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After the events of the previous day, the dynamics among the group were shifting, particularly between Max and Cassidy. Max's sudden niceness caught Cassidy off guard, creating an air of confusion. With the news circulating about Eddie supposedly murdering people, the group, aware of the real situation, had to adjust their plans to help him. Now, on the way to Skull Rock, they walked in pairs: Dustin and Steve, Robin and Nancy, Theodore and Lucas, and Cassidy and Max.

Max expressed frustration about the changing directions, but Cassidy seemed distracted. "Hey. You okay?" Max asked softly, trying to bridge the gap. However, Cassidy responded coldly, "I'm fine," leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging between them. Max, sensing the tension, bit her lip nervously, unsure of how to navigate the complexities that had surfaced among the group.

Max observed Lucas and Theodore bonding, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Well, looks like Lucas and Theodore are definitely friends now," she chuckled lightly. Cassidy, catching the implication in Max's words, rolled her eyes, recognizing the teasing undertone.

"Well, stop thinking about shipping them. Theo and Will are back together," Cassidy snapped at Max, the words carrying a sharp edge. Max, taken aback, responded with a hesitant, "Okay," attempting to navigate the sudden hostility. The red-headed girl abruptly stopped in her tracks, and Cassidy scoffed, mirroring the halt in movement.

"What's wrong now, princess?" Cassidy smirked maliciously, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Max, wearing a confused expression, questioned her, to which Cassidy replied with another taunting remark. "This isn't you, Cassidy. It's like... when Vecna took over you for a minute, you turned cold and mean," Max observed, expressing her concern about the noticeable shift in Cassidy's demeanor.

Cassidy scoffed, attempting to walk away, but Max gently grabbed her arm. "Cassidy, please. I'm sorry I— I pushed you away. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you were trying to," Max pleaded, a sincere apology in her words as she sought to mend the growing rift between them.

Cassidy shook her head lightly, dismissing Max's apology. "Well, it's sorta your fault," she snapped, the words carrying a harsh edge. She glared at Max and yanked her arm out of Max's grip, choosing to distance herself by shadow leaping away. Max's eyes welled up with tears, recognizing the pain behind Cassidy's harsh words. Theodore and Lucas exchanged a sad look, sensing the deepening divide within their group.

Cassidy shadow jumped to Steve and Dustin, who reacted with fearful squeals. "Nerds," she muttered with an eye roll, adding a touch of bitterness to her departure. The atmosphere among the group grew heavier, weighed down by unresolved emotions and fractured connections.

They soon found Skull Rock. "Haha! Found it! In your face, Henderson!" Steve snarked, reveling in the victory. Cassidy rolled her eyes at his comment. "Doesn't make sense," Dustin muttered, expressing confusion. Frustrated, Cassidy sighed and moved near a rock. "Yeah, yeah. Even with it staring you in the face, you can't admit it. Can't admit you're wrong, you butthead," she retorted, a hint of annoyance evident in her response.

Cassidy screamed, cutting Steve off, when she felt arms wrap around her. "Shush, Sinclair twin! It's just me, Eddie!" Eddie exclaimed as Cassidy shoved him off. She exhaled, putting her hand on her chest. "You jerk!" she punched Eddie's shoulder, causing him to wince in pain, rubbing his arm. "I concur, you, Dustin Henderson, are a... total butthead," Eddie added.

Dustin shoved Cassidy out of his way, prompting a huff from her. "Jesus, we thought you were a goner," Dustin told Eddie, a mix of relief and frustration evident in his tone.

Cassidy raised her hand. "Nah, he wasn't. I checked on him in the void like ten minutes ago. He was hiding in a tree," the Sinclair girl informed him with a small shrug. Dustin gave her a disbelieving look. "Wh— What? Why didn't you tell me?" he stammered, expressing surprise and mild frustration as Cassidy simply shrugged in response.

—

"When I got to shore, I tried calling you guys, but, uh..." Eddie paused, taking a sip of alcohol. "My walkie was busted, man. Drenched. So, uh, I did the thing that I do now, apparently. I ran," he explained with a sarcastic smile and a slight chuckle, narrating the series of events that led to his unexpected disappearance and subsequent return.

Cassidy leaned against a tree as Theodore nudged her in the side. "You good?" he asked, concern in his eyes. She gave him a look. "I'm fine," she answered plainly. Max gave Theodore a sympathetic look. The night before, when they all bunked at the Wheelers again, Cassidy had snuck into the basement as Karen wasn't aware she was back yet.

However, she experienced a random nosebleed and later had a nightmare about Max.

It was a vivid recollection of their time at the graveyard when Max was almost taken by Vecna, but in this dream, Max died. Cassidy had woken up in a cold sweat and with a pounding headache.

"Do you know what time this was? The attack?" Nancy questioned him. "Yeah, no, I... I know exactly what time it was," Eddie nodded, taking the watch off his wrist and handing it to Nancy. "My walkie wasn't the only thing that got soaked," he added, alluding to the incident and the impact it had on his belongings.

Nancy nodded, looking at the time on the watch. "9:27."

"Same time that thing possessed Cassidy."

Eddie's eyes widened slightly, and he glanced at Cassidy, who looked away quickly. "Which means what, exactly?" Steve asked, seeking clarification. "That Vecna was not only possessing Cassidy, but he killed Patrick at the same time," Theo explained, the revelation hanging heavy in the air.

Dustin shook his head. "No. Vecna possessed Cassidy, but Mildred killed Patrick," he clarified, offering a different perspective. Cassidy gave him a look. "What?!" she exclaimed, surprised by the revelation.

