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CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX ; ATTITUDE
also known as;
( vecna's curse; part one )

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THE FIRST THING STELLA COLLINS DID IN THE MORNING WAS CALL WILL BYERS AND WISH HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. She had woken up groggy from the exhaustion of the trip home, her body weighed down in her mattress, and her eyes slightly puffy. She had pulled herself out of bed and shuffled into the kitchen, muttering a 'good morning' to her mother, who told her that it was almost eleven o'clock (Stella reminded her that it was still technically the morning).

If it was eleven in Hawkins, it was only a few hours earlier in California, something Stella was thankful for, as she'd rather not wake up the household with her phone call. She tapped in the phone number and listened to the line ring, before the person on the other end picked up. "Hello?"

"Happy birthday!" Stella mustered all the energy she could into yelling through the headset. She heard a laugh ring in her ear, and a call out to someone else in the house.

"Hey, Star!" Will's voice still contained its softness, even over the phone. He had clearly just woken up as there was a slight rasp to his words, but his excitement was evident. "Thank you. You know, you've never forgotten a single one."

"How could forget the birthday of Will the Wise?" she scoffed, her voice teasing. The phone pulled away from the wall, the curled wire following her back into the kitchen where she began to raid the pantry. Her mother sent her a disapproving look as she opened a new packet of chocolate cookies, but with one cheeky smile, all seemed to be forgiven. She shoved one in her mouth and continued talking. "So, what's on the agenda today?"

"We're picking Mike up from the airport later, and then we're taking him to the roller rink," he said. "El and I go all the time - it reminds us of you."

Stella couldn't hide her smile. Despite his moving halfway across the country, he had never stopped being an utter sweetheart. The move seemed to have been good for him, as Hawkins had brought him nothing but horror and despair. He was one person Stella knew deserved the world and more, and despite not having seen him in a while, it brought her comfort to know he was safe, and he was coping.

The two spoke for almost half an hour before they were kicked off by their respective parents, who complained about the running phone bill. Joyce had said a very sweet greeting, as had El. Stella wished Will a happy birthday one more time, before she placed the phone back on the receiver, ending the call.

Then, through the window, she saw Mike Wheeler.

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Stella managed to catch Mike just as he was loading his suitcase into his mother's car. He had grown significantly since she'd last seen him, his limbs gangly and his hair hanging just above his shoulders. At this specific moment in time, he was also wearing an interesting ensemble that he must have deemed appropriate for his trip to California. Will had mentioned his excitement in his most recent letter. "Mike!"

The boy turned around at the sound of his name, squinting behind the sunglasses he was wearing despite the cloudy sky. It took a moment to register the woman walking across his lawn, but when he realised who it was, he managed an awkward smile. He took his glasses off and shoved them in his pocket. "Star? When did you get back?"

"The other night," she said as she stepped onto the concrete of the driveway. She pulled him in for a quick hug, trying to ignore the fact that he was a little bit taller than she was now. Once they separated, she tucked her hands in the pockets of her jeans, taking a step back so she could look him in the eye. "I missed you, man! You've grown a ton."

"Yeah, my parents keeps telling me to stop or they'll have to buy me a longer bed," he said, and Stella chuckled softly. He didn't look like her old neighbour anymore - while there was still a nerdy-ness to him, he looked like a high schooler. He looked like he was growing up.

Stella probably shouldn't have said anything, but the words escaped her before she could stop herself. "I was hoping to see you at the basketball game."

"Oh, yeah," Mike scratched the back of his head. Suddenly the air felt awkward. He averted his eyes, the concrete becoming more interesting. "I, uh, we...we were finishing our D&D campaign."

Stella bit her tongue. She dipped her head and stared at her sneakers. "You didn't think Lucas wanted your support?"

She heard Mike stifle a sigh. "We couldn't reschedule, it's way too important-"

"I thought you didn't care about Dungeons and Dragons anymore?" she blurted. For some reason she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself, and she quickly regretted her decision to speak. She looked back up at him, watching his lips curl back as he grew defensive. "You never played with Will."

"It's a different campaign, you wouldn't understand-" he began, but Stella cut him off.

