My foot bounces in the air to the rhythm, head bobbing as I hum along to my new favorite song, "I Hate Myself For Loving You," by Joan Jett. It was a little weird in some ways- raspy and dark. But it wasn't so unfamiliar that I felt Eddie-fied. I was flipping through a magazine, gathering information about Joan Jett, who she was, how she looked, what she thought. She seemed kick ass.
I'd given into the cassettes only a couple hours after the trip out, and I pulled out my collection of magazines shortly after. Surely, I had thought, there was no way I completely ignored this new artist- but I did. I had completely ignored her the last couple of times I'd read over my magazines. It was probably her style- I wasn't used to giving people with that type of style a second thought. But she seemed really, really cool, despite it.
Around 7 I'd puttered to the kitchen to conjure up some sort of sustenance. Though I knew I was alone, I glanced around a bit, as if I was being observed by some unsee-able force. Then, content that no one was seeing me at present, I took a spoonful of cereal, followed by a chug of milk straight from the carton. This was my dinner, and I continued until I really couldn't swallow anymore milk.
At 7:30 it was time to lay in bed on my back and stare at the ceiling, trying to relax but reminding myself over and over that I could spend that time doing my homework. I groaned, wiping my face with my hands to smooth out the lines I was sure were creasing my expression. Then, I heard a familiar sound- the rev of a BMW in the driveway. I stretched my arms above my head, allowing myself to forget about the homework, just for now. I slipped on some pink slippers and padded down the stairs.
When I reached the landing, I could hear Steve shouting outside- at someone, it sounded like. I wrapped a jacket around my shoulders, unlocking and opening the door to peak out.
"La," Steve breathed, only half of his body out of the car, "Get your ass in the car."
"...What?" I merely responded, brow creasing. "Dude, it's, like, almost 8-"
Steve looked tired, but it was hard to tell, because over-top of that, he looked absolutely frantic. "I don't care if you never do again, but this once- right now- just once in your life can you trust me and get in the damn car without a detailed argument about it?"
I glanced to the back seat, which- for whatever reason- housed three children, all watching me with mixed reactions. It was a much weirder sight than who I thought he might have been arguing with, Nancy Wheeler. The three were fighting amongst themselves, and I allowed myself to imagine being in that car for longer than ten minutes. The thought didn't sound appealing.
"But I'm in my slippers," I pouted simply, shrugging my shoulders as if to say, 'oh well, too bad, so close.'
"Just get in the car!" One of the kids finally screams, and I jump.
In the most surprising turn of events, I find myself seated beside Steve in the front seat while the three younger teenagers' voices disputed over-top of each other behind me. I tucked my legs under myself, wondering what could possibly bring me into this situation. Steve wasn't exactly giving me much to go off of- he had said he didn't want to explain to me unless he had to. That I should "remain blissfully unaware while I could." But here I was, tucked snugly in his car, when I could have been giving one of the other cassettes a go. I didn't feel blissfully unaware. I felt kidnapped, annoyed and left out of the loop.
"What are we doing?" I finally beg again, but Steve throws his hands up exaggeratedly.
"You can't just leave it alone, can you? You've always gotta know everything!"
"I like it that way, yes," I snipped, crossing my arms defensively.
"She's just like you," The boy with the curls that had yelled at me laughed. "God, that's gotta get annoying in a karmic kind of way,"
"I just don't want you home alone right now. Ok?" Steve shook his head, ignoring that last comment, jaw tense.
"Why-y-y?" I pressed harder, drawing out the word in a frustrated sort of way.
The car rammed to a slide, my neck whipping at the collision. Steve gained his bearings surprisingly quick, still running off of some type of adrenaline- and I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fuzz that overtook my sight momentarily. Before it came back there were rapid declarations and screaming, hands shaking my seat in desperation.
"Turn the windshield wipers on!" The other boy begged, his voice coming out in a whimper-y squeal.
As soon as my vision cleared, I gripped at my head, groaning. I felt like I'd been hit with a bat. Then, my sight focused on what we'd hit- still latched to the front of the car.
I released a screech so high pitched I wouldn't be surprised if a dog could hear it. My body shot backwards in my seat before I could even translate what I was seeing, and I fumbled to crawl back with the other three while keeping my eyes on the creature. Holy shit, what the fuck, holy shit, what the fuck, holy shit. I held the scream, my arm collapsing beneath me after I chose an unsteady place to rest it. I dragged myself farther back, the kids now helping pull me as Steve began to turn the windshield wipers on. Eventually I ran out of breath, but in between each breath another squawk came out, my eyes wide and glassy with complete terror.
