chapter two                          party at
                                   harrington's
episode two the weirdo on
maple st.

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THEODORE IS STILL DEEP IN thought when jonathan sits next to him. he'd just finished putting joyce to bed, the poor woman was in complete shock. "it's not that i'm trying to kick you out but-" jonathan starts but theodore holds his hand up shushing him. "i get it. i should've probably gone home ages ago anyways. i'll see you tomorrow?"

jonathan sucks in his lips, softly nodding which is confirmation enough for theodore who stands up from his place on the couch, jonathan following him. jonathan opens the door for him, the two share one more hug before theodore steps outside. "stay safe. don't know what i'd do if you go missing too." jonathan murmurs. "i'll be fine, i can fight off anything you know this."

the two share one last smile before theodore walks towards his bike, the seat is soaking wet and uncomfortable when he sits on it, he looks back towards jonathan giving him a wave before riding away. it's pitch black out and the roads are slippery with rain but thankfully it isn't raining anymore.

he bikes through the seemingly endless sea of trees, suddenly hearing the rustling of leaves all around him. he shrugs it off as just being the autumn wind until he hears it again and again as if something is following him. he turns his head around, seeing the same flash of black that he did yesterday when will had left.

a frown forms on theodore's face, shaking his head before looking forward again. he can already see his house in the distance but he can't shake the underlying feeling of being watched, its uncomfortable. for a split second the thought of will crosses his mind, did he feel like this when i was taken? god he hopes not.

theodore stand in front of the garage, he's thankful for his younger self that chose the room above it. the bricks he usually stands and grabs onto are slippery and the voice in his head that tells him someone is watching him doesn't help at all. his shoe slips, fingers tightening around the garage tiles until the knuckles are white.

after a couple minutes of struggling against the wet and slippery bricks theodore arrives in his room, the first thing he does is kick his shoes out then he goes over to dustin's room as quietly as he can. he let's out a sigh of relief when he sees dustin's sleeping figure in his bed. sitting on his younger brother's bed, he moves dustin's hair out of his face whispering a sleep well to him before moving back to his own room.

he pops two pills into mouth, a melatonin and a random painkiller he has, dry swallowing them before changing into his pyjamas. also known as the sweatpants and no shirt combo. he lies comfortably in his bed, watching the tree move with the wind out of his window, within seconds his eyes start to droop closed and he's once again in a dreamless sleep.

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"NO LISTEN TO ME GRACE. theo could totally make it as a professional boxer." tristan puts his hand on theodore's shoulder, the other snacking on some gold fish. "i never said that theo couldn't make it. i said you couldn't." grace shrugs and theodore laughs at the offended look on tristan's face. "that's a low blow babe."

"you know you love me."

"i do. with all my heart."

"oh my god barf. shut up, your love is gonna make me puke all these goldfish up." theodore groans, fake gagging when grace pulls tristan in for a kiss. the friends were hanging out in theodore's car waiting for school to start. "i got two matches scheduled tomorrow you guys coming?" theodore holds out his box of goldfish for the others to take.

"duh. it's funny watching you beat up other dudes." tristan grabs a handful and shoves them in his mouth, almost choking on the snacks when grace softly slaps him on his stomach. "what he means is we would love to support you."

"nono i meant what i said, watching you beat up other dudes is the peak of entertainment."

the couple start bickering again which causes theodore to softly laugh at them. he's used to this by now, he's learned it's not actual fighting and them just showing their chemistry with each other. theodore looks over the parking lot at their school, but trying to find jonathan's car in the sea of cars is hard even when he knows jonathan's car by heart.

"... right theo?" grace's voice shocks him out of his trance. "huh? what'd you say? i wasn't listening." he gives her a sheepish smile. "nevermind then. your mind is obviously in another place, nancy wheeler perhaps?" grace's smile is obviously teasing.

"jonathan actually, i went by his house yesterday-"

"i thought you were grounded." tristan's voice cuts him off.

"as if that would stop me. anyways they got this weird phone call and joyce said she heard will's breathing and then it just broke it was incredibly weird." theodore gets chills just thinking about it.

"that does sound weird. but maybe it breaking was just the storm?"

"i don't know it was like fried that doesn't happen normally."

"yeah super weird but can we talk about this while in school i really cannot afford being late again."

theodore and grace both chuckle at tristan, who immediately insists it's not funny, but they comply getting out of theodore's car and walking towards the school.

theodore's alright day goes bad when he sees steve harrington and his clique, plus nancy wheeler oh bless her heart and barbara holland, hanging across from where his locker is. they walk past them but tommy immediately starts leering at them but he too quickly shuts up when jonathan walks through the doors.

theodore immediately goes up to him together with grace and tristan. "need help putting up posters? i can put them you know where for you." jonathan flinches from theodore's voice but he gets it, his little brother is missing of course he would be on edge.

