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NO ONE KNEW WHERE ISADORA JONES HAD BEEN HIDING.

Only one person in all of Hawkins was privy to her secret, and that person had sworn to keep it hidden, despite the frantic search being undertaken by Isadora's friends and the entire town. As the rumours swirled and posters with Isadora's picture plastered the streets, Beatrix was the sole keeper of the truth. She had encountered Isadora unexpectedly on her way home from a party. The streets were typically quiet at this hour, but that night, the air was thick with tension, the weight of Isadora's tears palpable in the chilly night.

Beatrix was taken aback to see anyone in this desolate area, let alone Isadora, a girl she had grown up with, standing alone and sobbing softly. "Hi, are you okay?" Beatrix called out gently, concern knitting her brows together.

Isadora looked up, her eyes swollen and red. "O-Oh, I didn't expect to see anyone out here," she stammered, hastily wiping her cheeks dry with the back of her hand, though fresh tears threatened to spill. "Y-Yeah, it's probably silly that I'm even crying right now. I-I should have known I would just end up getting hurt. You probably don't want to hear about my problems, so I'll just go."

Beatrix felt a pang of sympathy in her chest. "Wait, I have something that might help," she said, rummaging through her bag. She pulled out a small, worn flask, holding it out toward Isadora, who stared at it with a mixture of curiosity and reluctance.

"I-I don't know—" Isadora hesitated, her heart racing at the thought of drinking again. She could feel the weight of her past choices pressing down on her. The last time alcohol had dulled her pain, it had spiralled into something darker, something she was desperate to avoid, but as she looked into Beatrix's encouraging eyes, she felt a flicker of hope—a fleeting notion that perhaps this could be a temporary escape from the turmoil swirling in her heart.

"Come on, what do you have to lose? It might help you feel a little better," Beatrix urged, her tone brightening with a hint of mischief. After a moment of internal struggle, Isadora reluctantly took the flask, her fingers trembling. She brought it to her lips and took a cautious sip, the whiskey burning her throat as it went down. She coughed, grimacing as the harsh taste washed over her.

"Oh, that's disgusting. Is that straight whiskey?" Isadora asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Yep," Beatrix replied, a playful smirk forming on her lips.

"Delightful," Isadora muttered sarcastically, her initial reluctance starting to fade. She glanced at Beatrix, her brow furrowed in suspicion. "Wait a minute, you just happen to be walking around Hawkins with a flask of straight whiskey?"

"Well, yeah. I was on my way home from a party," Beatrix explained, her smile widening. "Please don't tell me you're more of a vodka drinker."

Isadora shrugged, taking another sip of the whiskey and finding it slightly more tolerable. "Honestly? I prefer tequila."

"Good to know," Beatrix replied, a glimmer of camaraderie forming between them. "Anyway, I saw you standing here and thought you looked like you could use a chat—and maybe a drink. It always helps me when I'm feeling down."

"I don't know if it'll help," Isadora replied, her voice wavering. "Last time I turned to alcohol, it just numbed the pain, but I guess I have nothing to lose, especially since tonight has been such a shit night, but I'm fine, I guess." She took another sip, grimacing again at the taste.

"Oh, I'm Isadora Jones, by the way," she added almost absently, trying to regain some semblance of normalcy.

"Beatrix," the other girl introduced herself, her smile genuine.

"Just Beatrix?" Isadora raised an eyebrow, a hint of recognition flickering in her mind as she studied Beatrix's features.

"Just Beatrix. You can call me Bea or Trixie if you like," she offered, gauging Isadora's mood. There was something unsettling about Isadora's demeanour, and Beatrix couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong between her and Billy. Keeping her last name to herself, she decided it would be best to focus on helping Isadora.

"Right," Isadora frowned, taking another drink from the flask. As the alcohol burned its way down, she coughed again and sighed. "This is probably going to sound like an odd request, but can you please not tell anyone that you saw me here? I kind of just want to be alone right now, and I don't really want anyone to know where I am."

"Your secret is safe with me," Beatrix reassured her, though curiosity flickered in her eyes. "But why do you want to be alone right now?"

"It probably sounds stupid, but I just need to escape everything and everyone," Isadora admitted, her voice breaking as she wiped her tears. The vulnerability in her tone tugged at Beatrix's heartstrings. "I just... I don't even know where I'm going to go."

"You know, if you need a place to stay, the old Creel House isn't far from here. I don't think anyone goes there anymore, so you could potentially stay there," Beatrix suggested, trying to offer a glimmer of hope.

"The Creel House? Is it safe?" Isadora asked, her interest piqued but laced with concern.