My throat began hurting, and in a desperate sort of way, I clung to the arms of the strangers I'd fallen back with. Steve gave up on the wipers, and was now picking up speed at an alarming rate.
"What the hell are you doing?" The only other girl in the group questioned tensely.
Steve grabbed the 'oh shit' handle overtop of his head. "Shut up, shut up, shut up,- just grab onto something- grab onto Lana-"
I all but wept aloud at that comment, scrambling with no dexterity to squeeze myself low behind the front seat, banging various body parts clumsily into metal car parts and gripping at the floor with all of my might. I was beginning to feel lightheaded, and all I could do now was openly, brashly sob, my yowling the main chorus of this horrible, horrible song.
"You're gonna give your sister an aneurysm!" The curly boy yelled, his raspy voice filled with anger and fear.
"You're- gonna give me- an aneurysm," I agreed with broken sobs.
"Hold on tight!" Steve reminded, and just as we'd all clung to our posts in time, he slammed on the breaks- hard.
The squeal of the tires lasted for at least a long 10 seconds as we came to a halt. The creature immediately flung off the front of the windshield and rolled forward onto the pavement, chittering in pain. Without any time to let it think, Steve slammed on the gas again, rolling right over it's head. I yelped as the car bounced in adjustment.
Tear-streaked eyeliner had stained my cheeks, my face red, puffy and throbbing as I continued to whimper in the back. I began to actually process what the hell I'd just witnessed- the flower-like shape of it's open mouth shrilly chittering and shrieking at our group through the windshield. What the hell was going on?
"Steve I wanna go home," I sobbed, clutching my sides for support.
Now, the kids in the car watched me with varying degrees of pity and annoyance. As if we hadn't almost just been eaten by a mystery creature, the redheaded girl spoke up.
"Maybe this wasn't the best person we could have picked up for support," She mumbled. The curly one gave her a look, but she only doubled down, voice tilting quieter. "What? Everyone was thinking it…"
"Lana, I'm so sorry," Steve sighed, way too calm given the scenario. I watched him, wild-eyed. "But I thought it would be safer for you to come with us than, I don't know- sit home alone."
"Is the world finally ending?" I howl, tucking my face into my knees, "God damn it- not yet- I'm still half a virgin-!"
"Woah! TMI!" Steve responds aggressively, looking to the children through the rear-view mirror wearily.
"Half?" The dark-skinned boy questions, looking concerned, disgusted and perplexed, "How are you half?"
"The fucking world is ending and I'm stuck in a car with a bunch of babies!" I scream, clutching clumps of hair as I choke on my own tears.
"Hey! I'm 13! Basically 14!" The curly boy defends. A chorus of agreement follows him from the other two.
"Oh, god, I think I'm going into shock," I mumble suddenly, and I have to lay down into a ball on the floor of the car.
"...this is a little embarrassing." The darker boy states quietly.
"Someone explain shit to me right now before I strangle one of you!" I hiss, my body tingling, and a dangerously feral tone taking over.
"That was a Demogorgon!" Dustin rushes, palms outstretched in an offering of peace. "Hawkins has a government lab that somehow leaks those creatures into our town."
I shake my head, moaning, the concept way too much to handle. I feel like my brain is leaking out onto the floor. It's like I've died and gone to hell. And everyone was being way too calm.
"Why was it chasing you?!" I croak, watery eyes pinched.
"Technically, it wasn't." Steve responded, giving me an apologetic look in the rear-view mirror. "We're driving towards the lab now, where they're headed."
"Why are we doing that!?" I croak, my hands going to cover my eyes.
"Because," The darker boy frowned, "Our friends could be there- and if they are, they're in danger."
I sit still for a long time, except for my back, which heaves from my tears. My hands cover my face as I blubber to myself, sniffling and wiping at the tears. It takes a good while, but eventually I manage to only sniffle, my lip still quivering- I would still very much break down into inextinguishable tears at any given wrong answer.
"So what are we expected to do to save them?" I snap, looking between the four of them for guidance. They all look away from me, as if they hadn't expected me to ask that. Or considered it themselves. Even Steven.
"Oh, great, yeah." I responded croakily with a humorless laugh. "Great plan, guys. Thank you so much for taking me along to keep me safe. Against my will!"
The ride to the lab is a pitiful one, as I'm basically hysterical the entire way there.