after the final bell of the day rang, i was beyond ready to go to mikes house. this was going to be the first time that i would see everyone in over a year. plus, now that i have met suzie, i feel a lot better about myself because i met a friend.

i walked over to the bike stands and mike was already standing there, getting onto his own bike. "will, hi" he said as he looked up at me "hey" i simply said

"the others might be a while before they get here because they have after school stuff so how about me and you just go ahead and ride to my house?" he asked

"sure that sounds good!" i said hopping onto my own bike. mike started pedaling off of the school campus and i followed immediately behind.

once me and mike got to his house he threw me a coke from the fridge and mrs. wheeler walked into the kitchen as she said "mike, did i just hear will byers voice" me and mike looked at eachother like we were being caught but i dont know why. "will! my favorite son! what on earth are you doing back here?" mrs wheeler exclaimed after her eyes landed on me

"my mom decided that we should come back. new york just wasnt for us" i simply said. "well, its great to have you back," mrs wheeler sweetly said and turned to go out of the room.

suddenly there was a knock at the door and me and mike jumped alert. "that must be everyone" i said. "yeah, how about you go to the basement and i'll bring everyone down so it will be a suprise?" i nodded in response and i headed down the very familiar stairs.

when i got down to the basement, nothing had changed. the same couches and furniture were still in the same place and the dungeons and dragons boardgame was still on the same table where we played it last.

i sat on the couch and fiddled with my thumbs as i heard everyone walking down the stairs. i suddenly  started to feel a little anxious.

"mike, you have been acting weird all day and why are you blind folding us?" a faint voice said, probably lucas'.

after they were all down stairs, mike lined them up in front of me and they all had blindfolds on. dustin randomly started dancing and i quietly giggled and he stopped "wait wait mike who was that" he asked.

"dammit will"  mike muttered under his breath . "okay okay guys you can take your blindfolds off" mike laughed

they all took their blindfolds off at once and it was silent in the room for a good 5 seconds before the room exploded into screaming and commotion.

"WILL!"

"WHAT THE FU-"

"HOLY SHI-"

"WHAT IN TARNATION"

"WILLY!"

after everyone basically yelled at me they all ran at me and basically tackled me in hugs "oh my god i thought you were like never coming back dude!" dustin yelled at me.

"me too" i happily yelled back.

we were all still in a group hug and after about 3 minutes we all seperated. "

"when did thus happen, when did you get back?" lucas asked, looking straight at me. "like a week ago" i said looking down.

everyone was now sitting on the couch. mike was sitting on the opposite side of the couch from where i was and elevens head was laying in his lap while her legs were over max's lap. lucas was sitting next to max but they werent close. i moved onto the ground next suzie snd i fistbumped her. dustin was sitting in a lazy boy chair giving suzie a snarky look

mike was playing with elevens hair while she was looking up at him. and if im being honest, they looked kinda cute. they looked like an actual couple without them sucking off eachothers face every minute of the day.

i guess hoppers letter really reached out to them.

"so.. whats going on? why is everyone quiet?" i spoke up. "i dont know maybe you should ask slutty suzie!" dustin said rudely.

"woah woah woah, maybe we shouldnt use those kind words." mike said looking up from el.

"well its true." dustin said looking at mike. "okay guys, am i missing something?" i asked. everyone stayed quiet and no one made eye contact with anyone.

"i saw suzie kissing lucas." el said.

" 'i'll never leave you' my ass!" max yelled at lucas, shoving him from across the couch. "max oh my god. how many times do i have to tell you that it was a mistake?" lucas asked groaning.

"you f.ucking kissed her, lucas. kissing means something to me unlike you." she said with a scrunched up face, looking at lucas as if he was clueless.

i mean, she was right. if someone has a significant other, theyre yours and you are theirs. kisses, hand holds, and cuddles should be reserved for them and them only.

"give it up max" he groaned "jesus"

max pushed elevens legs off of her and eleven shouted out "OW!" as she sat up with furrowed eyebrows. max stomped over in front of lucas and slapped him smack in the face. "fuc.k you lucas. we're done." she said and stormed upstairs, slamming the door behind ber.

"well.. that just happened." i mumbled. and i looked down and anxiously fiddled with my hands. suzie looked over towards me and placed her hands on my knee.

