𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗕𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗥�...

Tw - mention of ED

He is an asshat. See ya.

Don't forget. Maple Street cul-de-sac at seven!

THE PARTY STOOD AND stared at the new girl who was skateboarding. Jayden felt weird for doing this but they had dragged her with them and apparently she wasn't allowed to say no.

"There's no was that's MadMax." Mike said to his friends.

"Yeah. Girls don't play video games." Will agreed.

Jayden raised an eyebrow. "Girls can be just as good at video games as boys can." She informed her friends. No one heard her, they were too focused on their own conversation about the girl. That was the normal, Jay was used to being background noise. It wasn't anything new.

Jayden just leaned against the fence and looked up at the old ceiling they stood under, imagining it falling and crushing her under the big and heavy pieces of wood.

"And even if they did, you can't get seven hundred fifty thousand points on Dig Dug."

"It was actually seven hundred fifty-one thousand three hundred points." Jayden corrected.

Mike rolled his eyes. "Whatever, it's still impossible." She sighed and turned to see the red-head again, just to see her and admire her. Which sounded weird but it was in a nice way, not a creepy stalker way.

"But her name is Max." Lucas pointed our. He sounded very desperate to meet Max in Jaydens personal opinion.

"So what?" Mike questioned, waiting for Lucas to elaborate.

"So, how many Maxes do you know?"

"I don't know."

"Zero. That's how many." Lucas had a point. Nobody in the party knew a Max.

The Harrington child soon got sick and tired of the boys' conversing. 'You know what, screw it'. She thought turning to the boys which caught their attention.

"I am going to go over and talk to the girl. You know, like a normal person would do?" She told them, not waiting for their input and walking away. But as Jay got closer and closer her palms started to sweat and her head went through possibilities of how this conversation could play out. Her stomach began to ache and she couldn't tell if it was from nerves or the fact that she still hadn't ate today. There were so many things Max could say to her. What if they were bad things? Good things? Good things were a slim chance—

"Hey, you! Pretty girl!"

She froze, glancing back over at her friends while mumbling. "Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fuck." repeatedly.

The boys were simply giving her thumbs up, which was supposed to somehow encourage her. Jayden discreetly put up the middle finger towards them before turning to look at Max who had teleported right in front of her, startling the brunette.

"Shit, my bad." Max apologized before pointing over to the boys at the fence. "Are those your friends?" Jayden turned to see the boys eyes widen, they quickly turned around and tried to play off the fact that they were intently watching the two interact.

"Uh, I don't know them." Jayden joked, turning to face Max again.

Max laughed. The red-head then asked, "are they... stalking me?"

Jayden quickly shook her head. "Oh.. uh no." She quickly tried to find the right words.

"Are you sure?" Max asked raising an eyebrow.

"They're just stupid... boys." Jayden awkwardly joked. Max look at her weirdly. 'Great going Jay.' She thought before looking at the girl dead in the eyes. "Okay, so, basically the curly-haired boy, Dustin, had this high-score in the arcade and then it got taken by someone named 'MadMax' and then you showed up so they are really just trying to figure out if you are the one that took the high-score." Jayden took in a big breath at the end of her sentence.

Max started to laugh causing Jayden to turn red. "Okay, yes then I did take your friends high-score." She said. "Now, can I ask you a question?"

Jayden instantly nodded.

"Did, by any chance, you happen to almost get ran over by a blue Camaro that was going, like, sixty miles-per-hour in the parking lot." Max asked.

The brunette smiled and nodded. "Asshole didn't know what the heck they were doing." She whispered in an annoyed tone.

"I'm sorry that was my brother. I agree though, he's an asshole." Max apologized for him.

Jayden shook her head. "It's okay, not like you were driving the car." 

Max gave her a warm smile, starting to take a liking to Jay. "Hey I have an idea..." Max trailed off running over to her backpack which sat on a set of grey, concrete stairs while motioning for Jayden to follow, which, of course, she did.

Max ripped out a piece of paper from the closest notebook she could grab and then took a pen from her pocket, scribbling something quickly on the lined paper. 'Stop spying on me creeps.' It read.

The Harrington girl nodded, with a small laugh. Maxs smile got wider.

The brunette turned to her friends who wore confused faces as she waved to them. Max grabbed her backpack and threw it over her shoulder before crumbling up the note in one hand, grabbing her skateboard in the other. The two girls walked up the stairs, Max dropping the fake note into the trashcan below while Jayden grabbed the door and opened it for her.

