December 18th, 1984.
El awoke to the sound of her alarm clock in the easy hours of the morning and opened her eyes to look out her window.
The world was still dark but she could tell it had snowed the night before, the air that seeped through the small crack in the window was too cold for it not to have.
She looked over and found it was six am. Half an hour before Hopper would be awake.
She swug her legs off the bed and into the cold dark wooden floor as she hit the alarm button to turn it off. For a moment she sat there wondering why she was doing this again when it hit her.
Hopper was meeting Dr. Owners today and she had to ask Hopper to ask about something for her.
She almost jumped out of bed then and opened her door as quietly as she could before she made her way into the kitchen and started the coffee pot. She stood there a moment, she had never cooked before in her life and figured burning the cabin down wouldn't be the best thing to do if she was going to ask Hopper to do something for her.
So she decided on a classic, the eggo extravaganza. She knew it was something he had made just for her on those lonely days in the cabin and when they had been fighting and now she would use it herself.
She went over to the refrigerator and grabbed everything she would need. Eggo waffles and whipped cream but there was still one thing missing. El looked at the top cabinet, that lay so far out of her reach. Which she guessed with the point. She focused on the door of the cabinet a moment before it slowly opened and there sat a bag of candy that Hopper saved for movie nights.
With a quick flick of her head, it was in her hand.
With that, she quickly toasted the waffles and got out a plate. El carefully placed a waffle down before the layer of whipped cream and candy. She did that another three times, making it four waffles tall.
She stepped back with a smile just as she heard Hopper's footsteps behind her.
"What's this?"
El turned around and found Hopper already dressed for work, sleep still in his eyes.
"I made you breakfast," she answered, holding it out to him with a mug of black coffee.
Hopper took it and made a suspicious face. "What are you trying to butter me up for?"
"What does butter up mean?" She asked.
"Don't play at that," Hopper said sitting down at the table, "What do you want?"
El bit her lip nervously before she went over to her jacket that hung on the back of her chair and reached into the packet. She pulled out a folded piece of paper before she went over and sat down across from him. He held out his hand and she gently handed it to him like it was breakable.
She watched him open it and read it over.
After a long moment, he looked back up to her with a raised eyebrow. "You want to go to the snowball dance?"
She nodded, "Yes, Mike said he would take me last year before…." She paused, a second before she went on, "Before everything happened."
Hopper looked back down at it a moment before he let out a sigh. "I don't know, kid. people around town still don't know about you yet and it still could be a big risk to take right now."
El felt the hope she had died, her eyes falling when Hopper spoke up.
"But...with that said... I'll still ask for you. Just know I can't promise anything."
She looked up at him beaming before she went around and wiped her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"
"Of course," the older man said smiling down at her. "But first thing first I need to finish off of this nine million calorie breakfast you made for me.
She couldn't help but laugh at that as she let go of him and went over to get her own plate full of waffles, candy, and whipped cream and sat down to eat together.
Three hours later
El sat on her bed, phone in hand. The red cord twisted in her finger, listening to Mike on the other end.
"So you asked him right?"
"Like I said before I asked and he said he would ask doctor owners."
"Do you think he'll actually do it?"
"Mike," She said, rolling her eyes even though he couldn't see it. "He said he would be it and I believe it."
"I know, but I still haven't forgotten the whole hiding you away thing."
She smiled at him being protective, but knew that Hopper had just been trying to do the right thing.
"I know...but if I do get to go, what should I wear? I've never been to something like this."
"It doesn't matter to me, you look nice in anything….But I do have to say that eyeshadow was awesome."
"You think so?" El asked, but she would never get to hear his answer because just then she heard Hopper's truck pull into the snowy driveway.
"Mike Hopper's here, I'll call you in a minute."
El jumped from her bed and was at the front door before Hooper even had the chance to open it.
"What did he say?!"
"Give me a minute to at least get in the door," Hopper laughed coming in and slipped off his boots and took off his hat, putting it on his armchair.
She couldn't help her excitement, this was the first thing she had ever looked forward to since Mike had told her about last year.
Hopper went over to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee going as slow as possible.
"Hopper please!."
He took a long long long drink from his mug but El could see his smile, knowing what he was doing.
"Okay, okay, I'll answer your question...mmmm What was it again?"
El only gave him a dry look, and looked over at his coffee cup sliding it away from his hand that was reaching for it.
"Fine, fine," Hopper laughed. "He said yes."
She felt her eyes go wide with surprise and happiness because in the back of her head the idea that he would say no was always there.
"I have to call Mike!" El said running back into her room Hopper watching her with a smile as he grabbed his mug.
December 20th, 1984.
El tipped her head to the side in confusion as she watched as a mom put a kid no more than four on the lap of an old guy dressed in red with a fake white beard, sitting in a big green chair, people with fake pointed ears taking photos as the kid started crying and other people simply stood in line watching.
"What are they doing?" She asked looking up at Hopper as they walked through a large store, way, way bigger than Melvald's General Store, the biggest store she had ever been in and that's probably why Hopper was holding on to her hand.
Hopper looked over to where she was looking at and answered. "That's Santa."
"Who's Santa?" El asked.
"Ohhhhh…..That's a long story," Hopper answered, turning into a store called Millie's clothes and fashion accessories.
"All your kids and teens need fit here."
"Hello sir how can I help you today?" A careful retail woman asked. A painfully happy smile on her face.
"We're looking for a dress to wear to a school dance for...for my daughter," Hopper said the word new to him from not having said in many, many years.
"How sweet. You don't see too many dads willing to go dress shopping now do you. Follow me please, I think I have just the thing for you."
El followed behind looking around at the bright colors and toys if that's what you would call them, they were nothing like the ones Mike had shown her. She stopped at a display of what should have been a teddy bear but looked just wrong.
