CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
INTRO TO THE UPSIDE DOWN

☆ミ ☆彡

"WHAT IS THIS SHIT, STALKER?" Max angrily questioned as she walked toward Lucas. Max didn't appreciate what was supposed to be her time hanging out with Challan being interrupted by the boy that she no longer wanted anything to do with. The person she wanted to be friends with and who wanted to be friends with her was there. She fixed their friendship and she wasn't in the mood for Lucas' bullshit.

"Sorry. I just needed a safe place," Lucas replied before looking over at Challan who sent him an awkward wave, which he reciprocated. Max looked over at Challan quizzically before returning her gaze to Lucas.

"A safe place to what? Be creepy?" Max retorted with a sarcastic smile.

Challan glanced between the two uncomfortably as the two stared at each other. She should probably leave. It was apparent that Lucas wanted to speak to Max privately. She would just wait outside or something.

"Should I go?" Challan finally spoke and the two's heads snapped over to her.

"No!" Both Lucas and Max shouted and she jumped slightly at their yells.

"I... I'm actually glad you're here. I wanted to talk to both of you. I just... didn't expect you to be here too," Lucas continued more quietly. He looked between the two before speaking again. "Listen. I'm gonna tell you both the truth about everything that happened last year. But if anyone finds out, you could be arrested," he sighed, "Possibly killed."

Challan's eyes widened immediately, "What?"

Max rolled her eyes not believing what he was saying, "Killed?"

"I need to know," Lucas looked between the two girls, "Do you accept the risk?"

Challan wasn't sure what was going on or what risk he was referring to but it had to be about a game or something, right? There was no way that Lucas Sinclair was involved in something that could get them arrested or killed. Right?

"What is this even about? A game or something?" Challan asked, eyebrows furrowed. She hoped it was about a game.

"No. It's about something real. Something serious," he shook his head. Max was not having any of this.

"Oh, my God! This... this is so stupid." She shook her head and turned around in a circle before facing Lucas again who just repeated his initial question, more forcefully this time.

"Do you accept the risk?"

The two girls looked over at each other. Challan's eyes were wide in confusion and mild fear. What the hell was going on?

Max met Lucas' eyes, "Yeah. Sure. Fine. I accept the risk." She put her skateboard down on the ground and sat in an empty chair, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at Lucas impatiently. Lucas looked over at Challan, awaiting her response.

"Can I have like, I don't know, a clue as to what's going on before I accept the risk?" She asked.

He shook his head, "I can't tell you anything unless you accept the risk first."

"Well, how am I supposed to accept the risk if I don't even know what risk I'm accepting?" She asked. A part of her was afraid. She didn't like the unknown. In fact, she actively avoided it. Not knowing things freaked her out. Whatever was going on right now was freaking her out.

"Look, you don't have to accept the risk if you don't want to. But if you don't, you have to go," Lucas said.

Challan stared at the boy for a long time as she contemplated. This was her way into their friend group. That's what she wanted, right? She wasn't sure anymore. She was content in only having Max as a friend. Maybe that was enough. But a part of her was curious as to what he had to say. A part of her wanted to be his friend. So, against her better judgment, she responded.

"I accept the risk."

She would regret that.

Lucas sighed and nodded, gesturing for her to take the other empty seat across from Max whilst he decided to stand.

The two girls looked at him. "Let's hear it," Max urged.

Lucas sighed again, "Last year... Will didn't get lost in the woods. He got lost somewhere else."

••••

Challan Logan didn't know Lucas Sinclair well. She didn't know him at all, really. But she didn't think he would be insane. He didn't look insane but did any insane person look insane? As she stared at him while he was telling his story to her and Max, all she could think was that he was insane. Absolutely out of his mind.

She didn't believe in anything supernatural. It just wasn't real. Witches weren't real. Monsters, alternate dimensions underneath the town, girls with telekinesis, none of that was real. And even if it was, she wouldn't want anything to do with it. No one in their right mind would want anything to do with it.

"And that was the last we ever saw of her. After that, she was just gone. I can't believe it's been that long. Feels like yesterday," Lucas said as he came to the end of his story. Challan only stared at him, glancing at the door every now and then as she pondered running away.

"Yeah. I mean, I bet. Wow," Max replied and Challan looked over at her. Did she not realize that Lucas was out of his mind?

"It's crazy," Lucas sighed loudly, "I know."

"Try certifiable," Challan muttered quietly.

"It's crazy, but... I really liked it," Max said. Challan was so confused at that moment but she said nothing, just letting the other two speak so that she could, hopefully, get a better understanding of what was even happening.

"Like it?" Lucas asked, just as confused as Challan.