"It's so bad that I know they're gonna go for it." She laughed.

"So, pretty girl... you know my name, but I don't know yours?" Max pointed out as she readjusted her skateboard in her hand.

Jayden turned to look at her. "My names Jayden, but friends call me Jay." She smiled at the red head

"Am I your friend?" Max asked.

The Harrington girl nodded. "Oh, definitely." She said, removing her backpack strap from one of her shoulders and swinging it to where she could unzip it and get something out, which was supposed to be her Walkman but, surprisingly, it was not in there. "Can we stop by my locker quickly?" She asked Max who nodded without hesitation.

Once they arrived at the locker Jayden put in her code and unlocked it. "Hey, your locker is right by mine." Max said as Jayden reached to the top of her locker, feeling for the small rectangular tape, she wasn't tall enough to reach all the way back there which is where the tape and Walkman probably were. "What are we looking for exactly?" Max questioned.

"My mixtape, plus my Walkman. I can't survive next period without them." Jayden told her. Max smiled, reaching over Jayden and trying to reach the back of the locker, first feeling the small tape and then feeling the actual walkman.

Jayden stared up at Max as the girl leaned over her and continued to fish for the music and Walkman.

Both unknowing of the eyes on them. The eyes that knew Jaydens secret.

She grabbed both things and handed them to Jay. "Thank you!" She said, taking the things from Max and situating herself. Her walkman was put in her pocket, ready with her mixtape in it. Her headphones sat around her neck.

Max smiled, admiring the girl.

"Okay, we can go now." Jayden turned around seeing the girls starstruck face. "What?" She asked cluelessly.

"Nothin'." Max said with a shrug. "I'll walk you to your next class." Jayden locked her locker once again. "Won't you be late to yours?"

The Californian just shook her head. "I'll be fine."

Max was in fact late to her next class, but she didn't care. She was just glad she got to walk the pretty brunette to hers.

•••

A COOL BREEZE FELL across Jays face as she opened the fridge door, slightly hungry. Today for lunch she had just a simple orange because the school lunch was absolutely horrid. That was half of the reason at least.

Her head began to hurt suddenly making her turn to see her mom walk in. "Hey, Mother." She greeted, quickly shutting the fridge.

"What were you doing?" Her mom asked, not caring to ask how her day had been or greeting her.

Jayden shrugged. "I'm hungry. I just had an orange today like you wanted me to." She explained.

"Good, just wait till dinner." She ordered. The young brunette sighed, annoyed.

"Mom, I need to eat!" She yelled without thinking.

Her moms eyes widened at her sudden outburst. "When I was a little girl I was never this hungry. What is wrong with you? And don't you dare yell at me!" Her mother yelled back before shooing her. "Go to your room, dinner will be ready in a couple hours."

A couple hours almost always meant never, or in some cases three hours. Jayden was already planning on running off to the Byers and eating with them because at this point. They treated her more like their own then her actual mother.

Jayden weakly went to her bedroom, looking at the clock to see it say four fifty-seven. She sighed and flopped onto her bed. It was too hot, the air was stuffy, her lungs felt small and little.

Half the time Jay thought she had asthma but the other half of her knew it was just.. her messed up, broken, out-of-place self. She took some paced breaths before grabbing her phone off the receiver and putting it to her ear, dialing the Byers. A couple rings before it hit the busy signal.

"Shit." She said, remembering the Byers were having dinner at Bobs. It was already too late.
With that Jayden grabbed her walkman and put in her mixtape, pressing the play button and putting on her headphones.

Oh Mother, I can feel
the soil falling over
my head

I Know It's Over, by the Smiths. Jayden smiled, getting comfy in her bed.

And as I climb into
an empty bed, oh
well, enough said

She let air fill her lungs as she breathed in and out slowly, trying to center herself. The music was her protector. She was okay when the headphones were on. She was okay.

Okay,
okay.
okay.

I know it's over-
still I cling

I don't know where
else I can go

Over....

The music slowly blurred into the background as Jayden was hit with a wave of tiredness and she was taken into the world of sleep and dreams and nightmares.

Dinner was never made that night.

•••

THE BOYS TRIED TO convince Jayden to wear her costume multiple times over the past week, but she was not that dense and it hurt her that her friends thought she was.