"What I don't understand is how your priorities have suddenly changed. You left Lucas without any support," she said. She tried to appear pragmatic, but it was difficult with the way he was glaring at her. "He made the winning goal, and he didn't have his best friends to celebrate with him."

"I don't care!" Mike snapped. Stella pressed her lips together, trying to hide her surprise. "He chose basketball over the campaign! He wants to be popular. We don't. You've been back here what, two days? Why are you acting like a mom already?"

"I'm not-" Stella closed her eyes for a second to collect herself. She didn't want the first conversation she had with the boy to be an argument. She had wanted to be civil, but it seemed to have gone downhill rather fast. "I'm not trying to act like a mom. I'm just trying to understand why you weren't at the game. That's all, Mike."

Mike scoffed. "Yeah, whatever. Go complain to Dustin about it. He wasn't there either."

"Mike-"

"I've got a flight to catch, Stella."

He then turned to open the passenger door, sliding in and shutting it behind him. Stella stood, stunned. She hadn't expected such hostility from him, but she probably should have.

It came as no surprise that she sometimes wished he was still the gentle kid next door, but she knew she'd never see that version of him again. The life he'd lived had changed him, and it wasn't up to her what he would become.

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"That was all he said to you?" Robin asked, smacking her piece of gum against her lips. Stella nodded solemnly as she skated around the store. Steve had told her she was lucky it was a weekday, otherwise she'd be running into customers left, right and centre. "What a dick."

"He's not a dick," Stella insisted, shrugging helplessly. She skirted between aisles, a Twizzler between her teeth. She stopped every so often to pick up a movie and read the synopsis. Her fingers were currently drawn towards St. Elmo's Fire. "He's just...growing up, I guess."

"Yeah, growing up to be a dick," Robin snorted. Steve threw an empty tape box at her. She yelped as it smacked her arm. "Sorry! I'm just saying he could've been nicer."

"He could've been," Stella admitted. Steve looked over at her from behind the counter. She managed a soft smile, despite the sadness she felt saying it.

"Well, that's his problem," Robin announced, pushing herself from her stool and walking towards Stella, holding her hands out. "And he's gone to California, which means you can spend your spring break hanging out with me. We'll ditch that dumb boyfriend of yours."

Steve scoffed loudly, causing Stella to grin. She took Robin's hands and pulled her into a tight embrace, sticking her tongue out at him behind her back. "You've read my mind, Robin Buckley."

Robin chuckled, pulling away slightly. "Maybe you can help me find a date."

"It would be my honour," Stella said. "You might have to give me a run down on your type, though. Steve's pretty tight lipped when it comes to your love life."

Robin glanced over her shoulder to share a smile with her friend. Stella mirrored it, too. She had her suspicions about the girl since last year, when she appeared to have had a fling with her old Sam Goody's coworker, Lola - but that had never really turned into anything as far as she was aware. She had no idea how to approach a subject that had nothing to do with her, so she kept her nose out of it. She knew Steve was Robin's confidant, but she respected his loyalty to her, and never asked him.

"Why don't we go out after we close up shop?" Steve offered. "There's a bar just outside of town that doesn't card, Stella and I used to go there all the time over summer."

Stella flashed Robin a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I mean, I'm down. Maybe we'll find someone cute for you, Rob."

Robin scratched the back of her head slightly anxiously, not entirely keen on breaking the law, but eventually nodded. "Fine. But only if Steve buys the first round."

Steve reluctantly agreed. Stella and Robin high-fived one another, before a tape caught Robin's eye. "Aha! I found our morning movie - Doctor Zhivago!"

Stella pulled a face, while her boyfriend audibly groaned. "Ugh, you know I don't do double VHS."

Robin's hands curled around the tape, almost cradling it. "But it's about doomed love. It's relatable."

"For you, maybe," Steve commented, watching as she circled back around the counter and grabbed the remote. Stella skated towards them, leaning against the work surface as the television flickered to life.

A Channel Nine news reporter appeared on the screen, in front of what appeared to be a crime scene. Stella straightened up quickly, squinting to get a better look. "We're in the Forest Hills trailer park in east Roane County. We don't have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning. Police have not released the name, although we are told they're currently in the process of notifying the family."

