star maps

Especially after last year with the whole Vecna thing, with the town having a whole state of emergency, Robin hadn’t been able to see herself leaving Hawkins. The diploma was handed to her and immediately she didn’t know how to get the hell out of dodge even if she wanted to. 

Everything felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

Now she had a full time job, working at the WSQK radio station with Steve.

Now, she had a secret full time job which entailed protecting the town of Hawkins that always made her feel like she was looking over her shoulder. 

You on the other hand, had managed to get out of Hawkins. After graduation, you had gone to a new city and tried to start over. 

Hawkins had always been too small, too nosy, too much for you. 

You expected that half the town felt the same way you did, but the other half was too stuck in their ways to actually even attempt to do anything serious about it. 

Except, it hadn’t been long before you heard news about your home that had made you come back. Not even a year, and the town was thrown by some state of emergency that had you running back just as the doors were closing in on themselves. 

Maybe it was some sort of sick luck to come back just before the whole town of Hawkins was going to be as insulated and insufferable as you had always felt it was. 

You had spent the last year after your graduation from high school living in a new city, taking classes, working, and reinventing yourself from who you had been in high school. Coming home wasn’t supposed to be in the cards until the first Hawkins Class of 1985 reunion appeared in your new mailbox, and even then you doubted you might show up. 

Hawkins didn’t get you. 

Now, a year later than before, your family finally understood—tentatively, obviously, and you hadn’t been holding your breath on that one. 

Hawkins was a small town and the concept of being anything but normal didn’t quite fit in the status quo. 

It started as easy as any friendship might. Robin had been volunteering with the aide in the town and that was the first place you had gone with your own family. You had felt the need to help out given the fact that you were able to, but you didn’t know really what was going on. 

You were left to your own devices as quickly as you had gone into the building. Which is how you had spotted Robin, walking over with the box of things you had and dropping them down unceremoniously down on the table looking for how to begin helping unload them properly.

“Hey Y/N, when did you get back to town?” Robin asked, in lieu of a real greeting. 

“Uh, a day or two. It was supposed to be for Spring Break,” That felt utterly ridiculous to say out loud now given everything that was going on, “I guess I’m not heading back to campus. I hope they can figure out some sort of…refund or something.” You shrug your shoulders as you shake your head. “Can I help sort these things out?” 

Realistically, you just needed to do something. Sitting around wasn’t going to help, and you were there to help out. For one, you needed to keep busy, given everything that was going on. For another, you had no idea where your family had wandered off to. You wanted to ask questions about everything that had happened, but didn’t even know where to begin. 

Robin nodded her head and moved out of your way, gesturing for you to join her behind the table. 

“There’s not much to learn for sorting. Just between what there is. It’s pretty basic.” Robin explained, gesturing to the different piles and looking at the ones to be sorted. She had been working hard since the earthquake that wasn’t really, and keeping her head on straight was just part of her every day life ever since the summer she had spent working with Steve Harrington thinking it was going to be one of the worst things she would ever do—now she had him as a best friend. 

“Okay, so not some complicated light colors, dark colors, whites, and then patterns and everything within that too. Got it.” You nodded your head following along while Robin pointed the piles out to you. You just wished there was more that you could do. Or maybe you wished that you hadn’t even been home to be here, but that was the back of your mind and the more selfish section of it too. 

You moved around the table organizing everything with Robin, chatting a bit and everything had felt easy. 

It was almost like the world hadn’t just crashed down around you. 

After that day, you had seen Robin around town a few times. Nothing began right away, but you were fast friends at least because of circumstance if nothing more. 

The day you realized you had more than just friendly feelings for Robin was one of those days where everything seemed to be going wrong from the beginning of the day. 

You had taken a job at Enzo’s after you realized that you would really be in town for a while. You had hoped that after some time the town would be open back up to the world around it, but that wound up not being the case. So Enzo’s seemed like the one of the steadiest jobs you could take that still allowed you free time. 

That day, you had gone to work and there seemed to be nothing you could do to make anything right for anything. Table after table just complained, and just when everything had been going slightly well you had collided with a bus boy who had spilled not only the empty trays he’d been carrying but all the new food you had on your tray. 

In the back room, you were covered in several slimy substances and still had hours left on your shift. You knew Robin had to be at the radio station for her own shift and had chanced calling her house. 

“Hello?” Robin’s voice was gravelly, like she hadn’t gotten much sleep. 

“Robin? Did I wake you up?” You asked, doing your best to keep your voice calm while you used a free hand to attempt to clear off some of the stuff from your uniform. 

“Y/N?” Robin was more alert, and you heard movement on the phone. “What’s wrong?” 

“Crappy day at work.” You’d muttered back on the line, holding the phone to your ear with your shoulder as you struggled with drying out the pesky stain. “I’ve still got hours to go on this shift and they’re understaffed so they can’t spare me to run off and get new clothes and I—”

Robin cut you off, “Why do you need new clothes?”

“Believe me, the sight will be enough when you get here. Can you just stop by and grab my spare uniform on your way to the station? I’ll grab you something from the kitchen for your shift.” You had to sound as if you were practically begging, which if you were honest you were but you didn’t want to admit that you were desperate. 

“I’ll be there soon. And not because of the free food.” Robin’s words eased your worries, and her promise made you calm down. 

But still, despite everything, you had to wait in the back until she had was able to get to Enzo’s. You ordered her favorite, and managed to get a little extra since you figured Steve would probably be working too and while he wasn’t helping you figured he would be there. 

When Robin showed up, your coworker had called out your name and you raced to the kitchen’s doorway to greet her, pulling her into the ladies room so you could change. Once you were locked in a stall and Robin was on the other side of the door, you spoke, “You can laugh if you want to.”

“Why would I laugh?” Robin asked. 

“I mean, half the kitchen did. I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a polaroid of me on the wall back there looking like this tomorrow.” You sighed, shaking your clothes out as you changed into the fresh uniform. 

“Oh that’s just cruel.” Robin commented. “It sounds like something the Jason Carver’s of the world would do.” 

Your laugh probably sounded a bit bitter as you said, “Well, this is Hawkins.” 

It was times like these you wished you were in the city again. You wished you were back in the place you had been before. Back at school, at work, doing anything but this. Feeling anything but a bit claustrophobic in this town. 

But before Robin can comment on that, you’re already moving. You’ve pulled your hair down from the ponytail it was in in order to fix it and then walked out of the stall, looking in the mirror but looking at Robin,“Thanks for this, Robs. Your food is probably done. We can grab it on our way out of here.” 

You watched Robin’s eyes as they watched you, but neither of you had said anything else. 

You had thought that was the end of it all, until it was nearing the end of your shift and the hostess said there was a call for you up front. 

“Hello?” You had picked the phone up, unsure, your bag in hand as you were ready to head out the door. 

“Y/N!” Robin’s voice was cheery on the other end of the line. The total opposite of how she had answered earlier in the day. “I was hoping to catch you before you left.” 

“What’s up, Robs?” You were leaning on the hostess stand, watching as the late evening diners, you’d almost call them stragglers if you didn’t know a lot of them had standing reservations, began to file in. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I was just thinking maybe you’d want to come keep us company up at the station. It might be good after the day you had.”

There was something about the way she said it. So simple and natural, that made your stomach do a little flip. Unintentional. Unwarranted. Unexpected. 

Were you falling for your friend? Fuck. 

It was maybe a few more months before anything actually came out of your mouth in regards to the fact that maybe you might like Robin. 

This was partially due to the fact that you had convinced yourself that nothing was going to happen from the moment that you realized you had feelings for Robin. Also due to the fact that you had continued to spend time with her in a group setting for the most part. 

If any time was spent one on one, it was mostly you driving Robin places since she still didn’t drive, or it was on the rare occasion that Steve wasn’t working so she offered for you to come spend time at WSQK. 

It was one of those rare nights, at the radio station with Robin alone, when everything happened. 

“Steve’s out on a date?” You asked, looking over from the wall of records to where Robin sat in the booth. 

She nodded her head, “Yeah, Harrington’s got a date. He’ll give us the run down tomorrow morning over breakfast if you want to come with.” 

You were a bit surprised by the comment but pulled out one of the records you’d been looking at and walked over to her, holding it out for her to switch over to when the song was done, “You sure I’m not intruding?”

She shook her head, looking at you, “Why would you be intruding? It’s just Steve, I’m sure he’d be happy for the input.” Robin took the record in your hands and looked it over before doing an intro for the next song as she switched the records over and then turning back to look at you. 

“It’s not like I’ve been on a date since I was away before,” you paused, gesturing around at everything without saying it out loud, “so I don’t think I’d be that much help with telling Steve what the girls are interested in. I don’t even know what they’re interested in.” 

It was out before you could even stop yourself, before you could even catch that you had said it out loud. You had said it so casually as if you had already told Robin that you were into girls. 

Your entire face was flushed with realization of what you said and despite the fact you turned away, you could see Robin’s ears were getting pink too. 

Oh, how you wanted to disappear into the wall and be invisible. 

Being left at the diner was weird for her, Robin had expected to go inside with you. Even after the unexpected revelation from the night before. 