She knew for a fact that none of the other kids where going to wear their costumes, and she didn't want to be embarrassed. That's the last thing she would let happen. Even though her her costume for tonight was Velma from Scooby Doo which could, somehow, look like a normal outfit, she wasn't gonna risk getting it dirty or ripped somehow. She really loved the orange turtleneck and one hundred percent was going to keep it.

Jayden got ready early this morning, for the single reason of wanting to leave before Steve and ride her bike to school so that she wouldn't have to deal with Steve and Nancys couple-y stuff.

The girl grabbed her bike from the side of her house and walked to the end of the driveway where she heard Steve calling for her but she simply ignored him, like she had done a lot recently. To more people than just him. Half of her felt bad but the other half of her couldn't care less.

She got to school way more earlier than she had anticipated, she spent a good amount of her morning simply listening to music and reading on the front steps before getting cold, she had forgotten to bring a sweater.

The girl stood up and entered the school building, navigating her way to her locker where a familiar red-head stood, looking around the hallway as if she was waiting for someone. Or looking for someone.

"Hi, Max." Jayden greeted, removing her headphones from her head and putting them around her neck, pausing the music. She unlocked her locker, beginning to stuff the tall metal box with different kinds of school books and her own books.

"Hey, Jay." Max smiled turning to face her.

"Are the boys still stalking you?" Jayden questioned as she finished stuffing her locker. She closed the door and locked it once again.

The red head shuffled through hers, "yeah— they kinda are. Pretty sure they are now." She laughed while pointing across the hallway where Dustin and Lucas stood looking at the pair.

"I know they want to be your friend but this is not the way to go about it. They are really weirdos sometimes." The Harrington girl mumbled. She then turned to look at the two boys. They made eye contact with Jayden and turned around, walking away. "They'll get it right." Jayden assured the red-head.

"See you later?" Max asked as she began to walk away. Jayden nodded, waving bye to the girl before walking the opposite direction.

•••

JAYDENS LEG BOBBED UP and down rapidly as she looked at the clock, waiting for the bell to ring so she could leave the classroom.

Her seat was in the far back and her teacher was a really old women with eye problems and no glasses, so she wore her walkman, letting Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads fill her ears. But it was low enough to where she could still hear the lesson. Had to get those good grades or her mom would never let her have a peaceful day in her life.

Why she wanted to get out of this class so bad? She didn't have a clue, she usually just waited until the bell rang but today she looked at the clock every second to see when it would end.

Maybe it was because the lesson was really boring, or maybe it was because of a certain red-headed, freckle-faced, Californian that she would meet at her locker.

When the bell rang her heart jumped, she had never raced out of a class so fast she didn't even hear the homework that had been assigned, but it didn't matter. She couldn't leave Max alone. Plus she could ask Lucas for answers later.

She arrived at the lockers before Max had, she didn't know how but she had. The brunette began pilling books into her locker, taking some out. She made sure to grab the book she was currently reading as well as her science book due to Mr. Clarke assigning homework. Then she closed her locker, when she did she revealed Maxs face staring right at her.

She jumped and squealed a little. "Fucking hell." Jayden said as she placed a hand on her heart. "Holy— Max, oh, my God."

Max laughed at the dramatic girl, her mouth never dropping from its smile. "You're face was absolutely hilarious!" She said happily.

The brunette glared at her. "Shut up." She rolled her eyes which only made Max laugh more.

Their moment was interrupted when two people behind Max cleared their throats aggressively, the two girls turned around in sync to see who it was.

Jaydens cheeks turned red when seeing Dustin and Lucas in their GhostBusters outfits.
"Hi, Max. I'm Dustin, and this is—" Dustin nudged the boy next to him to finish the sentence.

"Lucas."  Max sighed.

"Yeah. I know. The stalkers." She said. The two boys' eyes shot open as they began to stumble over their words, trying to find the right ones but none of them seemed to sound good in their heads.

"We weren't stalking you." Lucas finally managed to say.

"No, we were just concerned because, you know, you're new and all." Dustin added.

"I'm getting secondhand embarrassment." The brunette whispered in Maxs ear. Max felt her body warm as Jayden got close to her face.

"Yeah, for your safety." Lucas agreed, stupidly. 

"Mmm-hmm. There are a lot of bullies here." Dustin stuttered "So many bullies, it's crazy."

Jayden slightly frowned. Bullies.