"Holy shit," Steve exhaled. "The Forest Hills trailer park..."

"Isn't that where Max lives?" Stella realised, her eyes widening. Steve turned to look at her, nodding slightly.

"Eddie Munson, too," he said. "I remember Dustin saying something about it."

"Many of the residents we spoke to voiced similar concerns to us," the reporter's voice cut through the ringing silence in the store. "Grief, shock, disbelief, anger. Everyone wants to know the same thing: how can so many tragedies befall a once-peaceful town? All eyes are now on the police for answers. Is the new chief of police, Powell, in over his head? Or is he the very saviour this town needs? We'll be here the rest of the day on Channel Nine, where we'll keep you posted on the latest developments. In the meantime, we recommend you keep your doors and windows locked tight."

Stella felt her heart sink. Two days back in Hawkins, and things were already starting to go wrong. She knew from the look on Steve's face that he felt the exact same. She bent down to untie her skates and slipped out of them, before walking around the counter and grabbing him by the hand. She squeezed it three times, bringing it up to her lips and kissing his knuckles softly.

She tried not to let her stress get the best of her, but she quickly began to worry about the wellbeing of Max. She didn't have her phone number, and it was unlikely that she'd make it to the trailer park without obstructions, so she reluctantly stayed put, watching the news as more information poured in.

She and Steve didn't say many words to each other over the next twenty minutes, but they both knew they shared the same thoughts.

Timing. This had happened as soon as they'd returned to Hawkins. Were they cursed? Was it fate? Or did the misfortune of their town coincidentally align with their lives? Whatever it was, it was fucking annoying.

Stella had sat herself down on Robin's stool, her shaking hands placed in her lap. Max, Max, Max. She hadn't managed to get around to saying hi to the girl yet, as she hadn't been at the basketball game. She was hoping to have seen her later that evening, but now she had no clue if that was to happen at all now.

Until the bell of the front entrance rang. Stella, Steve and Robin all turned their heads instantly at the interruption, the first nearly losing her mind when she saw the very girl she was worried about standing in the store, Dustin at her side.

"Max," she breathed, jumping from her seat and running over to her, pulling her into her arms. Max was caught off guard, but slowly relaxed as the comforting memories of Stella Collins came flooding back. Her arms lifted to return the embrace, though she wasn't entirely sure why the reunion was so emotional. "Thank goodness you're safe."

"Safe?" she asked, her thick brows furrowing as Stella pulled away. "Why wouldn't I be safe?"

"You haven't heard?" Steve asked, pointing at the television. "You literally live in the trailer park where a Hawkins High kid died. Stella's been losing her goddamn mind."

"Who cares?" the sharp voice of Dustin Henderson cut in, and Stella looked to her right, seeing the curly haired boy quite uninterested in her. "Sorry Star, but there's more important things right now."

Stella blinked. "Nice to see you too, Dustin."

"Steve, how many phones do you have?" he ignored her, stepping towards the counter and smacking his hands on the surface. Steve watched him, rather unimpressed. "How many phones do you have?"

"Two, why?"

"Technically three, if you count Keith's," Robin said.

"Three works," Max looked over at Dustin, who nodded quickly, taking off his backpack.

Steve watched him, confused. "What are you doing-whoa!"

Dustin threw his bag over the counter, causing Robin and Steve to jump out of the way. The boy then pushed himself across, kicking over Steve's organised pile of tapes and standing on Robin's paperwork.

"My tapes! Dude!" Steve yelled, running his hands through his hair in an exasperated manner. Dustin pushed his way to the computer, where he began typing something in. Stella followed Max the civilised way around the counter so that they could see what he was up to. Steve looked like he wanted to smack him over the side of the head. "What're you doing, man?"

"Setting up base of operations here."

"Base of operations?" Robin asked, her arms full of the things from Dustin's path of destruction.

"Stop, get off of that," Steve tried to coax him off the computer.

"I need it," Dustin snapped, his fingers gliding across the keys.

"You need it for what?"

"I'm looking up Eddie's friends' phone numbers."

