𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞

𝟒𝟖.

Mon. 17th February 1986 | 12:13pm

Today has been so weird so far. I haven't seen Will or Dustin or Lucas since I've come back to school even though it's thirteen minutes past lunch time. Normally I'd see all of them on the table that we sit at but they're nowhere to be seen. I awkwardly look around the crowded cafeteria in attempt to spot them, but I can't find them anywhere.

I sigh in defeat and just sit down. If they see me, they'll come sit with me and it'll be fine.

I hesitantly scan my surroundings as I eat my food, noticing that people keep looking at me as they walk by.

Shit...

What did I expect? Of course what happened at Valentines Day was going to go around. Dad is stuck in court and it's all over the news. I cant even imagine what will happen if he passes trial. He'll be back home and things will be worse, or better... I honestly don't know.

Joyce Byers is his attorney and I don't even know what I wish for. I don't know if I want her to defend him so poorly that he'll be sent back to his cell, or if I want her to get him out of there.

What he did sucks, but I keep forgetting that his reasoning is valid.

Liking boys is not okay.

That's a fact and all he did was remind me of that.

I lower my gaze back down to my food and stare a little before sighing and placing my spoon down.

I've lost my appetite.

I get up and pick up my tray, throwing the remains of my food into the nearest trashcan before adjusting my blazer and walking out of the cafeteria. I'm sure the other guys could find me at the hallway too — I'm only going to my locker, after all.

There's still over forty minutes until lunch ends but it's clear that there isn't anything I can do. Well— other than finish up homework Mr Kowalski assigned the class. He's my least favourite teacher for sure, but he's also the most strict and I have him next period.

I approach my locker and enter the combination into the lock before it opens and I briefly trail my eyes over the interior in search for my textbook and notebook. I furrow my eyebrows, caught off guard when a small piece of paper falls from the locker. One of my brows lift slightly as I lean down to pick it up before opening it.

And that's when my heart drops.

'Faggot'.

No, no, no...

Shit.

This is what I've feared.

I turn around assuming that I'd see the person who wrote this down, and blink when suddenly there's a large group of boys surrounding me, pointing and laughing at me.

"You deserve what you got!"

"Fucking fairy!"

"Gay bitch!"

"I expected more from you!"

I shift my gaze between all of the boys with my lips trembling.

Shit... don't cry.

My breathing becomes heavy as I just continue to look at all of the boys, inhaling shakily when Will comes to sight. But he isn't trying to help. Not that I expect him to of course, but he doesn't even look upset about it. He's laughing. Laughing at me. And so are Dustin and Lucas who appear from behind him.

Even though I wish I could stop myself, the tears falling from my eyes become inevitable.

No...

I have nobody.

Not even Will Byers. The boy that helped me realise the disgusting way I am in the first place.

"No... no..." I mumble to myself, lowering my gaze to the ground and covering my ears with my hands.

"No..." I repeat, closing my eyes and allowing more tears to fall.

It can't get any worse than this.

"No, no, no, no!!!" I continue to shout out with my eyes shut and ears muffed, hoping that the moment will end quicker if I shut all of the sound out.

But it's just worse.

I can still hear what everyone is saying, except it's in a distorted, disturbing voice, and my own voice shouting 'no' is echoing in my head, making my headache even worse.

I can feel my loud and raggedy heartbeat booming around my body, my lungs begging for air but it's not being delivered.

Suddenly, I can't hear anything and everything goes black.

————————————————————

"Mike... Mike!"

To Be Continued...

a.n. OMG I'm so sorry that it's delayed AND that it's shorter than my chapters normally are 😭 it's just a little rushed since this whole week I need to study (again smh) and I'll be available after school on Thursday— I didn't want you all to wait that long and so I'm sorry about that<33

mae<3