"yeah that would uhm- be great. thanks theo. hey grace, tristan." jonathan gives a forced smile to all of them, handing over some posters to theodore before waving at the rest of his friends. "you holding up okay jonny?" grace asks but right now theodore can only focus on what steve harrington is saying. "that's pathetic." he hears steve say and his hand turns into a fist.

tristan notices and puts a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. his temper is normally not this short but like jonathan, he's on edge. so on edge even that he doesn't notice nancy wheeler walking over to them. only when he hears her speak he snaps out of it, even calms down a little.

theodore doesn't listen to her talk to jonathan, as pretty and nice as he thinks she is this sounds forced but that might just also be his temper talking. the bell rings and everyone goes their separate ways, theodore bids goodbye to his friends and walks the same way as nancy to their chemistry test not noticing jonathan's look at them before he walks out of the school.

"hey theo?" nancy asks out of nowhere. "yeah?"

"would you like to come to a party at steve's with me?" theodore looks shocked at her question, why would she even ask that. "i uhm- i don't know steve and i aren't really the best of buds nance."

"i- i know but, we're friends right? and i want you to get along with him."

"nance with all respect i don't think harrington would like it if you brought another guy with you."

"he's not like that. besides i'll ask barb if she'll come too, hopefully she says yes and then you two can hang around." theodore chuckles, a teasing look on his face. "are you trying to set me up with barbara holland nancy?"

"what? no! never. its- i just- i don't want her to be alone there." nancy is quick to shoot that thought down, a little too quickly if you ask theodore. they stand in front of the class room when theodore nods. "okay. if barbara goes i'll come too." nancy gives him a smile and he feels like he's done the right thing for now.

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THE FIRST THING THEODORE notices when he gets home is the lack of loud noise, he frowns immediately running up the stairs to dustin's room and when he's not there he fears the worst. "MOM?! WHERE'S DUSTIN?" he yells from the top of the stairs running down them to go to their mother. "oh he's eating over at mike's honey don't you worry." she says and theodore lets out a sigh of relief.

he's just at mike's, he's just at mike's, he's fine is all that goes through his head for those few seconds. "okay. good. good." he nods sitting down on the couch next to his mother. mews immediately coming to lay down on his lap, he mindlessly strokes her fur. "so uhm. is it okay if i go over to the wheelers later? nancy wanted to study together."

that is if barbara even went with nancy, if she didn't he'd probably just hang out with dustin and his friends. "oh that's fine darling, just make sure you're home before midnight okay? i'll go make our dinner."

theodore practically spaces out for minutes maybe even an hour until his mother shouts at him to put their dishes on the table. "sorry mews" he mutters to the cat, softly kissing her on her head before moving her from his lap and doing what his mother asks.

the two henderson's are already eating when suddenly the phone rings. theodore wipes his face and stands up. "i'll get it." he mutters walking towards the phone. "hello?"

"hi theo." it's nancy, either telling him that he has to go to a party or that he can hang out with his little brother.

"hey nancy, is uhm this about our study session?" theodore glances towards his mother, who's still eating but is close enough to hear him talk. "what? oh- yeah it's going, barb is coming too so i'll see you there?"

"yeah i'll be there, i promised didn't i?"

he hears nancy chuckle through the phone, it makes him smile. "yeah you did. i'll see you at steve's then theo."

"i'll see you there nance. bye." theodore waits for nancy to say bye as well before hanging up the phone and going back to dinner. "what did nancy want?" claudia finishes her mouthful before asking. "oh just if it was okay if her friend could come too, they uhm need help for a test and you know how good my grades are." they're mediocre actually, nancy's grades are impeccable but his mother doesn't know that.

claudia seems pleased with that answer and continues eating so theodore does the same. after dinner is finished theodore goes up to his room, immediately laying on his bed and dialling tristan's phone.

"park household." the voice of tristan's mother calls out, theodore likes her alot she always gives him food. "hi mrs park, is tristan there i kinda need to talk to him."

"oh hi theodore darling, let me get tristan for you." tristan's mother then shouts in korean for tristan the only thing he can really get from there is his own name and after a few seconds he hears tristan's voice. "yo."

"hey. so you know how nancy asked me to come to steve's party. well i have to go now please please please come with me?"

"can't dude. grace and i are going on a date."

"just bring grace with you."

"you know she hates tommy and carol and where harrington is they follow." theodore softly sighs at his friends words. it's true and he wouldn't want to force grace to hang around those two. "okay i'll just be on my own then. you and grace have fun yea?"

"of course we will. have a good time at the party theo, later." theodore mumbles a later back before hanging up, looking up to his ceiling in defeat. 'shit, i'm practically walking into the lion's den' he thinks.

