‧₊ ·˚ ༘❁ ┊ep 4. the body. ▬▬▬▬▬▬
꒰ ✎ ꒱ؘ STARGIRL, a stranger things fanfiction

"You okay?" Lucas observed Franny as they walk their bikes to Franny's house. She had puffy eyes and a red nose. She nods, "Yeah. I just don't believe he's..." Franny sniffed her nose, "gone."

"Yeah, me either," Lucas replied still holding onto her shoulders. "Can you stay the night, Lucas? I need someone to comfort me." Franny sniffed her nose once more.

Lucas nods. As they walk up to the front door of her house. Lucas knocks.

Her mother opens it to see Franny with her eyes red and a red nose. "Mi Amor! Qué sucedió?" Her mother pulls the two in and closes the door. my love! what happened.

Franny hugs her mom as she turns around, her mother holds her tight. "Lucas would you stay with my daughter for the night. I can call your madre to let her know you're here and to bring some fresh clothes for tomorrow." She told Lucas.

"Yeah, that's fine." He replied.

Paola took Franny upstairs to her room, and the three walked past Kirby's room to see her on the phone with someone. Lucas waves. She sees Lucas and smiles back.

The three walk into Franny's room. Her wallpaper was a light blue that her dad had picked out when they first moved into their home.

"I'll get you a sleeping bag from the storage room." Paola began and walked out of the bedroom and closed the door.

Lucas sat on Franny's bed next to her. "So Franny I've been wanting to tell you something for a while," Lucas told her. Franny turned away from her looking at the floor and turned to look at him.

"What is it?" Franny replied. Lucas sighed, don't fuck this up, Lucas. He said in his mind.

"I've..." Lucas tried to tell Franny but was cut off by a knock on the door.

"Come in," Franny added. Paola walked into Franny's room with a blue sleeping bag.

"This was my husband," Paola said touching the ring on her finger. She opened the bag as she sat on the floor and placed it on the floor next to Franny's bed.

"Okay." Paola exhaled getting up and crossing her arms. "Sleep tight." She walked out of the room and closed the door. "Goodnight, mi amor."

"Night, mama," Franny replied and gave a small smile. "What did you want to tell me?" Franny expressed.

Lucas closed his eyes and exhaled. He leaned in and gave a quick peck on her lips. Her eyes winded and he leaned away. She smiled and leaned into his lips and gave a long peck.

"Wow," Lucas said and laughed. She laughed back.

"So is this you confessing?" Franny asked, looking at Lucas with a smile. "Yeah. I guess this is me confessing." He accepted.

The door opened completely. "Shit. You're here." Kirby looked at Lucas.

"Yeah?" Lucas narrowed his eyebrows. "Anyways besides that. Franny, I need your help." Kirby asked.

Franny nods. "Nancy and I can't find Barb."

"Wasn't she with you a few days ago?" Franny added. Kirby nods. "Yeah, and she hasn't been at school for the past few days. I'm really starting to worry. So can you help? We can make missing posters." Franny nodded. "Tomorrow." Franny yawns.

"We're both tired." Franny declared.

Kirby nods and closes the door.

"So are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?" Franny noted. "No, not yet but if you want to we can be. Do you think it's too early?" Franny shrugs her shoulders.

"Okay, but this stays between us. You know how it'll be different once everyone finds out." Lucas told her. She nodded and she layed down and told Lucas goodnight.

"Night."

"Night."

𓆩♡𓆪

"Lucas, do you copy?" Could be heard from the Walkie-talkie

Lucas and Franny lie down next to each other. "Just ignore it."

"Lucas, come on, I know you're there! This is urgent I'm serious." Mike says.

They both don't move. Franny wraps her arm around his waist.

"I'm not gonna stop until you answer," Mike announced. "Lucas. Lucas!"

"Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas..." Franny picks up his radio.

"Shut up Mike!" Franny replies from his radio.