Last year Troy picked on Jayden whenever he saw her. And then he got a real good scoop when he saw her hanging out with Mike and Dustin, which, at the time her mom would've lost her shit about because she was so controlling. But then Eleven broke his arm and he ran away, he told her mom still though. That was a fun night of fighting.

Max nodded with a hum as she looked both boys up and down. "Is that why you're wearing proton packs?" Lucas looked at both girls with embarrassment all over his face while Dustin took this chance to try and impress Max.

"Well, these don't function. But!" He reached behind him to grab his hand-held trap, "I do have this handy-dandy little trap here. And look it even opens and closes." Max looked at the trap with very little interest. Dustin then pressed a button which opened the hatch of the trap. "Voilà!" Lucas and Dustin smiled, motioning to the tool. "It's cool, right?"

The freckle-faced girl simply nodded, casting a glance to Jayden who stood besides her.

"No? Okay. But, uhm— we were talking last night, and you're new here, so you probably don't have any friends to take you trick-or-treating." Dustin began.

"I'm right here." Jayden whispered to herself, annoyed.

"And you're scared of bullies, so uh, we were thinking that it would be okay if you come with us."

Jayden made a face that said: 'Oh, wrong move buddy.' which Lucas took notice of.

"'It'd be okay'?" Max quoted.

"Yeah. Our party's a democracy, the majority voted you could come." Sometimes Dustin spoke without thinking.

Max raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Jayden who shook her head and made an 'X' with her arms over her chest, signaling for the boys to stop.

"I didn't realize it was such an honor to go trick-or-treating with you." She tilted her head to the side, sarcastically smiling.

"We know where to get the full-sized candy bars. We figured you'd want in." Dustins smiled while nodding.

"That presumptuous of you." Max smirked looking back at Jayden. Lucas and Dustin looked at each other sharing confused glances before nodding.

"Yeah. Totally." Lucas said, as if he knew what the word meant.

"Uh, so, um... you'll come?" Dustin asked.

In that moment Jayden rethought her whole friendship with the two boys. How did this even come to be. Max rolled her eyes, shutting her locker with one hand and grabbing Jaydens hand with the other, starting down the hallway, away from the two GhostBusters.

"We're meeting at the Maple Street cul-de-sac at seven. That's seven on the dot!" Dustin yelled down the hall, causing heads to turn.

"I'm sorry about them." The Harrington girl apologized with a small, embarrassed laugh.

Max laughed along too. "It's all cool." Max said, smiling at her.

Jayden felt a newfound warmness coming from her hand, she looked down to see their hands still connected, laced together. Her cheeks turned a bright red, she had turned into a cherry. The brunette disconnected the twos hands, acting like she hand to let go to adjust her backpack.

Max cleared her throat awkwardly. "Welp I gotta go, Jay. My brother won't wait for me if I'm late." She laughed nervously

"He sounds like an asshat." Jayden said as they walked down the steps, side-by-side.

"He is an asshat." Max confirmed her theory with a laugh followed after her words. "See ya." She said, parting from Jaydens side.

The girl instantly missed her. "Don't forget. Maple Street cul-de-sac at seven!" She yelled towards the red head who rolled her eyes and gave her a thumbs up.

Jayden felt her cheeks ache from smiling so much, she quickly dropped her smile and brought her hand to her warm face. "What the hell." She whispered, coving her flustered face.

•••

JAYDEN SAT QUIETLY IN her brother's car. Her lip stung from the tumble she took today after Maxs brother tried to run her over again.

It had been when she, Dustin, Mike, and Lucas were biking home. He had came out of nowhere.

But, on a more positive note, it was time to trick-or-treat. She now wore her Velma costume, a pair of fake glasses were sat on her face, perched at the edge of her nose. Her jaw was clenches as she looked out the window, trying to ignore the pain in her lip that made her just want to scream.

It had split open so it was pretty bad, but she had tended it to make sure it didn't get infected. She is pretty good at medical stuff. There were some reasons that were better than others as to why she is.

Steve glanced over at his sister looking at her up and down, his eyes stopping on the cut that lingered on her lip. "Where'd you get that?" Steve questioned, glancing to the road but keeping his eyes on Jay.

"Where'd I get what?" The brunette turned to look at her brother, a questioning look on her face.

"The cut, on your lip." Steve motioned to his lip. Jayden brought her hand to her lip, wincing when she touched the wound.

"I just fell today. It wasn't anything bad." She let a huff out as she looked over her brother. "I'm fine."

