*Thanks for sticking around and reading! This chapter is an introduction for the Hawkins crew, and how Mike Wheeler's party is getting ready to go camping too. Remember, if you have anything you want me to put in this story, just let me know. Also, these first two chapters are just introductions into the home lives of these characters. The whole story is not going to be this boring.*
Hawkins, Indiana, July 3, 2020
"Dusty!?" Sharon Henderson called up the stairs. Dustin dragged his bag closer to the stairs and yelled back.
"What!?"
"Your sister and her son are going to be here soon, are you ready?" Sharon slowly climbed the stairs as Dustin left his bag and ran back to his room. He ran over to his large terrarium, reached into it, and pulled out his turtle.
"See you soon, Yurtle. Gotta go camping with my sis and nephew." Dustin planted a kiss on it's patterned shell and carefully put it back. "Hopefully Bill isn't too annoying."
He watched the turtle for a second as it sat staring back. Dustin felt oddly uncomfortable at its unceasing gaze and had to turn around. It's just a turtle, he thought before walking the door.
"Dusty! Hurry up! I'm gonna put your stuff in the car, so hopefully you have it all." She said and then turned back around towards the stairs to get his things for him.
"No, mom... your gonna break your damn back!" Dustin hollered down the hall, and then decided that he... didn't really care. If she wanted to break her damn back, then he was gonna let her, I mean... he loved his mom... but...
Dustin picked up his phone and started to text his girlfriend in Utah, Suzie. She picked up almost instantly, as he knew she would. She was always on the other side.
Dustybun: Got to go camping, Suzie-pooh. My freaking nephew is going to be there and I've never met him before. Kinda hope he's shy.
Suzie-Pooh: I'm sure you'll be fine. Just annoy him back!
Dustybun: How?
Suzie-Pooh: Start talking, nerd. It's what we are after all. Use it to your advantage.
Dustybun: Genius, Suzie
Suzie-Pooh: Thank you. Have fun, Dusty. Text me when you get home.
Suzie-Pooh: A week right?
Dustybun: Yep
Suzie-Pooh: I'm marking my calendar
Dustybun: Love you, Suzie
Suzie-Pooh: Love you more, Dusty
He plugged in his phone and stood up, stretching as he did so. He went to check to see if his mom had committed 'heavy-luggage-down-the-stairs-followed-by-a-fall' yet. She had made it and was fine, which Dustin was honestly surprised to see. Mostly because his mom couldn't even reach the bread at the top of the fridge without pulling something, but also because he had packed enough books to last him a lifetime.
He had things planned to the T.
If his cousin and his cousin's friends were annoying, then he would either a) annoy them back like Suzie suggested, b) get Eleven to push them out of the way, c) tell them a scary story and hopefully scare the bejeebies out of them, d) embarrass them, and/or e) show them who's boss (aka tell his sister because even Dustin knows that Dustin is a wimp). If it came to it, then he would tell them off, but who knows. Maybe they'll be cool 12 and 13-year-olds.
Dustin also had activities planned. He wanted to try bird watching for the first time, he wanted to go canoeing, make some roast toasty marshmallows, tell scary stories by the fire... he wanted to do it all. Anything that was possible to do while camping. Anything.
The curly-haired boy took one last look at his room and closed the door, praying for a good week.
Eleven was stuffing her face with breakfast, excited to see the great outdoors, excited to meet Mike's cousin, excited to meet Dustin's nephew, but most excited to meet Lillian. She may be 23, but according to Dustin, she was still a huge kid at heart.
Max Mayfield was even more eager to meet Lian. She heard Lian knew how to skateboard and was hoping to learn some cool tricks while they camped. Lucas had to remind Max that "We go camping in the woods, and there isn't blacktop there. How are you gonna go skateboarding in the middle of all that flora and fauna?" Which to Max replied:
"I'll buy and off-roading skateboard, dumbass." And she and El burst into laughter at the joke. Lucas smiled, happy that his girlfriend was happy.
