Yeah, I've seen you around school too."

"You smoke under the bleachers." Eddie pointed out, chuckling.

Gwen pursed her lips. "I'm not the only one who smokes there."

"No, but you're one of the few people who smokes actual cigarettes under the bleachers. It's known as stoner territory." There was mirth in his brown eyes as he looked at her. "Will this be your first time smoking weed?" He asked, grinning.

"No." Gwen answered way too quickly. Eddie's grin widened. She huffed, the grip on her backpack dropping. "You got me. It will be, okay?"

"And you know how to?" Eddie gestured to the baggie that had the weed.

Rolling a joint wasn't rocket science. Gwen had seen enough movies to know what to do exactly. "Don't worry about it. I can figure it out."

"I'm sure you will. I mean you look like a very smart person." Eddie commented with amusement but his words didn't sound condescending to Gwen. "I gotta ask…" He leaned forward, voice lowering dramatically. "Why the sudden need for weed? You've been here for about a month or so, and you've never bought from me before."

"Do you ask all your customers this?" Gwen's response sounded more sharp than she intended. However, that didn't diminish Eddie's current lively mood.

Eddie sat up straight with a slight jump. "Hmm, just the ones that are new to town." He quipped. "Which is not a lot."

"Not that it's any of your business but today's my birthday." Gwen solemnly admitted to him. "And what better way to celebrate my sweet sixteen than by getting high for the first time."

"I'm getting the feeling that you're not a fan of your birthday." Eddie looked at her in a way Gwen thought he was trying to read her to understand her better. Good luck with that pal, she thought. Instead of replying she averted her eyes, looking at her hands rather than at him.

It became quiet, too quiet and Eddie never liked it when it was too quiet. Also the sadness coming from Gwen made him want to do something to change that. If there was one thing Eddie Munson didn't like seeing it was pretty girls in a sad mood. One could say it was even his weakness. He drummed on the table loudly with his hands. "Tell you what…" He drawled.

Gwen felt him slip the bag with the weed into her hand. "It's yours. Don't worry about the payment."

Gwen looked at him again. This time with a puzzled expression. "You're giving it to me for free?"

Eddie shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I'm a softie." He gave her a wink. "Not that I want you telling the whole school. This stays between you and me, yeah?"

Gwen nodded her head. She could respect him wanting to keep this image he had going on.

"Anyways, happy birthday." Eddie sang with a large grin, dark brown eyes shining. He stood up to do a silly air guitar dance. Gwen watched him, a small smile escaping her. It didn't go unnoticed by Eddie and he gave her a bow. "You have a good time now." He gestured to the weed he'd given her. "Make the most of it."

"Thanks…Eddie."

Gwen almost called him a familiar nickname but she remembered this wasn't Eddie. This was just someone else with the same name. Like her cousin Mike who had the same name as her friend Mike from Derry.

Eddie Munson would only ever be known as Eddie for Gwen.

In Gwen's life there was only one Eddie she'd ever call Eds, and that was Eddie Kaspbrak.

Gwen indeed figured out how to smoke the weed she purchased from Eddie.

She ended up getting high behind the Fair Mart while listening to the rest of the mixtape she got from Jonathan. As it turns out Gwen didn't get paranoid while high. If anything, the weed just made her feel numb inside. She knew a lot of people would've wanted to feel that way, and she originally wanted that too.

However once the numbness entered in all of Gwen's system she realized she didn't really like it. It wasn't at all like whenever Gwen drank. When she got drunk there was a numbness inside her but it only lingered in the background, everything else was emotions.

Gwen was an emotional drunk. So with alcohol in her system she felt a lot of things, mainly how she felt about herself. She never had nice things to say about herself. Gwen would also think about all her worst qualities. She did this because hating herself made it easier to get drunk.

It was wrong of her to want that emotional pain but as she realized now, Gwen wanted to feel that way because she thought she deserved to. She was a shitty person so she deserved to feel shitty.

As she now knew weed didn't accomplish that. Not in the way only alcohol did.

Gwen wanted to cry so bad right now, but she was so numb from the weed.

The next song on the mixtape began to play. It was Thank You by Led Zeppelin. A song Gwen liked a lot but was too numb to properly enjoy it.

Gwen slowly looked down at the palm where the cut from the promise she made with the Losers was. Suddenly there was a faint ache in her heart. It was almost unnoticeable but once she felt it she held onto it. She fought to keep that ache from fading away as she pressed her nails down hard on the cut on her palm.