Instead, she had stood outside, watching as your car backed out of the parking lot and didn’t know what to do with herself except feel like there was some sort of hole forming in her chest. 

Steve came up from behind her, surprising Robin with a hand on her arm and immediately knew something was going on. “I thought we were going to spend the morning talking about my night, but maybe we should talk about yours instead.” 

It was nearly a week after that when you and Robin spoke again. The night was repeating itself over and over again in your head. You hadn’t been able to get over what you had accidentally revealed, and the rest of the night had felt awkward. Instead of joining Steve and Robin for breakfast the following morning you had dropped her off and gone home. 

You had left Enzo’s and were heading toward your car in the parking lot when you realized that someone was standing in front of it. 

It took you another moment to realize that the figure was Robin, and she was looking around nervously until she spotted you when she let a small wave, “Hi.”

“Hey.” You managed, opening your car door when you got to it but not managing to look at her. 

“I had Steve drop me off.” Robin said in way of explaining her sudden appearance at your job, shuffling her feet as she looked at you. 

“Isn’t the show still going on?” You asked, leaning on your open car door and looked at Robin. 

She half nodded her head her head, “I just wanted to see you. I..you..we’ve been avoiding each other.” 

Your heart might have been hammering in your chest at that, but you wouldn’t betray anything with your features. You just nodded your head. “I’ll drive you back up to the station. We can talk on the way.” 

When both of you were in the car you started driving, but you didn’t know what to say. You waited for Robin to break the silence, but as you glanced at her out of the corner of your eyes you didn’t know if she was going to say anything. 

“I’m sorry—”

Both of you started at the same time. 

“Why are you sorry?” Robin looked at you, shifting in the seat to look at you while you drove. 

“I just—”

Robin cut you off speaking before you could finish your thought, “No, I need to say this. I was just, I think it was a bad night. I had just…it was unexpected. I was trying to focus on work and I’m not the best at…it took me by surprise.” Robin explained, fiddling with her hands as she spoke, but she was trying to get everything out in one long explanation so she didn’t have to explain it all over again. She hoped she wasn’t speaking too rushed so she would be able to avoid doing this all over again. 

“I’ve always been worried about a lot of things and I think I just kind of did exactly what I expected to happen to me and that was bad. And then I didn’t know what to do, so I kind of avoided everything for a few days because I’ve only ever liked two people before and one of them was Tammy Thompson who well, she’s a muppet in human form...I don’t know if you’ve ever heard her sing, but yeah. And the last one didn’t work out either. So I was just, I don’t know, scared.” 

Robin’s words were softer than they had been, your car radio needed to be lowered in order to hear her and you’d pulled up the the station by the time she finished speaking. But even then you turned to look at her. 

You dared to hope.

You dared to reach a hand out and put it on top of Robin’s hands which were still moving around but stilled when you touched them. 

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” 

Robin turned her head and looked at you, nodding her head slowly, maybe worried you might take back anything that’s already happened.

You smiled at her and Robin smiled back at you. Still, neither of you moved to get out of the car yet. 

It was like everything was keeping you pulled to this spot, some force was keeping a hold on both of you. The same force was moving in slow motion, or maybe it just felt like it was slow motion, as you moved closer to each other and met in the middle. 

The kiss was nothing like you expected, you had been worried about everything that could have been possible. Too many what ifs swirled around your head to even come close to the reality that was happening now. 

“Do you want to come keep us company for the rest of the shift?” Robin asked, resting her forehead against yours and looking at you. 

“After last time?” You managed to laugh softly, shaking your head slightly at the thought. 

“I promise it will be better than last time. Girlfriend’s honor.” Robin held a hand up and looked at you with a smile. 

“Girlfriend, huh?” A surprised gasp at the comment. 

Robin corrected herself, “Well, that is if you’re okay with that.” 

“Exactly. This is Hawkins,” Nancy says the town’s name in a tone totally opposite to yours. But before you can question it, she’s speaking again, “and high school. You’re overthinking everything. Believe me, there’s people who would care what you wear, or look like, or whatever, but you don’t want to impress them.”

Still looking at your closet, but from a different angle as you take a couple of steps back (as far as the chord will let you get comfortable) to sit on your bed and listen to Nancy. “Let me guess, that step-brother of Max’s from last night?”

“He came to town and just proclaimed himself the King of Hawkins High.” Nancy’s voice is filled with disgust. “His crowd has always been…listen, those people are horrible and don’t care who they step on, or call out, or who goes…”

Nancy cut herself off. You’re practically thinking the line is dead with the silence on her end for so long. 

“Nance?” 

“They’re bad people, Y/N. You don’t need to…dress to impress them, or whatever. You’ve got me and Jon.” Nancy’s voice is still filled with emotion from before, but you can tell she’s trying to push it all back. 

“And Steve.” You add. 

“Yeah, and Steve.” Nancy says with a slight laugh in her voice. “Are we going to include the kids too? ‘Cause they’re still in middle school. I don’t think they count.” Your mouth twists at her words and you almost want to argue with her, but you bite your tongue instead. “I’m just saying, Y/N, you don’t have to impress anyone at Hawkins High.”

“I know, Nance. I’m lucky to have you and Jonathan, and Steve.” Your eyes are still focused on your closet, putting together multiple outfits in your mind to see what might work with what you have there. It’s now that you wish you had packed more clothes, that you had access to your whole closet. “It’s just weird starting right before a break. I’ve got what…two weeks? Then we’re on break.”

“Yeah, but it might feel longer. Dustin and Mike and those kids might talk your ear off about the middle school Snowball if you let them. I’ve even promised to volunteer this year. But, between you and me, I’ve heard enough about it. I’ll be happy to tell Mike to ask all his big sister advice to you for the next two weeks.” Nancy jokes. She’s heard a lot about the Snowball, the chatter between her brother and his friends getting more and more given that it’s actually something good to look forward to. Which is something they all need. 

“I mean, obviously Mikey can talk to me about anything. But dance advice isn’t…wait, Snowball? That sounds familiar… did I go to that one year with you?” 

Nancy stutters, not knowing how to respond, and then lets out a laugh on the other end instead of answering your question. Then there’s another gasp, but still she hasn’t spoken out loud. And finally you hear what you think is the phone drop and some rustling of papers and moving of drawers. Nancy’s muttering on the other end of the phone, but you can barely hear her as she’s moved away from the receiver.  

“Nancy? Hello?” You’re practically shouting, pulling the phone away from your ear. “Did I lose you?” 

There’s an excited gasp when you hear her again, “You’re right. And I have photographic evidence to prove it. And you’re never going to believe these pictures, Y/N.”

“I swear if you tell me you let me out of the house in my patchwork overalls to some school dance of yours, Nancy Wheeler, I am going to find a new best friend starting tomorrow.” You’re doing your best to sound intimidating, but you know it comes off as anything but, when you can’t even keep a straight face and wind up laughing. 

“No, Y/N —”

There’s some static on the other end and then another voice cuts in, “Nancy, sweetheart, it’s time for dinner. Do you mind hanging up the phone and getting Holly down here for me?” 

“Sure mom. I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N.” 

“See you tomorrow, Nance. Night Mrs. Wheeler,” with that, you hang up the phone. 

And, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, depending on who you asked), whatever was going to be said is now left up to your imagination. 

When you wake up the next morning it’s to Dustin’s frantic opening of your door shouting at you to get up before he runs off to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him. You can hear him laughing behind the door after you’ve chased him. 

“That was cruel, Dusty.” You slam a hand on the bathroom door, leaning against it and sighing. “I will have revenge for that. Hell, I can just wait til you’re done in there, y’know.” 

“Aren’t you worried about what you’re gonna wear to impress the people of Hawkins High?” Dustin’s tone is teasing, mimicking what you said to Nancy on the phone last night, behind the door of the bathroom. 

“You’re so dead Baby Henderson.” You scowl at where you can only imagine your cousin is standing on the opposite side of the bathroom door, shaking your head. 

“Have to get to me first, Old Lady Henderson.” 

You let out an exasperated sigh, smacking a closed fist against the locked bathroom door, deciding to instead move on from the conversation before draw it on forever—because you’re far too tired to continue the argument—before leaving the hallway and going back to your room in order to get ready for school. 

With your limited wardrobe, and the fact that you don’t have to wear a uniform to school, you’d been worried for a lot of the previous night. However, you’d finally settled on something both comfortable enough and warm enough for the growing cold weather. It also happened to be something that was of comfort to you, as it was your favorite colored top, a pair of comfortable jeans,  and a well worn, faded in places, denim jacket that you’d had for years. The jacket had definitely seen you through some of your hardest days. 

“I made you kids breakfast!” Claudia calls out from downstairs, pulling you from your worrying thoughts. 

You’d finally been able to get into the bathroom, just looking in the mirror at yourself for a final once over when you’d heard your aunt’s call. 

“I got this.” You find yourself muttering as you leave the bathroom and head downstairs. 

You had never been more nervous for a first day of school than you were for this one. Maybe it was because the first day at Hawkins felt like the first first day that actually mattered in the whole scheme of things that had happened before. Then you thought back to Nancy’s words last night, and knew she was right that you had nothing to worry about because you were going into this school with built in friends. 

