luca matthews has never been one for relationships - not the romantic ones anyhow. he never understood the point, not when relationships around him never lasted. his parents' divorce had always been a telltale sign that love could never last; that it would always end with quarreling and pain and heartbreak, only to destroy everything they ever built together. that's what luca learned to understand, but it never clicked to anyone else. especially not ellie.

ellie has been the one girl to linger around him, always coming back no matter how harsh he would be when he pushed her away. the make-out sessions were good; the sex was even greater. but no matter what line he drew, she could never seem to understand that he doesn't want to commit.

that's what has him stuck in will and henley's kitchen during will's back-to-school bash, trapped between the kitchen counter and ellie's body leaning against his chest. will and the guys are playing a round of beer pong as luca sips on a bottle of bud light, his face concealed with annoyance unbeknownst to ellie. he could easily push her off, but she would only return and follow.

there are so many people i love and care about in this year that i couldn't possibly tag everyone, but if i had to tag some bitches--

@perkysbud you know i love you. you know i would do anything for you. you have been a rock in my life this past year and a constant i can lean on. i really and truly don't know what i would do without you. you're my best friend and favorite writing partner, i know that's SOMETHING TO SAY AND MIGHT BE UPSETTING FOR SOME. but like. i have so many characters and universes built with you. that's important and special to me. LIKE YOU.

@storiem you have become one of the coolest people i know and someone i trust so completely. you've easily wedged yourself into my life in a way that wouldn't be the same without you. i am so grateful for how close we've gotten in the last year. i cannot wait to continue that friendship and just watch it grow.

@witchdoctrines listen to me when i say you are still one of the easiest people i know and can talk to. you are someone i can speak to without judgement and yet with so much care for my well being. i know i can rely on you and that's something that means the world to me.

@zoomingupthathill really and truly, bee, you have also become a fast and easy friend. we've gotten closer in the last few months and i am beyond grateful for that. you're so understanding and so patient and just this good soul who means well. i want nothing more than the best for you. you deserve that and i hope the new year is kind to you.

@crisisbabe i literally went to LA with you this year and had the time of my life. it is a trip i will always and forever cherish, just like how i cherish my friendship with you. you're someone i know i can have conversations with no matter how hard they can be. you're one of my constant favorites and i cannot wait to spend more time together.

@storiesbreathed ali you are one of the nicest, easiest, and kindest souls to get along with. you have so much love in your heart and have such a kindness that i've never seen in anyone else before. i am so lucky to call you a friend for another year. im also so sorry for my behavior at hotpot. i'll check myself next time LMAO

@forwardmoved KOURT. i love you, okay? i love being silly with you and joking with you. i love writing with you and playing games (even if it was that one time on FN-- there will be more.) you are so real and genuine in the way you go about yourself and i admire that. i admire you and your writing. you're so creative and i am blessed to have you in my life.

in the past few years, emma's life had changed in so many ways. all for the better, she knew. it started with the ccrp holiday party, where she had taken a chance on ted spankoffski, and from there? they hadn't left the other's side. they dated a good while, enjoyed their engagment, and threw one hell of a summer wedding on the renovated farmhouse property that was now their home. by the next winter, they were announcing that they were expecting their first child - a daughter, jane, who was now having her first christmas.

motherhood was something that emma was navigating day by day. the first two months felt like a blur of little sleep, but jane was an excellent baby, much like her own namesake. she fussed with purpose and loved to snuggle. she was a good sport when emma got her into a christmas dress and tights to keep warm before she finished getting herself ready and was out the door with ted - a few minutes later than anticipated but on the way, nonetheless.

when the spankoffskis arrived at @storiem's house, emma carried in the pies that she had promised to pick up, diaper bag slung over her shoulder while she let @timebastard carry jane in her carrier. " knock knock! " emma announced as she opened the door with an expectant grin. " sorry we're a little late. time got away from us this morning. "

@storiem said: “I’m fine. I don’t need your help.” ( from grace! ) [ x ]

This was a chance. An in, so to speak. He had to handel this delicately, because he could not fuck up his chances to get closer to the Grace Chastity and all that she was. While their was something lusty in the originating of his interest, there was more. Their was an interest in her, because she had such strong beliefs that could align with his if they tried hard enough. "Don't think of my as helping," he said not touching her but trying his best to indicated he would do what she said, because he wanted to ensure she was not hurt. So he decided to brag on his skills a little bit, "But I have seen my fair share of injuries of the football field, if you wanted an opinion mine is a superior one here."

[ TXT to 📲 𝑪𝑯𝑳𝑶𝑬 💙 ] : You better be dead, Price. Because I know there’s no way you’re ignoring me 🤨

Ugh, still no reply. Was Chloe really going to keep giving her the silent treatment? Knowing her, she was probably sulking somewhere like a child. Okay, so 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 Rachel shouldn’t have gotten stupidly drunk last night at yet another Vortex party.. and 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 she shouldn’t have forgotten she was supposed to meet her later at the junkyard either.. but could she really be blamed? It was 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 being popular and having to maintain a reputation of what was expected of her. Sometimes Rachel felt as though she barely had any time for herself.

