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Max's voice trembled as she spoke, "It was here," her flashlight casting a spotlight on the wall. The weight of the moment pressed on her, and she added, "Right here," the vulnerability evident in her cracking voice. A swell of emotion filled Cassidy's eyes, while Theodore exchanged a worried glance with her. "A grandfather clock?" he questioned, a mix of confusion and concern etched on his face.

"I swear, it felt like reality. As I approached, everything blurred, and Cassidy's hand on my shoulder jolted me awake," Max recounted, glancing at Cassidy who offered a melancholic smile. "It's like she was in a trance, just like Eddie described with Chrissy," she added, a sense of shared bewilderment lingering between them.

Theodore, folding his arms, cut in sharply, "Sorry to interrupt your... whatever this is. Who the heck are Eddison and Christen?" Cassidy chuckled softly, and Dustin shot Theodore a disapproving glare. "It's Eddie and Chrissy," Dustin corrected, eliciting an eye roll from Theodore. "Again, who are they?" Theodore repeated, a coldness in his tone. Caswidy sighed, "Eddie is the leader of the Hellfire Club, and Chrissy is a cheerleader from my team," she explained as she wraps an arm around Theodore, added the details with a reassuring touch.

A surge of jealousy tightened Max's stomach, reminiscent of that time in the school hallway when she witnessed Cassidy and Theodore together. Despite Cassidy's known omnisexual preference with a leaning towards girls, Max still grappled with uncertainty about Theodore's inclinations. Dismissing the unsettling memory, Max turned around, her expression determined. "That's not even the bad part," she declared, the weight of her words palpable. Cassidy's stomach sank, anticipating the revelation with a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

In the confines of Ms. Kelly's office, they clustered around the desk, seeking solace in the shared concern. "Fred and Chrissy, they both turned to Ms. Kelly for assistance," Max began, her voice filled with gravity. "Persistent headaches tormented them, and then the nightmares began—a relentless cycle of troubled sleep and waking in cold sweats. As if that wasn't enough, they started seeing disturbing visions from their pasts. These haunting glimpses only escalated, growing worse and worse, until eventually..." The room held its breath, awaiting the revelation of the harrowing climax.

Theodore's somber words hung in the air, "Everything came to an end." Max nodded, a gulp betraying the gravity of the situation. Cassidy, a familiar nervous tic emerging, absentmindedly picked at her lips—a habit dating back to their first day at Hawkins Middle. Theodore, catching Cassidy's worry, playfully smacked her arm with a teasing smirk.

In return, she rolled her eyes, a silent exchange of familiarity. As the tension lingered, Robin looked up and somberly uttered, "Vecna's curse,"

The weight of impending doom hung in Max's words, "Chrissy's headaches started a week ago. Fred's, six days ago. I've been having them for five days. I don't know how long I have. All I know is that, for Fred and Chrissy, they both died less than 24 hours after their first vision. And I just saw that goddamn clock, so... looks like I'm gonna die tomorrow," she explained, her voice laden with resignation.

Cassidy, overwhelmed, released a shaky breath and abruptly stormed out of the room. "Cass!" Max called after her, tears welling up. Theodore sighed sadly, meeting Max's gaze. "I'll talk to her," he assured, and she nodded, gratitude mingling with the sorrow in her eyes.

Theodore swiftly followed Cassidy, finding her sobbing and curled into a ball against the wall. His expression turned into a concerned frown. "Cassie," he muttered softly, taking a seat beside her. "I know you're worried about her—."

Cassidy's emotions erupted in a torrent of anguish. "Worried!? Of course I'm fucking worried, Theo! She's gonna fucking die tomorrow! I haven't been here for her in months because... because she didn't talk to me! She shut me out for months! Our friends tried to talk to her for me, but she wouldn't budge! This is all my fucking fault! I hurt her so much in the relationship, Theo! That's why she broke up with me! I fucking loved... loved? Jesus, I still fucking love her! I don't care if she turned into a fucking jerk and could care less about me now! I love her so fucking much, Theo! It hurts so fucking much because she... she hates me and wants nothing to do with m— me," Cassidy poured out, her sobs echoing in the room.