"Why do you have Lucas' radio?" Mike questioned. "So what Lucas can't spend the night at my house?" Franny hands the Walkie to Lucas.

"Go away, Mike. I'm not in the mood, all right? Over and out." Lucas tries to close the antenna from the Walkie.

"No, not out," Mike replies. "I'm not messing around, okay? This is about Will. Over." Mike quipped. Lucas and Franny share a look.

"What about Will?" Lucas questioned Mike. "You mean about his funeral? Over."

"No not his funeral. Screw his funeral!"

"What?" Lucas and Franny say together at the same time.

"Both of you get over stat! And bring Dustin." Mike noted. "Over and out."

Lucas closes the antenna and they get up and pack their backpacks.

"C'mon, let's go," Lucas says putting his backpack on.

Franny nods.

They walk downstairs and walk out the door. "Be safe!" Paola tells the two as they walk out the door.

𓆩♡𓆪

Franny, Lucas, Dustin, and Mike sit around Eleven as she messes around the Walkie Talkie. Franny and Lucas were holding hands. They tried to keep it hidden from the others.

"We keep losing signal but you heard it, right?" Mike asks the three.

"Yeah, I heard a baby," Lucas tells him. "What?" Mike wondered.

"Mike, you obviously tapped into a baby monitor." Lucas acknowledged. "It's probably the Blackburns next door," Lucas added on.

"Uh, did that sound like a baby to you Lucas?" Mike remarked. "That was Will!" Mike added.

"Mike..." Franny chimed in. "Franny you don't understand. He spoke last night. Words!"

"It's probably in your mind Mike," Franny replied.

"He was even singing that one song he loves! Even El heard him!" Mike mentioned Should I stay or should I go by The Clash.

"Oh, well, if the weirdo heard him, then I guess—" Lucas was cut off.

"Are you sure you're on the right channel?" Dustin responded.

"I don't think it's about that," Mike added.

"I think, somehow, she's channeling him." Franny looked at Eleven then looked back at Mike. "How? He's dead."

"Will is not dead. I found him singing the song." Eleven chimed in the conversation looking up from the Walkie.

"Like... like Professor X." Dustin put forth. Mike nodded. "Are you actually believing this crap?" Lucas declared. "I don't know, I mean..."

Dustin looked at Lucas. "Do you remember when Will fell off his bike and broke his finger?" Dustin asked Lucas. "He sounded a lot like that." He added to his sentence.

"Did you guys not see what Franny and I saw?" Lucas expressed.

Franny nodded. "They pulled his body out of the water guys." Franny looked at the two. "Will's gone."

Dustin looks at the floor.

"Well, maybe it's his ghost. Maybe he's haunting us." Dustin replies looking at Franny. "It's not his ghost." Mike chimes in.

"So how do you know that?" Lucas bleated, annoyed. "I just do!" Mike replies.

"Then what was that in the water that Franny and I saw? Huh? What was it?" Lucas repeated.

"I don't know!" Mike said loudly. "All El and I know is that Will is alive," Mike says looking at the floor and then looking back up. "Will is alive! He's out there somewhere." Mike added. "All we have to do is find him."

Lucas gives a wistful look to Mike as Eleven continues to tinker with the Walkie.

"This isn't gonna work," Mike commented.

"We need to get El a stronger radio." Franny's eyes widened and then looks at Mike. "The AV radio. She can use that." Franny quipped.

"There's no way we're going to get Eleven in there without the school noticing her," Lucas mentioned to the kids from the school. "I mean... look at her." He mentions she shaved her and clothes. They all look uneasily at her. Her eyes shift between them.

"I have an idea, c'mon El." Franny gets up and grabs Eleven. "Mike where does your sister keep her makeup?"

"In her dresser. Second drawer." Mike replies and Franny nods. "We'll hurry guys we're on a time limit here!" All the boys get up and follow Eleven and Franny.

