34. looking for clues

LOOKING FOR CLUES

✧･ﾟ: * "Lucas. Lucas, wake up," Nora shakes him awake and he groans dramatically while rubbing his eyes.

Everyone filed out of the place awhile ago, and Lucas refused to let Nora go back home with everything going on, so the two crashed in the abandoned building with Jason, Patrick, and the other dude for the night.

The next morning, the latter three got up with the sun and started packing shit in Jason's trunk, and Nora needs Lucas to wake up to see what their plan is, because Nora would never voluntarily talk to them more than she has to.

Lucas leads them out to where the trio is and they all turn to stare. Nora almost laughs at them for their matching basketball jackets but then realizes she had to change into her cheer uniform because of her lack of brains telling her for some reason she didn't need to pack anything else.

"Look who finally decided to join us," tweedledum looks over at the duo.

"You coming too, princess?" Jason nods at Nora, taking in her outfit that is definitely not suited for anything that involves the amount of baseball bats they just packed into the trunk.

"What are you guys doing?" Lucas just stands and stares, Nora pretending Jason didn't say anything.

"We're gearing up."

"Preparing for the hunt."

Teenage boys are so weird.

"Hey, man," Jason notices what must be the freaked out look on Lucas' face. "Relax. We're not killers like Eddie," he puts a hand on his shoulder. "We just wanna talk to him. Get him to admit his crime."

"Yeah," what's-his-face talks again for some reason. "A little friendly neighborhood chat."

"Hey," Jason now turns to Nora and it takes everything in her not to cringe away. "You knew Chris."

Barely. Making out with someone's sister surprisingly does not call for frequent conversation.

"She wouldn't do this stuff," and Nora knew he was right but as much as her and Eddie don't get along, she would rank him above Jason any day.

"Hm," she lets out, not quite an agreement, but acknowledgment still.

"If you're not up for this you can go home," he looks at them both now. "No judgement," Jason hits Lucas on the shoulder in that weird bro way, "you'll still be one of us."

Nora senses Lucas pausing and let's her gaze turn to him, curious of his answer.

"We'll do it."

—

✧･ﾟ: * Patrick winces and reaches a hand to his head in front of Nora in the car.

"Patrick, your nose," stupidhead says from beside him. "Your nose is bleeding, dude. God, gross."

Nora and Lucas share a look.

"Well, well, well," Jason turns into a driveway where three members of Hellfire are playing music in the garage. "What do we have here?"

They stop as the group of five get out of the car, staring confused.

"You're a little early fellas," the one Nora knows as Gareth from the D&D campaigns is the first to speak up. "Show's not 'till next week."

"Oh, that was music?" Jerkface shoots.

"We're looking for, Eddie," Jason interrupts whatever showdown they were about to have. "He's in this band. . . if that's what you want to call this," he then says after looking around.

"What do you care?" Gareth stares.

"That's our business."

They're about to death stare each other when Gareth looks up for a moment and gaze turns confused at the sight of his party members.

"Nora, Lucas? What are you doing with these douchebags?"

"Tell me about it," Nora mumbles, but Lucas looks frantically to her as his teammates shoot them accusatory glances.

"You know these freaks, Sinclair? Princess?"

". . . Through Lucas' sister," Nora offers, taking pity on Lucas.

After spending their entire childhood's being bullied just for being themselves, Nora can understand why Lucas wants a change. Sure, they don't have to be assholes while they're getting popular, but they're still learning, y'know? Cut them some slack.

"Yeah," Lucas nods vigorously. "They know my sister. . . They tried to recruit me into club- cult."

"Lucas," Nora murmurs, knowing he's taking it too far.

"Dude, what the hell?" Jake says, utterly confused.

"We're just trying to find Eddie, man," Lucas says back in a tone not unlike Jason's.

"Well, you have eyes, don't you?" Gareth now looks annoyed. "He's not here."

Jason nods understandingly.

Then punches him in the face.

There's a quick scerfuffle, Patrick and butthead grabbed the two beside Gareth to keep them from interfering, and Lucas put a hand on Nora's shoulder for some reason.

Jason knocks Gareth to the ground and puts his foot on his fingers like he's going to break them. He finally forces a name out of Gareth:

"Dustin!"

—

✧･ﾟ: * "Hurry up!" Nora shoves Lucas' butt into Dustin's bedroom window, still kind of salty about being forced to watch our for Jason and his posse in case Lucas doesn't come back in time.

"I'm in," he grunts from the other side as Nora taps her foot impatiently.

While she waits, she can't help but think about Max. . . Is she okay? She seemed pretty upset when she looked into that trailer? What's she doing right now? Does she have any plans for spring break? Is she hanging out with anyone? Who's she hanging out with? A girl? Someone who doesn't say stupid shit when trying to comfort people? Someone better than Nora?

"Where's Lucas?" Jason and the freak squad come up to Nora.

"Looking for clues," Nora tries to monotonously come out of her internal spiral.

"Looking for clues?" The dude who Nora now realizes is named Andy (she likes "dumbass" more) repeats disbelievingly.

"Looking for clues," she repeats again, annoyed and also still slightly riled up from the way Lucas was being such a douchebag earlier.

Lucas jumps out the window behind Nora, shaking himself off before noticing the group standing in front of him.

"Looking for clues?" Jason asks Lucas, confirming the story.

"Looking for clues," Lucas nods along.

"Looking for clues," Patrick scoffs. "Little freshman thinks he's Sherlock Holmes?"

The trio laugh and are about to stalk off before Lucas speaks up.

"I found one."

They stare.

"I found a clue."

Nora also stares.

She was informed they would be contacted Dustin? Telling him three senior basketball players were on his trail and that he should maybe watch out?

"I know where Eddie is."

a/n:

hi realizing Lucas is actually not wearing his basketball jacket during this whole thing but pls pretend he is I think it's more fun that way ty ily lmk what u think so far <33333