Where would Chloe Price be sulking at this time of morning? There was only one place that came to mind having already checked the junkyard— 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐄’𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐑. So that’s exactly where Rachel headed, and upon swanning in.. her eyes quickly clocked the familiar nest of shaggy blue hair.. paired with a frosty glare. Ouch. Sending Joyce a quick wave, Rachel was quick to slip into the booth Chloe currently occupied, an innocent smile plastered on her lips. “Your favourite person has arrived.” Gesturing to 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅, it was no surprise Chloe’s expression remained sour, causing Rachel’s hands to raise in mock surrender. “Well damn, don’t look too excited to see me.” She knew Chloe though. The girl could never stay mad at her for 𝐓𝐎𝐎 long. And Rachel knew just how to go about getting on her good side. “..You gonna give me the third degree, or are you gonna buy me breakfast~?” Fluttering her eyelashes, Rachel hoped her natural charm would pull through as it always did.

Confirming that the bartender was still busy talking up some chic on the other side of the counter, Rachel reached over to nab two bottles before anyone could notice. Jackpot.

With the goods now in possession, Rachel pushed her way through the mosh pit until reaching a set of stairs. ‘DANGER.’ the metal sign on the chain read. The old mill was falling apart. The whole place should’ve had a danger sign stamped on it. As if her and Chloe could possibly pass up the best seats in the house because some sign told them that upstairs was out of bounds— a smirk shot at said sign as she slipped right on by it for the second time that night.

“I come bearing gifts! Stolen ones.” Giving the two beers in hand a shake once Chloe came into view, Rachel grinned and offered one out to her. “You owe me, Price. Risked my life for these. Almost got crushed in the pit.” Hella dramatic— even Rachel herself couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her.

Tonight was going to be fun. Just her and Chloe— they hadn’t spent time like this in a while. It was somewhere between a date, and just hanging out. But they didn’t have to put a label on it, did they? Rachel hated labels.

in the aftermath of hawkins being torn into pieces, there seemed to be more questions than answers. eddie? he hadn't come home. however, someone else had. someone that hawkins had been mourning for the past several months, since last summer. jim hopper.

wayne had been in his usual booth at the hawkins diner, sipping coffee with a plate of breakfast that he was slowly picking at. that's how things moved these days without eddie. slowly. like being stuck in molasses.

he noticed @storiem enter the establishment and park himself at the bar, the two making eye contact and wayne giving him a small attempt at a smile and a nod. " jim, " he greeted simply, lifting his mug to take a sip of his black coffee.

starter call / accepting!

the past month after the trip from hell had been crashing through more layers of the inferno. a week after arriving home, allie had woken up to her period. her dreams of being pregnant were dashed. maybe it was her fault for being too excited, wanting to believe she was pregnant rather than the stress of the trip delaying her period by a week. she had been extremely upset as she had walked out of the bathroom and told greg, and a weird tension had settled between them throughout the rest of the day. that evening, greg finally let the bubble burst.

i think we need to take a break.

that night, deena had come over and had coordinated allie packing a bag and keeping greg the hell away from her sobbing sister. allie was a mess. a wreck. she was begging and pleading for greg to reconsider even as deena was pulling her out of the apartment. greg was her best friend, her future. she didn't know what live was like without him, and she never wanted to. everything just felt so out of control.

as the days turned into weeks, allie started to pull herself away from the group. she started leaving group chats as she thought about them, the notification of her leaving appearing one by one. she felt like she was numbly getting through her day. annabelle was one of the only to reach out to her, and mykel? he was exhausting in his shit talking greg. allie wanted to protect and defend greg, but she knew she couldn't. she was just so fucking exhausted.

deena was still apparently seeing stu here and there, so one night about three and a half weeks after the break up, allie was dragged to one of stu's improv shows. frankly, she was dreading it. she was dreading whatever bullshit this was and most importantly, confronting a part of their fractured friend group. she had sat there sulking for a while before a joke had her snorting a quiet laugh. it was funny. the show was funny. stu was funny. the laughter throughout the rest of the show was the best thing she had experienced over the past month. fuck.

after the show, allie felt like a third wheel as stu came back to deena's where she was staying, but she was trying not to be too much of it. she excused herself to sit out on the balcony. nights were hard. they were too quiet, and she hated sleeping in a bed alone. she hadn't done that in eight fucking years. mykel's words seemed louder at night too. his speculation about who greg was seeing. if he was seeing anyone. the thought of greg sharing a bed with another girl? it made her sick at the thought.

she heard the sliding glass door and glanced over to find @storiem stepping outside, licking her lips and rubbing them together. " you were good tonight, " she complimented quietly. " you were funny. really funny. "

starter call / accepting!