"what, are you gonna make out with will too?" dustin said, crossing his arms, staring at me and suzie.

suzie removed her hand from my lap and then turned towards dustin. "listen, dusty. you know i would never intentionally cheat on you. i-i love you so much more than to do that to you. what me and lucas did was a mistake and it will never happen again."

dustin scooted on the floor next to suzie, "you promise?" he asked, holding out his pinky finger. "i promise, dusty bun." she responded, sweetly holding out her pinky finger to latch it onto his.

"i love you suzie poo" dustin said, it almost looked like he had stars in his eyes. "i love you too, dusty bun." she said as she placed her lips onto dustins and then pulled away a few seconds later.

its insane how far that they have come. not even a year ago, they were living hundreds of miles apart and now theyre here. i remember it like it was yesterday when they were singing to eachother over the radio on the fourth of july while the starcourt mall burned down.

i think that day was the last day where i saw my mom truly smile. she had everything. she had a happy family. she had a loving home. and most importantly, she had a hopper.

just thinking about how we lost hopper brought chill bumps to my body. i miss him.

"so." el said, sitting up from mikes lap, "i h-heard that there was going to be a... party on saturday at steves house."

"how would you know?" dustin questioned.

she just shrugged her shoulders and looked at mike.

"robin told me about the party. she said that she's decorating because dingus has no taste" dustin laughed.

"i believe it." i said with a smile on my face.

"okay so guys." el said, slightly raising her voice "we should go"

"i mean its on a friday, and thats four days away. its like a beginning of summer party" el said

"im down"

"okay i'll go"

"heck yea"

"sounds good"

"w-wait" i said "will there be" i paused and whispered the next part "drinking?"

"yeah, you idiot" mike laughed "every party has alcohol

"im ready to get wasteddddd" lucas said dramatically.

"me too" dustin, suzie, and eleven said at the same time.

i scrunched up my face and said "you all drink?"

"and you dont?"  eleven asked, like drinking was a character trait.

i shook my head at the question, "no never." i sai. everyone looked at me with shocked expressions on their face. "willy poo, you have indeed missed a lot." suzie said

"what do you mean?" i asked

"well.." mike started "our gang at school is kinda known for being the nerds that like to get freaky occasionally. like back in october, that was the first time we ever drank, we went crazy."

"yeah, mike and el had sex like fiv-" dustim started but was cut off by el flipping the recliner over with her powers.

"thanks a lot a.sshole" el said

"youre mean" dustin said as she pulled him and the seat back up. mike turned to her and wiped the blood dripping from her nose with the pad of his thumb.

"thanks" she blushed and mike leaned over and placed a kiss onto her cheek.

"so are you in?" lucas asked, turning towards me.

"well i- i uh dont quite know" i responded. ive never done anything too crazy besides lighting a mall on fire and bein possessed but its not like a had a choice in either of those situations. like what if i got caught? im only fourteen. but this would be the perfect opportunity to hang out with everyone again.

"c'mon will, it'll be fun, i promise" dustin said, poking out his bottom lip in a pout.

"okay, fine" i said and everyone cheered.

"awe, my little will is growing up" lucas cood "shut up, ill still beat your ass" i said

"i would like to see you try, you're like the skinniest person here, youre as skinny as a girl" dustin said

"whatever" i said and rolled my eyes. "anyways i gotta get home" .

"oh me too!" suzie said, jumping up and following me. "bye guys!" i said running up the stairs.

"you know he didnt mean it, right?" suzie asked

i nodded and got onto my bike "bye suzie, thank you for being such a great friend" i said as i rolled out of wills drive way, suzie going the opposite way.

today has been insane. ive finally been reunited with my friends and they didnt just forget about me. it is pretty crazy how much that theh have changed. i never would have expected any of them to be the party type, especially el since shes basically 3.

although i don't necessarily like the way that dustin and lucas think about me, which is feminine and small, i still love them a lot. whenever anyone makes fun of my size, i get really anxious and self conscious because i used to get bullied for my size by everyone, including my dad.

but, at the end of the day, everythin happens for a reason and im sincerely greatful for where i am today. i just wonder what friday has in store for me.

<3

literally no one reads this but sorry for the sucky chapter, itll be better soon.