It didn't take long for her to feel pain, and for her to finally shed a few tears. She ignored the marks left from her nails, knowing they would go away unlike the cut on her palm. The numbness was still there though. She imagined the source of it coming from her chest.

The tears she forced were now at the bottom of her cheeks. She didn't wipe them away. Gwen instead faced forward with a dull expression as she continued to listen to the rest of the song.

If the sun refused to shine

I would still be loving you

Mountains crumble to the sea

There will still be you and me

Now that Gwen knew weed didn't do it for her, she wasn't about to smoke what she had left. She felt bad since Eddie gave it to her for free but she didn't feel bad enough to smoke it until it was gone. She'd figure out what to do with the remaining weed later, for now she'd keep it hidden.

Gwen came prepared. She knew after smoking weed that she would smell like it so she brought one of Nancy's perfumes with her. Earlier today Gwen asked her cousin if she could borrow one of her perfumes, and Nancy, thinking she wanted to wear a nice perfume for her birthday, let her borrow it. She doubted Nancy wouldn't have let her borrow it if she knew why Gwen wanted it in the first place.

From what Gwen saw inside the Fair Mart's bathroom, her eyes weren't really glassy or super red. Not even after her forced crying. She could use the tired excuse from waking up early if anyone asked why she looked the way she did.

Thankfully no one asked questions about her appearance when she arrived at the Wheeler house. Although Mike did complain that she smelled too much like Nancy.

Better he thought she smelled more like lilacs than weed.

By the time Gwen finished her birthday dinner she no longer felt so numb inside. Once the birthday cake was brought, Gwen was able to enjoy the dessert, though not as much as Holly was. The three year old ate more chocolate slices than she did.

Afterwards her aunt instructed Gwen and the others to move over to the living room for present time. Gwen opened Nancy's present first. Her cousin got her a blue messenger bag with a rainbow design on it.

This wasn't what she thought Nancy would give her. Gwen thought for some reason that Nancy's gift would be something superficial. She should have known better. Just because Nancy was with an ass like Steve Harrington didn't mean she was an ass herself. Her cousin actually gave her something she would like and use.

Gwen almost got up to hug Nancy but at the last second her awkwardness won over and instead she gave her cousin a meek smile. Nancy's own expression was of bemusement before nodding her head, accepting that her cousin had yet to be more affectionate with her.

Next was her aunt and uncle's present.

A long bright green box with a bow was placed in front of Gwen by her uncle. Her eyes widened, wondering what the hell they got her. Gently setting aside Nancy's present, she opened the box. Gwen almost couldn't believe what was inside.

"Baseball!" Holly exclaimed from her mother's lap.

Mike was perplexed by the present given to Gwen by his parents. "You got her a baseball bat?"

"It's actually a softball bat." Gwen corrected in a low voice.

Karen nodded her head. "We figured, when you're ready, that is, you'd want to try out for the softball team at the high school."

"You play softball?" Nancy asked. She didn't know that. Then again, there was still a lot she didn't know about her cousin.

"At my old high school." Gwen quietly answered. Truth be told, she'd forgotten about softball. She didn't even think about it during the summer thanks to her being constantly worried about an evil entity going after her, her brother, and their friends. Now that she was in Hawkins, away from Derry, would she want to play again? And with a completely new team without her friend Francine? She wasn't quite sure.

Except how can she say she wasn't going to at least try after opening such a nice, and not cheap present based on the quality of the softball bat. She put the lid over the box, switching her gaze to her aunt and uncle. "Um, thank you both for this."

It became quiet, with only Holly's mumbled words about wanting more cake being heard. Karen looked at her son, clearing her throat. Mike sighed, passing Gwen his present to her.

This right now was the most surprised Gwen felt today. She didn't think Mike would give her a present. Not only because he was young but also because she didn't think he would want to give her anything.

The wrapping wasn't the same as Nancy's present, so that must have meant Mike wrapped it himself. Gwen was really curious what Mike got her and her tearing the wrapping paper showed that.

Gwen stared at the now revealed present with a softness in her eyes.

"How to play Dungeons & Dragons for beginners handbook." The sixteen year old read the title of the book loudly. After opening it she came across a character sheet. Gwen stared at Mike, slightly puzzled. Was this his subtle way of saying she could play with him and his friends?

