chapter one.
will is missing

Avery Grace Monroe loved to listen to music, she had boxes of vinyls and cassette players in her bedroom of all her favourite artists and songs. She had an open mind when it came to genres of music, she didn't mind trying out any type of music or listening to new songs but she did have her favourites; Queen and Abba. She loved the two bands and that was why at midnight on a school night she was dancing around the house, dancing queen playing at top volume from the record player that sat in the corner of the living room.

Avery spun around, singing the lyrics as she danced her way into the kitchen. She stopped by the fridge, taking a deep breath and pushing her brown hair out of her face. Avery grabbed her bottle of water out of the fridge, she always kept it in there to keep it cold. Footsteps behind the girl made her turn to face the figure who had just walked into the living room, the faint sound of the abba song playing in the background.

"Hey mum." Avery greeted her mother. Lorelai Monroe was a gorgeous woman with blonde hair and a charming smile. She wasn't tall, Avery being taller than the woman usually, but Lorelai wouldn't be caught dead without a pair of heels on, which greatly helped her look taller. Lorelai was an incredible mother too, she loved and care for her daughter more than anyone in the world and she did everything in her power to protect her daughter and let her live the life she deserves. Avery was forever grateful to have a mum like Lorelai.

"Hello gorgeous. What are you doing up?" Lorelai questioned the girl, who was still trying to regain her breath from dancing too much.

"I could ask you the same question." Avery retorted smiling.

"You are the reason I'm up, I love you Av but I don't need to listen to abba at midnight when I have work tomorrow." Avery's expression turned sheepish. "Why aren't you listening to it in your bedroom?"

"My bedroom has stacks of homework in it that I should be doing and if I go in there it's going to stare at me hauntingly." Avery stated, chugging more of her water.

Lorelai simply laughed, shaking her head at her daughter before turning around and heading out of the kitchen. "Go to bed Avery, you have school tomorrow."

"Aye aye captain." Avery mock saluted as she listened to her mum's footsteps go up the stairs and into her bedroom. Avery sighed, going into the living room and turning the music off before making her way upstairs and into her own bedroom, her eyes being immediately drawn to the stack of books on her desk. "Let's do this."

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"Avery, honey, you have to get up."

Avery groaned at the voice that was trying to get her up. It was far too early for this. Instead of answering, or even acknowledging the person, the brunette rolled over and buried her head in her pillow.

"Avery. Avery. Avery! Oh for the love of god."

Before Avery could comprehend, her duvet was ripped from her grasps, the cold air hitting her immediately as she shot up, already knowing the culprit from their voice. "What the hell dad?"

"You forced me too, if you don't get up now you'll be late for school." Avery raised her eyebrows at her father. "And you mum made pancakes and said I can't eat them until you're up."

"That's more like it." Avery smiled before yawning. "I'll be down in a minute, go eat."

Her dad smiled before practically skipping out of her bedroom and down the stairs to eat. Theodore Monroe, or Theo to most people, was a huge child. He loved to dance around, make sundaes, throw you in the pool, anything childlike. Avery didn't mind though, it make her life that much more interesting. However, Theo did take some things seriously, his job for starters. Theodore Monroe was deputy Chief of Hawkins, him directly under lifelong friend Jim Hopper.

Avery got out of her bed, putting it back together after her dad messed it up, before she got dressed. She put on a pair of blue bootleg jeans with a cropped yellow top. She didn't need to have a shower, her having one the night before. Avery got her school bag ready, putting all the homework in it she did the night before, and going downstairs. She walked into the dining room to see her parents sat opposite each other, her plate being next to mother's.

"Morning sleepy head." Lorelai greeted the girl.

"Morning mum." Avery smiled, sitting down and eating her pancakes. "These are amazing."

"I try. I try." Her mum shrugged. The phone began to rang, Avery's father standing up and getting it making Avery and Lorelai share a look. Theo came back a few minutes later.

"I've got to head to work." He stated, kissing Lorelai's cheek.

"Can you give me a lift to school?" Avery quickly asked.

"Sure, go get ready." Avery nodded, jumping out of her seat, running upstairs to brush her teeth before she put her shoes on -- her white nike sneakers -- and her thermal denim jacket. The brunette grabbed her bag, giving her mum a hug as she did.

"I'll see you later." Avery bid goodbye.

"Don't be late." Lorelai warned her.

"I never am." Avery joked, knowing she was late more times that would like to admit.

Avery and Theo got into the car, Avery immediately putting her cd in the cd player. Once again abba began to play out, Avery turning it up once she recognised the tune. Her father shook his head amusedly, singing along with the girl. After a few minutes, Theo arrived at the front of the school, allowing Avery to lean over and press a kiss to his cheek before opening the door and jumping out. The brunette waved goodbye to Theo as he sped off before she turned around and began walking into the school.

"Finally, I thought I would have to deal with all these douchebags alone." A voice piped up, Avery smiling at the figure who fell into step with her.

"Hello to you too Miss Buckley." Avery greeted her, a sarcastic smile on her face at the lack of greeting from her best friend.

"Oh I'm sorry." Robin stepped in front of Avery, bowing slightly. "I'm so glad you're here, your majesty, I am so pleased to made your acquaintance Miss Monroe."

Robin Buckley was Avery's best friend. The two had been friends since childhood and would literally not survive without each other. While Robin was sarcastic and pessimistic most of the time, Avery was deadpan and optimistic. The two balanced each other out, and will continue to do so for the rest of their lives. Avery remembered the day her and Robin became friends, she remembered so clearly promising to never leave Robin's side no matter what after she hit a random girl for picking on her. She intended to take that promise to the grave.

Avery scoffed before laughing at her friend's behaviour. "Come on Rob, we have class."