And yet, you still could feel a bundle of nerves as you took a seat at the kitchen table with your aunt and cousin. 

“I put a plate together for you, Y/N.” Claudia says, placing a plate down in front of you with a smile on her face. 

You nod your head, glancing down at the plate of food in front of you. Pancakes. It reminds you of Saturday, and you feel ease start to spread through you calming your nerves. 

“Yours are better, Y/N.” Dustin’s voice is muffled, filled with a mouthful of pancakes as he looks up at you. 

“Dustin!” Claudia gapes at him, and you barely have time to cover your mouth before you let out a laugh. 

Dustin’s face blanches as he swallows his food and looks between the two of you, “Did I say that out loud?” 

“Maybe I’m not the one you have to worry about Baby Henderson.” You shake your head, teasing your cousin, as you take a bite of the food on your plate. 

“Sorry mom.” Dustin makes a face, turning his attention back to his plate. 

“At least Tews likes my cooking.” Claudia sighs, glancing down at the kitten at her feet while she pours herself a cup of coffee. 

“Yeah, well, she’s a cat and can’t tell you she hates it.” You point out with a laugh, leaning down to pet the top of Tews head when she comes closer to you. 

“She could knock the bowl over.” Dustin points out quietly, hoping that no one will pick up his commentary but knowing that it’s not possible.

“You’re not helping yourself by continuing to stick that foot of yours into your mouth, Dusty.” You tap his leg with your foot under the table, doing your best to be gentle but still see him wince at the contact. You mouth a silent sorry. “I happen to like your cooking, Aunt Claudia. If it helps, you definitely cook better than my dad, who swears he learned how to cook.”

“You’re just being nice,” Claudia comments, taking a seat at the table and looking at you, “and I love you for it, Y/N. But he’s a liar, your father could never cook bless him.”

There’s the sound of the door opening and then a greeting, “Morning Hendersons!”

“Steve, if I knew you were coming I would have made up a plate for you!” Claudia stands back up from the table to greet him with a smile. 

“It’s fine Mrs. H, Dustin called out on the walkie a while ago and asked for a ride to school, so I figured I’d swing by. You ready to go?” Steve asks, glancing over at Dustin who’s already gathering his backpack and putting his cap on his head as he looks over at you expectantly. 

“Come on, Y/N, let’s go. Don’t want to be late on your first day.” Dustin brushes past Steve, calling out a goodbye for his mom that you barely hear him shouting, “Shotgun!”, as he runs out the door. 

Steve’s head has spun towards where Dustin has left before he turns back to look at you, stunned, and then waiting for you to be ready. 

It takes you a half beat to get up from the table and gather your own things for the school day. You’re halfway to the door as you turn back to look at your aunt, “Thanks for breakfast Aunt Claudia. Have a good day. Bye Tews!” 

Then Steve closes the door after the two of you, and you turn to look at the car where Dustin has made himself comfortable in the front seat. He makes eye contact with you, sticking his tongue out at you. It’s just like how you did on the other night before. 

“Oh he’s just adding to the list today.” You shake your head as you walk to the car with Steve at your side. 

“Bad morning?” Steve asks, turning to look at you, though his eyes dart to glance at Dustin. Being an only child, he doesn’t know much about sibling dynamics, but he can tell that the two of you are probably more like that than cousins. “I can kick him to the backseat, if it makes you feel better.” Steve offers with a small smile in your direction. 

You shrug your shoulders at the comment, “I’ll let him keep it,” you make your voice louder so Dustin can hear you, “this time.”

“There’s still time to worry about your hair and look in the car, Y/N. Steve will even tilt the rearview so you can do another once over.” Dustin calls to you, opening his door so that you can hear him.

“Do I need to remind you just how dead you are this morning, Dustin?” Your walk toward the car hasn’t accelerated at all, in fact if anything you slow down just to prove a point while you speak raising an eyebrow at your younger cousin. It causes him to close the car door once more as he watches the two of you make your way down the driveway. “He is on thin fucking ice.”

“You see why I call him dipshit now?” 

The laugh bubbles in your chest as you reply, “I mean, I’ve always known he can be a pest.” You just hadn’t seen him in a few years. Phone calls could only do so much in so little time, letters could do even less. Still, he was still the same old Dustin. Just with a bit more of a punch in attitude and about the same amount of energy as always. 

“Are you really worried, though?” Steve asks, pausing in his steps and looking at you. He may not know you well, but after all the shit he’s gone through in the past year he’s pretty sure that he’s going to have Dustin Henderson—and probably the entire party, which (reluctantly) includes his ex Nancy Wheeler and her new boyfriend Jonathan Byers—in his life for the rest of his. Which means you’re in his life too. 

“No.” 

You don’t sound convincing though. Steve’s eyebrows shoot up into his swooping hair as he looks at you with a tilt of his head and what he hopes is a reassuring smile, “What’s there to worry about? It’s just school. Half of that battle is having friends and you’ve already got me and Nance and Jonathan.”

He says it like it’s easy. Like it’s no big deal. Just like Nancy had the night before. And still, you look at him, unsure of what to say. Your last school had been so…there wasn’t a right word to describe it. Fun wasn’t enough. Other words came to mind. Intoxicating, thrilling, lively. All until it was crumbling down in front of you and you couldn’t even catch the pieces to attempt to keep it all together. 

Steve puts his hand on your arm and gives it a gentle squeeze, comforting you. He doesn’t even really know you but it feels like you’ve known him longer than just this weekend, “Let’s go before Dustin’s head breaks the glass of the car. But it’s going to be fine, Y/N. Two weeks and then it’s winter break. That’s easy.”

He walks ahead of you and moves to open the door, leaving it open for you to get in before heading to the drivers side and getting in himself. 

Easy and school don’t seem to go hand in hand. But still, you don’t say anything back, and you get in the car quietly resolved to the first day of school looming over your head and listen to Steve and Dustin bicker over the radio. 

Maybe you would be wrong about the school. Maybe Steve and Nancy would be right. 

Oh, no…you were most definitely right about how the school day was going. You made several notes in your head throughout everything to bring that fact up to both Nancy and Steve the next time you saw them. 

Steve, being a year ahead of you, was in none of your classes. Though you saw him briefly in the hallway as you moved from class to class. At least it Hawkins High wasn’t as big as some of the other schools you had been to. You had had your first class of the day with Nancy but hadn’t seen her since then. Another blow, you hadn’t even spotted Jonathan since you’d first stepped foot into the school. 

Sure thing though, you had spotted Max’s step-brother and his posse of friends wandering the hallways and could tell why Nancy said what she had the night before on the phone. They were always in some sort of group poking fun at people or holding court in some way that made it seem like they were the it kids. You had at least been successful in avoiding them thus far. 

It felt, entirely, like you were the new kid in school with nobody by their side and you had to navigate some place on your own. 

To top it off, most of your classes had been filled with teachers making awkward introductions before moving along with the lesson. Then at the end, holding you back to hand you pamphlet after pamphlet of things you needed to catch up on for exams. 

You thought you would have time to work up to that, but there were exams coming up before break, and you were clearly expected to figure everything out by then. 

By lunch, your bag is weighing you down as you take a seat next to Nancy. “I hate it here.” You sigh, dropping your head down into your hands as you cast a glance up. 

“I think we have a record. This is the fastest I’ve heard Y/N say she hates a school.” Nancy teases you, glancing around like she’s looking for a clock. She rubs your arm softly, comforting, as she continues, “Don’t worry, I can help you study.” 

“Oh please, you’ll be too busy with your new boyfriend to help me study, and by that point I’ll have drowned in all these papers.” You retort, pulling yourself back up and stealing a chip from the bag in front of Nancy. 

“Hey, you’re one of my best friends.” Nancy replies, pulling the bag of chips closer to her as she speaks. “I won’t let you drown.”

“Oh, so you’ll ditch your boyfriend to help me plan a good study routine?” 

Nancy falters.

You point your finger at her with a giggle, “Ah ha, I told you.”

“Just not today, cause we have plans. But tomorrow, I am yours. Swear it. I’ll even drive you home after school if you stick around ’til after newspaper gets out. Plus, you owe me New York City stories.”

“I’ll trade you New York City stories for study help.” 

“Sounds like a deal. Mom would probably even let you sleep over if you wanted to, like old times.” Nancy nudges your shoulder with hers, a peace offering as she holds out the bag of chips in your direction. 

“Is this before or after you tell me about this snowball thing you found last night on the phone?” Your hand is in the chips bag when you spy Jonathan and Steve walking into the cafeteria from opposite directions, both looking for either you or Nancy, and heading your way when they see the two of you. 

“Oh my God, I was gonna bring those pictures today.” She sighs, having let go of the bag of chips to your hands fully but she turns and just smiles as she continues her thought. “It’s fine, we’ll have to do it in person! That’s even better.” Nancy’s laughter stops when she realizes that Jonathan and Steve have taken the seats on the opposite end of the table and she looks at you and then back to them. “When can you come over?” 