The car soon lurched to a stop. Jayden quickly gathered her things and opened the car door. Before Steve could even get a word in Jayden shut the car door and made her way towards her friends who were gathered at the edge of the Wheelers driveway.

The eldest Harrington child rolled down the window of the car, "I'm picking you up at nine-thirty!" He yelled.

"I'll walk home!" The girl replied, shooing him away.

Steve sighed and relaxed into his seat, running a hand through his head before leaving the neighborhood. Just as he left a beat-up Ford pulled up into the cul-de-sac.

Jay smiled. "Will the Wise." She said as she  ran towards the boy who had open arms. Jayden placed her head on Wills shoulder. "How are you?" she whispered in his ear.

"I'm good Jay." He replied back, Jayden knew he was smiling, she could feel it.

Jayden and Will were closer than anyone else in the party, they shared certain things. Personal things.

The Harrington girl pulled away, she looked around with a slightly confused face. "Where's Jonathan?" She questioned the boy.

"Oh, yeah. He said I could go trick-or-treating by myself. Only if I stay in the neighborhood." He smiled widely, throwing the large pillowcase over his shoulder.

Jayden smiled as Will walked past her, towards the rest of the party with a pep in his step. A small headache formed on the back of Jaydens head. She slightly reached up and felt goosebumps appear on her neck and collarbone.

Tonight was not going to end well, she could already feel it.

•••

"TRICK-OR-TREAT!" THE five yelled happily when an old women opened the door.

"Oh! Well, aren't you cute?" The lady scanned her eyes over the group of kids. "The little exterminators and Velma!"

She thrusted a bowl towards the kids which was filled with Three Musketeers. The angry kids, besides Jayden, each grabbed a large handful. With that the group of friends left the house, walking down the street making small talk.

Lucas making the wonderful conversation starter of: "If I get another Three Musketeers, I'm gonna kill myself."

"What's wrong with Three Musketeers?" Dustin asked as he bite into said candy.

"'What's wrong with Three Musketeers?' Are you serious?" Lucas asked looking away from the curly headed boy out of disappointment.

"No one likes Three Musketeers." Mike told his friend.

"Yeah, it's just nougat." The Byers boy agreed.

Jayden was zoning out, looking up at the sky.

"Woah. 'Just nougat'? Just nougat? It is top three for me." Dustin told them all.

Jayden winced a tiny bit, averting her gaze from the sky to her friend. "I'm sorry Dusty.. but top three?"

"Top three!"

"Oh, god. Give me a break." Mike scoffed, annoyed.

"Seriously, I can just eat a whole bowl of nougat. Straight up." Dustin said, which, to Jayden, sounded absolutely disgusting.

"Who voluntarily eats a whole bowl of—" Jayden was cut off when someone who wore a Micheal Myers's costume suddenly jumped out of the bushes and in front of the group of kids with a loud yell, jabbing their fake knife towards the party.

The Harrington girl jumped, dropping her pillowcase which spilled candy to the floor. The group of boys screamed loudly as well. Lucas' scream was the most prominent though as he sounded like a damn eagle. That's when the person took of their mask.

It was none other than Max Mayfield. "Holy shit! You should have seen the look on your faces." She laughed loudly. "And you?" She pointed to Lucas with her plastic knife. "Who screams like that? You sound like a little girl."

Maxs gaze turned to Jay who was bending down, beginning to pick up the spilled candy on the pavement. Max scurried to help her pick of the candies. "I'm sorry." The red-head apologized, holding Jaydens pillow case open for said girl to pile candy into.

Jay shrugged. "It's whatever." She said as she finished putting the candy into the pillowcase. She dusted her hands off before standing up with Max, keeping a tight grip on her bag as Max grabbed her other, free hand.

The two began to walk down the street, leaving the four boys behind. Jayden noticed and turned around. "Hey, you guys coming or not?" She called to them.

"I heard we should hit up Loch Nora. That's where the rich people live, right?" The red-head asked before the girls turned around once again, continuing down the street together. Hand-in-hand.

"Sorry." Max apologized once again.

"I already told you it's okay, Rose." Jayden looked over at the Californian with a warm smile.

"Rose?" Max gave a confused look.

"Yeah, your hair reminds me of them." Jayden informed as she pointed to the top of Maxs head. "I think your hair is quite beautiful by the way." She complimented the teenage girl.

