CHAPTER FIFTEEN
( mad max )

MADDIE RAN AROUND her house in search for quarters. The party was going to the arcade and she had to chip in. She went through her dads old drawers, searching for loose change. It wasn't like he'd be using it anytime soon.

When her dad had left, he had left behind everything. And that meant everything. He didn't take any cash with him that the two had gotten and he left everything in the bank. Maddie assumed he wanted a completely new start and was finding himself that. She was just happy she wasn't broke.

Maddie smiled in satisfaction when she found three bucks worth of quarters under her dads old bed. She stuffed them into the back pocket of her jeans. "Maddie? Do you copy? It's Dustin. Over."

Maddie grabbed her walkie and pressed the button to talk. "I'm here. Over." She waited a moment for Dustin to respond. "Lucas and I have six bucks combined. What's your haul? Over."

"I've got three bucks worth. Over." Maddie responded, using her one hand to hold her walkie and talk to Dustin while her other hand was being used to stuff things into her backpack.

"Okay, great. I'll see you at the arcade. Over and out." Maddie heard and she turned her walkie signal off, stuffing it into her bag. She checked the clock on her wall and saw she had to leave. So she grabbed her keys before hopping out her window and shutting it behind herself.

Maddie hopped onto her bike and began riding, hoping to catch up with Mike, Lucas, and Dustin.

She road quickly, making sure not to lose any of the change she had gotten as it all still sat in her back pocket. "Maddie!" The brunette suddenly heard from behind her. Maddie turned her head back slightly and smiled. "Hey!"

Mike road up next to her, the two continuing on the road towards the arcade. "Hi! Are you still sure you don't want to dress up with us for Halloween? You could be a ghost!" Maddie laughed a bit. Halloween was a in a few days and the boys had been pestering her about joining in on their group costume.

"I'm good, honestly Mike. I've got my own special costume planned so it's all good." Maddie reassured. Mike sighed but nodded. He thought it would be cool if she joined in on their costume, but it was her choice.

Lucas and Dustin soon joined Mike and Maddie on their ride and the four road to the arcade just joking around the whole time. Will would be meeting them all there as his mom had become extra protective after what had happened last year.

Maddie understood why, she almost lost her son once. She didn't want to lose him again.

Maddie slid to a stop and began walking her bike to the bike rack along with the other boys. There was a honk of a car horn that caused Maddie to turn around. She smiled though when she saw it was just Joyce and Will.

Will waved to his friends excitedly. "Hey!" Mike shouted, waving his hand. The four hurried inside, Will knew where he'd find them.

Dustin ran right over to Dragon's Lair and began playing. Will joined them all quickly and the next thing to do was just watch.

Dustin was good at this game, that was known. But Lucas was better so Dustin had made it his goal to beat Lucas' score. "To slay the dragon, use the major sword." Princess Daphne instructed.

Maddie had always hated that character. They over sexualized her way too much and it was honestly just gross. But, the boys liked her. Figures.

"Oh, Jesus! I'm in uncharted territory here, guys." Dustin freaked. Lucas began screaming actions for Dustin to take and be tried to do them as quickly as he could.

Maddie put her hand on Mike's shoulder as she went on her toes, trying to see over the boys. Mike laughed a bit and made space so the smaller girl could stand in front of him. He could still see just fine so it wasn't a problem at all.

Maddie smiled thankfully as she was now able to watch the machine. All five of them freaked as Dustin continued to play. Lucas repeatedly told Dustin what to do, which just stressed the boy out way too much.

Dustin finally yelled for all of the extra voices of his friends to quiet down and he looked away from the game for only a moment. But that moment was all it took for his player to get burnt to a crisp by the dragon.

"No. No. No! No! No! No! I hate this overpriced bullshit! Son of a bitch! Piece of shit!" Dustin cussed, smacking the machine. Lucas smirked. "You're just not nimble enough. But you'll get there one day. But until then, Princess Daphne is still mine."

Maddie peaked around Dustin to look at Lucas. "You're disgusting." Lucas just shrugged. All the boys had heard Maddies opinion on Princess Daphne more than once. Dustin sighed. "You know, whatever. I'm still tops on Centipede and Dig Dug."

"You sure about that?" The voice of Keith, the high school guy who worked at the arcade, smiled as he ate his cheese puffs. "Sure about what?" Dustin questioned but Keith just ate another puff.

Dustin moved past Maddie and Will. "You're kidding me. No, no, no." He began sprinting past others and the party followed. "Move! Move! No, no, no, no, no. Hey, no! No! No!"

Dustin was no longer top on either game. Instead, someone with the tag MADMAX was. "751,300 points!" Will gasped in amazement. Maddie chuckled from next to him, that was impressive.

"That's impossible." Mike breathed out. Maddie shrugged. "Obviously not." Dustin turned to Keith. "Whos Mad Max?"

"Better than you." Keith responded. Dustin threw up his middle finger and faced it directly towards Keith. "Is it you?" Will questioned. Keith scoffed. "You know I despise Dig Dug."

"Then who is it?" Lucas questioned. "Yeah, spill it, Keith." Dustin spat. Keith just looked between the group, he knew exactly what he wanted. "You want information, then I need something in return."

Keith's eyes directly went towards Mike. Everyone else looked at him as well, but Maddies expression turned sour when she realized what Keith wanted. Mikes eyes widened when he remembered. "No, no, no. No way. You're not getting a date with her."