“I mean, considering I don’t have anything going on other than catching up on everything in all of these,” sarcasm drips from your tone as you dramatically lift and then drop papers onto the table between all of you, “I’m pretty much either really free or super busy.” 

“Okay,” Steve drawls out the word as he looks between you, Nancy, and the paperwork on the table. “Do we ask what the giant pile of papers is for?” 

“I think we’re just supposed to let them go about this.” Jonathan gestures between you and Nancy, who reaches over and takes the bag of chips on his lunch tray. “Hey?” 

“She took mine.” Nancy answers as she opens the bag with a shrug. 

“These,” you wave the bag in Nancy’s direction, before turning to look at the other two sitting at the table as it emphasizing it to them, “were a gift.” Then you let your shoulders slump, attempting to relax. “But, whatever, we’ll figure it out. Let’s just get through today right?” 

“Right.” Nancy nods her head at your comment. “Hey, the kids are going to the arcade tonight. Do you need a ride home after school?” 

“No, I think maybe I’ll head to the school’s library for a bit, and then make my way to the arcade from there to meet whoever’s picking Dustin up. I should probably start working on these, since my best friend can’t help me.” You tease Nancy, nudging her arm with yours. But really, you’re a bit undecided right then what your plans were going to be. In truth, you know that you shouldn’t put off at least glancing through all the papers from each teacher until you get together with Nancy. “I think I remember how to get around town enough to figure it out on my own. You guys can go about your days on your own. I’ll be fine.” 

The three of them look at you, all with different degrees of worry on their face. You study their faces briefly, shaking your head at them. 

“What? Guys, I’m not a child, and I’ve basically lived here for my whole life. At different times, on multiple occasions I have in fact wandered through Hawkins. I mean it when I said I’ll be fine.” You assure them, rolling your eyes. 

Sure, they’re your friends, but you couldn’t possibly understand what they would be worried about. You walked the streets of several cities bigger than Hawkins, Indiana alone before. What was their problem? 

You find the school library with ease at the end of the day, it’s relatively other than a few stragglers and some staff, and you find an open table all to yourself in the corner dropping into the chair and putting your bag onto the table with all your energy as you let out a sigh and look around. 

“If you’re looking for detention I think Higgins decided he wanted to do something new and now he’s holding it in the auditorium before school.” A voice comments from your left, causing you to turn your head. “So I think you’re a little late for that.” His hair is a mess of curls, but he’s not even really looking up at you. Instead, he’s entirely focused on a notebook in front of him writing something out—it’s a scratch of words, scrawled out that you can’t really make out from how far away you are, with something doodled in the margins too, but you try not to focus on it too much.  

“Are you saying that because school’s out for the day?” You ask him, turning to your own table and focusing on pulling the papers out of your bag to begin working on them and spreading them out in front of you to organize them into some sort of order. The problem is you don’t know where to begin, so you just start by just ordering the papers by the class period they were given to you in.  

He pauses, the pencil on the paper dropping as he glances up at you, “Shit,” a low whistle as if he’s realizing what time it is for the first time, “it’s the end of the day? Really?” He pauses, shaking his head, glancing around the library as he speaks again, “Well, Carver decided to not show up to meet me then.” He shrugs his shoulders, relaxing, and then tapping the lunch tin in front of him before shoving it into his bag. 

You’re a bit too focused on everything in front of you, reading the papers about the English Lit readings that you’ve missed, so you don’t see that the other person has gotten up from where he’d been sitting and taken the seat opposite you.

When you glance up and see him there, you tilt your head and look at him to ask, “shouldn’t you be finding this kid that blew you off?” 

“Nah,” He leans back in the chair, hands sprawled out in front of him and looking at you, “it’s cool.” 

You raise your eyebrows, looking up at him and rolling your eyes. “So then it wasn’t that important.” 

“I’m sure he’ll find me before whatever party he and the team are planning on throwing.”

You nod your head in understanding, turning your gaze back to the papers and circling somethings that you might need to focus on before the upcoming exams. “So what are you still doing here?” 

The curly haired boy looks around the library, making a show of it, before leaning forward and whispering, “Avoiding the principal. He’ll never find me in here, and I’m trying to avoid that whole morning detention thing. ’85’s gonna be my year, y’know.” 

“Held back, huh?” You question, not expecting a response as you continue flipping through the papers without looking up at him. “Well, maybe ’86 will be my year, but that depends on Hawkins here.” 

“Transfer, huh?” He mimics your tone, as if it weren’t already blatantly obvious. Most people who grew up in Hawkins wouldn’t go near Eddie Munson. The whole band thing didn’t add any kind of credit from the Hellfire Club’s reputation, and unfortunately neither did his stunt last year. Now, he was really just known for staying behind a year, Hellfire, and dealing. 

“What gives it away? Is it the mountain of paperwork these teachers are giving out or is it just something in my eyes?” You can’t help but laugh, holding out a free hand and gesturing between the papers on the table and your aforementioned eyes. 

“Funny,” Eddie taps his hands on the table as he looks at the paperwork you’ve been looking at. He got something like that last year, but he hadn’t really given it much of a second glance. Or a first one, in fact if he were being honest he’s pretty sure he wrote half of a song on one of the papers and it’s somewhere back at the trailer. “It’s actually the fact you’re talking to me.”

Your eyes widen as you stop toying with the papers in your hands to give him your full attention, “There’s definitely a story there.”

Eddie’s smile seems to falter briefly before he nods his head, but his hands draw your attention to his shirt while he speaks, “A lot of it comes down to this shirt right here. My pride and joy, Hellfire Club.” 

You look back at his face as you say, “Sounds like a metal band.” 

“My band’s name is Corroded Coffin.”

“So then what’s Hellfire Club?” 

“Have you ever heard of Dungeons and Dragons?” Eddie tilts his head, waiting for a response and readying himself to launch into the history and magic of everything that is his pride and joy. 

“Actually, yeah. My cousin talks about it. All the time,” You could feel yourself getting more animated, thinking of Dustin and his friends. The whole night you witnessed flashing through your eyes. “He and his friends have this group thing. He’s tried to get me into it, but I only saw them…play, if that’s the right word…just recently. He gave me a blank character sheet, but I still have no idea what any of it means if I’m being honest. But I would never admit that kind of defeat to Dustin.” 

Eddie’s whole face lights up during your response. He’s so used to being ostracized for the Hellfire Club, everyone thinking it’s some sort of Satanic bullshit, and putting him down for it that he half expected you to do the same right away. “Well if you’ve got time I can explain it. Save you embarrassment of asking your cousin all the questions.”

“Does it look like I have time?” You ask, your hands flattening out all the papers in front of you so they spread out even further, as you look at Eddie. But still, there’s a smile on your face as you say it. You glance around, looking at the clock on the wall. “I just need to kill some more time before I can head over to the arcade to meet up with my cousin and his friends.”

Eddie’s eyebrows raise, “Are you babysitting them or something?”

“Or something.” Admittedly, you actually liked spending time with Dustin and his friends. Besides, you hadn’t been around to do that in a while, so getting to do it now was something you were going to take full advantage of while you could. 

“Well, the arcade is close by the record shop. I can give you a ride over if you want, I was heading that way when school was done for the day.” 

You look up at him, and see that he’s waiting expectantly, instead of responding you tilt your head and see that he mimics your pose. He’s studying you while he waits for your response. You glance back down at the papers, “I really should try and study for the exams that are coming up.” 

“Why? You said ’86 is gonna be your year, right? That’s so far away. You’ve got time.” Eddie brushes the thought with a shrug of his shoulders, shaking his head. 

“Well then here’s another reason, I don’t know you.” 

“Eddie Munson.” Eddie holds out his hand, your eyes drop down to it and you look at the rings before looking back up at him as he speaks again, “and now you have no more excuses, right?” 

Being the girlfriend of Eddie Munson meant a lot of things. There were band practices in the garage that lasted long hours with bad snacks. There were late nights in either of your bedrooms talking about the future in hushed whispers, worried anyone might overhear you. There was helping the band run back and forth between gigs at The Hideout, or helping Hellfire Club set up for some elaborate scheme for their latest campaign. But being on the run from murder charges was usually not one of the usual things to expect with Eddie. 

And now adding into them actual inter-dimensional creatures chasing you? 

Yeah…you didn’t know how you had gotten into this particular mess. 

FRIDAY, MARCH 21st 

You had been so excited that morning, knowing that it was the last day before Eddie was off for Spring Break. You, however, were going to work at the Family Video that day and then meet with him later after the Hellfire Club meeting. 

Having graduated the previous year, you were working in town and doing your best to help Eddie with his studies this year in order to ensure that ’86 truly would be his year. You wanted ’86 to be Eddie’s year just as badly as he did. 

You didn’t know what the future had in store for either of you, but if you knew one thing it was that Eddie was at your side for it. Which is why you had planned something for the break he had. There wasn’t any band rehearsals or gigs or Hellfire to worry about the next week. It was going to just be you and him, out on the road. 

At least that’s what you’d thought, til Eddie had shown up at Family Video while you were alone. Steve was on his break in the back and you were rewinding tapes, organizing them to restock. 

