A/N: Just a thought I had as I love the movie and Stranger Things so thought it would be a cute idea. Please read, rate and review! Thank you!
Chapter 1 The Mysterious Stranger
El Hopper was sitting in the back of her Dad's volvo fanning herself with a fan she had fashioned out of paper. The car window was pulled down all the way and Jim Hopper, her father was cruising down the road at a sturdy but safe forty miles an hour, however, with little breeze in the hot July weather and four overheated bodies crammed in the car she found it impossible to cool down.
"Hopper can't we stop! It's so warm!"
It was her brother Will Byers that spoke first beating her to the opportunity to complain about the heat. In the front seat their Mother Joyce huffed and puffed as she placed a protective hand over her rapidly growing stomach, she showed an exasperated look on her face on her face insinuating that she agreed with her son.
"Will. I told you we're thirty minutes away if we stop now it'll take longer." Hopper told them as he dabbed a hankie across his forehead that dripped with sweat.
"Daddy please can we stop!" El begged as she threw down her paper fan in frustration. "Look at Mom she's so uncomfortable. And she's pregnant this heat can't be good for her or the baby."
Hopper cast a concerned look at his wife who was leant back in the seat, her eyes closed in an attempt to focus on something other than the heat. He placed his free hand off the steering wheel placing it across Joyce's that lay across her stomach.
"Honey would you like to stop?"
Joyce opened her eyes and nodded at him furiously. "Please if that's ok Jim. I also need to pee...again"
Accepting defeat Hopper kicked a foot down on the break and pulled in to the side of the road next to some nearby woods. Opening the doors, they all scrambled to get out of the heated car all except for Joyce, who Hopper insisted waited for him to come round and assist her out of the car. Grabbing her by the hand Hopper walked her around the side pf the car, stopping to look at the two teenagers with a serious look on his face.
"Stay by the car." He instructed. "Your mother and I are going to find somewhere she can go to the bathroom in private"
Will and El nodded in response as they watched them slowly disappear into the woods. Once they were out of ear shot, Will took the opportunity to change the radio station from the classic motown songs that had been playing the whole way. Finally he settled on a radio station that was playing 'Rebel, Rebel' by David Bowie.
"You know he's going to be mad when he gets back." El told him as she quickly retrieved a water bottle from her backpack in the car. "Also a very fitting song choice for you." She added with a sarcastic sneer.
"Shut up." Will said kicking the ground as he spoke. "This whole drive has been so unbearable. I can't wait to get to Harrington's, Jennifer's already there. I can't wait to see her."
"Eurgh Jennifer Hayes!" El scoffed. "I don't know what you see in that girl. She is seriously lacking in brain cells!"
Jennifer Hayes was Will's on and off again girlfriend of nearly two years. The inconsistency of their relationship being due to Jennifer's cold nature and incessant need to remain at a certain level of popularity within High School. El and the rest of the family hated Jennifer and the way she treated Will. But Will was a love sick fool for her, therefore, they tolerated her for his sake.
"Hey! She's not that bad and we love each other so you need to get use to it!" Will told her flatly.
"Not that bad!? When she broke up with you last time she used the words and I quote. You're not worthy of being with me."
Will winced painfully at the reminder. "Yes that is true." Will agreed before arguing. "But we last broke up in March and we got back together in May. This is the longest our relationship has been on again. I think she's really changed this time. I think she really does love me."
"Love." El sneered cruelly. "More like she's the only woman to take an interest in your drawings that will occasionally stroke your dick to fuse her own ego."
"Actually she does more than just stroke my dick!" Will said coyly with a gleam in his eye.
"Gross." El remarked with a repulsive look on her face.
"Just because you've never even so much as kissed a boy!"
El was about to make a comeback when suddenly they heard the sounds of their parents voices coming through the trees. Suddenly feeling fearful of annoying his step-father, Will quickly leaned back into the drivers seat and changed the station back to the motown songs just in time for their parents that came walking back through the trees bickering as usual.
"Jim once again we are not calling the baby Gladys!"
El and Will shared an eye roll as this was one of the many times they had heard this argument.
"I don't care if it was your Grandmother's name. Baby Gladdy is not a cute pet name. End of discussion!"
"Back in the car everyone! Now!" Hopper snapped in annoyance.
With everyone feeling equally hot and irritated, they got back in the car and were back on the road within seconds. True to Hopper's prediction they arrived at Harrington's within thirty minutes, the sigh of relief and cheers that filled the car as they saw the bedazzled 'Welcome To Harrington's' sign. As they drove up the long drive, El found herself taken aback by the beautiful surroundings. Beyond the woodland trees, there were beautiful mountains of green and as they approached the main house a vast lake appeared over yonder. Being in the middle of nowhere and nature never seemed so appealing and El was desperate to find a tree to climb up with a branch to nestle under with a good book and judging by the awestruck look on Will's face he clearly agreed with the surroundings. Finally it was time to venture out of the car once again and as they did they a tall slightly grey haired man, wearing a fashionable baby blue suit came waltzing over, followed by a much younger man wearing the same baby blue suit. El and Will shared a confused look, until Hopper recognised the man and went running over to him both with their arms held out wide for a welcoming hug.
