2

RAYA

"Raya?" Jonathan demanded. He ran to me and pulled me into a hug. "Are you okay?"

"Raya?" Bob and Joyce's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"I'm fine." I argued, pulling away from all of them. I walked over to Will and ruffled his hair. "How was your appointment?"

"Fine." He responded.

"Raya!" Mom called. "Raya, honey, wait!"

"I'm fine!" I headed towards my room but Mom got their before me. "Please don't."

"What happened?"

"I just got humiliated. I guess it's karma for not going to that dumbass lab."

I passed her and entered my room. It was quite chaotic. Paint and art supplies were everywhere. Almost completed canvases sat in different spots. My bed was dark and my sketchbook sat on it.

"Raya, honey, why didn't you call me?"

"Because I didn't want you to overract!" I shouted.

"Well you were bullied, its serious. How did you get here and why so late?"

"None of your business, Mom, please just leave me alone."

Then I slammed the door and collapsed on the bed. I felt like I was going to be sick.

After taking a very long shower, I threw on some pajamas and headed to the living room where the movie Mr. Mom was playing.

I took a seat next to Jonathan and he pulls me closer to him. I rested my head on his shoulder like I always did when I was younger. It just felt nice to have a bit of normalcy.

I looked at him to see him eyeing Bob who was sitting with Mom. I knew he didn't like Bob very much.

Suddenly, the phone went off, making me jump. Actually making everyone but Bob jump. I let out a heavy breath and tried to calm my beating heart.

I tried my best to focus on the movie but I couldn't. My mind kept wandering back to last year when I had been taken. The drive down to Hawkins with my dad, Lonnie. The arguing before I ran off and got attacked by a demogorgon. And then the terrifying Upside Down.

I didn't realize my hands were trembling and tears were gathering in my eyes until Jonathan put his hand over mine.

My head snapped to him and he looked sad and worried. He was going to say some thing but I cut him off.

"I'm fine!" I snapped, standing up and practically running to my room.

And then I just did some homework and listened to a variety of music. It was sometime in the night, and I couldn't fall asleep. I had heard Will leaving his room. And then I heard rumbling. I stood up and walked from my room and spotted Will walking towards the door.

Like we were in a trance, we both stopped at the same. Suddenly the door began to creak as it was slowly opened, revealing a view of a red sky and a huge shadow of a monster.

BILLY

I sat on the hood of my car, a cigarette hanging loosely in my mouth, and my mind stuck on Raya. She had shown up to school but she was quiet and even avoided her best friend, Steve, and twin brother, Jonathan.

In our classes she had been invested in drawing something I couldn't see. And her bullies kept harassing her.

"You're late again."

"Yeah, I had to get catch up homework." She responded as she approached my car.

"Jesus! I don't care. You're late again, and you're skating home. Do you hear me?" I threw my cigarette down and got in the car.

I turned on the car and the familiar engine roared. I switched gears and hurried off. I loved racing down the roads.

Wango Tango by Ted Nugent began to play on the radio.

"God this place is such a shithole."

"It's not that bad." Max argued.

"No?" I put the window down on her side and breathed in deeply and covered my nose with my fingers. "You smell that, Max? That's actually shit. Cow shit."

"I don't see any cows."

"Clearly you haven't met the high school girls."

Max put up the window and I thought about Raya. She wasn't like the high school whores, she was quiet, didn't seem to care about anything, natuarally pretty, and she didn't want Billy or any boy. Was she gay?

I scoffed. "So what, you like it here now?"

"No."

"Then why are you defending it?"

"I'm not."

"Sure sounds like it."

"It's just, we're stuck here, so..."

I looked at her. "You're right. We're stuck here. And whose fault is that?"

"Yours." She murmured, lowly and my head snapped back to her, my face angry.

"What'd you say?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.

"Nothing." Max said quickly.

"Did you say it's my fault?"

"No."

"You know whose fault it is. Say it." She didn't dare look at me. "Max." I called. I looked at her and yelled, "SAY IT!"

She didn't. I turned up the music, and began to drive even faster, more recklessly, not giving a care in the world. I was fueled by anger. Pure anger and she wanted to try me, I would show her.

I could see three boys up ahead riding on their bikes, dressed in nerdy Ghostbusters outfit.

"Billy, slow down." Max ordered. She sounded like Susan.

"Oh, these your new hick friends?"

"No!" Max snapped, quickly, too quickly. "I don't know them."

"I guess you won't care if I hit them then, huh? I get bonus points if I get em all in one go?"

"No, Billy stop! It's not funny!" Max responded, sounded scared. "Billy come on, stop it. It's not funny!"

I began to go even faster and the boys biked faster trying to get away from my lovely car.

"BILLY STOP IT!" Max screams, turning the wheel so they swerved around the boys who fell over on the side of the road.

"YEAH!" I yelled, fueled by the adrenaline and rage. "THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE, HUH?" I laughed crazily.

RAYA

I could see Billy doing the keg stand from the window in the main partying room. Nancy and Steve stood by a wall watching the chaos. And Jonathan was yet to leave his car and join the party.

I was dressed up in a bloody Hawkins cheerleader outfit that showcased my lower abdomen, most of my thighs and legs, and my arms. My hair was half up and half down, the top half in a bun, and I had some mascara on and Chuck Taylor's on my feet.

Shout At the Devil by Motley Crue blasted from the speakers and I was pretty intoxicated.

I heard cheers and people yelling Billy's name meaning he won. I rolled my eyes and stumbled to Steve, Nancy catching me.

"Good lord, Raya, your wasted."

"I got this pill and I drank some of that pure fuel." I slurred, giggling. I turned to Nancy. "Doesn't your boyfriend just look so hot?"

Nancy and Steve began talking but I didn't bother to focus on their words. I just sang to the words of the music and moved my body. I spotted Billy and instantly ran my eyes over his body. Steve and Nancy grew quiet as Billy and his little acquaintances came over to us. Tommy and some boy I didn't know began taunting Steve but Billy and I kept our eyes trained on each other.

Nancy left the toxic masculinity and got some of the drink before disappearing in the crowd. I pushed away from Steve and took Billy's hand.

"Where are we going, Princess?" He inquired, his breath tickling my neck.

"To dance."

We ended up dancing and drinking until I was too drunk and tired to even move. He picked me up and carried me to a nearby couch and set me down.

My mind was reeling and I could still feel his hands on me as we danced and danced.

"I'll be back." He whispered to me before heading off to the bathroom.

I watched him disappear and looked over to see Steve reenter the house. He came to me, a bottle of tequila in his hand.

"Jonathan took Nancy home." He murmured. "I can't even bring myself to drink this."

"Whatcha' want me to do about it?" I slurred.

"Go follow the person you like and-"

I stood up and walked towards the hallway. And then I ran right into a familiar bare chest. Billy's arms wrapped around my waist and he looked down at me confused.

But I took one look at his face and pressed my lips to his.