Steve threw his hands in the air. "Oh, Eddie. Your new best friend, Eddie, who you think is cooler than me because he plays your nerdy game?"

Stella's lips formed a line - Steve had been a little insecure as of late when he heard that Dustin had found another older friend to hang out with. She felt bad for him when he went on his little rants about how he was so much better than the 'loser' who was supposed to have graduated when they did.

Dustin rolled his eyes. "Yes. Wait, I never said that!"

"Seriously, you guys," Robin grumbled, stacking the tapes back on the counter. Stella moved around to help her. "Maybe on a Monday you can play around in here like toddlers, but it's Saturday. It's our busiest day."

"Alright, look Robin, I totally empathise," Dustin's voice was very un-empathetic. "But this cannot wait until Monday."

"What, cause calling all of Eddie's friends is an emergency?" the blonde seemed incredibly frustrated at the sudden, rather rude intrusion. Stella couldn't really blame her.

"Correct!" Dustin retorted angrily.

Steve joined the two girls at the front of the counter. "Who wants to strangle him first?"

"We can take turns," Robin jeered with an irritated smile.

"Can you just fill them in while I do this?" Dustin said to Max, and Stella turned around to look at them.

"Fill us in on what?" she finally spoke, her voice slightly harsher than she intended.

She quickly felt guilt swarm her when she saw the expression on Max's face.

The expression that said a thousand words without her having to open her mouth.

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OKAY HELLO IT HAS BEEN A HOT MINUTE AND IM SORRY SO HERE'S A BIG LONG CHAPTER FOR YOU ALL

also yes major shade to the duffer bros in this because how dare you forget will's birthday - miss stella collins would NEVER so FUCK YOU

also there were a couple of reasons why i haven't updated in a hot sec - the main being i had to send my computer away to have the keyboard fixed cause i can't deal with the double letters and sticky keys anymore - it has since been fixed !!!

i also got major writer's block cause i lowkey still have no idea where i'm taking this story lol

but anywhoooo - i got a few requests to share my unpopular opinions and i'm really nervous but tbh fuck it - i can't stand dustin henderson, i think he's the most entitled, obnoxious person and he's so rude to others just because he's smart. ik he's super popular in the fandom, which is why i try to write him objectively but in scenes like this where he is genuinely just an asshole i can't help myself lmfao

i have a couple of others but they're not as intense (SOME CONTAIN SPOILERS)

- i think the writing for nancy has gone downhill - she can't keep emotionally cheating on her boyfriends, either give her robin or make her single!!! she doesn't need a man if her only storyline is catching feelings for someone else while she's in a relationship!!!

- ^^ i still like nancy but oh my god bro the stancy storyline was ridiculously bad writing

- mike is a dipshit and his writing has gotten bad too (season 1&2 mike 100% would have noticed will crying)

- booooo hissss tomato tomato to queerbaiting - i loved the scene with jonathan in Vol 2, but i hated how the actors teased us with byler (which i don't ship bc will deserves better) only to give us crumbs

- basically how they treated the gay characters this season -- literally why break robin's heart with vickie when it could've been an actually lovely storyline from the get-go idk - also i shipped her with either nancy or the woman at the end who accepted their donations

- vecna was scary waist up but girl,,, his whole vecnussy was out and it made me laugh every time

- argyle my BELOVED is so underrated and let's be real it's because there was a quirky white man who stole the spotlight..,,, (no hate to eddie but where's the argyle love)

- season 4 overall was kinda underwhelming cause it felt like the duffers were too scared to kill anyone actually important off (sorry eddie but you were 100% gonna die from the beginning even if you didn't deserve it)

OKAY I THINK THAT'S IT LEAVE UR UNPOPULAR/POPULAR OPINIONS BELOW CAUSE I WANNA READ THEM LMFAO

petition for me to date robin instead

OH ALSO

i couldn't for the life of me figure out how to make gifs smaller but now i have a website that makes it smaller FOR ME so i'm living my best life

this was the original picture i was gonna put at the start of the chapter cause i couldn't find a stupid fucking gif

and then i drew this shitty little picture of stella and steve in season 3 (i'm not very good pls be nice lol)

okay NOW I'M DONE BYE