"I wanted to tell you this Cass, but Max wouldn't let me. Mildred contacted me through my cerebo the day you went to California and she told me to stop trying to get her back and she's working with him."

Cassidy's eyes widened. "Great! Thanks, Max, for not fucking telling me!" she yelled, glaring at Max. "I was just—" Max attempted to explain, but Cassidy cut her off. "Save it!" Cassidy shouted, frustration evident in her tone. Theodore sighed, acknowledging the tension within the group. "Well, we're one step closer. We know how Vecna—and Mildred I guess—attacks," Robin shrugged, trying to steer the conversation toward the collective goal. Max bit her lip nervously, sensing the impact of her omission on the team dynamic. "And where he attacks from," Theodore added, emphasizing the importance of the newfound knowledge in their fight against Vecna.

"So now we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart," Max suggested. Cassidy gave her an incredulous, almost insane look. "If he has a heart," she added, acknowledging the complexity and uncertainty surrounding Vecna's nature.

"A sfale? Is he like a vamp? Is he a vampire?"

"It was a metaphor," Max explained to Steve. Eddie chimed in, "A bullet should work on him, right?" Cassidy scoffed, dismissing the suggestions. "All these ideas are stupid! Me and Theodore can take him down with our powers," she asserted, confident in the capabilities of their unique abilities.

Eddie gasps. "Thats right! Steve and Dustin told me about you and your superpowers."

Cassidy hummed with an annoyed look.

—

Dustin delivered a speech, expressing concern about the Compass being wrong, and the group discovered a small snack-size gate. They followed it to Lovers Lake, where the older teens decided to venture into the Upside Down, leaving the younger teens at the shore.

"Ugh. When'd Steve get so hairy?" Lucas gagged, peering through binoculars as Dustin chuckled softly. "Right? I keep telling him he needs to tame that jungle, but he claims the ladies dig it," he added, sharing a light moment amid the tense situation.

"Who would even dig it?" Theodore muttered, expressing his disbelief, as Lucas smiled at him. "Let me see," Max said, taking the binoculars from Lucas and looking through them. Cassidy felt a twinge of jealousy, prompting her to see for herself. She closed her eyes, focusing herself into the void.

"Oh my god," Theodore cringed, groaning when he saw Cassidy's nose bleed, signaling the strain on her powers.

The Sinclair girl saw Steve shirtless in the void. She laughed, opening her eyes as Max, Theodore, Lucas, and Dustin all gave her a look. "Holy shit, Steve is fucking hot, and I'm saying that as a bisexual that likes girls more! But he needs to shave his chest," she exclaimed. Max furrowed her eyebrows, and Theodore's eyes widened. "I thought two years ago you said you were lesbian?" Theodore asked as she rolled her eyes. "There's something called—Exploring your sexuality—dumbass," she snarked, leaving Theodore with an arched eyebrow.

"Geez," he raised his hands in a half-surrender gesture as Dustin snickered. The group navigated a mix of humor and tension as they ventured further into the Upside Down.

Max huffed. "So, you went into the void just to see him shirtless?" she asked with a hint of jealousy in her tone. Cassidy exhaled, turning to Max and grabbing her chin. "You jealous, sweetheart?" Cassidy whispered into Max's ear with a smirk, causing Max to blush intensely.

Theodore and Lucas's eyes widened slightly as Dustin got distracted watching Steve jump into the water. "Alright, can you guys not right now?" Theodore quipped with an eye roll. Cassidy pursed her lips, moving to Theodore's side. "What, you missin' Will too much right now, darling?" she taunted, eliciting a look from Theodore.

"What's with you calling people cute names right now—?" Lucas questioned, raising an eyebrow as his sister Cassidy shrugged with a taunting grin. Laughter lingered among the group, temporarily distracting them until the abrupt sound of police officers' radios echoed in the distance. The five teens turned around to see flashlights approaching. "Down by the water!" a stern voice bellowed.

"Shit! Down!" Cassidy whispered urgently, grabbing Max's hand and leading her behind a fallen log. Lucas, quick on his feet, wrapped his arm around Theodore's waist, pulling him with him into a concealed spot. The tension rose as they heard the officers closing in.

"We can't let them find Eddie," Theodore whispered urgently as Max nudged Cassidy. Cassidy gave her a look, and Max responded with a wink. "Stay with me," Max whispered, standing up, putting her backpack on, and waving her hand. "Hey, officers!" she called out, trying to divert their attention away from the hidden Eddie.

The group held their breath, uncertain of the outcome as Max bravely stepped into the spotlight, attempting to create a distraction and protect Eddie from being discovered.

"Max!" Lucas scolded.

Cassidy swiftly stood up, a sense of urgency in her movements as she assessed the situation. "Over here! We found the killer! This way!" she yelled alongside Max, grabbing her hand to emphasize the urgency. "Okay, you three, hold onto one another. I'm about to speed us out of here," Cassidy instructed, turning to Lucas, Theodore, and Dustin. They nodded in understanding, quickly forming a tight grip on each other.

Cassidy, fueled by the need to protect Eddie and her friends, took a deep breath and channeled her speed ability. The woods blurred around them as she propelled the group forward. Despite not having extensively practiced this particular power, Cassidy pushed herself to the limit, navigating through the Upside Down with a determination to outpace any potential threat that might be closing in on them. The tense escape continued as they raced through the unknown terrain.

Cassidy, drained and pushing her abilities to the limit, felt her nose drip blood as she tripped over a branch. She dropped to the ground just as the police officers caught up to them while attempting to help her up. "Hey there," one of the officers greeted.

—

ash speaks !

you guys might hate me in the next chapter. but this is what happens when you base max n cassidy on my relationship w my ex..