"Yeah. Well, I mean, I had a few issues," Max answered.

"Issues?"

"I felt it was a little derivative in parts, but..." Max said. Challan was slowly beginning to understand what Max was saying. She thought it was a made up story. That made sense, none of it seemed realistic. Why couldn't he just tell them it was a story?

"What are you talking about?" Lucas wasn't catching on. Why was he confused?

"I just wish it had a little more originality. That's all," Max continued.

"You don't believe me?" Lucas asked her. He then turned to face Challan who raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Lucas, come on, seriously? How gullible do you think we are?" Max replied. She looked over at Challan as if not believing this situation.

"Why would I make this up?" He asked loudly.

"I don't know. To impress us or something? Or you're just, like, insane," the redhead replied.

"I think he might just be insane," Challan said. He looked over at her incredulously. "Just a little bit," she muttered, pinching her fingers together to indicate 'a little bit.'

"I tell you two all of this. I mean, top-secret stuff. Risking my life. And this is how you guys react?" He said, beginning to sound a little angry.

Max chuckled lightly, "Risking your life?"

"Oh, so this is funny to you?" He asked her.

"Yeah. I mean..." she looked at Challan for a moment before looking back at him. "Kind of funny. Stupid, but funny." She chuckled again before standing up, grabbing her skateboard in one hand. She walked over to Challan, grabbing her arm in her other hand and pulling her out of her seat. "Come on."

"Where are you going?" Lucas asked the two.

Max turned back to him, causing Challan's body to turn in his direction too. "Story time's over, isn't it?" Challan opened the door and Max was pulling her through it. Keith lifted the counter up so the two could walk out. The redhead pulled Challan in the direction of the video games and began thinking of which one she wanted them to play. All Challan could think about was how Max was always dragging her around. Not that she minded.

Lucas followed behind them and began to talk quietly despite the arcade being extremely loud. "What's wrong with you? I gave you what you wanted."

Max turned to face him, "I wanted us to be a part of the group, not a part of some joke."

"It's not a joke," Lucas quickly denied. He looked at Challan, "You have to believe me, Challan. Come on. Will's disappearance never seemed weird to you?"

Challan honestly wasn't sure what to say. She never really sat down to think about what had happened to Will because then she'd be reminded of what she and her family had gone through during the time he was missing and she really didn't want to think about that.

Max spoke when Challan didn't. "You did a good job, okay? You can go tell the others we believed your lies if it gets you experience points or whatever."

The two began walking again, Challan because Max's hand was still firmly wrapped around her arm. Lucas grabbed Challan's free arm, stopping her in place which in turn stopped Max.

"We have a lot of rules in our party, but the most important is, 'Friends don't lie.' Never ever. No matter what," he said. Challan scanned his face, looking for any indication that he was lying. She didn't see one but that didn't mean he was telling the truth. She wasn't always good at reading people.

"Is that right?" Max still didn't believe him and she began walking again, pulling Challan with her towards the Dig Dug machine. "Then how do you explain this?" She let go of Challan's arm to take the 'out of order' sign off of the machine and stuck it onto Lucas's shoulder. The redhead got him there. If there was even a small part of Challan that believed his story, it was beginning to dissipate.

"I had to do that. To protect you," Lucas explained.

"To protect me from who, exactly?" Max loudly asked. "The big bad government baddies from Hawkins Lab?" It really did sound unbelievable. Challan didn't understand why Lucas thought they would believe him.

"Lower your voice."

"Or maybe it was to protect me from the Demogorgon from another dimension?" Max continued, ignoring his words as she pulled out coins to begin playing Dig Dug.

"Max, I'm serious, shut up!" Lucas stressed.

"Oh, no, no! You know what it was? It was Eleven. The girl—"

Lucas's hand quickly covered Max's mouth, stopping her from speaking and startling the redhead a bit. "Stop talking." He looked behind her and then back to her face. "You're going to get us killed. Do you understand?"

Challan grew uneasy, "Lucas, this isn't funny. Like this is seriously not funny."

"I'm not joking," he said, looking Challan dead in the eye. Panic struck her suddenly and she began looking around as paranoia washed over her. This wasn't real. This couldn't be real. Monsters, alternate dimensions, a girl with powers? This couldn't be her life right now. It just couldn't.

Max grabbed Lucas's hand and lowered it from her mouth. Her blue eyes were wide as she gaped at him. "You're serious?" She questioned, beginning to doubt that it was just a story.

"I really wish I wasn't," he responded.

Max stared at him silently for a moment before shaking her head. "Prove it."

"I can't," he said.

"So what? We're supposed to just trust you?" Max inquired.

