Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
As Hopper cuffed Dave and escorted him to the last police car, the dirty-blonde-haired man said to him in annoyance, "This is bullshit! I KNOW I have the right to protest!"
"Yup, just gotta go through the proper channels first, Dave," the police chief replied dryly.
"When the hell has your shit boss ever been proper? He's NEVER done anything proper!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." They were close to the car, Powell opening the door.
"You're working with a greedy, selfish coward!"
He shoved him into the car, right next to two other protestors. "Yeah, yeah, shut up." Powell slammed the door, leaving Dave and the other protestor in there. He heavily sighed.
"That stubborn piece of shit..." muttered one of the two other protestors, a Caucasian overweight man.
"Both Kline the Swine AND the police chief," said another, an African-American college-aged woman.
"We'll take them down someday," Dave said to reassure them, the two looking at him. "We're not cowards."
The man nodded. "Yeah, we're the residents of Hawkins!"
"We never let anything or anyone get us down!" the woman said confidently.
He nodded at the both of them. "That's right." He then spotted Jim with a...shopping bag before he left. He thought he bought something to wear for a date. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. Does this shit to the people, and then goes about their merry ways with women they hook up with. Typical of people with power.
As she promised herself, Stacey got out of work early and dropped off Andrew at their home. As she drove away, Andrew went inside. In there, he slumped right onto the couch and grabbed the T.V. remote, turning on the news once more as a check-up on what was going on. He always thought it was very important to know what's going on in the world every day. One day could seriously affect the next, or the week, or the month...or the year. He was nothing like the other kids born into a rich family. He actually gives a shit about what's happening.
A few moments later, he turned the TV to a different channel before he heard the door open, seeing Dave walk in with the most jackass grin on his face. That made the long-haired man grin as well, saying, "Let me guess: your protesting had you arrested and they released you on a final warning?"
His friend chuckled before settling on the couch next to him. "One last chance before it's off to the slammer."
"Don't you have the right to protest though?"
He shook his head. "Gotta buy a permit in the police station, which is absolute bullshit." He looked at the TV, sighing. "This town's gone to shit."
"In more ways than one." Dave looked at him, a little perplexed. Andrew shrugged. "I mean, you got that missing kid from '83..." His friend sighed again, looking back at the TV. "And that poor girl and guy dead from that evicted lab's poison."
He nodded. "This town is turning into hell."
"So, why don't you and Stace move in with me? I got plenty of room back home."
He chuckled again. "We've grown too attached to this place to consider that a possibility."
Andrew looked puzzled. "Why?"
He shrugged. "Stace and I got good memories ever since we moved here. I want to make this a good place." He looked at his long-haired friend once again. "Why'd you think I lead the protests?" Andrew looked understanding now, facing the TV once more. Dave then realized something. "Hey, where's Stace?"
"She told me she was going to talk to the kid that stood her up."
Dave nodded. "As she should."
Stacey had finally arrived at the pool, but then she saw a muscle car pull out and drive away. She recognized that car.
It was Billy's.
She sighed and wondered if she should follow him. She did want answers, no matter where they were, so she decided to follow him, but also keep a distance so he wouldn't get suspicious.
After a nasty argument like that, Lucas and Will knew Mike needed some cheering up. So, when they made a quick stop to Lucas's house to get some things and then went to the cabin, Will got his personal mixtape Jonathan gifted to him and it started playing, "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" on Mike's radio. It was making Mike feel better, seeing him nod his head to the beat. Will knew that would lift up Mike's spirits, as the song does with him whenever he felt upset. Lucas was trying to groove to it, even if songs like this weren't his jam.
Mike quirked up a smile while nodding his head to the beat, Will singing the lyrics to himself. He looked at him and decided to sing with him as well. He was surprised by that, wanting to be annoyed by that, but for some reason...he didn't mind. He guessed since he decided to be nice to him after that horrendous argument, he was kinda...growing on him.
Why-well...even if he WAS (emphasis on "was") Jane's boyfriend and a guy much more superior to him, he was hurt...and he hated to see other people hurt.
