The first few chapters are going to be focused on Allison and Daniel, you won't see much of our Stranger Things faves yet!
See opening for disclaimer.
But you throw me into the deep end
Expect me to know how to swim
Welcome to the jungle
Are you gonna dance with me
Jungle - Tash Sultana
Saturday
The Saturday before they started school had seen Allison up early to finish unpacking her room. She wanted to explore Hawkins before school and decided to take Daniel with her. "Good Morning, Alli. How did you sleep?" Her mother said cheerily, placing eggs and toast in front of her with a kiss on her temple.
"Alright. Where's Dad?"
Allison replied adding some pepper to the eggs before digging in. "He's at the Lab, they wanted to get him prepared for Monday I suppose." Her mother replied with a shrug, setting the second plate down and pouring 2 glasses of orange juice. "Daniel, Breakfast!" She called before setting herself down with a plate.
A few seconds later they could both hear the thump of feet on the stairs and Daniel emerged wearing dark jeans and a yellow shirt, a maroon hoodie thrown over. "Mornin'" He mumbled sliding into his seat at the mahogany table.
"Hey, so I was thinking maybe Daniel and I could get out and see the town today? maybe find a movie theatre, The Terminator just opened."
Daniel perked up turning towards his mother with pleading eyes. "Can we go, please? Arnold Schwarzenegger is so cool! I heard it has robots in it!" Allison thought it sounded bearable and she knew Daniel would love it.
"Did you want to drive?"
Allison shook her head, taking their bikes would give them a more authentic look at Hawkins she thought and an opportunity to talk to Daniel properly, they hadn't really talked much since they found out about the move just two short weeks ago. "Alright well just be home before dinner, take some money from my purse on the way out." Daniel grinned and started pushing as much food into his mouth as he could, Mary forced to berate him for eating like an animal, Allison laughed and left the table with a thank you, heading back to her room to change and brush her hair.
She decided on some comfortable acid wash jeans and a pink and black striped sweater, her feet covered in a beat-up pair of Chuck Taylors and her long dusty brown hair falling down her back in natural waves. Allison had never been one to worry much about her hair, she preferred practical rather than fashionable, the hairspray and gravity-defying curls of today's trends took away from the extra 15 minutes of sleep she got in the morning. Besides, she had given up trying to impress people a long time ago.
A quick look in the mirror and she deemed herself appropriate. Her eyes glanced at her face with a slight frown, long black lashes surrounded her clear blue eyes, so she rarely wore make-up. Her heart-shaped face was complimented by full chocolate coloured brows, a slight nose dusted with a few light freckles, and full pink mouth. Her best friend Nicole liked to compare her to Brooke Shields, Allison's mother had made comments to the likeness many times as well, Allison used to preen at the comparison but had forced herself not to believe it anymore, the old Allison had liked the uncanny resemblance.
Grabbing her backpack that sat by her door on the way out, Allison met Daniel and the foot of the stairs. With a ruffle of his unkempt sandy hair, she took some money from their mother's purse and opened the front door.
"Let's kick it, shit-head."
The movie had been unexpectedly cool, Daniel had loved it and had spoken of nothing else as they walked around the town centre looking for a diner to get some lunch.
"He just looked so awesome! The jacket and the glasses and holy crap did you see how cool the robots were!"
"I did, it's almost like we were watching the same movie."
"Alli, didn't Mom tell you sarcasm is an unoriginal teenage defence mechanism?"
"Dan, didn't Mom tell you to stop being a little shit?"
Allison laughed as she opened the door to a small but charmingly pink diner, it was busy, with most of the tables full, it appeared Allison and Daniel had found the popular spot for the weekend. Teens milled about talking and sipping milkshakes. Allison's tinkling laugh drew people's attention to her, but the teen was too deep in conversation to notice.
"Sit anywhere you like, sweets." A kind older lady spoke from behind the register. Allison smiled and directed Daniel to a booth near a group of kids all talking loudly over milkshakes.
"It was pretty cool," Allison admitted sliding in and grabbing a menu.
"Pretty cool? Alli, The Terminator has to be the best movie of the year!"
Allison laughed at the look of disbelief on her brother's face, "I thought you said Ghostbusters was the best movie of the year?" Daniel stuck his tongue out and perused the milkshakes on offer. "Gremlins was better." Allison retorted her eyes never lifting from the menu.
"Alli, sometimes I wonder what went wrong with you."
"Because I think Gremlins was better than Ghostbusters there has to be something wrong with me!"
"1, There are so many things flawed about you Alli. 2, Ghostbusters and Terminator will go down as 2 of the best movies in history, if not for the fact that they are original and not derivative then because they have visually revolutionised cinema. There is nothing innovative or revolutionary about Gremlins Alli, they are little monsters you shouldn't feed after midnight."
What a little smart-ass.
