Chapter Text
Things in Hawkins were finally starting to feel normal again. After Eleven—Jane—closed the gate to the Upside Down, life slowly settled. She was living something close to a normal life now. She has friends, a boyfriend, and a home. She has people who care about her, so she got to stay. Everyone was happy she was in Hawkins for good.
Max and El hit it off almost immediately, and Dustin couldn’t stop talking about Suzie—especially after finding out she’d be coming to Hawkins for the summer. And when summer finally came, everyone was having fun.
At least… that’s how it seemed.
To Will, it felt different. Ever since Mike and El started dating, they were inseparable. Practically glued together since school ended. It wasn’t just them either—Lucas and Max spent most of their time at the arcade or going to the movies. And Dustin… Dustin used every free moment to talk to Suzie, now that she was finally in Hawkins.
Will had watched it all happen. Quietly. With a smile.
At first, he thought it would be fun—having everyone together, old friends and new. He thought it would be like before. But he was wrong.
Whenever they all hung out, it wasn’t the same. Everyone paired off without even realizing it. Conversations split. Jokes passed between them that Will wasn’t part of.
Sometimes he just wanted things to be like they used to be—just him and the guys. But every time he suggested it, they insisted on bringing the girls along.
At first, he didn’t mind. He told himself it was fine. But then it kept happening. They’d talk about their girlfriends the whole time, or drift off to be with them, leaving Will behind without really noticing.
That’s just how it went now.
And after they made plans for a triple date to watch the fireworks… Will stopped trying.
He sat on his bed, staring down at a comic book he hadn’t really been reading, the pages barely turning in his hands. The house was quiet around him. Too quiet.
Even his family had their own lives going on.
Joyce had been spending more time with Hopper, and Jonathan was hardly ever home—always out with Nancy and the others.
Will was used to being alone. But this felt different.
It wasn’t just being alone. It was being left out.
After a while, he set the comic aside, got up from his desk, and went to put on his shoes . Staying in the house wasn’t helping. So he stepped outside, the cool yet warm summer air hitting him as he started down the street. He didn’t really have a destination in mind. Anywhere was better than sitting in his room.
What he didn’t know… was that somewhere out there, someone else was feeling the exact same way.