"I don't really know. All I know is that no one lives there; it's abandoned and completely boarded up, but why don't we check it out? I can keep you company if you want," Beatrix smiled, her tone encouraging.

"Yeah, sure. That sounds good," Isadora nodded, her heart lightening slightly at the thought of not being alone. The two girls began walking in the direction of the Creel House. As they walked, Isadora took a few more sips from the flask, the whiskey working its way into her system. By the time they reached the Creel House, the effects of the alcohol were apparent. Words began spilling from her lips like a floodgate had opened.

"I was just a fucking bet. I mean, what kind of asshole makes a bet to get a girl to sleep with him? You know what? I was an idiot for falling for it. It—it doesn't make sense. Why would he ask me to be his girlfriend if he was just making a bet? Why not break things off with me beforehand? I slept with him before he even asked me to be his girlfriend! God, I think I was falling for him." The words rushed out of her, fueled by the whiskey and her hurt.

"He sounds like a total jerk," Beatrix agreed, her heart aching for Isadora. She wanted to ask what had happened at the dance, but she made a mental note to talk to Billy later to get the full story.

"Oh, uh, I kind of finished your whiskey. I'm so sorry—" Isadora slurred slightly, her cheeks flushed as she handed the flask back to Beatrix.

"It's fine. It kind of seems like you needed it a lot more than I do right now," Beatrix said, taking the flask from Isadora's hand.

"Yeah... I guess it helped a little," Isadora shrugged, glancing around at the imposing silhouette of the Creel House. Spotting a nearby pebble, she bent down and picked it up, turning to Beatrix with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Does anyone come near this place?"

"As far as I know, no one really comes anywhere near here. The doors and windows are all boarded up," Beatrix replied, watching Isadora curiously.

"Well, great! Then I guess no one will notice if I do this," Isadora said, stepping closer to the house. She hesitated for a moment, then threw the pebble at the boarded door. Beatrix's eyes widened as she watched it hit the wood with a dull thud before bouncing off and landing on the ground. Isadora, fueled by her emotions, picked up another pebble and threw it, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I was just a fucking... I was a game, a conquest... and the worst part of it all, the worst part was I—I was—"

"Isadora, are you okay?" Beatrix asked gently, her heart racing at the sight of Isadora's breakdown. The blonde stopped speaking, collapsing onto the ground, sobbing violently.

"He... he lied to me, or at least I think he did... none of this makes sense. It doesn't make sense!" Isadora cried, her words punctuated by gasps for air. Beatrix sat down beside her, unsure of how to comfort the distraught girl, but instinctively reached over to squeeze her hand gently.

"Well, he's an idiot who didn't deserve you. You deserve someone who makes you smile and laugh, someone who makes you feel special, not someone who makes you cry like this," Beatrix told Isadora, though doubts nagged at her. She had seen how Billy had looked at Isadora earlier and sensed that there might be more to the story.

Shakily, Isadora nodded, wiping her tears away. Beatrix squeezed her hand again, and after a moment of silence, they both stood up, searching around the house until they found a small shed in the back. Isadora carefully tested the door, her heart racing.

"It's unlocked," she said, her eyes brightening with a mix of hope and curiosity. She opened the door and stepped inside, the darkness enveloping her. "Yeah, I guess this will do. There's even an old sleeping bag here."

"Are you sure about this?" Beatrix asked, hesitating at the entrance. The house loomed behind her like a spectre.

"Y-Yeah, it'll be fine here. Thank you for helping me," Isadora said with a grateful smile, her mood shifting slightly. Beatrix nodded, then turned to leave, promising to check on her later. Once Isadora was alone, however, the reality of her solitude hit her like a tidal wave. She sank to the floor, tears spilling from her eyes, the overwhelming sense of loneliness suffocating her.

In the following days, Isadora remained hidden in the Creel House, lost in a haze of confusion, sorrow, and isolation. She spent her days alternating between crying and sleeping, her emotions spiralling. Though she wasn't sure how safe she was, Beatrix's visits provided some comfort. Each time Beatrix came, she brought food and clothes, and even snuck Isadora some alcohol, but the blonde left it untouched, determined not to fall back into her old patterns.

Despite Beatrix's best efforts to lift her spirits, Isadora felt angry, alone, and utterly confused about everything that had happened. The weight of the world bore down on her, and after a long week of hiding, she finally decided that she needed to go home.

One afternoon, Beatrix arrived with a bag of food, her expression serious. "I bought you some food, and I thought you should know there are missing posters up everywhere. Everyone is looking for you."