They all head upstairs and Franny sits Eleven down on Nancy's bed. She takes out Nancy's makeup and sits across from Eleven.

She gets the compact and makeup brush and puts some on Eleven. "My mom did my makeup for Halloween. She's going to do it again for me next year. I already have my costume."

"Halloween?" Eleven Wonders. Franny nods. "Yeah, it's the only time of year where you can dress up as whatever you want."

"What are you going to be?" Eleven asks as she closes her eyes as Franny puts more compact on her. "Wednesday Addams. It's a TV show I watch with my mom and sister."

Eleven smiles and nods.

"Okay all done." Franny grabs a small mirror and opens it and shows Eleven. "You look pretty." Franny smiles.

Eleven gives a big smile. "Thank you." Franny nods. "Of course anytime."

Dustin, Mike, and, Lucas walk into Nancy's room with a blonde wig and a pink dress. "We found this."

Franny smiles. "It's perfect." Franny grabs the dress and hands it to Eleven. "Put this on we'll wait outside for you."

The four wait outside for Eleven to come out of Nancy's room. Eleven opens the door and walks out in the dress and wig.

Mike looks at Eleven. She smiles at him.

"Looks like two more people are in love," Franny whispers in Lucas' ear and he laughs. Mike turns around. "What?" Franny and Lucas stop laughing.

"Nothing!" They both say as they look at each other and laugh more.

Eleven walks past them and walks to a mirror. "Pretty." She smiles as Mike smiles at her.

They all walk down to the front door and ride their bikes down the street. Eleven sits on the back of Mike's bike as she gazes at the town with an aw stuck expression.

A little later the five enter the middle school. Eleven wears a blue jacket over the dress.

"Okay, remember, if anyone sees us look sad," Mike tells the four. They all nod.

On the PA the principal is announcing and assembly for Will.

Attention students, there will be an assembly to honor William Byers in the gymnasium now. Do not go to the fourth period.

Mike tries to open the AV room door but it's locked. "It's locked," Mike said. "What?" Lucas tries to open the door.

"Do you think you can open it El?" Franny asks. She nods. Mr. Clarke walks up to where the five were standing. "Guys?"

They all stop to look at him. "Hi," Lucas says calmly. "Assembly's about to start."

"We know. We're just, you know..." Mike asserted. "Upset," Franny added, looking at Mr. Clarke. "Yeah, definitely upset," Dustin says stammering. "We needed some alone time." Mike conferred.

"To cry." Franny says, as almost 'tears' form in her eyes. "Yeah listen, I get it. I do. I know how hard this is, but let's just be there for Will, huh?" They all slowly nod. "And then..." Mr. Clarke pulls out a set of keys and tosses it to Mike. "The Heathkit is all yours for the rest of the day." He tells them.

"What do you say?" They all look at each other and nod and give a grin. He notices Eleven. He stammers.

"I don't believe we have met. What's your name?" He asked Eleven. They all look at Eleven.

"Eleven—" She says but was quickly cut off by Mike.

"Eleanor! She's my, uh—" Mike stammers.

"Sister!" Franny announced. "Step sister!" Lucas replied.

"She's here for Will's funeral," Mike added. Mr. Clarke nodded.

"Ah, well, welcome to Hawkins Middle, Eleanor." Mr. Clarke tells her. "I wish you were here under better circumstances"

"Thank you." She tells him.

"Shall we?" He tells the five. "Yep!" Dustin replies. They all walk-behind Mr. Clarke to the gym.

"Nailed it," Lucas whispers to Franny. She smiles.

They walk up to the gym door and Dustin pulls open the door. They all stop in their steps as everyone turns to look at them.

"Abort," Dustin tells Lucas. Dustin turns to leave but Franny and Lucas push him and turn him around.

"We come together to heal..." The principal says, as they walk up to empty seats. They all sit and listen to what they have to say about Will.

