NOT ALL THAT LUCKY !

☀︎

THE NEXY DAY OF SCHOOL HAD ALEX ON EDGE. After Jonathan and Nancy had ditched school midway through the day yesterday, they had continued to be a no show today. Had it not been for the monster in her mind, she wouldn't have thought much of it, but now, all she could hear was the whispers that they had left her behind, no care for what she had been going through. And since the battle between Steve and Billy, she was not all that interested in sitting in their gym class to watch another fight brew over a game of basketball.

Outside the school, Alex had been wandered around as she snapped pictures to keep her mind occupied. It had helped that the chill in the air had kept her much more cooled down than sitting in the school had. Flashes of the monster in the sky had came and went as she grew hotter.

Looking up towards the sky, snapping a few shots, wondering if any would be able to catch the monster that she had seen. It had overtaken the sky as a dark shadow, its arms snaking through the sky as it kept his eye on her. It was unsettling, but the more he had spoken, the safer Alex had felt with it around. It never did put her in harms way after all, it only told her what he knew was the truth— or what it had wanted Alex to believe.

Standing in what looked to be the Upside Down, Alex snapped pictures of the dark roots that twisted all around Hawkins. There was the occasional low growl from the demogorgons lurking inside, but none had made an appearance.

Heading to class, Steve had done a double take as he watched Alex standing in the field just outside the school, taking pictures of the ground before her. Not thinking much of it, he headed her way in hopes of asking her to sit in his gym class again. As he approached, he called out her name, but in return had not gotten a response.

Alex was whispering to what he believed to be herself as she turned her camera up to the sky. Looking up, he didn't see much as there wasn't even a cloud in the sky above them. Reaching out, he called her name as he tapped her arm, still there had been no response.

Lost in her own mind, she made conversation with the monster above, debating with him if what he had told her was the truth, was even real. All he had wanted was for her to see that he truly was the only one there for her, she just needed to see it.

Looking around her, she watched as the monsters arms slipped down from the sky, slowly coming towards her, which it had never done before. Taking a step back, she bumped into Steve, completely unaware as she looked down at its arms in slight fear. With comforting whispers, it had snaked his arms around her ankles, slowly maneuvered it around her body.

Speaking of Will Byers, it had taunted her with the thought of taking him instead as he had already done so much more yesterday. Alex had quickly refused this as its arm made its way up her neck and slowly brushing against her cheek.

"Stop it," she whispered, turning her head away in hopes he would stop. Then there was the demand to make a choice: her or Will Byers. It had all been up to her on what she had wanted. There was never a moment of hesitation on who she would choose to walk away from this mess. Will Byers was a kid, one that had been through more than he had ever needed to. Things deserved to be normal for him and it was something she was willing to sacrifice for the small, soft spoken boy.

Leaving her to make a decision, the monster had disappeared, Upside Down and all. Stumbling back from the sudden disappearance of the world around her, Alex dropped her camera. Reaching out, Steve barely managed to catch it with his free hand as he looked her over suspiciously.

Looking around her, Alex touched her cheek, wondering where the monster had gotten off to. It had been quiet, something he rarely ever let her have. To her, the only logical explanation had been he was off to pay a visit to Will Byers, most likely offering him the same options.

Alex snatched her bag up from the ground, throwing it over her shoulder as she took the camera back from Steve. "Thanks," she whispered, shoving it back into her bag. Looking to head off, Alex was soon stopped by Steve jumping in front of her with his hands raised. "Whoa, hey, where are you going? You just..." Turning up, he looked to the sky before down to her. "Why don't you come to gym with me. You can sit and watch, and relax."

Furrowing her brows in confusion, Alex shook her head. "Uh, I can't. I'm fine. No offense, but I don't really want to see you and Billy shoving each other over." Running her hand through her hair, she tried to think of a way to slip passed Steve and leave school to get to the Byers. "I think I'm gonna go to the nurse and have my mom come get me."

"Great, I can walk you then."

Shaking her head, she refused. "No, thats fine. I can get there and I can just call you after you get home from school if I'm feeling better. That way you won't miss gym. You know your parents will kill you if you skip class, especially for me."

Looking her over, he thought that through. School was the Harrington's highest concern since Steve had never excelled in it. With college only next year, he couldn't afford to mess up even more. "Yeah, I guess so. But you will call, right?"

Nodding her head, she grabbed him to bring him along back towards the school. "Yeah, I just have a headache, you know, probably didn't get much sleep with all the homework I have piled up."

Heading inside, she gave him a quick goodbye as he headed off towards the gymnasium. Waiting until he rounded another corner, she sighed heavily as she headed back out the doors and to the pay phones.

Alex lifted the phone to her head quickly and threw in some coins as fast as she could. From a distance, Billy found himself watching her as she impatiently bounced on her heels as she awaited for someone on the other end to pick up.

"Oh come on! This is bullshit!" she yelled, shoving in more coins and punching in more numbers. After the Byers had failed to pick up, calling Jim Hopper had been her next option. She had always trusted him, and right now, she needed help.

"Hello? Hi, can I please speak to Hopper?" she asked quickly into the phone, "My names Alex Henderson.... Yes, he knows who I am! Why else would I specifically ask for him? .... What the hell do you mean he's not there!?" she yelled into the phone. It was out of character for her to lash out on an adult but these were desperate times. Billys smirk grew wider, watching her grow more and more frustrated.

"Where is he?... You don't know where he is?! You're telling me you don't know where your chief of police is?! ... total bullshit. You're no help at all, you know that? ... No, I don't need another officer besides it's not like you know where your officers are at anyways. While you're at it, remind Callahan he sucks... Yeah my problem is that you're absolutely no help. Dammit, okay bye." She slammed the phone back to its original place. "Son of a bitch!" she screamed to herself.

Alex ran her fingers through her hair stressfully as she tried to consider her options. Steve had been the one to pick her up this morning so there was no chance in riding to the Byers. From here, it seemed her only option had been to walk it. Fixing her bag on her shoulder, she started to head off on what would be a long journey by foot.

Seeing the anger and desperation to get away from Hawkins High, Billy pulled himself up the wall to follow after her. "Hey, hold up! God dammit, slow down!" Rushing forward, he grabbed her by her arm and spun her around, "You need some help?"

She pulled her arm free, straightening out her jacket as she looked him over. She needed a ride and standing right before her had been someone with his own car to get her there. Frowning, she gave in. "Yeah, a ride."

"Little bit of an attitude you got there."

Scoffing as he smirked at her, she rolled her eyes and turned around with him trailing right behind her. Falling in step beside her, he pulled out his keys. "Relax, sweetheart, I can give you a ride. Wherever you want to go."

Giving him a quick glance, she headed towards the parking lot. "Don't you have gym with Steve? Don't want to go and push him around again?"

"Harrington can manage without me. It's your lucky day after all."

"Yeah, well, haven't been feeling all that lucky lately. So just drive fast, okay? And don't try anything either," she warned. Heading up to his car, she ignored his lingering eyes as she yanked open the passenger door. Tossing her bag in first, she pulled her jacket off and threw it in after. As cold as it had been, Alex Henderson had been fighting the heat brewing up inside her.