Theodore, eyes welling up, felt a complex mix of sympathy, sorrow, and helplessness. He enveloped her in a comforting hug as she sobbed into his chest. As the weight of her words sank in, Theodore's eyes hardened with anger—not aimed at Cassidy, but at the painful circumstance. He pulled away from the hug, and Cassidy saw the intensity of his anger, a reflection of the frustration and sadness that filled the room.

"The—"

He forced a smile. "I'll be back," he said through the strained smile, clenching his fists. In an instant, he teleported back into Ms. Kelly's office, a bright blue light accompanying his departure. Max looked at the spot where he vanished, concern etched on her face. "Theo, is she—"

Theodore's demeanor turned cold as he spoke through gritted teeth, "We need to talk." Without giving Max a chance to respond, he grabbed her arm, and in an instant, they were engulfed in a brilliant light, reappearing in the midst of the dense woods. "Why are we in the woods—" Max began, her question cut off by the abrupt shift in surroundings.

Theodore's anger erupted. "You fucked up, Max!" he yelled, abruptly cutting her off. Max, taken aback, furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Excuse me, what?" she shot back defiantly, arms folding across her chest. Theodore responded with a sarcastic laugh, intensifying her bewilderment. "What is so funny?" she demanded, frustration evident in her tone as the tension between them thickened in the quiet woods.

Theodore's impassioned words poured out, each sentence laden with urgency and emotion. "You! I know you don't want to talk to Cassidy too much right now, but she fucking needs you, Max. She just found out that you might fucking die tomorrow! You treated her the best way someone could, and she is so thankful for that. I know I'm just some random gay boy you barely know, but Cassidy is my best friend. She is like a fucking sister to me and Eleven. She has cared for us so much and reunited me with my sister. And no, she did not tell me to do this—I'm doing it for the sake of my friend. She misses you and needs you, Max. You were the best person she had in her life. Nobody can help her recover except for you. Please just give her a chance again and be friends. I know it's hard being friends with an ex, and I get why you don't want to talk to her. It's hard after a breakup. But she needs you so much, Max; she loves you to death. You were her first love, and she could never get that back. I know you don't want to speak to her, but please do. She needs you. And the only thing that will make her happy is by you talking to her. I got even more close with her whenever you guys first broke up, and she has barely changed. I know I knew her way before you did, but she came to me crying every night, feeling like it's all her fault for the breakup. She isn't getting any better, and now that she knows you're dying, she is hurting even more. I know you don't care at all, but the least you could do is talk to her and not act like a bitch when she just needs someone she loved back. Please just try talking to her. Give her another chance. I can't stand to see my fucking best friend hurt anymore because of you."

Max's eyes widened at Theodore's heartfelt speech, and tears streaked down his cheeks. Her face hardened, fists clenched by her side. The emotional weight of Theodore's plea echoed within her, tapping into a truth she had been trying to bury. Despite her attempts to move on from Cassidy, each pursuit of someone new had proved futile. It wasn't Cassidy. Memories flooded back, taking her to the moment when she first acknowledged her feelings for Cassidy, a revelation she had been trying to deny for months.

The roots of Max's love for Cassidy reached back to poignant moments etched into her memory. She recalled instances where Cassidy's care for her was palpable, moments that stirred a fierce protective instinct within Max. The memory of wanting to confront and hurt Billy for causing pain to the person she loved flooded back, a testament to the depth of her emotions. The recollection of their first "I love yous" held a tender significance, the words exchanged becoming a foundation for their connection.

Amidst those cherished memories were dreams of a future together—marriage, once it became legal in Indiana and they were old enough. Yet, the bittersweet truth hung heavy in Max's heart, the awareness of how deeply she had hurt Cassidy casting a shadow over those beautiful moments they once shared.

Despite the flood of emotions and memories, Max staunchly resisted showing the extent of her lingering love for Cassidy. Her jaw clenched as she shook her head. "Say something, Max. I don't have all the time to wait for your goddamn answer!" Theodore spat out, frustration evident in his tone. Gritting her jaw, Max responded tersely, "It's not happening." Theodore's glare intensified, confusion etching his features. "W— What—? Why though? I understand you two broke up, but she needs you." The air crackled with tension as Theodore awaited an explanation, frustration and concern etched across his face.