"Will Byers' death is an unimaginable tragedy." The principal added to his sentence. "Will was an exceptional student and a wonderful friend to all of us."

"Half of these people don't even know Will," Franny remarks.  "It's impossible to express the hole his loss will leave in our community." He continues. "I'd like to introduce you to Sandy Solane. She's a local grief counselor from the church over in Jonesboro."

Mike pears around to the students sitting around them. Eleven does the same and Dustin smiles at her. Franny and the others heard laughs coming from Troy and James.

"Who's interested in this? This is so stupid." Troy laughed. As Franny and Lucas looked at them.

"Mouth breather," Eleven said to Franny. Franny nods. "Mouth breather," Franny repeats.

"Grief shows itself in many ways." The counselor could be heard.

Later the school bell rings. Mike's eyes focus on the crowd where Troy and his friend can be seen.

"Hey! Hey!" Mike loudly says to Troy. Troy ignores him. "Hey, Troy!" Mike says.

"Hey, Troy!" Mike says once more.

Troy turns around to look at the five.

"You ... you think this is funny?" Mike snaps at him. "What'd you say, Wheeler?" Troy hissed back at Mike. Mike stammers. "I saw you guys laughing over there," Mike tells him. "And I think that's a real messed up thing to do."

"Didn't you listen to the counselor, Wheeler?" Troy tells him. "Grief shows itself in funny ways," James responds back at Mike.

Lucas gives them a mad look. Now everyone is in a circle around them.

"Besides, what's there to be sad about anyway? Will's in fairyland now, right? Flying around will all the other little fairies. All happy and gay!" Troy laughs at the last part with James.

Tory imitates a fairy while Dustin shakes his head. The two leave and Mike walks forward and shoves Troy to the ground. Troy grunts as everyone gasps and exclaims.

Troy looks up angrily. "You're dead, Wheeler!"

"Dead!" Troy tries to punch Mike but freezes in his tracks. Troy's confused eyes shift to Mike. A wet spot from his crotch travels down his pants.

"Dude, Troy peed himself!" A boy announces and everyone starts laughing. Mike's expression warps into a smile.

Mike looks back at Eleven as blood starts to trickle down her nose. She smiles slightly then casually wipes it away.

"Hey what's going on here?" The principal rushes to find out what happened. The three rush to get Mike and they run away.

They all leave Troy standing alone.

"That was so cool! Eleven you're a badass!" Franny says as they walk to the AV room. She laughs.

Mike opens the door to the AV room and Eleven sits down. Mike locks the door and turns on the light.

"Now what?" Dustin questions. "She'll find him." Mike answers. "Right El?" Mike tunes the dial on the radio and Eleven shuts her eyes.

"She's doing it. She's finding him!" Mike observed Eleven as she tries to find Will. "This is crazy," Dustin says placing his hands on his head.

"Calm down she just closed her eyes." Lucas gave a smart remark. The light goes out and they all gasp. "Holy."

They all gather tensely at Eleven. "What is that?"  Dustin implied.

Mom?

They all look at each other in shock. "No way."

Please. Mom!

"Will it's us! Are you there?" Lucas loudly says.

"Can you hear us? We're here!" Dustin said.

"Come home, Will! Please."

Hello? Mom?

"What can't he hear us?" Lucas asked. "I don't know!" Mike replied.

Mom! Mom...

They could hear a monster growling from the radio speaker.

"What is that noise?" Franny asked.

Mom, it's coming!

It's like home, but it's so dark... It's so dark and empty. And it's cold! Mom? Mom!

The radio burns to fire and the lights come back on and Dustin grabs the fire extinguisher. Dustin puts out the fire as blood comes down Eleven's nose.

"Are you okay?" Franny asks. Eleven stares at her weakly. "Can you move?" Mike asked her. Eleven wears a dazed expression. They turn to Lucas.

"Help her up." Mike and Lucas' help drag Eleven to the door. Franny and Dustin follow.