Will decided to sing the chorus a little louder, so did Mike. Lucas grinned and started mimicking the playing of the instruments. Will and Mike got up from his bed, dancing, even though they were awful, to the song. Lucas got up as well, now over-dramically yet enthusiastically air-playing the guitar now. They wandered around the room, doing their thing and having fun. Finally, they sang the final verse together and flopped onto the bed, laughing and looking like they had a good time, especially Mike.
As Lucas got up again, the freckled boy looked at the auburn-haired one and said, "Now I like that song."
Surprised and happy by that, Will smiled and sat up. "You do?" he asked.
Mike nodded and sat up, sitting on the bed. "It sounds cool and it was fun to sing to."
His smile widened. "Well...I'm glad to hear that." Mike smiled back, Will getting a...strange feeling in his stomach.
Lucas turned off the radio and removed the cassette tape, Will getting it and putting it back into his backpack. The African-American boy, who got his backpack with a couple things from his room, dug through it for things to show Mike. "Let's see here..." he murmured before he got out...a couple of Playboy magazines. Will looked shocked from the sight of those, blushing, while Mike also blushed at just the covers alone.
The black-haired boy looked up at the freckled one, holding up the two magazines. "Got these from a long ago," he stated, grinning.
"Lucas!" Will exclaimed.
He then handed them to Mike. "They're REAL good shit. Helps you...enjoy yourself. Just hide them where Hopper can't see them."
That made him curious. "Why?"
Just then, the auburn-haired boy snatched the magazines away from him. "They're for adults, that's why."
Lucas gave him a disapproving stare. "Will, loosen up-"
"His dad's the chief of police, Lucas! He's sure to find this shit laying around, even if he's hiding it." He then threw them to his friend, making him scoff.
"Fine." He placed them back into his backpack. He gave Mike a promising look though. "When this party-pooper's not around, I'll lend ya one." Mike chuckled, that word sounding funny to him.
Now Will scoffed. "I'm not a party-pooper. I'm just being cautious."
"Okay, man." He then coughed and covered his mouth with his arm, "Party-pooper." Will shoved him, making him and Mike laugh. He then stood up. "Well, what now?"
Instantly, Will answered, "We can play D&D."
Lucas snorted as he tried to hide his laugh. "Dude, Mike doesn't even know how to play."
He gave him the side-eye. "Teaching him how to play's not impossible."
"But teaching him how to play's not a fun way for him to forget about Jane." The mention of her name made the playful atmosphere dark for a moment. Mike's happy face dropped into a saddened one, Lucas looking regretful of bringing her up as he and Will gave him sorrowful looks.
The African-American boy patted his back, saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"
Although his heart was still heavy from their argument and break-up, Mike shook his head, stepping away. "I-it's okay." He sighed, looking down. "She didn't try to fix this anyway."
He nodded. "You're right."
"Yeah," Will added, Mike looking up. "I've never seen her act like that before."
Lucas nodded. "Ditto."
"Honestly, you two REALLY need to stay away from each other for a while."
The African-American raised his arms up. "That's what I'm saying." He looked at his freckled friend again. "Jane may be our best friend since childhood, but we'd NEVER tolerate her acting like a bitch."
Will nodded. "Yeah, she was way too unreasonable."
"As girls tend to be." Will gave him a look, then he added, "Sometimes."
Mike's sad face softened. "Really?"
"Yeah, Max can be like that with me. Hell-" He placed a hand on his chest. "She's done that with me a few times."
His face softened more. "Does she?"
"Yes. It's only natural that Jane acts like that too."
Mike sighed again. "But...what about how she feels about me...dumping her ass?"
The boys were silent for a minute, looking away solemnly. All of them knew she was distraught about it...
Or was she?
Mike suddenly had an idea, his eyes twinkling with it. "I think I know how."
The boys gave him puzzled looks. "How...what?" asked Will.
Determined, he answered, "How to know how she feels about this."
The last thing Terry expected when she came home was sadness staying in. She left the home like that and with the news of her daughter having fun at the mall, she assumed everything will be alright.