“Hey Eddie, aren’t you supposed to be in…” you paused, looking at the time, “history?” You hazarded a guess. 

Eddie shrugged his shoulders as he walked toward you, leaning on the counter and watching as you worked for a moment. 

“What’s wrong?” You questioned, taking the tape out of the rewinder and putting it back in its case. You put a hand atop his with a smile. “Did Sinclair cancel on Hellfire for the game or something? Cause, babe, I’ll take his place, but… you know what happened last time I tried to follow along one of the campaigns.”

Eddie shook his head quickly, “You nearly killed everyone last time. I don’t think we need that kind of sacrifice, but I love the dedication. They swear they’re going to find a replacement for him, but I have my doubts.” 

“Well, that’s what happens when you have someone who plays sports and likes D&D too, Eddie.” You had thought it might happen, but wouldn’t have suggested Eddie change the meeting, knowing that he wouldn’t change his ways. You’d briefly mentioned changing the meeting so you two could hit the road a bit earlier in the day and seen Eddie’s eyes widen when you had so you had acted like you were only joking. 

“It’s not about Sinclair.” Eddie shrugs his shoulders, his hands moving on the counter, flipping their position in order to take yours in them, waving his fingers through yours easily. Like he’s done a hundred times before. “Can we leave tomorrow instead?”

You could feel your heart plummet into your stomach as you glance up at him from your intertwined hands. But still, you can’t find your words. 

“I just…might have made a deal tonight.” Eddie’s voice is softer, quieter. Even if you’re the only two people in the store right then. It’s like he’s worried that someone might be listening in to the two of you. “You can still come to the trailer,” he paused, looking up at you, “I want you to be there tonight, but it might be too late by the time it’s over to leave.” 

You nodded your head, “Okay.” 

You should have been used to this sort of thing. But Eddie rarely blew off plans you made with him for this sort of thing—if anything, Eddie would blow off plans for the band, or for Hellfire Club. He’d sometimes even drag you along last minute for those kinds of plans, switching everything you’d had planned because his friends needed something. But for his side gig? He never really cared to blow off plans for that ever. Again, he’d sometimes randomly need to show face at some party the popular kids were throwing, but you’d show up there with him. 

Eddie smiled at you, leaning across the counter to kiss your cheek and squeeze your hands. “I love you, you know.” 

You smiled at his words, nodding his head, “I know. I’ll see you after Hellfire Club. I hope Sinclair’s replacement is better than me.” 

Eddie took a half step back, walking toward the door but still facing you, “At D&D, I hope so too. But no one is better than you.” 

You let yourself into the Munson family trailer and made yourself comfortable in Eddie’s bedroom—which his Uncle Wayne lovingly referred to as “the both of yours” since the second time he’d caught you sneaking out for a glass of water in the middle of the night—while you waited for Eddie to get back. Your shift ended long before the Hellfire Club would normally get out, but you knew that it was possible everything would go longer than normal given that he would have to have a replacement for Lucas and everything with the basketball game in general. 

You thumbed through music on his shelf, picking something to put on and then leaning back in the bed. 

You must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing you feel is a hand on your leg. 

“Hey sleepyhead,” Eddie’s voice was barely above a whisper. 

“What time is it?” 

Eddie responded by shrugging his shoulders, looking around the bedroom for something. 

“The deal is happening here?” You asked, sitting up in the bed and looking at Eddie, not even sure if you managed to keep your voice down to a whisper like you had been trying to do. 

Eddie nodded his head, sheepishly, and looked at you while he continued looking through his room. 

You rubbed at your eyes, shaking your head, still clouded with the sleep you were barely aware that you had gotten. Music thumping throughout the room still, you decided to reach over to turn it down and look at Eddie. 

He must have found what he was looking for as he put his hands in his pocket and went to leave his room, but then turned back and kissed your cheek. You leaned forward, going to pull him back to you and kiss him but he’d already pulled back and was out the bedroom door. 

You’re far more awake at this moment than you were when Eddie woke you up, and instead of leaning back on his bed you get up and lower the music even more just in time to hear Eddie’s panicked voice in the other room. 

You weren’t one to interrupt Eddie’s business, but with how he sounded, you lean your head out of the already open door and spotted what made Eddie freak out the way he did. 

Chrissy Cunningham was standing in the middle of the Munson living room, unmoving despite Eddie’s pleas. 

You were about to make yourself known, maybe even try to help Eddie out, when Chrissy got lifted into the air. 

A gasp fell from your lips and you watched Eddie fall to the ground. You moved without hesitation at that point, going to Eddie, unable to keep your focus on either him or Chrissy for more than a few moments given everything that was happening. 

Eddie’s hands held onto you tightly, and everything happened so quickly. 

You don’t even remember leaving the trailer with Eddie, but you’re in your car backing out of the Forest Hills Trailer Park with Eddie in the passengers seat, both of you breathing heavily and processing what happened. 

“What the fuck?” 

You’re not sure which one of you said it. 

Hell, you’re just trying to make sure your hands aren’t shaking so that you can focus on driving the two of you. There wasn’t a particular direction you were heading in, but you just needed to start driving. You were practically clutching the steering wheel as you focused on the road in front of you. 

“They’re gonna think I killed her.” 

Eddie’s voice was small. If your own heartbeat was pounding any louder in your ears you may not have heard it. You couldn’t turn to look at him, you needed to focus. “No they’re not.” You tried to sound reassuring.

“I’m The Freak of Hawkins High. Chrissy Cunningham is practically the Princess of the halls,” Eddie’s voice is panicked as he’s running his hands through his hair, his legs bouncing. “The whole town is going to think I killed her. She’s in our trailer.” 

You shook your head, “It’s not that simple, Eddie.”

“You know that and I know that, but what the fuck was that?” Eddie’s head turned to look behind you, like he’s worried something is following your car. “Where the hell are we going anyway?” 

“I don’t know.” You respond. “That’s my answer to both questions.”

“Well, we could go to Rick’s. He’s…” Eddie trailed off, his head turning back to yours. 

“In jail, I know.” You sighed, shaking your head at the thought. “Well this wasn’t the kind of Spring Break we had planned.” 

Eddie’s gaze turned to meet yours briefly. He doesn’t have any words, and neither do you. Neither of you know what your Spring Break would turn into from there.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22nd 

Eddie made you promise to go into work that morning, like normal. Sure, Eddie had been seen with Chrissy. But you were only connected to Eddie—as far as you knew no one had seen you and Eddie at the trailer together that night, or leaving it after everything. 

Still, the idea of leaving Eddie by himself was eating you alive. You had put it off until the last minute possible, making sure Eddie was out of sight as you pulled out of Rick’s drive. You’d gone there with Eddie before, but this was different. This was causing a bubble of worry in the pit of your stomach that you didn’t quite know how to handle. 

Family Video was always busy on weekends, but you didn’t mind the work. So when you walked in and saw Steve and Robin already in their rhythm you felt like you were ready to face the day. 

You managed to slip by the two of them and head into the back to put your stuff away in the lockers before you head out front in your uniform that you’d left there. The vest draped over your regular clothes, which you thanked that you had kept a spare pair of clothes in your car, and you put everything else in the locker. 

When you walked out you saw Dustin and a familiar redhead with Steve and Robin at the counter, it made you hesitate, waiting to see what they were talking about before walking up. 

“Is Eddie’s girlfriend working today?” Dustin asked. 

“She’s on the schedule, but I didn’t see her come in yet.” Steve replied. 

“I mean, she could have come in when we were watching the news or talking about the video to put in or…” Robin trailed off. “Why?”

“Because maybe she knows where Eddie is.” Max said. 

“Why would she tell you if she knew?” You made yourself known, looking between all of them with arms crossed ready to defend not only yourself but your boyfriend. 

All four heads turned to look at you, and suddenly you felt like you were in school again with all eyes on you during a presentation. Unprepared for everything, and embarrassed about something that could possibly go wrong. 

“Maybe we’re just trying to prove his innocence.” Dustin suggested, a slight puff in his chest as he looked at you. You liked Dustin. Hell, you liked the new kids in Hellfire, genuinely liked all of them. You didn’t want to worry about everything that you would have to say in front of them, but you still worried about whatever was going on with Eddie now. 

“Well, we’re just trying to get his side of the story.” Steve answered as well, looking you over. 

“His side of the story?” You questioned, looking between all of them as if you’re being interrogated. You suddenly feel like you were right, you should have just stayed with Eddie up at Reefer Rick’s. 

The redhead’s eyes had been focused on you, quiet as she was, but she spoke up then. “You were there too, weren’t you?” 

Everyone’s head turned toward her, including your own. Your jaw dropped slightly before you closed your mouth and you looked around uncomfortably. 

“I saw Eddie run and get into someone’s car and they both drove off last night. It was you.” 

You’re not sure if her tone is as accusatory as you take it to be, but you take a half step back anyway. 

“Max.” Dustin put his hand on her shoulder, looking between the two of you. His gaze stopped on you, “So you can take us to him? We just want some answers. We won’t tell anyone where he is.”

It’s almost too easy. The way Dustin said it, you want to trust him. But with everything else that’s happened, you’re worried for Eddie. You knew how anxious he had been the night before, how it had affected both of you. You were worried about everything still. 