Allison glanced up from her menu, a superior expression on Daniel's face. The waitress had strolled over, overhearing the tail end of the conversation, and was staring at Daniel as if he had sprouted another head. Allison calmly ordered a vanilla shake and a burger, ordering a chocolate shake and chicken nuggets for Daniel. The waitress strolled away with a shake of her head, muttering something about youths today and they both burst into fits of laughter. "Maybe leave your intense cinematic reviews for home, we don't want to be driven out of town before we even start school." Allison chuckled, matching her brother's wide smile.
"It could be worse, I could have been singing the praises of Flash dance."
Allison's mouth popped open in mock indignation before she launched into a long-winded explanation of why Alex and Nick were the best on-screen couple ever.
Both teens were well into their meals when the table behind Allison began arguing loudly. Two of the four young boys, all around Daniel's age shouted at each other about putting the party in jeopardy and Dungeons and Dragons.
It had drawn Daniel's attention and he watched on in amusement as a boy with a camo bandana tied around his forehead and a boy in a red, white, and blue cap with masses of brunet curls yelled over each other. The other boys; one with floppy black hair and freckles, and the other with a chocolate bowl cut, smirked at each other with a roll of their eyes. Daniel recognised them as the boys who had biked by the house yesterday, the boy with the curly hair had waved at him.
Allison stared outside at the cool October day temporarily blocking the rowdy boys out. There were plenty of people outside enjoying what would be the last few days of fair weather, their father had said winter in Indiana could be even more brutal than winter in Massachusetts.
Allison liked that you could see the woods surrounding everything like they were hidden amongst nature. Her Father had mentioned a path up a mountain that looked over a lake, He had visited on his last business trip here and told her she would love it. Allison was excited to spend a day out exploring what the Hawkins wilderness had to offer.
Her attention drew back to the table when she heard the boys behind her mention something about finding change for the arcade and couldn't help butting in.
"Excuse me, sorry boys."
The boys all turned to look at her, four curious eyes finding an older girl, body twisted in the booth, so her arms could lean over the top. She smiled making eye contact with the curly haired boy, he smiled back, large dimples poking out from his young cheeks.
"Did I hear you say there was an arcade in town?"
"Yeah! It's pretty new so it's always full but it's so awesome! Keith sucks but I have the top score on Dig Dug and Centipede!"
The boy with the bandana, Lucas nudges the curly haired boy smugly, "Yeah, Dustin, but don't forget who owns Princess Daphne's heart."
He waggles his brows and Dustin turns to him with a scoff, "Dragon's Lair is overpriced crap and the only reason I haven't beaten you is that every time I get close you sabotage me!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
They start to argue much to Allison's amusement before it is cut short by the smallest of the four, the boy with the brunet bowl-cut shouting "stop!" He laughs, and the boy with the black hair smirks slightly, shaking his head.
"I've always wanted to play Dragon's Lair"
Allison turns at her brother shy voice, he had been silent during the brief conversation but had decided in the short time he liked the four boys in front of him, they seemed like a strong party. Daniel had to leave his party and wished that maybe these boys would like him enough to add him into theirs, he knew what a big deal that was though, so he tried not to get his hopes up.
"I know! and didn't you have the highest score in Dig Dug at the cinema in Wakeford?" Daniel nods, hesitantly in confirmation, playing with the straw in his shake.
"Cool, what was the score?" Dustin asks his eyes wide and excited.
"69,400."
All 4 boys look at him with bug eyes before freaking out, "That's amazing! I only have 65,000! How'd you do it? I'm Dustin that's Lucas, Will, and Mike." Daniel smiles and introduces himself before he launches into a recount Allison had heard a dozen times, but she watches as her brothers face lights up with laughter at something Lucas had said, and she feels her heart relax. Daniel would be fine in Hawkins.
"We're going to the Arcade if you want to come? We meet there at 7, it's just down the road from here." Will offered, quietly. "We just have to go home and haul for money." Dustin grins excitedly.
"Cool, I can show you my tricks for Dig Dug!"
The four boys depart not long after that and Daniel and Allison wave as they bike past the window with a smile. Allison turns to her brother with a grin. "Two minutes in Hawkins and you already have friends!" Daniel returns the grin and rises from his side of the booth, excited to get home and open his piggy bank.
"What can I say, I'm a charismatic child, Allison."
Allison laughs, leaving a few bills on the table and heading for the door, Daniel in tow.
"You're something, kid."
"Well, what are they like?"
"Who?"
"The children, Allison! The children my son is hanging out with right now, at eight o'clock may I add! I swear if this sort of debauchery is what I can expect from Daniel in this town, I can promise I'll have him off to boarding school before he can blink!"
Allison rolled her eyes, she sat at the table in the kitchen while her mother cleaned up. Her hair tied up in a sloppy pony, she rested her head on her hand and held a book in the other. She was currently sixty pages deep in a Vonnegut and was doing her best to block out her Mother's nonsense. Allison knew Mary had turned around from the sink to deliver her little spiel and was waiting for the appropriate response from her eldest child. Allison turned a page in her book.
"Allison!"
"Mom!" Allison replied, imitating her Mother's frustrated tone.
"I swear sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve such rotten children." Mary sniffs, turning back to the sink and banging cutlery into the drying rack. Allison refuses to lift her eyes from her book but feels her lips quirk and her eyebrow raise.