She came in through the door, put her purse on the coat rack, took her shoes off at the door, and went to the kitchen, seeing Becky making soup while Carl was sitting next to his daughter on her eating chair, reading a newspaper. She looked pleasantly surprised that her sister was cooking dinner, appreciating it. Becky looked at her sister and gave her a rather weak smile. "Evenin', Terry," she greeted in a voice a little lower than usual.
She looked curious and greeted back, "Evening, Becky." She looked over her sister's shoulder to see her making simple vegetable soup, smiling. "Oh, a safe choice for soup then."
She shrugged and stirred the soup with a pot spoon. "Yeah, I guess."
Now she was concerned, her smile dropping as she leaned on the counter next to her. "What's going on?"
With no bullshit, Becky sighed and looked at her. "Jane and Mike bumped into each other at the mall earlier." Terry looked very shocked at this news. Not only did they bump into each other after that bad argument this morning, but they bumped into each other in PUBLIC. Mike was NOT supposed to be out in public yet. "He was with a couple of her guy friends." Lucas and Will? She didn't know if Dustin came back from camp yet, but those boys...made Mike take a dangerous risk and they should be scolded for it. "They argued and then..." The woman trailed off, sad.
"He broke up with her," Carl finished for her, Tina looking around. Terry could feel her heart drop from hearing that.
"What...?" There was no way...they couldn't...Mike couldn't...then Jane...
Becky looked back at her husband. "Thanks, honey." She then looked back at her sister. "She and Max're down in the basement after she raided the fridge for comfort food." Instantly, Terry turned on her heel to go comfort her daughter, but her sister grabbed her arm, the woman whipping her head towards her.
"Becky-"
"Carl and I are giving her some space. She's going through her first breakup and I know that hurts like hell. You remember Dan?" Terry remembered...Becky did have a boyfriend during college, but it didn't work out and she wanted some space, so Terry gave it to her before she went to her for comfort.
Terry nodded and replied, "Yeah."
"It worked for me. I'm sure it'll work for her." She just nodded again before her sister let her go. Becky resumed stirring the soup and Terry went to go get a book to pass the time, hoping Jane will come to her for comfort soon enough.
...
With the table littered with an empty bag of chips, two empty Handi-Snacks, and an unfinished box of Eggos, Jane stopped crying, but her nose and lips were still red from her breakdown about the break-up. She changed into a plain white shirt since her plaid one was stained with Mike's ice cream. Max got a glass of water and always refilled it whenever it was empty. She was eating another bag of chips, sniffling. The redhead stroked her back as she whispered, "It's not your fault, Jane. It was just a bad situation."
"He dumped me, Max," she said, her voice sounding choked. She looked up at her. "He DUMPED me." She shook her head. "Why would he do that?"
She sighed. "Boys can get really angry for no reason. I know Lucas has with me a few times."
"Sure, but that's Lucas..." She sniffled again, eating a chip. "Mike would never...I..."
Max hugged her once more. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay..." It really wasn't, but having Max here to support her made it seem so though.
Jim had been in Enzo's for a whole hour. When he arrived, he ordered wine for two and got breadstick baskets. Joyce's wine was untouched. That was because she wasn't there.
Depressed about this revelation and watching a loving couple from another table feed each other, he took a swig of his wine and then one bite out of the breadstick given to him by his waiter. Speaking of his waiter, he cleared his throat, the man looking up at him. "Would you like to order your entrée, sir?" he asked.
He sighed and drank Joyce's wine, setting it down next to his. "You know what, Enzo?" He dug into his pocket to get out his wallet.
The waiter looked annoyed. "My name is not Enzo-"
"I just...lost my appetite." He got out a couple of bills and slammed them onto the table. "Here ya go. Keep the change, will ya?" He then stood up and grabbed the bottle...before spilling it a little. The waiter jerked away and this situation gained some spectators.
"S-sir!" the waiter exclaimed. "There will be NO alcohol outside the premises!"
"You're not my dad," Jim retorted dryly. "Leave me alone." And then, he just walked away, drinking some of the wine from the bottle. He drunkly bumped into someone...someone suspicious, before finally leaving the restaurant. He thought he was fine enough to drive back to the cabin, so he just went into his car and started up the engine.