“I promise, for everyone.” Dustin took a step forward and looked at you with a smile. 

Finally, you nodded your head. 

Which if how you wound up in your car with Steve, Robin, Max, and Dustin headed back to Rick’s place. 

THURSDAY, MARCH 27th 

The days had come and gone, and you had barely had time to grieve everything that could have been Spring Break ’86 with Eddie. 

Now you were planning on how to take out some sort of inter-dimensional being after facing creatures in another dimension. 

You could hear Eddie’s words from when you had first had a moment alone yesterday, “So I guess we did technically get away.” 

It had been the first time either of you really laughed since everything happened. But in the heat of the moment, with everything going on, you didn’t know if you’d even have a chance to really be alone with him. 

The plan was supposed to be simple, in the most complicatedly simple way of course. Everyone had an idea of what they were going to do. Max and Lucas and his sister were going to the Creel house in the real world. 

You, along with Dustin, Eddie, Steve, Nancy, and Robin, were going back into what everyone called the Upside Down to work on everything from that angle. 

It seemed like other than you and Eddie, the group was rather familiar with at least part of what you were dealing with, but you didn’t have time to ask too many questions about everything. God, you wanted to ask so many questions. You also wanted to run away and be as far away from all of this as possible. 

Usually, watching Eddie play was something that was a comfort to you. Watching Eddie play was something that would be the highlight of your day. 

But right then, in some in between place called the Upside Down watching him play the recently mastered Master of Puppets solo, you didn’t know what you could call it. 

SUNDAY, MARCH 2nd 

Eddie was bouncing on his feet while you waited at the record store with him. The long awaited Metallica record was in his hands. 

“I can’t believe you made me wait until your shift was over.” Eddie grumbled, leaning his head on your shoulders as the two of you shuffle through the shop on line. 

“Oh yeah, cause Main Street Vinyl was gonna open their doors early just for you since Metallica’s record was coming out today?” You laughed, rolling your eyes and looking at him. “Plus, do you really want to do this without me?”

“Jerry loves me. He practically admitted it himself last time we were here.” Eddie gestured toward the back where Jerry usually was with his free hand, while his other was around your waist, holding onto you. 

“Way to avoid the question, Eddie.” You paid for the record when it was your turn. 

“What question? I thought it would be obvious that I don’t want be here without you.” Eddie grinned, taking the record from you and then walking toward his van and opening the door for you, letting you in with a quick peck to your lips before he got in on the other side. 

Eddie drove the van back to the trailer and the two of you headed into his bedroom. Wayne was at work already and the two of you made yourselves comfortable in Eddie’s room while Eddie got the record ready. 

The first play through, when the second song came on you could see Eddie’s eyes light up. The album’s title track, and he was already leaning up to get his guitar, reaching over you in order to do so, and leaning his head against the neck of his guitar as if waiting for his moment. 

The second play through, Eddie began working on the song and you smiled at him. 

You liked whenever Eddie got into music, it was like watching a whole different side of him. It wasn’t like how he was whenever he tried to focus on the schoolwork you attempted to help him with. He truly loved studying music. Everything changed about him when he was working on music, be it writing his own music, or working on covers for his band. 

You laid back and watched Eddie at work while the album played through.  

THURSDAY, MARCH 27th 

Eddie didn’t follow you and Dustin back into the trailer. He stayed in the Upside Down, and you didn’t know what to do. Your heart was pounding. It was like Chrissy Cunningham was dying in front of you all over again as you watched Eddie run off in front of you. 

Stupid. 

Heroic. 

You were going to kill him. 

Then, before you could do anything, Dustin was dropping onto the other side of the trailer again. He must have fallen poorly, though, because there’s an uncomfortable sound on the other side. 

That noise got you back to reality. 

You can’t help but calling out, “Eddie!” Even if he’s nowhere near either of you right then. “Dustin!” 

Panic threatened to take over your entire being, but you looked down and saw Dustin moving out of the way. 

“Wait, Dustin, I’m coming back.” You didn’t—couldn’t wait for any more hesitation.  It was a lot to handle, but you had to go after Eddie. You couldn’t let Dustin go after him by himself, either.  You jumped back down with the rope and look around the room. “Are you okay?” 

“Let’s go find Eddie.” Dustin breathed out, and you could tell it was difficult and that he was in pain, but you knew he was trying to focus on finding his friend too. 

You nodded in agreement, racing out of the trailer door with Dustin at your side. You keep your hand on Dustin’s arm, doing your best to help him along. 

You could hear the bats moving around the place, holding onto Dustin as the two of you continue calling out for Eddie. 

When you finally see Eddie, you and Dustin dropped to either side, looking at him. 

Immediately, you took your own jacket off, wrapping it around the most severe wounds of Eddie’s midsection that you could in order to help while he spoke with Dustin. 

You did your best to not intrude, while working on helping in whatever way you could. You needed to be useful. 

You name falling from his lips drew your attention back to Eddie. You looked at him, your hands stilling from their motion and falling to his cheek as you tried to keep your composure. 

“This is not the Spring Break we planned, huh?” He attempted to joke once more, a sputtering laugh coming from him as he looked at you. 

“Don’t even start.” Your voice betrayed you with emotion, but you look at him softly as you add, “technically Spring Break isn’t over.” 

“I think it’s about over.” Eddie’s voice is soft. You can’t even speak before Eddie speaks again. “I need you to do something for me, I need you to check in on Wayne, ‘cause I don’t think he’ll be alright with…”

“Don’t you dare.” You cut him off, shaking your head. “You’re going to be fine, Munson.”

“If you don’t kiss me right now, I might explode.” Eddie’s words are filled with unshed tears as he looks you over. 

You leaned closer to him and look at him when your lips are near his, “Just because you’re pulling a near death stunt doesn’t mean you can say things like this, Eddie.” 

But still, you kissed him. Your hands holding lightly to Eddie as you do, not wanting to hurt him any more than he’s already been hurt. 

You kissed him as if you’d never kissed him before. 

You kissed him like this could be the last time you might ever kiss him again. Even if you hope that weren’t the case. 

“I didn’t run away this time.” Eddie said, eyes looking between you and Dustin as if looking for confirmation when he’s added, “right?” 

You and Dustin didn’t hesitate to answer, but your eyes are on each other and not on Eddie. 

You had no idea how you were going to manage to get the three of you out of this mess, but you were going to do it. 

SATURDAY MARCH 29th 

You woke up in a panic, taking a deep breath as you looked around the room you were in not recognizing anything around you briefly. 

Then you remembered it all slowly. 

Eddie on the ground, bloodied by the demobats. Dustin injured, helping you to get Eddie back to the trailer. 

Getting Eddie to the cabin, where you laid in a bed with him. You were going to go to a hospital with his injuries, but the questions and the fact that he was going to be questioned by everyone and interrogated for Chrissy’s death, among everyone else’s deaths, had kept you all from taking him to an actual hospital. 

You hadn’t left Eddie’s side, and no one could convince you to do that for longer than it took to do certain things. 

He was, however, alive. 

That was what mattered. You wished he was awake and alive, though. 

You could tell that Hopper wished he was awake and alive, too, by how often the ex Chief of Police was at the bedroom door trying to be casual checking in on the two of you. 

Everyone stopped by when they could make it seem casual, when they could get past the influx of police in town after the earthquake after everything happened a few days ago. 

They didn’t want to risk drawing any attention to the Hopper cabin, given now that Hopper and Eleven were back, and Eddie was there too.

“Hey, I can sit with him for a while.” Dustin said from the doorway. 

You leaned up and nodded your head, knowing that you needed to get up for a while. “‘Course, Dustin. Come get me if anything happens.” You smoothed out Eddie’s curls from his face and then get out of the bed, passing Dustin with a smile as you do. 

Everything felt so unreal the past few days, and you still didn’t have answers to all of your questions. 

You walked into the kitchen, seeing Hopper, Joyce, and Eleven sitting at the table. 

“Sorry,” you said as you poured yourself a cup of coffee. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” 

“You’re not.” Joyce is the first to speak. She’s the kindest, less rough, and she moved to make room for you at the small table. 

“I feel like that’s all I’m doing.” You admitted. “I mean, you’re letting Eddie and I stay here.” 

“We gotta look out for one another.” Came Hoppers gruff answer, while he was sipping a cup of coffee. 

“I appreciate it. I don’t even know how to thank you, everyone has been great,” It hadn’t even been a few days since everything happened and you had managed to get to know everyone at least a little bit better than you had before everything. Maybe you didn’t know what was going on, that you still had a lot of questions, but there was a lot more clarity. “If we hadn’t gotten Eddie here when we did. If there hadn’t been the right supplies.” 

If you hadn’t been able to still manage to get some supplies from the hospital storage without notice for Eddie—which was definitely helped in part from the earthquake and no one really taking much note of how much supplies was being used in the first few days. 

You didn’t even want to think about it all. 

Maybe this was just the start of some sort of new normal. 

TUESDAY, APRIL 1st 

“Hey sleepyhead.” The voice whispered in your ear and you practically jumped up when you heard it, rolling over on your side to make sure you were correct. 