"Oh yeah." Robing sighed dramatically. "Because god forbid we get there less than ten minutes early."

"We won't be early, we'll be on time." Avery corrected.

"Whatever you say." Robin shrugged.

"And besides we have to stop at my locker first." Avery and Robin walked through the doors, people greeting and smiling at Avery as they did.

Avery was quite popular at Hawkins high. Not in the same way, Steve Harrington or James Parker were, you know, she wasn't queen of Hawkins, or famous for her hair or anything. No, instead, Avery was simple nice to people, she cared, she helped out, and she was always a friendly face and an ear to vent to if you went to the diner.

"God you are so popular it's exhausting." Robin rolled her eyes, her disdain for all humans very clear.

"It's only because I'm likeable." Avery turned to her friend as they reached the brunette's locker. "And I don't hate every single person I've ever met."

"Hey!" Robin spoke offended. "I don't hate you."

"True but who does."

"James Parker." Robin teased.

"The feeling's mutual." Avery scowled as the boy in question walked past the two.

"Monroe." He greeted, making Avery close her eyes for a moment, hoping he would just leave. "I'm excited to beat you in tomorrow's chemistry quiz."

Avery turned around. "Well you have fun trying Mr the highest I've got in Chemistry is 75."

James narrowed his eyes, staring at the blonde before smiling. "Aw you're threatened."

"Is that what you think?" Avery crossed her arms, stepping forward.

"Yep." James smiled. "I can help you study if you want."

"I'm not threatened." Avery shook her head.

"No?"

"Nope." Avery smiled. "I thought you were great at reading women but I guess you need more training." Avery turned around, grabbing the book she needed before closing her locker and turning to leave. "Now if you excuse me I have other men's egos to crush."

"What?"

Avery spun round to face him as her and Robin walked down the hall. She plastered a sarcastic look on her face, one that resembled faux-pity. "You didn't think you were special did you?"

"I love you Avery Monroe." Robin laughed when the girl started walking forwards again, leaving James to stand in the hall gobsmacked.

"I know."

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James Parker was a lot of things, he was smart, he was athletic and he was a total nerd, not that many people knew that. James Parker was best friends with Steve Harrington, who was considered the 'king' of Hawkins High School, the two had been best friends since they were young so when Steve became popular, James did too by association.

James admittedly let the popularity get to his head, just like it did with Steve, him becoming, in the simplest terms, a douchebag, he was judgemental and rude to some people and he dated a new girl every other week but one thing he didn't do was forget the way he was before.

James was a nerd in disguise, he loved video games, comics, board games, going to the arcade, basically all the things deemed by society as nerdy but he didn't really care. One other thing he loved to do was babysit and play board games with Will Byers. James had become civil with Jonathan Byers because of it but he and their mum worked a lot and James liked hanging out with Will and so babysat for free.

Because of his friendship with the Byers boy, James became close with the other boys, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, all three of them loving James as much as Will did and that was why James was so concerned to see the boys on his doorstep later that night.

"What are you doing here?" James asked Mike, who was standing in front of him, Dustin and Lucas behind him, all three holding their bikes.

"Will is missing." Mike stated.

"I know." James nodded.

"So we're going to look for him." Mike told him.

"Aren't the police handling that?" James asked.

"The police don't know Will the way we do." Mike stated. "Come with us."

James hesitated for a few moments before ultimately agreeing. Mike was right, the police didn't know Will the way they did, in fact the police knew practically nothing about the Byers boy and so if there was any chance of finding him, it would be now. And it wasn't like his mum was going to notice him disappearing, and so he grabbed his shoes and a flashlight before stepping out of the house, taking his bike off of the wall a and cycling after the boys.

"Aw, man. This is it." Lucas stated as the four stopped, looking at the barrier in front of them.

"Hey guys, do you feel that?" Dustin asked as he wiped his face. "I think maybe we should go back."

"No." Mike disagreed. "We're not going back. Just stay close. Come on."

"Come on Dustin, we've got this far." James urged the boy as he followed Mike and Lucas.

"Just stay on channel six. Don't do anything stupid." Mike ordered.

"Hey, guys, wait up." Dustin suddenly shouted, forcing the three to pause their movement. "Wait up!"

"Will. Will!" Mike shouted as they trekked through the woods, the rain hammering down around them.

"Byers!"

"Will!" James shouted.

"I've got your x-men 134!" Dustin called. "Guys, I really think we should turn back."

"Seriously, Dustin? You wanna be a baby then go home already!" Lucas told him.

"I'm just being realistic, Lucas!" Dustin exclaimed.

"No you're just being a big sissy." Lucas retorted.

"Okay, lets all just calm down." James ordered. "If it gets any worse than this we'll go home, okay? But for now let's just keep looking."

"Did you ever think Will went missing because he ran into something bad? And we're going to the exact same spot where he was last seen? And we have no weapons or anything?" Dustin questioned.

"I can do karate." James shrugged, although it went ignored as Mike spoke.

"Dustin shut up."

"I'm just saying does that seem smart to you?" Dustin asked.

"Shut up. Shut up." Mike repeated.

"What is it Mike?" James asked the boy, who was staring at the ground.

"Did you guys hear that?" Mike looked at them. A rustling sound came from behind them, the younger three spinning around before another rustling noise was heard, all four of them turning this time.

James shined his flashlight, the three boys doing the same. The four froze, staring at the girl who their torches were pointing at. She stood their, also frozen in the rain, staring at them in fear. She had a shaved head and in all honesty looked like a boy but she was cold and scared.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
first chapter!
welcome to wildest dreams,
already got some javery and
some robin and avery, my two favs.
this book will have both james and
avery's povs btw so be prepared.