"So, let them look," Isadora replied, her tone defiant yet tinged with sadness.

"Issi... I knew I needed to stop them from worrying about you, so I kind of did something," Beatrix said hesitantly.

Isadora's heart sank. "What did you do, Beatrix?"

"I told Hopper you were safe."

"You—what? You promised me that you wouldn't tell anyone, Beatrix!" Isadora cried, panic rising in her chest.

"Look, I didn't tell him where you were, just that you were safe," Beatrix explained, trying to reassure her.

"You told him I was safe? Beatrix, he's going to ask you where I've been staying, and it won't be long before everyone else knows!" Isadora snapped, frustration boiling over.

"Issi, I didn't want them to worry! Everyone has been searching for you because you've been considered a missing person all week," Beatrix said gently, her eyes pleading.

"I'm not missing," Isadora laughed bitterly, the reality of her situation sinking in.

"To them, you kind of are. You're hiding out here, and I'm the only one who knows," Beatrix reminded her, her voice steady.

"You're right. I—I'm sorry for snapping at you. You did the right thing," Isadora admitted, her voice softer. Beatrix nodded, relieved to see a glimmer of understanding in Isadora's eyes.

"So, what are you going to do, Issi?" Beatrix asked, sitting down beside her.

"I... I don't know," Isadora shrugged, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her.

Beatrix stayed with her a little longer, providing silent support before heading home. Alone again, Isadora contemplated her next move. She couldn't remain hidden forever. Reluctantly, she made the decision to return home, knowing that facing the world again was inevitable.

Upon her arrival, she was taken aback to find Steve sitting on the doorstep, his expression a mix of worry and relief. As she approached him, her heart raced, and she hesitated before sitting down beside him.

"Hi, Steve. What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I figured if I sat here and waited long enough, you'd eventually come home. We've been really worried about you, Is," Steve said, concern etched into his features.

"I—I know. I saw the posters on my way home, and I'm sorry for disappearing like that. I just needed... I needed to be alone," Isadora confessed, her vulnerability spilling over.

"Okay, I get that, but the next time you decide to disappear, can you at least tell one of us that you're safe?" Steve asked gently, his tone a mix of concern and frustration.

Isadora nodded, the guilt weighing heavily on her. She decided to omit the part about Beatrix knowing where she was.

"How are things at school?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"Honestly? They've been pretty shit. Everyone's talking about what happened at the dance. There are rumours floating around, none of which are true, but Amanda has spent the week gloating that she apparently knew all along," Steve explained.

"Rumours? What kind of rumours?" Isadora asked, dread pooling in her stomach.

"Do you really want to know the awful things they're saying about you, Is?" Steve asked, eyeing her carefully.

"No, not really, but I'm guessing they're all about me," Isadora replied, her voice tinged with resignation.

"Yes, but we know there's no truth to them, Is," Steve reassured her. Isadora looked down at her hands, feeling the weight of shame and uncertainty.

"You... You were right, Steve. I should have listened when you said Billy was going to treat me the same way he treats all the other girls he has slept with, and I'm so sorry I didn't listen," Isadora admitted, her voice heavy with regret.

"I didn't want to be right," Steve replied softly, his gaze unwavering.

"I... I was falling for him, Steve," Isadora said, her voice breaking as tears threatened to spill again.

"I know you were, Is," Steve said, his tone understanding yet firm.

As they sat quietly on the steps of her house, the weight of unspoken words hung heavily in the air between them. Isadora felt a familiar ache in her chest as she wondered if things would ever truly get better. She looked at Steve, grateful for his presence, but an emptiness loomed deep within her, a yearning for the connection she thought she had with Billy. The uncertainty of her emotions felt like a storm cloud, ever present and unyielding.

As they sat in silence, the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the landscape. The world around them felt both familiar and foreign, and Isadora couldn't shake the feeling that she was on the precipice of something monumental. Perhaps it was time to confront her feelings and face the consequences of her choices, both for herself and for those who cared about her.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Isadora broke the silence. "Steve, I don't know what to do. I feel lost."

"You'll figure it out, Is. You're stronger than you think," Steve replied, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Isadora nodded, the warmth of his support washing over her like a soothing balm. Though the road ahead was uncertain, she knew she wouldn't have to face it alone. As the first stars began to twinkle in the evening sky, she took a deep breath, ready to step forward into the unknown.

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Isadora admitting she'd fallen for Billy 🥺 

I feel bad for her but at the same time, she was in the wrong this time for breaking it off and not giving Billy a chance to explain himself and there are moments in this chapter we see her questioning it because she knows there are things that don't make sense.

Enjoy! Xo

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