Chapter 6: a new start

"Okay listen. You go to the main office and ask for your schedule. They will lead you to your first class and then you will stick with your friends who will hopefully guide you around. If something happens. If you feel like someone isn't right. You call me. Immediately. I will pick you at five in the exact same spot." El rolled her eyes but nodded.

The deep lines in Hoppers concerned face seemed to get a little bit deeper as he started to chew on his already bloody bottom lip again. Eleven couldn't understand his concern. They waited for a whole year. It was highly unlikely that the government would choose exactly this day to come and take her while she was surrounded by hundreds of witnesses.

Hopper nodded too and with a deep breath, he pulled her into him for a hug. El tried to give him her best reassuring smile as she left his car. She was nervous enough about her first day of school and couldn't deal with the knowledge that he was worried sick about her.

As soon as the police cruiser left the parking lot El wished she had just stayed with him. The number of people and cars around her was overwhelming. She was surrounded by excited chatter, the yelling of parents and the sound of a long row of arriving and leaving school buses.

What did she think? Was she really ready for this? A girl who spends nearly all her life in quiet and dark solitude? Suddenly she was almost run over by a car and she had to jump back as the driver made a risky turn into the parking lot Hopper had just lead. The passenger door of the car swung open an El could hear loud rock music blaring from the inside.

She was about to panic when she recognized the girl that just left the car as Max. The redhead had a furious expression on her face as she stomped away from the car as fast as she could. At the same time, the driver's side opened and a boy with blonde hair that looked a little bit too old for a High School student left the car.

"Don't forget to be here at five nag or else you can walk home." Max just flipped him off without turning around again and the boy answered the gesture with a cruel laugh. El witnessed the scene helplessly. She didn't know who the boy was or if she was required to interject and help Max. Her hands hurt as she clawed them into her backpack.

Just as Max was about to rush past her without noticing her El came back to her senses and called the name of the other girl shyly to stop her. Max turned around and her gaze was still so furious that El instinctively prepared to protect herself if necessary. But as she recognized who had caller her Max's face went soft and she went back to greet her new friend.

"El! What are you doing here? I thought we agreed to meet the boys at the bike stand? I'm sure your lover will be beside himself by now." Max chuckled nervously but El recognized that she was just trying to gloss over what hat just happened. El might not have a lot of experience with social norms but her gut told her that now wasn't the right time to confront the other girl. Therefore she gave her a helpless smile. "Yes sorry. I got a little bit overwhelmed."

Max chuckled again and this time it seemed a lot more heartfelt. Without another word she came over to her and linked her arm with Elevens to pull her forward.

"There you are. Oh my god I was so scared Hopper changed his mind or you got run over by a bus or something." Mike exclaimed as the two girls neared the group of waiting boys. His dark hair was already ruffled like if he had moved his hands through it several times.

The other boys just rolled their eyes. "We were just seconds away from sedating him before he went into a heart attack." Lukas mocked his friend and the others laughed. As they reached the group Max let go of her arm and went to greet the others while El came to stand directly in front of him.

She noticed how his face flushed a little as he toyed with his hands nervously. "Hi". He finally exclaimed in a soft voice and El gave him a wide smile. "For haven's sake please just hug her. I don't want to miss Math for this." Lukas interrupted again as he moved between them and pulled El into a quick hug. Dustin followed suit with a snicker and Will just waved at her before the three boys together with Max moved into the tide of students about to enter the school.

Mike cleared his throat awkwardly before he opened his arms to her and El moved without hesitation. Being in his familiar embrace was the first feeling of safety she experienced since Hopper left.

"Come on I get you to the office." He said in a soft voice and El nodded grabbing his hand on instinct. Mike ogled their joined hands in confusion but then he just nodded to himself and pulled her forward.

"So Miss Hopper. Here is your schedule and this is a list of extracurricular activities. I don't know what you are interested in but Hawkins High School has a great offer of sport and art programs so I'm sure you will find something."

The nice old lady handed her a few pieces of paper and El thanked her with a soft smile before she moved to leave the room. Mike, who has been waiting outside the room, instantly grabbed the paper from her to check it.

"Oh damn. All we have together is English and P.E." he cursed and El felt worried up on his comment. As he looked up and noticed her discomfort Mike was quick to send her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I think you are going to share some classes with Will and Max. It's just that Lukas, Dustin and I are taking a lot of advanced since classes and we will still see each other every lunch break."

El tried her best to be positive but she could feel the nervous knot forming in her belly as she thought about having to face school without Mike by her side.

"Come on I lead you to your first class," Mike exclaimed as he grabbed her hand again this time without hesitation. As they moved through the long and crowded floors that seemed uncomfortably familiar to her El couldn't help but get a little closer to him. Way too soon they reached the room for her first course of the day that would be Biology.

"Okay, my lady here we are." He joked but as he saw her nervous expression his face fell quickly. "Don't worry El. I will be here to pick you up as soon as the bell rings and then we will have P.E. together okay?". She tried to give him a brave smile because she couldn't use jet another man in her life worrying about her. Mike pressed her hand for the last time before he turned and hurried away. El looked after him until he was swallowed by the mass of students. She took a deep breath and entered her class.

"Class I want you to say hello to Jane Hopper. She is new in Hawkins and this is her first day in High School since she was homeschooled in the past. I trust you to help her if she needs it. Jane dear why don't you sit down in the back next to Andrew?" Mrs. McDoogle asked her with a nice smile while she actively ignored Max waving for El to sit next to her on the left of the room.

El nodded and moved to her assigned spot while she gave Max an apologetic smile. The table was at the end of the room next to a window. That relieved El because she wouldn't feel too claustrophobic in this spot. Next to her in the middle row sat a boy whit bright blue eyes that mustered her curiously. His hair was dark blonde and hung into his forehead in uneven strands and beneath them, she could see the reflection of a small golden earring in his left ear. He wore torn jeans and a checkered shirt similar to those Hopper prefers to wear when he wasn't in uniform. As she came closer she could make out a faint smell of cigarettes. Also, something that reminded her of her new dad.

She gave him a small nod before she quickly sat down hopeful to defuse all the uncomfortable attention that lay at her. As soon as she had pulled out her freshly purchased block and her pencils Mrs. McDoogle started with her class.

El soon found the subject quite interesting and Mrs. McDoogle was a nice lady so she allowed herself to relax a little as she took notes. After a while, she noticed a strange tingling in the back of her neck and as she looked to the side she could see the guy still staring at her. He wasn't smiling or mocking her. His face seemed blank but it looked like he was trying to burn a hole in her. His behavior made her feel uncomfortable so she slightly turned away from him trying her best to ignore it.

As the bell announced the end of the lesson El had to contain herself not to jump. Thankfully nobody noticed her little slip as everyone in the room started to pack their belongings. She could see Max fighting her way against the stream to get to her.

As she leaned down to grab her backpack she could feel a soft touch on her wrist that sends a chill up her spine as a quiet voice whispered in her ear: "Nice to meet you, Shirley Temple."