𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞

𝟕.

Will Byers - 23:54

I'm sat in the back seat, watching as raindrops roll down the car's window. If I'm being honest, I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm absolutely terrified. I mean- randomly leaving in the middle of the night to go to California?

I feel something on my hand and turn to the direction that the touch is coming from, and I'm greeted with Mike's hand reaching over Holly, unconsciously slouching in between us, and resting over mine.

"It's gonna be alright, okay? We already told your parents and the school." He assures me as if I make my worries obvious. Do I?

I nod and look down at our hands with a gulp, and he quickly removes it from me when he notices.

"Sorry." Mike says.

"Why?" I ask scoffing, even though I get why.

"I dunno- that was weird."

"Weird?" I smile at him and he returns it, shrugging in agreement.

"I guess you're right. Why would it be weird?"

"... Totally." I reply softly, looking another direction as the speed of the cab increases. After a minute of silence, it gets interrupted when Mrs Wheeler, from the row in front of us, turns her head towards us with a smile.

"Are you kids getting hungry? I have a casserole if you want." She suggests, and I turn to Mike for his reaction. "We have to go all the way to Louisville since the flight in Indianapolis is cancelled. It's gonna be a longer ride than planned."

"I could eat." He looks back at me, suggesting that I do too.

"Okay. Thank you Mrs Wheeler." I beam at her and she gives us each a tupperware box with a casserole slice inside. It looks amazing, and maybe that's because I'm used to my crappy cooking but anyway-

"So, why are we going to California?" I ask, digging my fork into the casserole for a bite.

"S'for my re-election campaign." I hear Mike's dad say beside Mrs Wheeler. "They wanna interview Michael as well so we had to bring him and apparently, he wanted to take... you along." He continues, the last part in an almost disapproving manner.

I just awkwardly look down at my hands which are fidgeting with each other, like they normally would do in an uncomfortable situation like this.

"Dad, can you not?" Mike sneers before rolling his eyes and turning his gaze to the view outside of the cab.

I've lost my appetite.

I place the tupperware box on the table behind Mrs Wheeler's seat, looking out of the window.

Mike Wheeler

"Dad, can you not?" I roll my eyes. Geez, why does dad have to be such a dick...? I don't even see his problem with Will - he's a great person and can also be very professional when needed, which is an extra plus! So I don't get why dad is being so petty. It's as if he only wants me to be friends with assholes like Troy and Lucas. What does he see in them?

I mean, he only met them like twice, and I only ever mention Will to him occasionally, and maybe talk about him in a way that...

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

He isn't getting any ideas, is he? Lately, dad's been extra cold to me and I've struggled to understand why.

I remember a time we were driving past a rural street and I saw this guy getting beaten up, by a gang I assume, and they were calling him bad names and slurs. I looked at my dad for his reaction, obviously sympathetic for that guy. But he just smirked. Smirked in a psychotically sadistic, smug way as if the boy deserved what he got.