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THEODORE'S RANGE ROVER IS PARKED in front of harrington's house. he's waiting until nancy and barbara arrive, he's a bit well, uncomfortable, going in there alone. he's twirling his keys around his fingers when he sees two people walk towards steve's house. when he looks closely enough he sees that it's nancy and barbara.

theodore steps out of his car, locking it and walking towards, the two. nancy notices him first, giving him a soft smile and a wave, he returns it jogging to catch up with the two. "hey nance, barbara." he smiles. "hi theodore." the girls greet him back. theodore doesn't notice the look barbara gives nancy when he walks up to the door, music blasting through it. he's surprised if steve can even hear the doorbell when he rings it.

steve opens the door with a flourish, his smile falters a bit when he notices theodore but he masks it well. "hello ladies, henderson." he nods and theodore gives him a tight smile before walking into the house after nancy and barbara.

steve ushers them to go to his backyard, where the pool is. and it doesn't surprise theodore when he sees tommy and carol already but they do seem surprised when they see him. "henderson at a party as i live and breathe, i can't believe it." tommy laughs and hands a beer over to theodore. he looks at the brand, not his favourite but it'll do.

theodore sits down on one of the beach chairs, basically ignoring the other people in the party as he sips on his beer. he watches as nancy does a shotgun but his eyes wander to barbara, who absolutely does not look like she wants to be here. he's the same way though.

"barb, theo. you wanna try?" nancy calls out and theodore holds up his half drunken beer. "still got some nance, i'm good." tommy scoffs. "oh come on henderson. just do it." after he says that carol and steve follow him, practically peer pressuring him into drinking a shotgun. he rolls his eyes but does give in, placing his other beer down on the ground. "hand one to me." he holds his hand out to nancy, taking out his keys with his other hand.

when he has the beer he makes a small hole in the can, making sure there aren't any sharp edges that he can cut himself with. then he throws his head back with the can on his lips and opens it, the liquid immediately fills his mouth and he drinks as fast as he can to not let anything spill. when the can is empty he throws it to the ground and gives the rest a mocking bow. "tada."

"okay now you barb." tommy looks over to barbara, who was happy that the attention wasn't on her and theodore is sure she hoped they'd forget about her when he did it. nancy agrees with tommy, practically shoving the beer and knife into barbara's hands who reluctantly stands up.

barbara tries to make a hole in the can but with the way she's holding the knife theodore is sure this is going to go bad. "hey do you want me to-" he starts but it's too late because barbara cuts herself with the knife. "gnarly." tommy grins and theodore has just the itch to punch him in his stupid face.

"are you okay?" nancy hurriedly asks her now injured friend who insists she's fine. "where's your bathroom?" barbara asks steve and when she has directions she immediately goes that way. theodore follows her. "where are you going?" nancy's voice calls out. "i uhh got a first aid kit in my car, she probably needs it the cut looks deep." nancy nods and doesn't ask anymore questions.

theodore keeps the front door open and he quickly runs over to his car grabbing the kit and running back. when he's back in the house he softly knocks on the bathroom door. "barbara? it's me theodore is it okay if i come in?" when he hears a yes he steps inside the bathroom where she's washing her hands from the blood.

"i uhm- thought you might need this." theodore holds up the first aid kit and before barbara can spout out excuse he holds up his hand shushing her. "it looks bad, just let me help you. here sit." the puts down the toilet lid and mentions for her to sit down and she does. "hand." is all theodore says when he opens the kit taking out some alcohol wipes.

he crouches down and softly takes barbara's non injured hand in his putting it on his shoulder. "this is gonna hurt so just squeeze my shoulders okay?" when barbara nods he softly goes over the wound with the alcohol wipe, the squeezing of his shoulder is dull after all the hits he has endured this is nothing. "good job." he whispers, throwing away the wipe and bandaging the wound. "you're really good at this, how?" barbara asks, looking curiously at theodore. "both my brother and i are clumsy, kinda need to now how to deal with wounds." it's not truly a lie, they were both really clumsy when they were children. it's just now that it's used more for boxing injuries.

"normally i'd put a sticker on here because you've been so brave but i fear i've run out of princess ones. unless you want the batman logo on your bandage." theodore looks up to barbara's face instead of her hand when he finishes.

she chuckles. "i'd love some batman on there actually." theodore nods and carefully pulls off the backing of the sticker, placing it as straight on the bandage as he can. "there you go. now you're being protected by a superhero."

"thanks theodore." barbara whispers. "don't worry about it." he shrugs, standing back up and opening the door letting barbara go out first. the two walk over to the front door, seeing nancy there with a towel around her. "nancy." barbara starts and nancy turns around almost startled.

theodore stands there awkwardly as the two friends talk, he personally thinks they should all just go home but he isn't one to force someone to do that. unless your name is dustin henderson, he one hundred percent would force him to go home.

nancy walks up the stairs and leaves barbara and theodore all alone. barbara speaks first. "you can go home, i'm gonna stay here to make sure she's fine."

"you sure? i can stay here with you. to keep you company." he wouldn't mind staying, he's sure barbara would be fun to talk to. "i'm sure. go home theo." he nods, walking towards the door. "stay safe barb."

"i will." she smiles, holding up her bandaged hand for him to see. "i got batman protecting me." theodore chuckles and gives barbara a wave before getting out of steves house towards his car. he takes one more look towards the house before starting his car and driving back home.

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