"Eleven, come on, I think you've had enough Eggos for a day." Hopper said from the kitchen counter. Eleven looked down realizing that she had eaten most of the Eggos on the large plate in front of her.
"Oh, dang it. We were supposed to save those weren't we?" El got up and grabbed the plate that once held fifteen Eggos –The stack had dwindled down to four— and brought it to Hopper.
"It's fine, I'll make more." They were planning on taking some camping with them and then toasting them like s'mores with marshmallows and everything.
"I was hungry." Eleven said simply. There was a sudden knock at the door and the two looked up from the plate of frozen waffles. "It's probably Mike!"
El dashed for the door, almost slipped on the hardwood while doing so, and grabbed the doorknob. It was locked. Shoot. Her fingers fumbled with the latches as fast as she could manage and threw it open.
It wasn't Mike.
"Hi, El!" Joyce smiled. "Happy to see me?"
El stared at Joyce Byers for a second, rolled her eyes, then and started to sulk away, disappointed. Knowing what El was waiting for Joyce called after her before she reached her room.
"Mike is here!" Eleven dashed back again, almost causing Joyce to go sprawling on the deck. Hopper yelled something, but the excited brunette was too far away to hear.
"Mike!" She yelled and ran straight into his arms.
"Hey, El!" Mike hugged her and planted a kiss on her forehead. He was dressed in a pair of shorts, a stripped shirt, a pair of long socks and some ragged old tennis shoes.
"Is that what you are wearing camping?" El asked curiously. Mike blinked at her, wondering if she was going to tell him to change like every husband says their wife dose to them after marriage.
"What's wrong with it?" Mike asked still staring. El's nose wrinkled up.
"Moss-quee-toes." She said.
"You mean mosquitoes. And I'll be fine, I'll wear bug spray." Mike laughed and the gave Eleven a kiss on the lips. Max ran up to them with Lucas and Dustin at her side.
"Guys! I found Lillian's Instagram!" Max put an arm around Eleven and showed her the screen of her phone.
On it was a picture of a tall, pale girl. She had a brown pixie cut that stuck up in different directions, pretty pink lips, and her shirt was a deep green, like the forest. She was standing in front of a tall redwood tree, probably in California since there are no trees that big in Maine.
Max scrolled down and there was a picture of a boy. He was posing with Lillian, which lead Dustin to believe that this was Bill. He had dark brown hair that was neatly swept to the side of his forehead, slightly chubby cheeks, delicate features, and a small smile. His shirt was white with green sleeves. He looked kind of cute to Eleven.
The next picture was of seven kids.
One was who they thought was Bill.
The boy next to him had curly hair that was neatly combed, a perfect jawline, and a blue button-up shirt that was tucked into his khaki shorts. That's Stan, Dustin thought. I heard he's got that curly hair, like me.
The boy next to him had dark skin, kinky black hair with a nice fade that looked freshly cut, and an old t-shirt that made him look like he had just rolled around in the dirt. This guy is obviously Mike, Lucas thought, since he's the only black one. At least I have someone to relate to.
One had giant coke bottle glasses that made his eyes look much bigger than they probably were, he was wearing a white tee with a bright Hawaiian shirt with colorful birds on it. His smile was wide, and the glasses hid what his face truly looked like, but he looked exactly like Mike Wheeler. That's Richie, Mike thought, No doubt.
The smallest boy was sitting in Richie's lap and was in a cast, he had brown hair that was probably as soft as the skin on his face and was wearing a salmon shirt and some red short shorts. Will –who was now standing behind Mike—knew that that was Eddie. Mostly because he had an aspirator clenched in on hand.
There is was a pretty chunky boy in the middle. He had lots of messy dirty blond hair, chubby cheeks, and was in a thick blue sweatshirt. Eleven has heard about him. That was Ben. Aka Haystack, or something like that.
Max took notice to a girl that looked a bit like her. Red hair, but it was ten times shorter, a smattering of freckles on her face, and soft red lips. Well… Max didn't have those lips. She began to grow jealous of this girl who she hadn't even met yet. This was Beverly, obviously.
Those were the Losers. Those are the people that they had to deal with for a week.