“Eddie?” You gasped, your arms wrapped around him. “If this is an April Fools joke, it’s just cruel.” 

His laughter is weak, but still as contagious as ever, but even so you find yourself tearing up at the sound of it too. 

“I thought I lost you.” You mumbled against his cheek, a kiss pressed against it, while he turns his head to capture your lips. “You can’t scare me like that, Munson.” 

“I don’t plan on it,” Eddie whispered, “but I don’t know if we can make those kinds of promises.” 

“If you don’t kiss me right now, I might explode.” You mimicked his words from all those days ago, looking up at him with a smile. You were happier than you had been. You would have never said it out loud, but your worst fear was that this day wouldn’t have come. 

Eddie nodded his head, kissing you with everything he had in him. 

Because, even if you’re not sure that’s what your parents had thought of when they sent you here, you want to stay through the end of the year. You’ll find a way to make that happen. Hawkins is the one place that has always felt like home. 

Mike and Will pull back, letting you greet everyone else. And truly, that's how it feels. Like you’re finally home now that you’re seeing everyone. Your friends. The kids who aren't really kids anymore. Honestly, being around Dustin and your aunt is just one part of the equation. Being around the kids and Nancy and Jonathan? It was like coming home completely. 

“Hey Nance. Jonathan.” You smile before turning your attention to the other girl, holding out your hand, “I’m Y/N, and you must be El.”

There’s some hesitation, but she puts her hand in yours and shakes it, “Jane.”

That’s a weird nickname for a name like Jane, but you’d have to ask Dustin more about that one later. Then again, you’ve heard weirder nicknames, right? 

“Holy shit!” Comes the last familiar voice, making you turn your head toward the end of the driveway as three figures appear. You can't help as your smile grows even wider at the kids, two of which are on bikes and one on a skateboard. “I thought Dustin was playing some kind of cruel joke when he said you were back.” Lucas stops, putting his helmet down on his bike and racing to greet you like Mike and Will had. 

“Dude, I told you she was really here.” Dustin replies, rolling his eyes as he takes his own helmet off. “You guys never believe me.” There’s some latent bitterness in Dustin’s tone, but no one mentions it. 

Lucas ignores Dustin’s comment and instead pulls away from you in order to grab the hand of the girl who had a tight hold on her skateboard closer to the two of you, “Max, this is Y/N. She’s the cooler Henderson.” 

“I can hear you, Lucas.” Dustin groans, however it’s more in jest than anything, and he’s playfully shoving at Lucas’s shoulder as he walks past to greet everyone else that’s standing in the driveway. 

“That’s the point, dude.” Lucas’s tone is full of jest, teasing Dustin with a smirk as he looks away from his friend and turns to look at you. 

“I’ve missed you too, Lucas. It’s nice to be appreciated for being the coolest Henderson around.” You joke, hearing Dustin scoff soon after the words have left your mouth. “And it’s nice to meet you Max.” 

Dustin had brushed past everyone, heading toward the basement’s entrance to the Wheeler house. “Let’s get this campaign going, everybody!” However when he realizes that no one’s following him, he turns around with his hand on the doorknob and looks back at you all, rolling his eyes. “Hello, guys. D&D night? New campaign? Bringing El and Max into the fold? Let’s go.” He waves his hand into the basement with a flourish to attempt to get everyone’s attention, a slight whistle to his words as he does. 

It feels like everyone’s waiting just a bit longer before heading down, as if not wanting to give Dustin the satisfaction, but then they all follow behind quickly. Especially the younger ones, all excitedly chatting about the campaign they have planned. 

You’re having a hard time remembering the last time you felt this easy around a group of people. In New York City, around your friends, you always felt like you had to put on some sort of front as if you had to impress everyone and do everything just to make sure that you were in their good graces. You never felt like you could contribute in those conversations without thinking everything through a couple dozen times, at least not without everything going the opposite way than what you had expected. Which is one of the reasons you’d wound up in some deep shit with everything, but you were doing your best not to think about all of that. 

So whether it was Lucas and Dustin’s squabbling, or Max making some snarky comment toward the rest of the boys, or the commentary from Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve, you felt like you were at ease to hop into the conversation whenever or wherever you saw fit. 

Watching them go back and forth, you could still remember when it was the beginning of all of this. 

You can recall when you had first heard of Dustin’s friend’s Lucas, Mike, and Will—it was over the phone one night when Dustin must have been going into kindergarten, and he had been so excited to tell you about the friends he made and how he couldn’t wait for you to meet them, asking quickly after that moment when you were back to town to visit. 

Back in the days when the boys spent most of their time outside chasing each other, and you during your visits, and sometimes Nancy or Jonathan, on one of their elaborate made up adventures. 

If you followed anything from what Dustin had told you over the years since you moved farther away, and from this night so far, D&D felt a lot like one of those old elaborate adventures.  

The fact of it all is that when you had sat down earlier in the night, Dustin had placed what he called a character sheet in your hands and mumbled something about if you got any ideas to jot them down, but you’d been too enthralled in everything happening around you to even focus on the piece of paper that you still hold clutched in your hands. 

“They don’t take a break?” You whisper, looking at Nancy, as to not distract the brood of kids around the all too crowded table—it doesn’t seem big enough for all of them and every elaborate thing they’ve got for the campaign ( dice, binders, spare papers and pens ) to fit and somehow it all works. “I’m getting tired watching this go on.”

“Yeah, I don’t get it.” Nancy shrugs her shoulders, looking back at you, but leaning against Jonathan whose focus was intently on his brother and the campaign in front of them. Nancy’s laughing when she speaks again, “I think the only time they stop is if mom calls them for food.” 

“Sounds about right, I think the only time they used to stop racing around outside was if one of the parents used to call that it was time to eat.” 

The sight before you might be different than what you’re used to, but you can steadfastly see the teens before you as the kids they once were. 

There’s Will, with a cape on his shoulders, rolling a set of dice while Mike’s narration explains what’s going on in their campaign at the moment. 

Mike, whose eyes are focusing on everything on the table before them, but are often turning towards the girl beside him. As if for reassurance that she’s still there. 

Lucas, who’s arm is not too casually brushing against the redheaded girl’s to his side as as he makes jabs both at and with Dustin. 

Dustin, who bounces excitedly in the seat captivated by every word and play happening on the table before them. However, if you would ask anyone else, they would say that Dustin’s gaze continued to glance back at you to make sure that you were still there. 

But, once upon a time, there would be all of them in some similar arrangement. Each of them would be holding onto some sort of branch to use as a sword, or a shield. Their jackets to be used as capes, draped along their shoulders. And there would be a story coming together in their heads, dialogue shouted out loud, as they chase each other across the grass. 

Back then it would be easy to drag you into the fray, following along with everything that would be happening. Now, you could only barely follow the campaign that was unfolding before your eyes. 

You used to spend your days counting down the time until you would be visiting Hawkins on your calendar, crossing off the days, counting hours when it came closer, and even planning the perfect travel mix tape that would last however long from where you would be coming from that time — whether it be Chicago, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, or even Houston. Often, back then, you would pack your bag, or bags, with trinkets for Dustin and his friends, and your own friends Nancy and Jonathan, from wherever you had been at the time—you often packed so many trinkets that the bag would be overflowing. 

This time it was different, you had packed enough for the beginning, knowing more bags would arrive after you did. You were here for a much longer stay than you would normally have been. This wasn’t going to be your normal long weekend or summer weeks long stay. 

If you would ask your parents, they would consider this to be punishment.

To you, this was a breath of fresh air. You’d always wanted to be in Hawkins more than your parents did. As much as your father hated small town life, you loved every minute of it. So while your father might have thought sending you to Hawkins would be a punishment, a way to figure everything out, it was more like it would be a reset. 

“She just needs a break from everything,” you had overheard your father speaking on the phone one day. “No…no, Claud, nothing serious happened. At least, nothing like that.” 

There was a long pause, as if he had been listening to your aunt on the other end of the phone say something. You could see his head nodding, face serious, as he was tapping his pen to the paper while he mumbled softly. 

You quietly raced to the other room where you knew a phone would be, quickly picking up the receiver and holding it in your hands making sure to keep quiet so neither of them knew there was anyone on the line listening in. 

“Well if you’re sure it’s nothing like what happened with us back… Why do you make it sound like Y/N isn’t okay?” Claudia’s voice is full of concern. 

It begs the question — what don’t you know about your father’s life. 

“She’s…” his voice grew in volume before he cleared his throat, as if remembering you were home and could hear him if he raised his voice, “completely gone off the rails. These kids she’s spending her time with, Claud. They’re…you know how teenagers can be, but,” he stopped himself and then changed the subject. “She got suspended. They’re this close to pulling her from school.”

“What happened?” 

“She won’t tell us anything. We just know what’s in the reports and the papers and what we had to sit through with her. And all the other kids are saying it’s her idea. I mean, hell, Betty’s even gone as far as to see if she keeps a diary. She doesn’t.” 

“That you know of, Charlie.” Claudia almost laughed, but there was something stopping her. A hesitation as she then asked, “her idea to do what?” 