Max felt a hotness emerge on her face. "Really? I never liked it." She told the Harrington child.

Jayden furrowed her eyebrows. "It's one of my favorite parts about you." She said, honestly. "You're hair is beautiful."

The hotness on Maxs face grew and she looked away from Jay. "Thank you."

With that, the six continued to walk through neighborhoods, smiles on their faces which were large and wide. When they entered Loch Nora Jayden silently prayed that her parents had gone somewhere for Halloween night and weren't home. They didn't need to see her with the party.

"I know for a fact we're gonna get the good crap here."

She was right, she had gone trick-or-treating a lot in this neighborhood with Vera and her other old friends. The fake ones. When she hung out with them on Halloween she saw the party sometimes and always wished she could go trick-or-treating with them instead of the fake people she had to go with.

But her mind was more focused on the fact that Max was voluntarily holding her hand. She was most definitely red in the face.

But soon after a couple houses Jayden felt the stares, she saw the stares. The parents where staring.

Then she saw Vera, staring dead center at Max and her hands intertwined. Her heart stopped and she instantly dropped Maxs hand.

Max looked over to Jay with a hurt look but brushed the act off. "Another full-size. Like, seriously, rich people are such suckers." Dustin joked as he ran after the two girls. Jayden glanced at Dustin with a faked hurt look. "No offense to you Jay." The boy then paused, turning to Max. "Wait. You're not rich, right?" He questioned.

Max shook her head in response with a light chuckle. "No, I live up Old Cherry Road."

"Oh." Dustin said quietly.

"No, it's fine. I mean, the street's good for skating." The Californian caught up  to Jay again, "You're rich?" she asked Jayden.

"I'm not. My parents are." Jay glanced behind her to see the group girls still staring. "I don't take their money unless I need to buy food." She said absentmindedly while holding eye contact with Vera Jones.

"You need to buy food?" Max asked, concerned.

Jays eyes widened and she broke the eye contact, turning to Max. "I didn't— No—" She cut herself off when she turned around again to see Mike and Will were no where to be found. Her heart stopped. "Fuck." She whispered to herself, turning around again to see if they had walked ahead of her and she had somehow missed it.

That's when a hand gripped her shoulder and she turned around to be face-to-face with Mike. "Mike? Where's Will?" She asked.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing. I don't know where he went. He's gone." Mike said in between panicked breaths.

"What do you mean? Did you leave him?!" Her voice slightly raised.

Max turned to look at the girl, being surprised with the new found anger. She had only known Jay for a couple of days but she knew that the Harrington girl never got this mad, she could tell by the look on Mikes face. The slight scared look.

"Where did you last see him?" Jayden asked Mike.

Mike grabbed her hand, beginning to pull her. "C'mon." Jay and Mike ran, leaving the other three behind.

They looked around the large house Mike had last seen Will, they migrated to the house next door which had an alleyway type area behind in, stairs leading down to an area behind the house.

"Over here, Mike!" Jayden yelled, running down the stairs to see Wills Ghostbuster costume come into view which made her let out a relieved sigh.

"Will, wake up." She said softly, shaking him lightly as well. Once he didn't wake she began to shake him harder. "Will!" She spoke loudly, trying to her her best friend to snap out of it. "Will!"

One last yell from Jayden made Will snap out of his trance, turning towards Jayden with wide eyes. The boy was breathing heavily and whimpering. Jayden took a seat besides him, taking him into her arms.

That's when Mike and the others came running down the stairs. "Will! I couldn't find you, we couldn't find you." He yelled.

Jayden shushed him. "Mike, calm it please." She whispered. Mike nodded, calming down.

"Holy shit!" Jayden rolled her eyes.

"Dustin!" She whisper-yelled in a scolding tone.

"Is he okay?" Lucas asked as Jay handed Will off to Mike.

"I don't know." She answered, placing a hand on her aching head.

"I'm gonna get you home, okay? I'm gonna get you home. Hold on." Mike adjusted Will who was under his arm. Dustin walked forwards, trying to offer Mike some help.

"All right, take it easy."

Mike brushed the boy off. "I got him."

"Mike?" Jay asked, annoyed with his bitchy mood swings.

"Keep trick-or-treating. I'm bored anyways." With that he and Will walked away from the rest of the group.

Jayden sighed, leaning onto the brick wall besides her. Her heart was beating fast and she felt her legs and hands shaking wildly. She felt like any moment she was going to topple over.

