CHAPTER ONE;
WILDFIRES.

the whispers weren't just rumors. no, they were the unbearable truth. perhaps that's why she couldn't escape everyone's talks -- because you can't hide from the truth.

by the end of first period on this slow monday, over half of her school was well aware of the weekend's drama. similar to wildfire, news travels fast in high school.

and to make things worse, her peers were relishing in the juicy gossip, not bothering to put themselves in her shoes for even a second. but why would they? why would anyone care how she felt when adding fuel to the fire was just so simple?

sure, their stares were filled with pity for the brokenhearted sixteen-year-old, but that didn't stop them from cupping a hand and whispering it to their locker neighbor or passing a note to their lab partner.

she tried her hardest to ignore it all, but that didn't change the fact that it was all true.

troy harrington cheated on el hopper with shelly braswell.

the devastated teenager couldn't even differentiate her pain because it was just too great, too consuming. she didn't know which of them hurt her more. the boy she'd fallen so hopelessly for over the course of the past eight months, or her best friend since sixth grade.

she was just relieved the day was finally over, and she could return to her tissue-filled bedroom to add to the impressive collection.

she closed the front door, thankful that her dad and step-mom were both at work and her step-brother was most likely with his friends.

el's back rested against the wood paneling, and her frame shook with her first cry of the day. she was absolutely sick of crying, but it seemed crying wasn't sick of her.

she still couldn't believe the turn her simple life had taken in a matter of days. how she went from being so happy and content to so broken and uncertain. the two people she relied on most, aside from her step-brother (whom she considered to be her real brother), had betrayed her in the evilest way imaginable.

for all she knew, it could've been transpiring for weeks, months even. she didn't quite get a chance to catch all the gory details saturday night when she went to his house to surprise him and caught them between the thrones of passion.

inhaling deeply, she wiped her tear and headed up the stairs to her room. she knew will would be home pretty soon, and there's no way he didn't hear about the traumatic events during school. yesterday she had been able to just hide in her room, claiming to have a severe case of menstrual cramps and it worked at keeping her family far enough away from her soft whimpers, but now she was almost certain her brother would inform her parents.

and on cue, as she approached her bedroom, she heard the front door open. "el?" will's soft voice called throughout their home. she sighed and unwillingly turned around. her caramel colored locks appear back at the top of the stairs in moments. "why didn't you tell me?" his soft voice beckoned to his sister, seeing the pain in her puffy eyes.

she sniffled and shrugged before slowly descending down the stairs. "i guess i didn't want anyone to know," she weakly admits. her lip quivers, "but now everyone knows, will."

the slightly older (by three months) of the two wraps his arms around the fragile girl. ever since their parents got married when they were seven, he'd only ever known el to be happy and cheerful. the sight before him broke his own heart. no one wants to see their sister so upset.

"i really would've punched him, but he's kind of a lot bigger than me," he murmurs.

a small smile tugs at her pillowy lips. "you could've definitely taken him," she assures, knowing he knew she was lying.

his embrace tightened before he pulled away. "let's go get some milkshakes, kid," he suggests.

her thin and neat brows furrow at the nickname. "kid? dude, you're three months older than me. get real." he ignores her comment, shuffling her out the door.

/ / /

the set of step-siblings entered the skyline diner, a popular after-school hangout. despite knowing this information, eleanor's breath catches in her throat when familiar eyes peek over their booths at her. she casts her gaze down to her slightly dirty black converses.

"will!" someone calls, catching her attention. she looks across the restaurant to find the booth beside the jukebox to contain her brother's friends. dustin was waving them both over, enthusiastically.

she only waved with a polite smile while will greeted them, "hey, i thought you guys were going to mike's?"

lucas rolls his eyes, "we were supposed to, but he said brooke wanted to talk about something important and it just couldn't wait." el looked to her brother, wanting to take a seat in hopes it would limit the amount of eyes on her. "why don't you guys sit? max is on her way, and mike's coming after him and brooke finish sucking face."

will glances to his sister before shaking his head, deciding its best if it was just him and her. one reason being, he knew she didn't really click with his friends, aside from max. the second reason being, he wanted to talk to her. "actually, i think we're just going to sit in our own booth, but come over before you guys leave?" he asks, receiving nods from them both.

el hopper and will byers find their own booth where she orders a strawberry milkshake and him a vanilla.

sipping on his milkshake, he reluctantly asks, "okay, so what exactly happened? i mean, i get if you don't want to talk about it, but i can't imagine the things i heard to be true."

her eyes widen as she removes her balmy lips from her straw, "wait, what did you hear?"

debating whether or not the rumors he heard were worth even telling her, he shakes his head. "it doesn't matter, i just want to know what actually happened."

she slumps, pushing away her shake. "you know how i told dad and joyce i was going to shelly's on saturday?" he nods. "well, i was actually going to go surprise troy because his parents were going to some dinner with their friends."

seeing where this was going, he finishes the story for her, "and shelly was there when you got there?"

she numbly nods. "naked and all."

will frowns, "troy's a dick, ellie." again, she nods. "you know, i never liked that guy. he uses too much hair gel."

she purses her lips, knowing he was only trying to help but it didn't change the fact that her heart was hurting.

her hazel eyes stare at the strawberry that had been wedged on the rim of her milkshake. "i just wish i never liked him."

feeling guilty for even bringing everything back up, will takes another gulp of his milkshake.

