EIGHT
— what are you, a stalker?
SHE HAD BECOME one with her bedsheets— her long legs were tangled in the mess, and the pink blanket was pulled around her neck and wrapped over her arms. Her cheek sunk into the plush pillow, a pool of slobber collecting below her lips. She had sheet marks across her forehead, and they were clear to see now that the golden sun was pouring through the curtains and into her room. The cool, November air hovered over the trailer and seeped its way in so even the walls were cold to the touch. Ears perking as the birds outside chirped their sweet melodies, she stirred.
Lucy hated mornings.
Not even the baby pink sunrise made then likable. She frowned upon seeing the sunrise, in fact, it meant she lived to haul herself through another day— she was more of a sunset person. Blinking, Lucy's eyes watered at the light that shone through her open window; she groaned, snatching the pillow and pressed it over her head. It was morning, that she knew— but something was different. The television wasn't blaring, Jim wasn't grumbling outside her door, and it was a little too bright in her room.
"Are you awake?" she heard her brother speak from the doorway. Lucy stayed silent, body sinking deeper into the mattress. The floorboards creaked, and suddenly, a pillow was slammed down onto her body. "Wake up!"
Ripping the blanket away from her body, Lucy grumbled. "I'm awake, Jesus," she smacked the pillow in annoyance. "I'm awake."
"Yeah, well, I was startin' to think you were dead," Daniel widened his eyes. "I held bacon up to your nose and everything, your face didn't even twitch."
Brow furrowed, the girl spoke between yawns. "You already made breakfast?"
Blinking, he shifted his eyes towards his sister. "It's eleven o'clock."
"Eleven?!" the girl shot up, eyes wide. "Danny, it's Wednesday— we missed the first three periods."Glancing at the digital clock on her nightstand, evidence that her brother wasn't lying laid before her eyes. "Jesus, eleven o'clock."
Shrugging, he spoke. "You clearly could've used more sleep," he widened his eyes, gesturing to the mess that was his sister. "Not that serious, alright? We can get there for lunch."
She pushed her tangled hair out of her face and sighed. "If Ms. Daley gives me extra work for missing a day, I'm blaming you," Lucy pointed an accusing finger at Daniel. "Get out, you're stinking up my room."
"That's your breath," he quipped, the boyish grin on his lips falling at the hate filled glare that was sent his way. Socks sliding against the floor, Danny slammed his sisters bedroom door shut behind him.
The day had been dragging since the moment the sunlight danced in her eyes. Lucy's first straw was the fact that she had missed second period Art, one of the only classes that didn't make her want to rip her hair straight from her scalp. Next, the discovery that her sneakers hadn't dried overnight— she didn't expect them to, truly, but seeing them still dripping wet was enough to put a permanent frown on her lips. Begrudgingly, she opted to wearing Vans, though they barely fit. Lucy was dormant with complaints until she saw her best friend— something about the frown on Nancy's lips was the icing in the fucking cake.
She was distraught over Barb being gone from school, Lucy understood. Something could've been wrong, yes, but it was more likely that she had caught a cold waiting for Nancy last night. Fighting the gnawing feeling that something was off, Lucy dismissed her friend— she was the one who had ditched them last night.
Lucy was running on autopilot. She had barely spoken to Nancy, she felt like she hadn't slept, and all she had to do now was wait for the basketball game to be over. With one of Will's missing posters in her hands, she blinked when the stapler made a clicking noise. Just as a yawn emitted her lips, Lucy's ears perked at the sounds of bickering from down the parking lot.
Her long hair flowed behind her back when she spun around. Hazel eyes scanning across the parking lot, Lucy found the source of the familiar voices— Steve and his friends surrounded Jonathan Byers. Her chest constricted at the stressed look on Jonathan's face; his bag being in Tommy's hands was even more concerning, though.
"Luce," Nancy's voice was small. She observed the scene from where she stood by the phone booth. "Look."
