Chapter Text
Time never seemed to move fast enough for Will's standards. Classes were too long, the drowning sound of every teacher repeating lessons over and over again always caused him to dream away about mystical lands or ideas that he would soon need to put on paper before the thought would just disappear.
Right now, Time was moving too fast for Will. Too fast to stop and make sense of what was going on around him. People passing by, the sound of students chattering away as if no one could hear them, it was all blurring together into one big blob of noise.
What he did know: he had woken up in the boiler room and no one could see him.
Not that it was any different from before. Being invisible was something he always succeeded in, it was a way to escape prying eyes but right now all he wished was that he was visible. Will had only realized this when he had walked up to his friends, only for them to literally pass right through him.
He was dead.
From the looks of it, its been a few days but if he was being honest it could have been months and he wouldn't know the difference. Being a ghost was not something he knew about. What he knew was movies and stories he would read about but he didn't go around trying to figure what he could now do.
No he sat in the hall or wandered them in shock. Being so out of it and not fully comprehending what was going on, no wonder time passed him.
He tried to be present now, following groups of teens as they made their way to auditorium. Will having no idea what was going on had made his way to the bleachers far away from his classmates, were they had all gathered for an assembly.
The principal, a nervous man who will always felt sorry for, was trying his hardest to quiet down the student body as they trickled in small groups or one by one taking a seat to hear whatever it was they all were called for. His eyes scanned the crowd looking at the faces of each of his peers, squeezing his hands together as he tried to pieces together facts in his mind. It was more questions than bullet points he decided, but the more he thought the more lost he became.
That’s when he spotted them in the crowd, his friends who all had sullen faces, the worst of all them, Mike, who looked as if he hadn't slept in days. Mike with his long messy curls and dark eyes was looking worse for wear as his eyes flickered to every part of the room while the other two who sat on either side tried to comfort their friend even if they looked just as bad as him.
Will had not paid attention to what was being said, catching only a few words. “Will Byers” and “missing” being the most important as his picture had flashed onto a projected screen. Murmurs filling the mostly empty space.
The principal had tried his best to move from this heavy topic sounding more nervous than he had ever heard him. That being said the cheer squad had come to the front to perform a routine in memory of Will with someone misremembering his name and calling him Bill and the principal congratulating the debate team for a win.
All of this was background noise to Will, he could care less about no one knowing his name or whatever they were trying to do for him. He never knew the cheer squad or talked to anyone in the crowed. The principal, who was trying his best, was asking everyone or anyone to bring information forward on his disappearance. Will didn't know any of them personally and he knows they wouldn't know him, other than the quiet kid who they pass in the hallway or that they had in class.
Will had his eyes on his friends and especially on Mike who was constantly glancing at a girl who sat rows away from them. She was fidgeting and looking nervous and Will couldn’t help but wonder what that was about.
However, his thoughts were interrupted with a voice that was suddenly behind him “at least they used a good photo” the voice said and at first he ignored it before realizing that the person behind him had moved and sat right beside him as he nervously rubbed his neck a habit he had picked up somewhere that he couldn't exactly pinpoint.
“They could have used a little more tact if you ask me” This girl was looking straight at him with her blue eyes and mischievous smile. Will realized this girl was just like him as she jeered at the crowd for clapping along with the cheer squad and nobody reacted to her shouts and profanities. “Hey but at least now they’ll realize you're dead much quicker this way.” The girl had said before walking away to leave, stopping only to realize that Will was not following “come on” she said taking hold of him practically dragging him out of the room.
Will was silent at first taking in what had happened back there. “You know....I’ve been here for a while.... wandering ‘round the school for the last three days....Why are you showing up now?” he had asked her stopping in his tracks, as she hummed to herself ahead of him before turning to face him.
“Listen, it's not that we've....." She paused thinking something over before continuing "been avoiding you, it's just…… how do I put this lightly..” The dirty blond said “We all thought it would be better to let you acclimate to what has happened before we come find you”
“So you’re my welcome party?” He asked and the other snapped her fingers before pointing at him in agreement.
“Exactly!” she exclaimed wrapping her arm around his shoulders having to reach up to do so “We also had figured out who was the new dead kid is but that’s beside the point”
Will sighed he could somewhat grasp what was going on but his mind was trying to piece other things together too. He wanted to deny all this as a prank...a dream or maybe he’s just having an out of body experience and in a coma in the hospital but the last few days haven’t been so clear. It felt like there was a part of him missing and his brain was blocking it out.
He allowed himself to be guided by the girl who was rambling about something or another. he was to deep in his own thoughts to zone in to whatever she was saying in that moment. When he did tune in to what she was saying all he could do was give an incredulous look.
Truthfully, he would have welcomed her rambles. That was if he hadn't caught a glimpse of two people moving in the empty hallway. It was his friends— Dustin and Lucas. They were tapping something against every other locker, as they got closer he saw what it was, a missing person flier with his school photo.
They were quiet, a first for the two who were always butting heads, when a teacher had come up to them “Boys are you not going back to the assembly” he said carefully to the pair. The two of them snapped their heads to the adult who probably was only trying to gauge the feelings they were going through.
Lucas scrunched up his face looking away from the teacher when Dustin finally spoke up “That assembly is a joke.” he said with a hint of anger trying to keep calm, something that was definitely not his strongest point “Now if you would excuse us.” He paused turning away from the teacher continuing to tape up the fliers “WE are going to look for our friend”
This broke Will, he waited for the teacher to leave before rushing over to his pair of friends “Guys” He said loudly next to them with no reaction but he definitely could feel the other ghost's eyes on him. “Dustin! Lucas!” he continued “I’m right here. Look at me” Will cried out with tears in his eyes as they walked away. He glanced back at the lockers, his face on the flier before falling to the floor crouching as he was finally accepting what was true....that he was really gone.
“Hey” said the girl nudging his shoes with her own “come on I want to introduce you to some people” She said with a smile coming down to his level “Oh right i keep forgetting to do this. I’m Robin”