Lucas sighed. "Mike, come on. Just get him the date." Maddie turned to Lucas. "Lucas, gross." Mike shook his head quickly. "I'm not prostituting my sister!" Lucas frowned. "But it's for a good cause."

Dustin shook his head. "No, don't get him the date. Know what? He's gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to your whole family." Keith turned his full attention to Dustin. "Ache isn't a rash and it isn't contagious, you prepubescent wastoid."

"Oh, I'm a wastoid? She wouldn't wanna go on a date with you. You make, like, what? $2.50 an hour?" Dustin fought back. "Nice hair." Was Keith's only rebuttal. Dustin scoffed. "You're gonna make fun of my hair?"

Keith looked at Maddie. "I wish she had a sister." Maddies mouth fell wide open. "And I wish you had a filter, asshole." Mike stepped forwards. "Woah, woah, woah! Don't be a creep, dude." Keith let out a long sigh. "I'm not being a creep. I'm simply pointing out that she'd have a pretty sister."

"You're being a total creep! Quit thinking about me but older, asshat." Maddie countered. "You are spinning my words." Keith responded, continuing to eat his snack. "We're not spinning shit! You dug your own creepy hole." Lucas joined in, staring Keith down.

Dustin sighed. "Why don't you just tell us who it is, huh? Then maybe Maddie or any one of us won't go around telling everyone about your messed up fantasy." Keith just bit into another puff. It wasn't like he was known around town as the cool Steve Harrington type.

Mike scoffed. "You're disgusting I hope you realize that." Keith just groaned in annoyance. Whether it be from having a conversation with 8th graders or them purposely refusing to acknowledge what he actually meant, they'd never know.

Yet all of Maddies attention on Keith went away instantly when she realized something. Will was no longer standing next to her. Maddie turned to Mike worriedly and he pulled her away from Dustin and Lucas, who were continuing to pester Keith.

"What's wrong?" Mike questioned, his hands on her shoulders. Maddie looked around quickly and she still didn't see him so she looked at Mike. "Wills gone."

Mikes eyes widened and he looked over, she was right. Will was no longer there. Mike quickly stuttered. "Uh— uh... you check that side and the side entrance okay? I'll check over here and the front."

Maddie nodded and the two split up. Ever since being stuck in the Upside Down, Will would have these... episodes. Maddie didn't know exactly what he'd see but from the bits and pieces he's told her it wasn't good.

It was like PTSD, Will had told her one day after another doctors visit. Maddie could see that, but PTSD wasn't just anxiety. There could be paranoia and the brain could even get triggered into reliving those bad memories.

So Maddie was very worried if Will was having another episode.

She checked around her side but there was no sign of Will. Maddie frowned but headed towards the side entrance of the arcade that the group had piled into earlier that night.

She swung the door open, the cool breeze hit her face but she didn't even give herself a moment to enjoy it. "Will! Are you okay?" Maddie suddenly heard and her ears perked up while her head spun towards the sound.

Will was standing outside the front entrance and Mike had just found him. "Will!" Maddie exclaimed, running over to the two. She stood next to Mike and watched as Will looked at the sky. "Yeah. I just... I needed some air."

Mike smiled lightly. "Come on. You're up on Dig Dug. Let's take that top score back, huh?" He wrapped his arm around Wills shoulders while on the other side Maddie slipped her arm through Wills and hooked them together.

She was very happy all he was doing was getting some air. She believed him. And even if he was lying, she'd understand. People had been treating him differently. Maddie even found herself accidentally doing it at times. She didn't mean to, but she'd worry more than she did before and sometimes it was obvious.

The three walked back into the arcade, finding themselves back at Dig Dug to take back that top score.

MADDIE SAT IN Mr. Clarke's science class the next morning. She sat in her regular seat, the one right behind Will. Mr. Clarke was talking about the brain and Maddie had found this class, along with all the other ones he taught, to be very interesting.

"Meet the human brain." He put down a replica brain. "I know. I know, it doesn't look like much. A little gross even, right? But consider this. There are a hundred billion cells inside of this miracle of evolution. All working as one. No, no, I did not misspeak. I did not stutter. A hundred billion."

The classroom door then opened and Maddies head turned to see the principal walking in with a girl. She had fiery red hair and a red jacket on over a shirt with blue jeans. And she did not look happy to be there.

"Ah, this must be our new student." Mr. Clarke smiled welcomingly. "Indeed it is. All yours." The principal smiled, walking out right after he came in. Maddie had never gotten to know his last name. He never said it and no teachers ever did, so she never tried to figure it out.

The girl tried to walk right past Mr. Clarke, but he held his hand out. "All right. Hold up there. You don't get away that easy. Come on up. Don't be shy." The girl sighed and walked back to where she had been standing next to his desk.

Mr. Clarke turned to Dustin. "Dustin, drum roll." Dustin closed his book and began smacking down on it to create Mr. Clarke's desired effect. "Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage, Maxine."

"It's Max." The girl, Max, responded quietly. "I'm sorry?" Mr. Clarke questioned, he didn't hear her properly. Max sighed. "Nobody calls me Maxine. It's Max." Maddie's eyes widened. Mad Max.

"Well, all aboard, Max." Mr. Clarke smiled, allowing Max to take her seat. Maddie turned and watched as Max went to the very back. She stared back at the girl for a moment collecting her thoughts.

Mad Max was a girl. Awesome.

AUTHORS NOTE!
season two! also the gif manip has increased in size because I wanted to try something new and it only worked bigger but I'm happy with the outcome!