Her feet were working faster than her brain. The missing fliers still clutched in her left hand, Lucy tread slightly downhill to reach the parking lot. Brow furrowed, Lucy shook her head. "What's happening?"
Arms crossed over her chest, Nancy emerged from behind her best friend. "Steve," the girl muttered. "What's going on?"
Tommy kissed his teeth. Through a chuckle, he gestured between the girls before him. "Here's our starring lady," he pointed to Nancy. Brown eyes then shifting to Lucy, he raised a brow. "And the supporting cast."
"What?" she was taken aback at Tommy's words.
Carol leaned back onto Jonathan's car. "This creep was spying on us last night," she said lowly, eyes wide. "He was probably going to save these for later." She extended an arm towards the brunettes in front of her, blue eyes watching as each girl hesitantly took the photos from her hand.
Her face fell. Each photo was grainy, but she could make out herself; the first photo was of Lucy looking for her Converse after Steve had tossed it into the bushes. She had a crooked smile on her lips, eyebrows pulled together in concentration as she scanned the area for her shoe. When Jonathan took the photo, his camera must have been so close to Lucy— for no reason at all, it was enough to make her stomach churn.
She was in two other photos. With the bathroom curtains drawn, Lucy's silhouette was seen in the window. It was a picture of her side profile, and she very clearly wasn't clothed— a frown tugged on her lips. Flipping over to the next photo, it was the same scenery, but she was screaming at Steve to leave the bathroom. "Oh," the words left her lips in barely a whisper. "Jonathan..."
"You can tell he knows it's wrong, but that's the thing about perverts. It's hardwired into them," Steve moved closer to the other boy. "They just can't help themselves." He began to tear up one of the pool photos, shaking his head.
She watched it all unfold. With a smirk on his lips, Steve started towards Tommy. He took the brown bag in his hands, grabbed the camera, and took it out for all to see. "We'll just have to take away his toy."
Jonathan's face twitched. "No, please," his voice cracked as he begged. "Not the camera."
"Harrington," she said lowly, unsure of how to react. With her arms folded over her chest, Lucy shook her head. "Don't."
Looking down on Lucy, Steve blinked. He shifted his gaze back towards the boy and extended an arm. "Here you go, man." As Jonathan was about to reach for the camera, Steve let the camera roll off his fingers. Lucy winced, screwing her eyes shut before she could see the device on the ground in pieces.
Heavy silence lingered. Jonathan was breathing heavily, eyes glued to what was left of his camera. Tommy snickered, Carol popped her gum, and Steve brushed his hands off. The silence was broken when the double doors to the school opened. "Steve, come on!" Daniel's voice traveled through the parking lot. He wore his basketball uniform, and his face was full of distress. "The games about to start!"
He nodded, swiftly moving past Nancy and Lucy. Motioning for them to follow, he spoke. "Let's go."
Shaking her head, Lucy scoffed. "You are such an asshole, Steve," her lips twitched into a frown as Jonathan ducked down to collect the pieces of his camera. "Jesus, you didn't have to do that."
Steve rolled his eyes. "What was I supposed to do?" the boy spoke. "He had photos of you in there."
Lucy stayed silent, only crossing her arms over her chest and looking up at Nancy to read the emotions on her face; but there was nothing. Her friend was staring aimlessly at the floor with an unreadable expression. If she really looked, though, there was a hint of sadness in Nancy's eyes— pity for Jonathan.
"You heard your brother," Steve spoke firmly. "Game about to start, come on."
Glancing down at the missing fliers she still held, Lucy chest tightened. Shoving them in her backpack, the girl shook her head. "I have to babysit," she spoke, just loud enough for Steve to hear. "I'll see you guys later."
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short chapter bc school is killing me 😔
someone tell me why i'm obsessed with avatar rn?? blue creatures?? and i'm immersed by them?? hello
alr i love u guys bye