He couldn't believe it...Joyce stood him up. Why...why did she stand him up like that? In a restaurant like THAT? He looked really hurt, but then muttered to himself, "No, you're not like this...you're...not..." He sniffled, his eyes getting watery. He wiped them. "Goddamn it." He then did a three-point turn and drove away.
With the radio spewing static, Mike sat under it and put on the blindfold he kept since last year. Will and Lucas sat on the bed, kind of eager to see Mike's idea come to fruition. "Is this really going to work?" Will asked, Mike nodding as an answer.
Lucas began grinning, nudging his friend a little. "Dude, we'll get to know what the girls are doing," he said giddily, Will raising an eyebrow.
"Lucas," Mike said to him sternly.
His grin dropped, him looking serious. "Yeah, quiet, sorry."
Nothing but static was heard in the room as Mike tried to let all of his senses go. He heard distorted voices along the way, then they got clearer by every second.
"I must've done something wrong," he heard Jane's voice say, his heart sinking a little hearing that. "What did I do wrong?"
"You did NOTHING wrong," Max reassured her.
He was finally in the dark void, seeing the girls sitting on the couch of the basement with the littered table and Jane holding the bag of chips she was eating out of.
"Did I do something wrong?" Jane asked. "Tell me, honestly."
"You've done NOTHING wrong, Jane," Max answered, holding her shoulder. "No-thing, you hear me?" She nodded. Mike narrowed his eyes at the girls, knowing Max was lying, before getting closer.
"I see them," Mike stated, a bit of blood starting to form in his nostril. The boys nodded, leaning closer before the radio stirred and put the girls' voices through them. They looked up at it, a little startled from the change. "They're eating."
The boys looked down at him again before looking at each other. They then heard the crunching of a chip, confirming their friend's words.
"I don't understand why this happened...why I deserve this," the brown-haired girl said, looking down.
Mike couldn't hold back his scoff and neither did Lucas. Will looked skeptical.
"I don't understand either," the redhead replied, the boy now close enough. "YOU'RE the victim here!" Mike looked puzzled. Clearly, HE was the victim to her bullshit.
Lucas huffed, smiling ironically and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, WHO was the one that lost her shit for no good reason?" he whispered. Will took a deep breath, feeling bad for invading the girls' privacy like this, but...he was curious.
Jane scoffed, her arm movements becoming jagged. "I was trying to protect him! Why can't he see that?!" The freckled boy shook his head in disbelief, knowing that her behavior made him feel awful.
"Jane-"
"Why can't he see that?!"
"Jane!" Max grabbed her shoulders to keep her still and calm. She gave her a light shake. "Relax...take a deep breath." She did so, being a bit calmer than before. "I told you before, boys just get angry for no reason."
Mike never felt so offended...
Lucas and Will looked offended too, all of them exclaiming, "What?!"
Mike crouched down, looking disbelieved as Max continued, "Boys give US shit for being 'too emotional'-" She used air quotes. "-and 'acting on feeling and not logic'-" She stopped. "When really, they do the same thing. ALL. THE. TIME!"
"WHAT?!" Mike exclaimed.
Lucas chuckled ironically, looking more offended. "I can't believe this..." he muttered.
"That's not true," Will also muttered.
That made Jane chuckle and think of something. "That's right, actually. They're all like-" She moved her arms in a strongman position, pretending to flex them. "'Rah, rah, me man! Me be angry to be tough!'"
Mike's jaw dropped as Max laughed. "Exactly!" She then did the same thing. "'Rah, rah! Me man! Me be an asshole to women! Me tough! Rah, rah!'" They both then laughed together at that.
The boys looked so disbelieved at that, they couldn't...
"You've been around the boys long enough, so you know what they're like, don't you?" Max asked.
Jane giggled and ate another chip. "Oh yeah, absolutely. Lucas is the worst in that regard."
The radio boomed the girls' laughter, the boy mentioned looking real baffled that his own friend said that about him.
Max suddenly had a look of realization and asked her, "Oh my God, since Mike was hanging out with Lucas, do you think he's teaching him his overly-masculine ways?"
Mike and Lucas looked baffled, Mike saying, "No!"
