Evolution
Eleven Jane Hopper had never been allowed to develop her own sense of style. She spent twelve years of her life wearing hospital gowns, tank tops and shorts. When she escaped she wore hand me downs from the Wheelers and later clothes Hopper would buy from Goodwill. Nancy had picked out her Snowball dress, Joyce had bought her clothes for school, and Hopper, well he insisted that she looked best in overalls and a flannel. So when Max had asked if she wanted to go shopping El had no clue how confused she would feel.
The mall was decent at least thirty stores on two levels with a rather wide selection. They had been in a fews stores already not finding anything they wanted. They were milling about inside some trendy store with music that was bordering on too loud when El finally asked Max "What are you supposed to buy here?" Max just blinked at her friend.
"Clothes. It's some dumb belief that you're supposed to get new clothes when you start a new year." El nodded.
"I don't know where Joyce bought my clothes last year. " said the quiet girl.
"Well thats okay, just pick out clothes you like from these stores. We can ask Joyce about anything we don't find here." Responded Max looking at El as she seemed to think of another question.
"Max, how do I know what I like?" She asked, eyes earnest.
Oh. Now Max understood. "Uhm… well I guess it depends on what you like more, jeans, skirts, dresses, long sleeves, short sleeves…." Max trailed off, she had no idea how to explain personal aesthetics to a very sheltered sixteen year old. "How about we start simple, whats your favorite color ?"
El thought moment. "Pink…or blue. Can't choose."
"Well thats a start, El. Lets pick a store and look through all the pink and blue clothes they have in your size. Then we can pick a handful for you to try." Said Max brightly, pleased for having come up with a a plan.
El smiled and they walked to a different store that seemed to house a variety of styles. They had fun looking around the shop for a bit until Max noticed a trend in the clothes El was picking. The girl kept picking up very sweet and feminine looking tops but also seemed drawn to long blazers and boots. So Max began to assemble some outfits. El loved everything that Max was showing her and in the end, Max decided that El had a very distinct style. It was perfect for her. Feminine and sweet with a noticeable edge. El was so happy when she had all the bags with her new clothes that she had almost forgotten that Max still needed clothes.
"Max, what are you going to buy?"
The read headed girl stopped her trek to the food court and realized that she had forgotten to buy herself anything so far. She shrugged. " I'll find something, I'm easy that way."
El shook her head.
"Max, you helped me, so i'll help you. Food can wait." El grabbed her friends hand and dragged her back into a different store. Max knew better than to argue with the brunette when she had that determined look in her eye so she ignored her growling stomach and resigned herself.
El may not have known what to dress herself in but she knew exactly what Max liked and so it was a quick trip into two shops. Max left pleased with the choices her friend made. All they were missing was a dress. In the end they decided to buy matching dresses. It was a tight black mid thigh dress with bold white stripes that went around the midriff and it came with black sheer tights. They had lunch and wandered around until the designated time when Nancy and Johnathan arrived to pick them up.
" Did you girls find everything you wanted?" Asked Nancy as she watched Johnathan place the numerous bags in the trunk.
"Yes! Max helped me pick out my own clothes, and I helped her pick out hers and we got matching dresses and we are going to look so bitchin' Nancy!" El seemed to burst with excitement at the prospect. The older girl laugh indulgently and Max smiled along side El.
"Our little runaway has pretty a pretty sick fashion sense when left to her own devices." Added Max
" Yeah well we always knew she was a badass." Said Johnathan once he got into the car. "I saw some of the stuff you got Ellie. Looks like Hop is going to have a heart attack."
El looked a little scared until everyone else chuckled and she realized they were joking. The drive back to Hawkins was lively and they arrived at the Hopper-Byers home where El and Max did a little modeling for the family. Everyone was a bit stunned by their choices but overall agreed that it was definitely cool.
"So i'll come over early on Monday to do your make up before we go to school. Boy, I cant wait to see the dumb looks on the guys face when they see us!" Max called to El as she grabbed her things and headed for the door.
The rest of the weekend passed in a blur and finally Monday morning rolled around bringing a very excited Max to wake up El an hour before they had to leave for school.