"Jim!" The man cheered. "It's great to see you." Once he had released Hopper from the hug he motioned to the young man beside him. "This is my son Steve. He's helping out here as my Assistant Manager."
El and Will nodded at each other knowingly. This man they knew to be Oscar Harrington, owner of Harrington's holiday home and one of Hopper's oldest friends from back home in Hawkins.
"Nice to meet you Steve." Hopper said with an unusually chipper tone. He turned back to where Joyce, Will and El stood. "Oscar, Steve. This is my wife Joyce and our children Will and El."
"Soon to be another." Joyce added gesturing to her bump. El and Will simply nodded hello awkwardly.
"Congratulations. And welcome all of you!" Oscar said as he clamped a hand over Steve's arm once again. "Sadly I have a meeting with my staff to attend, but Steve here is going to show you to your cabin. I think you'll find it more than satisfactory."
"Oh that's so nice of you Steve. Thank you!" Joyce told him with a sweet smile.
"No worries Mrs Hopper. " Steve babbled speaking for the first time. "May I take your bag?" He added gesturing to El's backpack.
El defensively pulled it back . "No thank you." She snapped.
Steve gave her a startled look, whilst Hopper who was standing behind her threw her a warning glare. At this point, Oscar took the opportunity to bid goodbye and saunter off in the opposite direction.
"Sorry." El told Steve apologetically. "I'm very protective of my stuff."
Steve nodded in response signally that he understood. Will took this opportunity to babble about going to find Jennifer and wandered off without a second thought for anyone.
"Actually I think I'll go have a walk around myself." El insisted to her parents, swinging her back pack over her shoulder. "Explore the surroundings."
"Don't you want to freshen up sweetie?" Joyce suggested as Hopper and Steve moved to the trunk and began to remove the bags from the car.
El shook her head as she began to walk off before calling back. "I'll be back to get ready for dinner. I promise Mom!"
Without another glance back El went wandering off. As she walked along blissfully unaware of anyone around her, she took in the beautiful surroundings. There were buildings painted pastel colours of green and yellow and the air was cool as the sun shone down on the wavy green grass. Finally, El stopped as she came across a humongous willow tree that dipped beside the lake, it was inviting and offered a nice shaded area away from the heat. Settling down underneath it, El pulled out a battered copy of Little Women from her backpack and turned to her page to start reading. The March girls were just settling down for their Christmas dinner, but something pulled El's attention away from her book. Suddenly a sound of a nearby rustling gave her the sense that she was not alone. Looking up from her book her senses were proven correct as a tall dark haired man stood only metres away from where she sat. Initially El was startled by the presence of a stranger, but this soon wore off once she got a good look at the man. El was taken aback by how breathtakingly handsome he was and was surprised at the reaction he was having on her body, she felt an unfamiliar sinking feeling in her stomach but not from dread. This she thought was a feeling she knew nothing of. The young man was tall, perhaps somewhere below six foot and he was skinny yet muscular and he wore a white vest that accentuated his toned arms and well built physique. As she stared at him his deep brown eyes caught her equally brown eyes and he glanced a smile at her.
"Are you reading Little Women?" He asked abruptly, running a hand through his long dark curly hair.
El nodded in response. The young man was making her feel very nervous and she felt suddenly muted.
"Can't speak?" He asked laughing slightly.
"No." El croaked as she nervously shook her head. "I mean yes I can speak but…"
"That's my favourite book. I've read it like a million times."
El looked at him in astonishment. "Really? It's my favourite book too."
"Yeah. Though I think it's kind of creepy that Laurie marries the sister of the woman he's in love with."
El feeling suddenly more comfortable on a subject she was familiar with began to confidently converse with him.
"Actually I disagree. Laurie never loved Jo romantically. Deep down he loved her like a sister. Therefore, his marrying Amy was very justified."
"Justified? That's not a very romantic way of putting it. Besides he knew Amy when she was like twelve it's super creepy!"
El gasped in outrage at his words. This man's opinions on a book she loved dearly, were causing her to become very defensive.
"Amy was legal by the time they were married. It's not as creepy as other literary couples. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is 13 years old and Romeo is guessed to be anywhere between the age of 16 to 21 years old and they got married right away. That's creepy."
The man laughed to himself.
"What's so funny?" She demanded to know.
"Nothing." He said with a smirk across his face. "I only came over here to ask you about your book and now I am having a debate about underage marriages in literature."
"Sorry." El said shifting in her spot awkwardly. She has reverted back to feeling self conscious.
They were interrupted by someone shouting at him in the distance. He smiled at her sweetly.
"I best get going. But if you're staying here maybe we can discuss the whole Romeo being a pervert another time. I have a lot to say on the subject."
El nodded at him in response and with that the mysterious young man sauntered away without so much as a second glance. El tried to return to her reading, but every time she attempted to read the same paragraph her thoughts drifted back to the elusive stranger who had gotten under her skin for reasons she was very unsure of.
A/N: Thats chapter one done! If you like it please let me know and I will keep posting!