Jane gasped and looked aghast at that idea. "It could be why he acted like a piece of shit today!" His eyes widened and his eyebrows arched up.
"Yes!"
"NO!" Mike exclaimed. "There's no way! I'm NOT a piece of shit!"
Will looked very dumbfounded that this was the same girl he was friends with since kindergarten...it just...didn't seem like her.
She suddenly jolted and pointed at her friend. "And Will too!"
The boy mentioned looked completely puzzled. "Me?"
"We've had each other's backs since forever and then..." She sighed and sunk into the couch. "Suddenly, he's on Lucas's side, Mike's side, not MY side!" She pointed at her head. "He's smarter than to take their side, and yet..."
Max nodded in understanding. "He still sticks with them like your friendship meant nothing?"
Jane's eyes widened as she pointed at her again. "EXACTLY!"
Will could not believe his ears. His own friend and crush, saying HE betrayed HER?! He huffed, looking even more dumbfounded than before as he raised his arms up and put them down. "What's going on with you, Jane?" he muttered, depressed and disappointed as Lucas patted his back to comfort him.
Jane shifted herself so she could lay on her back, her legs crossed and behind Max. "What's with guys and acting like complete jerks for no reason?" Mike huffed, muttering-
"No reason?" Lucas pointed at him like he made a point and Will nodded.
Max chuckled, turning half her body towards her female friend. "It's all just a part of their species."
"SPECIES?!" all the boys shouted out, baffled and offended.
Jane laughed at that, much to Mike's dismay. "Species..."
Max shrugged. "Am I wrong?"
"YES!" all the boys answered.
Jane shook her head. "Nah, not really."
All of the boys scoffed at the same time.
However, the brown-haired tomboy looked thoughtful, eating another chip. "Mike's still special to me though. I just wish he'd cut the shit."
Mike scoffed again, shaking his head. "You cut the shit."
The redhead frowned. "Well, he did dump you."
Jane sighed. "I know, but-" She stopped when she suddenly froze up, eyes a bit wide.
Max looked concerned...and so did Mike. She got a little closer to her...and so did he.
Lucas and Will leaned forward a little more, concerned as well for their back-stabbing female friend.
To Max's surprise, to Mike's surprise, and everyone else's surprises...Jane belched...for a good ten seconds. Max got away from her and began to gag. Mike looked rather amused at what she did.
Lucas and Will looked at each other, having hushed laughs come out. "She hasn't done that since the 4th grade," Lucas whispered to his friend.
"I know," he whispered back. He remembered how disgusted he was then, and he still felt that now, despite not being there at the moment.
"Eeeeewwww!" Max exclaimed as she got off the couch and away from her.
Jane covered her mouth before laughing and sitting up. "That's not even the worst I've got."
The redhead nervously laughed, replying, "What do you mean by that...?" Mike looked curious, standing up at the same time she was.
Again, the two friends exchanged glances, Will's eyes wide as he whispered, "You think she's gonna...?"
Lucas grinned and answered, "That's what she told me before long ago." The auburn-haired boy wanted to gag, not ready to hear his crush do...that.
With a lift of her leg, she let out a fart that lasted for three seconds. Max looked even more grossed-out while Mike's jaw dropped and he covered his mouth to hide his laughing. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW!" she cried out before running away from her.
The rest of the boys heard that, Lucas looking amused and impressed and also holding a snicker while Will looked just as disgusted as Max was.
Jane began chasing after her, running right past Mike, shouting, "I'm gonna get you with my stink!"
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Mike couldn't hold in his laughter much longer...
So he took off his blindfold, looked at his friends, and began laughing. It didn't matter that he had a mild migraine and that his nose was bleeding, that...almost saved that entire conversation. He began laughing so hard, he tumbled onto the floor and held his gut. Lucas joined in, slapping his knee and letting it all out. Will began snickering, just because his friends were laughing, not because of what Jane did, which was A LOT more gross than her burping.
The laughter was cut short when they heard a car stop though. Mike sat up with wide eyes, Will and Lucas having wide eyes too. That sound only meant one thing:
Hopper was home.