"Yes," Lucas stated simply. Challan met Max's eyes and the two had a silent conversation. Neither of them knew what to believe. On the one hand, there was a slim, and we're talking very slim, chance that he was telling the truth. He spoke so passionately and in a way that was convincing them that he was being genuine. But still, it sounded absurd and unbelievable that it was difficult to discern fiction from reality.

The loud sound of a car and tires screeching broke the two out of their stare and Max became alert. Her head snapped to the door and she looked between Challan and Lucas before walking to the door, the two trailing behind. She looked out of the window, spotting Billy's car before turning back to the two.

"Shit. I gotta go. Um..." Max's eyes met Challan's and she quickly took her hand. Challan looked down at their intertwined hands, her heart, for some reason, beginning to beat a little faster. "Don't follow me out. Okay?" Max looked at Lucas next, "Same goes to you, stalker."

Max turned away from them and walked out of the door.

"Do you believe me?" Lucas called after her. Max didn't respond, didn't even look Lucas's way as she rushed over to Billy's car. Although Billy was wearing sunglasses, Challan could feel his eyes piercing into her as his gaze shifted between her and Lucas. Challan watched as Max got into Billy's car, the arcade door swinging closed and her apprehension rising. She met Lucas's gaze and pulled him away from the door.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Max's stepbrother. I don't think he likes me very much. Or you for that matter," she muttered.

"Yeah. I picked up on that when he tried to run me over with his car. And you know all the times I'd catch him glaring at me," Lucas replied.

Challan's eyes widened, "What? He tried to run you over? Lucas that's not okay."

"I know. But what can we do against a racist? Most people around here won't really be on our side." He was right, Challan knew that. Racism was prevalent all over the country, even in the 'perfect' town of Hawkins, Indiana. Challan Logan and Lucas Sinclair were not strangers to racism. She wished things were different and hopefully one day, they would be. But Billy couldn't get away with what he did.

Challan's eyes glanced out the window again from where she was stood away from the door. Once Billy's car pulled out of the parking lot, Lucas was out the door and staring after the car. Challan tentatively followed him out and watched the car drive away.

"Hey," she said suddenly and his gaze turned to her. "I'm sorry. For being mean to you that day when you were trying to get advice for your crush. I was upset and shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm sorry," Challan apologized. The way she had treated Lucas that day was weighing her down with guilt. He didn't deserve that.

"It's okay. I'm the one who's sorry. Clearly, I shouldn't have been asking you for relationship advice the day after... you know. It was insensitive and stupid. I'm sorry, Challan," Lucas responded.

"Apology accepted," Challan smiled and Lucas smiled back.

Her gaze shifted to the familiar car of her father's that was pulling into the arcade parking lot. She looked back over at Lucas as the car drove up to where they were standing.

"It's my parents, I gotta go," she informed and he nodded. She looked at the car and then at Lucas again. "Do you wanna meet them?"

Lucas' eyebrows furrowed in confusion for just a moment before his face relaxed. He smiled and nodded, "Yeah. I probably should if this whole friendship thing is going to work out." Challan smiled, playfully rolling her eyes. "That is... if you want to be friends," he quickly added.

Challan pondered it for a moment. If what he was saying was true, then that would mean she would be in danger, right? There would be monsters and the government after her. Was having friends really worth the risk?

There was still a chance that he was lying to them. But something in the back of her head told her that he was telling the truth.

Lucas looked at her, eyes big and full of hope as he awaited her response. He didn't know why he wanted her to say yes. Maybe it was because he knew that she could relate to him. That she could understand what he had gone through throughout his life better than anyone else in the party or even in the town. Maybe it was because he knew she would be a good friend. She had been so down to help them with Dart, even when she really didn't want to. Even when the party weren't being the best friends. That was the kind of person that they needed in their friend group. The kind of friend that everyone should have in their corner. He really felt like they could be great friends and a part of him wished he had gotten to know her a long time ago.

Her priorities were still out of whack because she found herself nodding her head and motioning for him to come.

Her father rolled down the windows of the car and smiled over at them and her mother leaned over from the passenger seat so that she was seen from the driver's window. "Hey Chal Pal, who's this?" Theodore questioned.

"This is my friend, Lucas."

••••

Challan and Lucas brotp yup. Once again, I don't know who needs to hear this but Billy is racist. Anyway unrelated but, I pretty much know how season 3 and 4 of this book will go. I have season 4 better mapped out than season 3 because not gonna lie, season 3 was kind of a weird season plot wise. You'll (for the most part) love me with season 3. Season 4... well that's a different story lmao. Stay tuned friends.