#elevel

All was back to normal in Hawkins, until Jane receives a visit from her sister Kali. Now the two must find others like them if they have any hope of saving their world.

Steve followed Jackie all the way to the football field. He had been trying to get her attention, but she was blatantly ignoring him. Steve knew he deserved it but was still irritated at the fact she wouldn’t even acknowledge him. “Hey!” he basically screamed at her. 

She spun around on her heels. “What!” she yelled back. 

“What do you want?! Now all of the sudden you want to talk to me?!” she asked, still fuming from before.

“Listen,” Steve began. “I was a jerk earlier. I was upset because I was beginning to think the rumors were true.”

“So? They’re about me, not you. What does it matter to you?”

Steve was stumped. Why did it matter to him? She rolled her eyes at him and was about to walk away when he grabbed her shoulder. “Wait, please don’t run away from me. I want to apologize.”

 It would be the first apology anyone has given Jackie for the way that they have been treating her. She motioned for him to continue. “I don’t know why I was upset about it, but I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being such a shitty friend when you were in a bad situation. I should’ve known better, especially coming from Hargrove.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, you should’ve. But, I guess I should’ve too when his sister said he was a jerk.”

“What happened?” Steve asked, concerned.

Jackie shook her head. “Nothing, don’t worry about it.”

Steve let out a sigh. “You know you’re really good at running away and hiding from your problems?”

She scrunched up her face. “Excuse me?”

“Jackie, I’m trying to talk to you,” Steve pleaded. 

She looked at him, confused where his sudden interest in her life came from. She sighed, “He was a jerk.” 

“When I told him I didn’t want to sleep with him, he got upset and kicked me out of his car. Well,” She paused. “I called him a schmuck first, and then he kicked me out of the car.”

Jackie plopped down on the bleachers. Steve did the same, next to her. She laughed, “You know, I was actually having a good time until he tried to stick his hand up my skirt.”

Steve felt his ears begin to burn. “He did what?”

“Yeah, I should’ve punched him then too,” she said with a chuckle.

 “Why didn’t you?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I was afraid of what he may do. But, I didn’t care today. I’m tired of people thinking they can do whatever they want to me.”

Steve glanced down at her hand that she was rubbing with the other.

“How’s your hand?”

Jackie spread her fingers apart and studied her knuckles. “Not the worst I’ve had. But it doesn’t feel good. Brody’s definitely going to be pissed come Saturday.”

Steve laughed. “Or proud. I know I would be. That punch was insane. You’re like the girl Rocky.”

Jackie threw her head back and laughed. “Thanks! I work hard like Rocky.”

“What made you decide to start kick boxing?”

“When I left Hawkins, the person who took care of me made me learn. He didn’t want me to be afraid of the world around me. He wanted me to know that I was more than capable of taking care of myself and being on my own.” 

Steve smiled. “You’re admirable.”

Jackie shot him a glare as her cheeks blushed. “shut up.”

Steve chuckled.

“I think I heard a crunch when I hit him,” Jackie bragged.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Steve replied. “You definitely fractured it at the very least.”

Jackie smirked, proud of her little stunt. They both let out a laugh. This felt familiar. 

“Do you want to hang out today? I’m pretty sure Dustin said he was going to study at The Sinclair’s. We could grab a coffee?” Steve suggested.

Jackie’s expression turned serious. “I can’t, I actually have to study, myself, before my shift at the diner.”

Steve frowned, disappointed by her reply. “Oh, well, I could help you?” he offered.

She chuckled as she got up from the bleachers, “Something tells me you would be more of a distraction than anything else.”

Steve shrugged. “I’m known to be quite handy when it comes to making up flashcards.”

She smiled. “Maybe next time,” she promised. “Tell Dustin to call me sometime.”

“Will do,” he replied, sticking his hand in the pocket of his jacket.

Jane let out a squeal when Mike splashed water at her. “It’s cold!”

Mike giggled. “Sorry.”

Jane smiled, giving him a little splash back. She couldn’t be more happy than to spend time with her favorite person. Jim peaked over his sunglasses at the two as he baited his hook. It was nice to see her genuine happy and being a thirteen year old girl. 

“Are you hungry?” Mike asked. Jane nodded. 

“Me too,” Mike replied. “Hey Hopper?”

“Yup?” Jim answered with a cigarette between his lips.

“Where did you pack the sandwiches?”

“They’re in the cooler in the cargo bed.”

Mike swung his head to Jane. “PBandJ or ham and cheese?”

“PBandJ,” She answered. 

Mike kissed her cheek, “I’ll be right back,” he told her as he sprinted to the truck.

“I saw that,” Hopper told Mike as he passed. “Bring me back a ham and cheese.”

“Got it!” Mike answered, nervousy behind his tone. Hopper chuckled.

Jane stared into the lake at her reflection. She laced her fingers into the roots of her hair and pulled them through so that it went in all directions. She smiled as her arms dropped to her side. Jane continued to watch her reflection as she swung her arms around, when she notice a blue butterfly fluttering by. She looked up to find nothing next to her. She diverted her stare back to the water where the butterfly was still fluttering what seemed to be inches from her face. Jane focused on it. Kali? She wondered. Then, in a very clear distinct voice she heard her speak. Jane! Jane’s eyes widened. How was this possible? She went to look up, and was greeted by Mike’s gaze, who seemed just as startled as she was. “Are you okay?” he asked her. She nodded in response. He hands her a sandwich tucked into a plastic bag. She smiles. “Thank you.”

Mike hopped out of the truck and to the front door of his house. before he entered, he turned to give Hopper a wave goodbye. When he got in, he heard Nancy and Jonathan at the dining table. “Hey!” his sister called to him.

“Hey guys.”

“So?” Jonathan asked with a smile.

Mike shrugged. “So what?”

Nancy laughed. “How was your date?”

Mike rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t a date. Hopper was there.”

“Ooo a chaperone,” Nancy teased. “So I guess you didn’t get to kiss her.”

Mike let out an exasperated sigh as he turned around and headed for the stairs to the basement. 

Jonathan laughed. “Oh, come on Mike!”

“Yeah! I’m just kidding!” They heard a slam and broke into laughter. 

“I don’t understand what we did wrong,” Nancy said.

Jonathan shook his head, trying not to spit out the sip of soda he had just taken.

“Will?” Mike said over the talkie. “Are you there? over.”

“Yeah, I’m here,” Will replied. “Over.”

“Did you do any of the math homework?”

“No,” Will answered. “I didn’t get it.”

“When are we ever going to need to know this anyway?” Mike asked. 

“Did you try asking Nancy?”

Mike shook his head and collapsed it into his hand. “I am not going back up there to be tortured by my sister and your brother.”

Will sighed over the walkie talkie. “Sorta weird how they’re dating now, right?”

“Super weird. I think I liked it better when she was dating Steve. She didn’t hang around the house as often.”

“Well,” Will began. “Look on the bright side. When they get married, we’ll be sorta like brothers.”

Mike laughed. “Will, you’re already my brother.”

“Huh,” Will let out, and Mike could swear he could hear him smiling. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

“Anyway,” Mike said with a yawn. “I’m beat. Just figured I’d say hi.”

“I’ll see you at school,” Will replied. The boys said their goodbyes. Mike was about to turn off the walkie, when something muffled caught his ear. He turned the volume up and listened carefully. It sounded like talking. Like two young girls talking.

Sorry I suck at posting. Life is just annoying and trying to get it organized has been aggravating. But, I did work hard on this chapter, so I hope that it lives up to its potential with all of you guys <3 stay tuned.