"What's wrong with him?" Max questioned.

"He just.. something happened to him last year. Every once-in-a-while things trigger it." She  explained to the red-head. She then looked down at her watch to see what time it was.

It was nine on the dot. The last two remaining boys had to go home in a couple minutes which soon left only Max and Jay together.

"Uh, my house is nearby if you wanna come hang out?" Jayden offered. Max looked over at the girl.

"Are you trying to kidnap me, JJ?" Max questioned.

Jayden laughed. "Yes or no, Max?"

"Yes."

•••

THE PAIR WALKED UP to the front door of the large Harrington house. Jaydens moms car was not out front so that was a good sign, and so far Steves wasn't there ether. She was hoping he was still at his party with Nancy.

Jay grabbed the key from under the fancy gnome that sat in the corner between the wall and the door, unlocking the wooden door before placing the key back under the gnome. The girls were engulfed by the warmness of the house.

The Harrington girl led Max to her room where she dropped her candy bag on her sweater hanger and sat onto her bed, falling onto her back. "I'm really sorry if I seemed mad at you tonight, or like I didn't want you to be there." She instantly apologized, which took Max by surprise.

"I saw old friends, got self-conscious. Then Mike lost Will and I just—" she stopped talking, covering her face as she felt frustrated tears brim her eyes.

Max sat down next to Jay. "I understand, a lot." The girl laughed.

Jay smiled. "Still, I'm sorry."

Max laid back like Jayden. The girls sat in silence for a moment. "Can we just, like, ask each other questions?" Max suddenly said.

Jayden laughed. "What?" She asked, confused.

"Well... we don't know each other that well... why not get to know each other?" She shrugged.

"Sure, sounds fun." Jayden turned to lay on her side and face the red-head. Max copied her. "You first." Jay pointed at Max who sighed but nodded, beginning to think of a question.

"Oh! Okay, favorite animal." Max asked. The brunette raised an eyebrow.

"Is this elementary school?" Max stuck her tongue out.

"Just answer!"

Jay laughed. "Okay, a cat or dinosaurs." She answered.

Max erupted in laughter "Dinosaurs don't exist anymore?"

"Which is why I gave two of my favorite animals, smarty-pants." Jayden told the girl.

"Okay my turn. Why did you... move from California to Hawkins?" She questioned. Maxs smile slightly vanished, Jay could tell she was trying to keep it on her face, she's had experience with that herself. It wasn't easy. "I'm sorry. I can think of a new question." Jay apologized.

Max shook her head, regaining her smile. "No, it's okay. Uh— my parents divorced and my mom got married to this asshole guy." She told her. "Next question." Jayden noticed Maxs haste to move on to the next question, she didn't fight it though. "My turn. Hm.." Max thought for a moment.

"Okay, what's one thing you have never told anyone. And I mean anyone."

Jaydens smile dropped. Her mind went blank. There was only one answer for this question. She wasn't going to not answer the question, she really wanted to. She was just scared.

"If I tell you, do you promise you won't tell anyone else." She asked, putting a pinky out. Max laughed. "I'm serious, Max. Dead serious."

Max nodded, putting her pinky out. "I promise, JJ." She said, connecting their pinky's.

Jayden took a deep breath. "I don't like.. guys." She said quietly.

Max furrowed her eyebrows. "You're too quiet." Jay sighed.

"I don't like boys." She said louder.

Max slightly chuckled. "I don't like them ether." She joked. "But I'm not sure how that's a secret?"

The brunette sighed and shook her head. "No. Not like that, Rose." She took one final big breath. "I like-like girls. I don't like guys romantically. I like girls, women, females, ladies." She told the red-head. Said girl had a look of shock on her face.

"If you, like, absolutely hate me now that is okay. Just tell me so we can get that over with." Jayden looked at her ceiling which suddenly became so very interesting.

Max shook her head. "JJ, I don't care if you like girls." She told her friend. "I don't care at all. You're still my friend." Max grabbed Jaydens hand.

"I'm sorry, I just... it's the eighties." She said simply.

Max nodded. "It is the eighties." She confirmed. "I don't care who you like, you're still a person. You're still my friend."

Jayden nodded. "I'm glad you're my friend, Max." She hugged Max, placing her head on Maxs chest.

Max wrapped her arms around Jayden in response.

Friend.

Friend.

marz speaks !

i don't think you understand how much i love them.