"i'll take a quiet life."

★・・・・・・★

Amber, Max, Steve, Lucas, and Dustin were walking in the woods and Amber could only think of one thing. The mist. Again, her powers.

Amber ran. She ran and ran as fast as she could. She wanted to go home, but she couldn't. She snuck out of her house. She was dirty. Her hair was messed up, her clothes had small tears, and she was a mess.

She didn't really know where she was going.

She found a house and decided she'd stop there. But it wasn't any old house. It was Lucas's.

She climbed the roof, knocking on Lucas's window.

He went up to the window and opened it, surprised that Amber was there.

"Amber? What are you doing? It's 2 am."

"I can't go home, Lucas. I snuck out through my window and tried to go to Max's. But... mist. Mist came from my hands. Like in the Upside Down from today on the field. And I can't go home. You're the only person I could think of. I..." Amber said as she started crying.

"Come on. Let's get you inside," Lucas said.

He grabbed Amber's hands carefully to help her inside. Her hands were cold. Colder than normal. She must've been running for a while. She got inside and almost tripped, but Lucas helped her up. Amber blushed a little at the contact, but she couldn't feel that way. He's her best friend.

"Stay here. I'm gonna go get the first Aid-Kit and be back," Lucas said calmly.

Amber wondered why he was doing this. Why he was being so nice? After all, she treated him like shit for years. All he's done was be nice.

Lucas came back with the Kit and cleaned Amber up.

"Lucas?" she got his attention.

"Hm?" he hummed back.

"Why are you being nice to me?" she asked. "I've treated you like shit for years."

"We were friends once. You and Mike were inseparable. And I missed you. But, now you're back. And I'm happier," Lucas explained.

Amber wanted to kiss him. Lucas wanted to kiss her.

With hesitation, Lucas slowly leaned in at the same time as Amber leaned in.

They almost kissed.

There was a knock on the door and it was from Mrs. Sinclair.

"Lucas? Is someone else in there?" She called out.

Amber gave Lucas a pleading look as he said,
"No, Mom. Just me."

"Okay. Get to bed. You have school tomorrow."

"Yeah. Okay, night," Lucas said.

While Lucas was talking to his mom, he was at the door. He turned back around to reveal no Amber. She left.

And didn't say goodbye.

"Amber?" Max said, snapping Amber out of her flashback.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Never better," she said with a fake smile.