"Go away you psychotic woman" grumbled El from under her covers. Max laughed jovially.
" Tsk tsk. Now Eleven, is that anyway to treat your best friend who not only brings gifts of makeup but also a very large and very hot cup of coffee?" She inquired of the mass of blankets.
El poked her disheveled head out of her bed and looked towards the annoyingly chipper redhead to see that she did in fact come bearing gifts. El was always at the mercy of kind people with breakfast and as such she begrudgingly arose. Max was already dressed in a dark flannel with a Motley Crue tee peeking through and dark denim shorts on top of her sheer black tights, it was finished off with some well loved combat boots, black eyeliner and a bright red lip. She had her long red hair pulled up in a high messy ponytail. Overall, El thought she looked like a total bad ass.
"Max its too early for you to look this good. Go away before you crush my self esteem." Said El as she began to gather her clothes for the day. Max snorted while trying to stifle a laugh.
"Well if you would get a move on we could both look hot together instead of me looking great and you looking like a sack of potatoes." El telekinetically threw a pillow at her friend.
Max just laughed and said " Alright, sheesh Hopper, i'll go get you some eggos while you shower. I hope Wheeler sleeps in because you are sure as hell not a morning person."
El emerged a short while later wearing a plain white tee that was tucked into a black leather mini skirt. She also had on her favorite black blazer with the sleeves rolled up and white chucks. Max had even packed lunch for them and Will while she waited. The two girls ate in companionable silence while they listened to Will putter about in his room getting ready. They washed their dishes and Max dragged El back into the bed room to do her hair and make up.
"Don't poke my eye out Mayfield!"
"Jesus El stop fidgeting or I'm going to do it on purpose!"
Only a few swears later and Max had successfully applied a nude smokey eye, a thin cat eye, and pale pink lipgloss. They had decided to pull half of El's hair back and away from her face with some barrettes. They finished getting ready just in time to catch a ride with Mrs. Byers and Will.
"Lucas and Mike are two lucky guys" exclaimed Joyce when she saw them. Max gleamed with pride while El smiled and tried to hide her blush.
" You guys look great but can we not start in on the dating dynamics yet? I've been up for thirty minutes mom" Added Will. Joyce obliged and wished her kids and Max good luck once they arrived at the school. The three of them wandered off to find the guys while joking about how Max was the only person to wake El up early and survive. They were so caught up that they didn't notice how many stares they were getting or how their peers were moving aside to let them pass.
"Hey, Will, over here!" The three turned and noticed Dustin flagging them down by his locker. As they got closer they noticed that Mike and Lucas were standing next to him looking at their girlfriends in shock.
Will rolled his eyes and punched Mike in the arm. "Stop ogling my sister man. And Lucas, you've seen Max naked, stop making that face." The two boys in question blushed while the rest of their friends laughed.
El gravitated to Mikes side where she leaned in for a kiss.
"Pretty?" She asked leaning against him
"Beautiful. And sexy. And hot. And stunning and god I just wanna …" he replied before pulling her into a passionate kiss.
Dustin and Will groaned while Lucas attempted to keep his own girlfriend from reprimanding El. " hands off Wheeler I did not spend all morning getting her ready so that you could muss up her hair and makeup in 10 seconds?!"
Eventually the two pulled apart and Mike began to notice that others in the hallway were looking at them. Some of the jocks were looking at Mike and Lucas with a degree of respect that had never before been aimed at them. Other guys looked toward El and Max hungrily and while some girls looked envious, or annoyed others yet look scared. El was oblivious to this as she was simply leaning into Mike and enjoying the moment but the rest of the Party seemed to have noticed as well.
" I guess we better shape up guys" said Dustin gesturing toward the guys preppy albeit plain clothes." The girls have opened the gates to moderate popularity as sophomores. Lets try not to fuck it up." It may have been a joke but by the end of the month all four of the guys had, on one occasion or another, called the girls over to help them figure out their own sense of style. The two girls had ended up being a rather formidable force in the propulsion of social standing for the gang.