"el!" a cheery and familiar voice chimes. the two look up to see a wide-eyed ginger heading to their booth. "i was looking everywhere for you at lunch, where'd you go?"

while max was originally will's friend and lucas' girlfriend, she and el had grown close over the past two years as max was constantly at their house but never interested in hanging out with the guys.

"i ate my lunch in the library," she admits, hating that it sounded even more pitiful out loud than in her head.

max's eyes narrowed, "i swear to god, i'm killing them both. shelly better watch her ass during gym tomo-"

"maxine," el warns, "just leave it alone. i just want to forget the whole thing ever happened."

clutching her skateboard tightly, she groans. "great, now what am i going to do with these?" she frustratedly quips, pulling her hand out of her pocket to reveal five white tablets.

will reluctantly asks, "what are those?"

"erectile dysfunction pills. i swiped them from harry's shop," harry's max's step-father, also a pharmacist.

"what?! max, get rid of those!" el whisper-yells, her eyes practically popping out their sockets.

her icy blue eyes roll, and she stuffs them back into her jacket pocket. "fine, but just because you don't want revenge doesn't mean i don't!" with a nudge to her friend, she heads to the booth of boys awaiting her and pecks her boyfriend's lips to say hello.

"i would hate to see what happens if lucas ever cheats on her," will mumbles before raising his straw to his lips. el nods in agreement, knowing max knew no limits.

they go on to catch up and talk about other things, steering clear of all things troy or shelly related which el was grateful for.

"okay, i'm going to go use the bathroom, but when i get back, i'll pay," he informs, rising from the booth. el nods with a small, but authentic smile.

when she was younger she always hated being an only child, but she now knew the byers boys were the kind of brothers you had to wait on. of course, they were worth it.

he pats her shoulder before heading to the bathroom, getting a giggle from her because it was so uncharacteristic of him. so formal.

once he's gone, and to her absolute displeasure, none other than troy and shelly enter the diner, hand-in-hand.

el's eyes flutter shut, praying to god they don't notice her sitting by herself with not one but two empty milkshakes. of course they had to come once will had gone.

unfortunately, her prayers went unheard because the newly public couple gravitate to her booth.

"hey, el," the voice of her ex best friend greets, almost a hint of sympathy laced in her tone.

el's eyes open. "shelly," she muses in annoyance, glancing up to them both.

troy's dark brown eyes scan the two empty glasses with a coy smirk.

"el, i know we hurt you, but -" shelly begins which immediately causes el's eyes to narrow.

scoffing, she interrupts, "but what? you know you hurt me, but you're what? you're sorry?" her voice was calm, but still agitated. "well, don't be. i'm fine. in fact, i'm doing better than i have been since sixth grade," she glares to the blue eyes of ex best friend.

troy pushes his gelled hair back, nearly brushing the cigarette that was tucked behind his ear, before letting out a soft chuckle. "ellie, you're obviously not doing so well," he gestures to the milkshake cups, "we just want to make sure you're -"

"hey, baby," a new voice greets, grasping all three of their attentions. and, in all his glory, mike wheeler slid into the booth across from el. "sorry it took so long, the line for the bathroom was ridiculous."

the girl's brows furrow. her voice was slightly high making her confusion evident, "no, it's fine."

the boy with shaggy curls stares up at the pair of exes through his long lashes. "uh, can we help you two?"

shelly's eyes widen, shock coating her soft features. el was well aware of her crush on mike, ever since it started back in seventh grade. she averted her stare to el, appearing to be hurt.

taking notice of this, el follows suit by reaching her hand across the table and taking mike's.

troy's smug smirk was long gone, and he was now shooting daggers towards mike. trying to feign uninterested, he tosses his arm around the dirty blonde girl beside him. "c'mon, babe. this place is too crowded," he snips before ushering them away and out the diner.

as soon as they were gone, el releases the hand she'd enveloped. her hazel eyes meet his chocolate chips.

"why'd you do that?" she asks, completely awestruck by how he'd just saved her from complete humiliation.

he shrugs, "you looked like a fish out of water. i figured you needed some help." by the way his eyes softened, she could tell he knew what happened.

she looked down to escape his 'sorry' eyes. "well, thank you."

he slides out of the booth, "anytime."

"mike?" they both look the find will shaking his damp hands. "the bathroom was out of paper towels," he explains, noticing their confusion. "we were about to head out, but i'll catch you later?" he says, assuming that the reason mike was lingering at their booth had something to do with himself.

it made sense seeing as mike and el were merely acquaintances.

"yeah, see you then," he agrees, backing away from them. before joining his friends, he bids el a small nod, and for some reason, she returns the gesture.

...

a/n: aw i'm so excited for this FUCK!!! thank u for reading, thots!! x

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