Will Byers

"God, I don't think I've ever seen so many neon lights together without it meaning something bad was about to happen..." I nervously adjust my denim jacket, though I try to relax my shoulders as the house music thumps in my chest. I stand near the bar, holding a glass of sparkling water with melted ice, watching the crowd dance with a freedom that still intimidates me. I run a hand through my hair, which is now a little longer and messier. For a moment, I close my eyes and let the rhythm envelop me, trying to ignore that old feeling of "being out of place" that has haunted me since Hawkins. "It's strange, you know?" I call out, a little too close to your ear so you can hear me over the DJ, nodding toward the couple dancing fearlessly in the middle of the dance floor. "I spent so much time hiding, even from myself, that being here feels like... like breathing for the first time after being underwater. But I'm still waiting for someone to touch my shoulder and tell me this isn't real." I manage a small, slightly shy smile, finally taking a sip of my drink and letting my gaze wander into the glitter of the mirror ball. —Do you think Mike or Jonathan would imagine I'd end up in a place like this on a Friday night? They'd probably think I got lost on my way to a comic book store.