“Claud, I just… Will you help us? Can she stay with you?” You’ve never before heard your father sound so desperate, so raw. You shake your head at the thought that you’ve caused all of this pain. “Maybe Hawkins will do some good for her. She can finish the year out there if that’s okay.”

“Charlie, that’s my niece you’re talking about, my god daughter. Of course she’s welcome any time for as long as she wants to stay.” Claudia paused on the other line before adding in. “It would be nice to see you too, you know.”

“Claud, I just…”

And after that, you hang up your end of the phone, not wanting to intrude on the conversation between the two siblings any longer. 

It was always too many excuses with your father, especially lately. Work was giving him too much grief, the cases were hell to plan anything around, her school work should be her priority. 

Everything came with an instead, instead, instead. 

You didn’t need to hear those same excuses uttered back to her Aunt Claudia when you’d heard them time and time said to yourself..

At least you’d be packing up your things soon enough, and getting the hell out of town. Maybe your father was right about one thing, that would do you some good.

You shake the thoughts out of your head, trying to focus back in on everything in front of you when you’re startled by the doorbell sounding from upstairs. 

“Eight already?” 

“Is that the time?”

“Fuck.”

“Already?” 

“Shit.”

“Language.”

The basement is a flurry around you as everyone is moving about, speaking all at once, in an attempt to try and clean up the table and their things. You’re not sure what’s going on, but you’re certain that you haven’t seen the kids move as fast as they have in front of you in a while. You want to ask questions, but there’s a bit too much commotion for you to focus on any one thing. 

You figure if anything you’ll get the story afterwards. 

The basement door opens, and as soon as it does it’s like Max jumps out of her chair and moves as far away from everyone as she can. The redhead is grabbing her things, but it’s obvious that she’s eyeing the doorway as if she’s nervous about what’s standing at the top of the stairs. 

Which you’re certain is not the look she’s giving Karen or Ted Wheeler, whichever one would have opened the door without warning. 

“Max, sweetheart, your brother’s here to pick you up.” Karen’s voice echoes down the stairs. “Go right on down Billy. Nice to see you.” 

“Nice to see you too, Mrs. Wheeler.” a voice you don’t recognize says while the basement door closes again. Everyone’s busied themselves with something, but you’re looking in the direction of the footsteps, and when the new voice is downstairs you look between him and Max. 

As if answering your question, Nancy leans over and comments, “They’re step-siblings.”

“Grab your shit and let’s get out of here, Max.” Billy says, puffing out his chest when he’s at the base of the stairs, barely looking around the room. He’s done this once before, but since everything happened he knows not to say anything and just let Max do whatever. As requested. He will, however, let her know it annoys her to no end having to pick her up and drop her off places. “I ain’t getting any younger, Max.” 

Just to add to it all, Max goes around and says goodbye to everyone individually. You watch as her step-brother seems to get irritated just at the millisecond of spending more time in the Wheeler basement while Max goes around to everyone like she knows what it’s doing. 

“It was really nice meeting you, Y/N.” Max says. “Hopefully you’re as cool as these guys say you are.” 

“Well, if they lie to you I will personally offer my punishment services of cleaning and forcing them to watch the worst movies imaginable.” You laugh at the comment. At least you hoped she was joking, but you could see the way Lucas and Dustin were looking between each other. 

The amount of questions you had. 

“Okay, let’s go Billy. See you dorks at school on Monday.” Max picks her skateboard up from the floor and heads toward the basement door.

But Billy’s voice stops her in her steps as he addresses you, “Y/N, huh? You new to town?” He takes a step forward, looking you up and down. You take the opportunity to really study him now. He’s wearing a dangling earring from one ear, and his shirt is only buttoned with the bottom few buttons, which practically makes you roll your eyes. It seems like he’s trying a bit too hard to play up something. “When you get bored with these losers give me a call.” 

“Don’t hold your breath.” You scoff, watching as the two leave the basement. 

The rest of the kids pick up their things, moving them around the basement, knowing they can’t continue the campaign without Max even if they wanted to. 

It’s much quieter while they’re packing up for the night, as if the slam of the basement door took all the air out of the room with it. 

As soon as everyone’s getting their things, you spot Nancy and Jonathan sneaking out the basement door to get a few minutes to themselves. It’s nice to see, you can tell your friend is happy. The rest of you are saying your goodbyes in the house, heading up the stairs to say goodbye to the Wheeler’s as well. 

“It’s really good to see you again, Y/N.” You’re practically crushed by a hug at your side from Will that catches you by surprise as you wrap your arms around him too with a smile. 

“It’s good to see you too, Will.” You say softly, glancing at the rest of the kids still around. “I missed my little bunch of nerds.” Which was true, you couldn’t name the amount of times you had seen something and thought of one of them since the last time you had been in town. The amount of trinkets, things small and big, you had gotten for them.  “I’m here for a while, though, I promise. So tell your mom I’ll see her at Melvald’s okay?” 

Will nods his head, heading to the door to meet Jonathan who’s waiting outside. He passes Nancy who’s heading back in. 

“Did you have fun out there?” You mumble to your friend, quirking your eyebrows up and giggling. 

“Shut up.” Nancy practically gags, halfheartedly elbowing you in the side as she walks past to the kitchen. 

When the door opens again, it’s a man in a cop uniform looking around. He doesn’t say much, and he looks like he’s studying everything which makes you feel nervous but no one else feels that way. 

“Time to go home, El.” The grumpy looking man says, a cigarette behind his ear that he pulls down as he moves from the doorway and looks around the house awkwardly. 

“Okay.” The short haired girl bounces toward him before turning back to everyone with a smile, directed specifically at Mike when she says, “Goodnight.”

“Lucas, do you need a ride home?” You find yourself asking, glancing at your cousin’s friend. 

“I’ve got my bike.” He gestures toward the door, toward where it’s likely pushed up against the house with Dustin’s. 

Of course you know that your cousin and his friends bike around everywhere, but it was dark outside. You looked out the window and then back at your cousin and Lucas, shaking your head. “It’s dark outside. What if you got lost or hurt?” Dustin, Lucas, and Mike share a look but don’t say anything. “Steve will drive you home.” 

“He will?” Lucas sputters out, shocked.

At the same time Steve looks at you, realizing he’s in the conversation, “I will?” 

You glance back at Steve, where he’s positioned himself in the corner and nod your head firmly, “I mean, I guess I should have asked if you were still planning on giving Dustin and I a ride home. But the Sinclair’s is practically on the way,” it’s not but you weren’t going to say that and Steve knew you were lying through your teeth but he wouldn’t say that either, “so if you’re giving Dustin and I a ride it only makes sense.”

Steve looks between you and the two teens and then back at you with a shrug of his shoulders, “Yeah, that makes sense.” You can’t hear what he mutters under his breath but it sounds like something about babysitting. 

Dustin and Lucas are at the front door in a flash, gesturing for Steve to get outside and help them load up their bikes into his car, and shouting their goodbyes to the Wheelers. 

“Shotgun!” You can hear Dustin call as they get farther down the driveway. 

“I don’t care, dude.” Lucas replies, hoisting his bike up into Steve’s arms. 

“Whoa, you good there buddy?” Dustin asks, and that’s the last part you’re in earshot for. 

“Thanks for having us over today Mrs. Wheeler.” You say, turning to thank her with a smile. “It’s good seeing you again.” 

“It’s good seeing you too, sweetheart. I’m sure Nancy’s glad to have you back here. Especially after last year, I’m not sure if she’s told you about…well, it’s been a long year, let’s just say that.” Karen smiles, but it doesn’t quite meet her eyes for the whole time she speaks. You know better than to ask about whatever it is she’s referring to, but your eyes to go to find Nancy’s briefly. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing you a lot more, Y/N.” 

“Night Y/N.” Nancy comes over, hugging you tightly as if you’re leaving town and not just heading back to your cousin’s house a few streets over. You’re not sure if she’s doing this to distract you from her mom’s comments either, but it won’t work. You’ll be asking her about that later. 

“Nance, I’m just going to my aunt’s, I’m not leaving town.” You cough out a reply, hugging her back and then pulling away. “I swear if I’m leaving I will give you at least one full day warning.”

You mean it as a joke, but Nancy’s eyes are wide as she looks at you and you’re not sure how to take it. She seems to want to scold you, but you instead cut her off by saying your goodbyes, already backing up toward the door. 

“Night Nance, Mikey. See you Monday.” You wave at the two of them, heading out the door to be greeted by the sight of Dustin, Lucas and Steve standing at the back of Steve’s car arguing about how to put the bikes in the trunk. You’d have hoped that you spent enough time in the house that this would have all been sorted by the time you got outside.

Instead of trying to help, you just head into the front seat and take a seat, trying to drown out the sounds of the commentary from the back. 

Eventually it stops, and you hear the sounds of movement again, and you’re startled by a knock on the window, “Y/N, I called shotgun. That’s so not fair. Get in the back. C’mon!” 

You turn to look out the window and stick out your tongue in response.

“You’re just gonna be in the backseat, Henderson. Live with it.” Steve comments, getting in the front seat and starting the car up.