"Hi, I'm teddy ruxpin your new best friend!"
El jumped back a little watching as it started to move, it's eyes blinking creepily.
"What are you doing over here?" Hopper asked, coming up to stand behind her before he saw she was looking at. "Jesus Christ, what is that?"
"Oh I see you have found teddy ruxpin, it's not out yet we only have it as a test model to see what people think. What are your thoughts?"
"Creepy," El said.
"Oh," was all the woman said before she turned and started walking again.
"Smart kid," Hopper said as they followed after her to find lines and lines of racks full of dresses.
"Now I know there is a lot here and it can be a lot to take in, but that's why you have me and I think you would look amazing in this," she said holding up a blindingly pink dress.
"Well," Hopper said before he sat down in a chair, "This is going to take a while."
He wasn't wrong. She tried on dress after dress. A neon green one with big puffy sleeves that she could barely move in, another with an awful zebra print that actually hurt her eyes. The last one was Yellow with a big red poofy skirt that made her skin itch.
"I personally think this one fits you well," the woman said cheerfully, turning her to look in a mirror.
El looked down at it with a face of disappointment, she hadn't ever been shopping before but knew this wasn't what she wanted to wear to the snowball. She didn't want to stand out, she didn't want to make a statement. All she wanted was to dance with the one person she had wanted to see for 353 days. El looked back up to see that Hopper had gotten up and was now walking back with something on his arm.
"Here, try this on," Hopper said, handing her a dress. She took it and held it out in front of her.
It was a simple blue dress with pink dots all over it, the sleeves weren't overly puffy and reached down to her elbows. The skirt had a line of pink running to the left that gave it a little ruffle.
"Well that's very nice, but it doesn't really pop and stand out much," the woman said, crossing her arms.
"I want to try it on," El said and went back into the dressing room. After she slipped it on she looked at the mirror that sat on the wall and smiled. This was the one. It was perfect, not showy or itchy. She spun around happily but stopped as her eyes laid on a pink belt that had been on another dress, an idea popping into her head.
She stepped out of the dressing room and saw Hopper give her a soft smile. "I think we found the one, I like the belt."
"Well…..it does fit you well," The retail woman said, "Shell we move to shoes next?"
They moved over to the girl's shoes and El sat down and watched as the retail women started to grab box after box for her to try on.
"Hey, do you mind if I go and pick up one little thing real quick?" Hopper asked her.
"No, I'll be okay," El answered, looking back to the woman and saw she had started to build a small wall around her made of shoe boxes. "I think this is going to take a while anyway."
"I'll be right back then," Hopper said before he disappeared and she was left to start trying on shoes.
December 21st, 1984.
"El it's almost time to go, are you almost ready?"
El took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her heart racing with excitement. It was six pm and soon she would be on her way to the snowball.
With one last look in the mirror that sat on her dresser she stepped into the black flats she had picked out to go along with her dress, simple and would be comfortable to wear all night.
She stepped out of her room then and found Hopper waiting, one arm behind his back, a small smile on his face.
"I'm ready to go," El said but was surprised when Hopper shook his head.
"About that, I have one more thing for you."
El watched as he pulled his arm from behind his back and she saw that he was holding a makeup kit. The words Claire's were written on top of it in purple.
El felt her eyes light up and went over and took it from him and opened it to see the colors. It was a rainbow of blues, pinks, purples, and green.
"I'm sorry there isn't any black, but I couldn't find it."
"It's okay, I think it's pretty," El said, "Would you help me with it?"
Hopper looked a little worried for a moment before it was replaced with a gentle smile. "Of course."
They moved over to the kitchen table and sat down. "Just a heads up I have no idea what I'm doing," Hopper said.
"That's okay, I don't know how to do it too so we can learn together."
"You're not wrong kid," Hopper said, "Close your eyes okay."
She did as she was told and closed her eyes and felt the little makeup start to paint a color on her eyelid. After a few minutes he pulled away. "Go ahead and open your eyes and tell me what you think."
She did and looked in the small mirror that the kit had calm with and saw her eyes were lined with a light purple.
"What do you think?" He asked.
"I love it," El answered looking up at him.
"How would you feel about a little lip gloss?" Hopper asked her and held out a bright pink lipstick.
She took it and put it on looking in the mirror. "What do you think?" She asked.
"Perfect," Hopper answered.
With that, she jumped up and hugged him. "Thank you."
"Hey what are dads for?"
With that, they both got up and made their way through the snow and got in the truck and started for Hawkins middle school.
"So you know what to do if anyone but your friends talk to you?" Hopper asked as they pulled into the parking lot and parked in front of the doors, the music filling the truck from where he had his window down.
"That I'm your niece, but you took me in after my mom died," El answered easily.
"Good. And you know not to use your powers."
"I'm not dumb," El said rolling her eyes a little and Hopper knew she was right, he needed to let her go now.
"Do you want me to walk you in?"
"I'll be okay," She answered, "But thank you again for everything."
She reached over and gave him another hug before she hopped out and made her way inside the open doors where a rainbow of color poured out onto the icy sideway.
Hopper sat there a long moment knowing that the little girl had been saved from the woods the year before was growing up and he wasn't so sure he was happy about it. But there was nothing he could do about it.
"They grow up so fast don't they."
Hopper looked over and saw Steve Harrington in the car next to him.
"What are you doing here? Hopper asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I drove Dustin over," he answered. "Gave him some tips on how to dance with the ladies as well."
Hopper just nodded slowly before he rolled up his window and put the car in reverse and pulled away from the school. He would be back for her at 10:30 but for now, he would let her have her fun with Mike and her friends. After all she did have to grow up….but for now, he was happy that she still needed him.