Nancy frowned. She glanced at her younger brother. "Wait, isn't that your old handbook?"

Karen shook her head. "Honestly Michael." She tsked.

"What?" Mike sounded offended. "It's not like I use it anymore!"

"No need to raise your voice son." Ted commented offhandedly from beside Karen.

Mike crossed his arms over his chest.

Unlike her aunt and cousin, Gwen didn't think it was a bad or useless present. "No, wait, this is actually very nice." Gwen looked at Mike. Her voice was soft, sincere. "This way I'll learn how to play the game a lot faster. Thank you Mike."

Mike blinked at his cousin. There was neither a smile or frown on his face. He nodded his head before looking at Nancy. "See, it is a good present." He told his sister who only rolled her eyes at him.

Gwen's smile was small and not as bright when watching the siblings. Richie and her didn't argue the way Mike and Nancy argued, and not even as much, but they still had the sibling dynamic. It made Gwen miss Richie even more.

About half an hour later, Gwen was in her bedroom upstairs listening to her Walkman. She managed to hear the knock on her bedroom door even with the music playing in her ears. Taking off her headphones Gwen got up to see who it was.

Gwen expected to see either her aunt or even Nancy but it was neither. Instead it was Will, Lucas, and Dustin.

"Hey guys." Gwen greeted, bemused but delighted to see them.

"Happy birthday Gwen." Dustin grinned, shoving a bunch of snacks into Gwen's hands almost dropping a few.

Gwen's eyes widened. "Wow."

"We tried getting snacks you like." Lucas told her, handing over more snacks. Gwen walked over to her desk to put the snacks there before any of them fell.

"You guys, this is really sweet." Gwen smiled gently, walking over to them.

Dustin waved his hand. "Eh, it was nothing."

Gwen shook her head. "But you guys shouldn't have wasted money on me."

"Technically it was our parents' money." Lucas told her with a shrug.

Gwen almost laughed. Mike's voice caught their attention. Will, Lucas, and Dustin glanced at the stairs. They were aware that Mike was waiting for them downstairs.

"Anyways we just wanted to wish you a happy birthday." Dustin grinned, waving at her before turning to go.

"Yeah, happy birthday Gwen." Lucas echoed, then left to catch up with Dustin.

Gwen stared at Will who'd been quiet the whole time. She furrowed her eyebrows, getting concerned with the way he looked nervous. "Will? You okay?

Will nodded his head. "Yeah…." He brought the paper he had behind him into her view. "I made this for you." He handed Gwen the piece of paper she hadn't seen him with. "Sorry it's not wrapped." He shyly told her.

Gwen was amazed by Will's gift. It was a drawing. The drawing was of her listening to her Walkman. She knew by now how great Will's drawing skills were based on some of his drawings she'd seen. Will was even better at drawing than Bill was. She really could see Will becoming a professional artist later down the road if he stuck with it.

"Will…this is amazing." Gwen let him know with an actual smile. "Thank you."

Will's face lit up, relieved she liked her gift. He'd been nervous thinking she wasn't going to like the drawing.

"Happy birthday Gwen." Will told her before leaving to go downstairs with the others. Gwen's smile remained even when putting the drawing on her desk. She was going to listen to her music again but another knock on the bedroom door was heard. This time it was her aunt.

"I almost forgot, you got mail." Karen handed her a few envelopes. "A lot of mail." She smiled, leaving to give her privacy to read what she got.

Gwen furrowed her eyebrows looking down at the mail in her hands, wondering who they were from. She quickly found out.

When she talked to Richie in the morning he said the Losers wished her a happy birthday, minus Beverly who was away in Portland with her aunt. Richie assured her that they hadn't forgotten. Turns out they really hadn't based on individual birthday cards Bill, Mike, Ben, and Eddie sent her.

They must have mailed the birthday cards days ago in order for them to arrive on her birthday. Gwen didn't look past that, and she got teary eyed when looking at the now framed photo she had with the Losers and her during the fourth of July festival on her nightstand.

When her eyes went back to the mail she noticed there was one unopened envelope left. Even before seeing the familiar handwriting Gwen knew who it was from.

Gwen felt a familiar ache in heart. She tried keeping her breathing steady as she carefully opened the envelope. The now sixteen year old didn't even realize she was crying until she found out what was inside the envelope. It wasn't a birthday card like the rest of the Losers had sent her but instead a letter.

A letter from Stan.