The adults suddenly heard the girls running and laughing. Instantly, Terry got out of the kitchen to see her daughter and her friend looking happy and running around. So, she got over that situation? As long as she was happy...
She smiled a little, hoping Mike was okay too, but it was too late to check. As she was going to shout at the girls for running in the house, the door opened, revealing Kali and Steve. They looked puzzled when they heard the girls exclaiming things and running around upstairs, walking inside and the guy closing the door. "The hel-heck's going on?" Steve asked, censoring himself because Terry was there.
The woman kept her smile and answered, "Jane and Max are just having fun."
Kali looked at her mother. "So, she's okay now?" Steve looked at his girlfriend with a puzzled look as she nodded at her.
"I still think it wouldn't hurt to talk to her," she added. "She and Mike broke up today."
The teen couple looked surprised. "They did?" they asked synonymously, the woman nodding again.
"Never thought that could happen..." Steve whispered to Kali.
"Me neither," she whispered back before facing Terry. "Well, I'll do that when I have time." She nodded once again before the teen couple went upstairs, the teen girl shouting, "You two better not be messing up my room!" She heard the girls giggle and go, making the woman chuckle a little. At least things were coming back to normal.
Outside of the cabin, Hopper turned off the engine of his car and stumbled over to the cabin, drunk and looking quite hurt from the outcome of the night. He heard the locks unlock, cuing him to open the door. He stumbled in and sloppily closed the door behind him, rubbing his face in frustration. He then heard some talking, him looking at the door to his son's room with narrow eyes. "Heeeeeey..." he said, his voice a bit slurred. He then walked to the door in uneven steps. "When I say...three inches...I mean-" He opened the door and suddenly, he saw what he never expected:
Mike with Lucas and Will...playing a board game.
That sight was enough for him to sober up quick.
"Uh, do you knock?" Lucas asked, looking suspicious with his eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, we're in the middle of an important game," Will added, waving his arm above the D&D game board.
"Yeah, Pop," Mike also added, looking annoyed.
Jim looked like he was struck by lightning before pointing at them. "W-w-w-wait a minute..." He looked at the boys, clearly looking at him like he interrupted something big. He held up his hands in surrender and said, "I-I'm sorry. I thought..."
"Jane's not here," Will said.
Jim looked even more shocked than before. "She's...not?"
The boys shook their heads. "No," Lucas replied.
"The boys wanted to sleep over tonight," Mike told him. "Is that okay?"
He couldn't believe it.
He couldn't believe his goddamn ears...or eyes.
Jane wasn't here...Mike was with the boys...during a sleepover.
He slowly nodded and answered, "Yeah...yeah, yeah, of course." He then looked at Lucas and Will. "Your parents know about this?" They both nodded, though Will just left a note for his mother and older brother. He continued nodding, raising his arm up before putting it back down. "Uh, yeah, yeah, okay, it's cool, yeah...that's really cool."
The boys continued giving him the same looks, cuing him to get the hell out. He pointed back and said, "I'll just leave."
The boys nodded. "Yeah, you do that," Lucas said.
"I'll leave...I'll leave." He then left the room and closed the door, making the boys sigh in relief. Meanwhile, the police chief couldn't help but...smile at this predicament. He thought his evening was going to be shittier if Jane was back. He wasn't going to do anything to her if she was, but...it's just her and his son together and doing couple things and that would make him feel even more shittier about tonight.
Even though Terry will kick his ass for not having the talk...at least he could have some stress-free time to himself.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year! I hope this chapter was fine as a Christmas present. Any typos or mistakes I might've missed?
Hope it didn't weird you guys out that Dave and Hopper knew other. I figured since I made Dave lead the protests, they'd know each other well by that.
So...the boys peeping in on the girls talking. To be honest, it wasn't good that the girls did that either, so y'know. Hope I wrote that whole situation well. Also, we girls can be gross too. That's why I made Jane burp and fart. XD Hope you guys don't mind that!
I made Hopper more hurt and sad than pissed 'cause no, I won't accept that, he was getting away from that the last season. Sorry for rambling a bit there, but still, it's good to change him here because he WAS getting away from acting like that!
Review, follow, favorite, and I'll see you in the next chapter (next year, most likely)!