BASKET CASE | mike wheeler

prologue

a/n : the prologue is bland, nondescript trash on purpose, the writing in the rest of the book of is actually readable, i promsie

bye, bye, baby | pre-the vanishing of will byers

〖 bye, bye, baby, baby goodbye 〗

↬•↫

"WHERE DID you say you were going this time?" Lucas quizzed from his position on the office chair in front of Caleb's desk, not glancing up from the comic in his hands.

"Some place in Connecticut - Hartford, I think." Caleb shrugged, frowning and crouching down to look under his bed. "Anyone seen my bracelet?"

"You probably left it in the bathroom again." Mike offered absently, watching Dustin attempt to solve Caleb's Rubik's Cube with mild interest.

Caleb ducked his head into the en suite attatched to his bedroom, snatching his frayed leather bracelet off the counter where he had, in fact, left it after taking it off while he was in the shower that morning - even though he had showered the night before. His parents were big on making good first impressions whenever he got sent to a new institution.

Caleb didn't understand why, he always looked like shit by the time he got back and they were rarely there when he left.

"Connecticut's pretty cool, I went camping there once with the Know-Where scouts." Dustin tried to lighten the situation, swearing lowly when he realised that the side he had just completed would have to be dismantled if he wanted to complete the yellow side. "Son of a bitch!"

"It's not cool, it's preppy. Everyone there is so uptight." Caleb complained, tying the leather around his right wrist and tightening it with his teeth. "Besides," he released the bracelet string from his mouth, wincing at the taste of worn wool that stained his tongue, "I'm only there for three weeks. It's not like I'm going to have to get used to it or something."

"You're supposed to only be there for three weeks." Lucas corrected matter-of-factly, spinning the chair around with his foot to face him. "If you have another breakdown you could be there for months."

"Shut up, Lucas." Mike rolled his eyes, turning to Caleb with an apathetic look. "Just don't go off your meds again, keep away from the other nutjobs and you'll be back before you know it." He sent a wry glance to the blood-stained bandage peeking out of Caleb's left sleeve. "And stay the hell away from sharp objects."

"Yeah, Caleb, listen to your mother."

"Shut up, Lucas!"

Dustin and Caleb shared a laugh, shaking their heads at their friends' antics when a sudden crash came from outside Caleb's bedroom door.

"Sorry I'm late!" Will Byers came barreling into the room, almost sliding across the wooden floor on his socked feet - even though Caleb's parents weren't home, Will still insisted on leaving his shoes at the front door per Mrs. Moore's wishes - as he tugged his life reserver jacket off frantically. "Chester started throwing up all over the place so Jonathan had to take him to the vet on the way here-"