Max shook her head again, determined to convince herself and Theodore that Cassidy would find someone else, someone better. She believed she had hurt Cassidy too much and that Cassidy deserved more than what Max thought she could provide. As Max tried to walk away, Theodore gently grabbed her arm, halting her departure. "Where are you going? I'm your ride back. So, as I was saying—" Theodore attempted to resume their conversation, the unresolved tension lingering between them, a reflection of Max's internal conflict.

Max moved her arm out of Theodore's grip, folding her arms and rolling her eyes. "Aye, you listen here, Max. Can you at least try talking to her, at most be mutuals? And I know she will. But she just wants you as a friend," Theodore urged, hoping to break through Max's resistance. Max responded with another eye roll. "Why?" she questioned, folding her arms and raising her eyebrows. Theodore gave her a dumbfounded look, attempting to convey the obvious importance of Cassidy in Max's life.

Theodore's impassioned plea echoed in the quiet woods. "W—Why, Max? Why not at least give it a chance? Please, Max. You know you loved her at some point. The only thing she needs right now is to at least be mutuals or even friends. You don't have to date her again. She just wants you back in her life," Theodore continued, the urgency in his voice undeniable. Max pursed her lips, contemplating his words. "All it's gonna do is lead us to arguing," she voiced her concern, a hint of skepticism in her tone.

Theodore scoffed, "Trust me, it's not. She just wants to work things out with you because she cares about you. She just wants to be friends, nothing else. So if you both could agree on that, then there should be no arguing. Just give her a chance, please. And if it doesn't work, then we both will leave you alone," he reassured her. Max thought for a moment, her hand resting on her chin, pondering the potential outcomes of rekindling a connection with Cassidy.

Max's dismissive attitude prevailed as she clicked her tongue, her sarcastic smile challenging Theodore's hopefulness. "I'm good," she asserted with a tone that brushed off any suggestion of reconciliation. Theodore, holding back the urge to unleash his frustration, sighed deeply, realizing the difficulty of breaking through Max's resistance. "Just one time. Just try and work things out," he urged, forcing a smile to mask his disappointment.

Max, revealing her reluctance, retorted, "I don't want to be friends. I'm only talking to her a little because of what is going on right now." Theodore clenched his fists by his side, a mix of frustration and helplessness evident. "Why, can you at least try being mutuals?" he implored, seeking some form of compromise in the face of Max's reluctance.

Before Max could respond, the rhythmic crunch of leaves disrupted their conversation. "Who's there?" a voice called out, prompting both Max and Theodore to shift into alert mode. Theodore instinctively raised his hand defensively. "It's Jason," Max whispered to him, a note of reassurance in her voice as Theodore shot her a confused look.

Sensing the need to explain further, she gently grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her waist. "He's a basketball player," she added, offering context. Theodore, assessing the situation, rolled his eyes at Max's assumption. She continued, "I know you're only into guys, Theodore. We need to go now, okay? I don't know how this thing works with your teleporting." Her whisper-yell conveyed urgency as Theodore, despite his eye roll, acknowledged the need for a swift exit from their current location.

Suddenly, all she saw was a blue light, accompanied by distant screaming. In an instant, Max found herself and Theodore back at the High School. "What's going on?" Theodore asked Cassidy, who simply shrugged. "Something about Jason knowing about something with Dustin... I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention," she admitted, the uncertainty in her voice mirroring the confusion that surrounded them.

Theodore forced a smile as he looked at Max. "She's miserable without you, Max," he conveyed through her thoughts. Max, meeting his gaze, looked down with a heavy sense of guilt, the weight of his words sinking in.

—

ash speaks !

i'm spliting this episode in to two chapters cause i seriously just want to get a new chapter out for this book.

i wasn't lying when i told you that cassidy and max's whole relationship and breakup was about me and my ex.  the whole conversation between max and theodore happened between my bsf and my ex, of course i switched some things up and added some to it.

anyways ill try to get the other half out soon.