"What have my 'rotten children' done now?"
Allison lifts her head with a grin, turning in her chair to greet her Dad, who drops a kiss on her hair. "Daniel made friends and its triggered Mom's angina." Richard rests a hand on his daughter's shoulder and grins at his wife, a frown hiding the mirth on her face. Mary removes the pink rubber gloves covering her hands and pushes her thick sandy hair over her shoulder. "You are all so cruel to me."
"You are the backbone of this family."
"What have I said about sarcasm, Allison?"
Richard walks over to his wife and kisses her cheek, "You are the most beautiful backbone I've ever seen." Mary swats her husband's chest before leaning her head against it. Allison watches her parents with a smile.
Her Father had her hair, but it had begun to thin as he began the tail end of his 40's. He was a tall man, especially next to her Mother who was only 5'3. Allison liked seeing that her parents were still just as in love as they had been so many years ago. So many of her friend's parent's in Wakeford didn't love each other anymore, never splitting for fear of gossip.
Allison sat with her Dad while he ate his dinner, questions about his new position at Hawkins Lab keeping the conversation flowing. He seemed excited to be there and any animosity she still carried about the move evaporated, sometimes you had to make sacrifices for the people you love. "I'm going in again tomorrow just to finish up some paperwork I couldn't do today, but I'll be home before lunch, how about we go on a walk and I show you that path overlooking the lake I was telling you about?" Richard offers as he places his knife and fork down.
"That would be awesome, I was thinking about it today actually," Allison replies before rising from the table. "I'm gonna go for a run, is that okay?" Richard nods, taking his plate to the sink and cleaning it.
"Don't go too far."
Allison changed quickly and grabbed her Walkman before heading out the door. Thriller blasted from her headphones as she jogged past the quiet houses illuminated by street lamps and outdoor lights. Red or Blue signs littered yards, Allison was glad she wasn't old enough to vote for this one, she wasn't a big fan of rich people with too much power. Besides, neither of them could stop the Russians coming if they wanted to.
Allison decided to circle Maple before going home. She had only been out half an hour, but she knew her Mother would start to worry. She was focused on the footpath and glanced up just in time to skid to a stop. A girl about her age, with shoulder length brunette hair, stood on the footpath, tapping her foot in annoyance. Her back was turned to Allison, her gaze on the exit of the cul-de-sac. Allison pulled her headphones down to rest around her neck, the catchy tune of Billie Jean barely decipherable.
"Excuse me, you shouldn't stand on the footpath, I nearly hit you."
The girl jumped in surprise, turning toward Allison with wide eyes, she rests a hand over her mouth before dropping it with a deep sigh. "Sorry, I didn't hear you coming, I was waiting for my brother, he's meant to be home by now. Boys, and arcades." She runs her hand through her short hair with an exasperated smile.
"Oh, my brothers at the arcade tonight as well! Maybe they're together." Allison grins, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. The girl nods telling Allison her brother's name is Mike, she tells the girl her brother is with Daniel and they chuckle.
"What a strange coincidence."
"I'm Allison, by the way, Allison Edwards. We moved here yesterday."
"Oh, I'm Nancy Wheeler, Welcome to Hawkins. Are you going to the High School?"
Allison nodded in confirmation. "Cool, I can show you around Monday, if you want?" Nancy offers.
Allison smiles thankfully, "I would love that, thanks, I was a little nervous about starting the school year late especially as a senior, it'll be nice to know someone on my first day." Nancy returns her smile and steps onto the grass, so Allison can continue.
"How about I find you at lunch and I can give you a grand tour? I'm a junior but my boyfriend, Steve is a senior so I'm sure he can fill you in on anything I don't know." Nancy appears to twitch slightly when she says 'boyfriend.' Allison shrugs it off as a reaction to the dip in temperature.
"It's a date. I'll see you Monday, have a good night. Good luck with your brother!"
"Bye, Allison." Nancy laughs.
Allison replaces her head-phones and jogs away with a wave to her new school-mate. She is a few meters from her house when she sees Daniel and Mike slowly biking towards her, both giggling to themselves. "Hey, kiddos! How was the arcade?" Allison asks slowing to a walk and stopping before them, her hands resting on her hips.
"Hey Alli, it was so cool! You have to come and see all the games they have!" Daniel spouts excitedly as he swings a leg off his bike.
"Hey, Mike, your sister is outside your house waiting for you. She didn't look impressed with ya, bud." Allison chuckles at the boy as his head drops back and he stares at the stars in exasperation.
"I told her I'd pay her back, she's so dramatic." He mumbles kicking off and moving away slowly. "See you Monday, Daniel!" He shouts over his shoulder. The Edwards children wave with a laugh and make their way up the driveway together.
"So, how was it?"
"How was what?"
"Don't play dumb with me Daniel Edwards! How was the arcade?"
"It was fine, Mom! Jeez."
Their Mom turns to Allison, pointing an accusatory finger. "This is your doing, your teenager-y behaviour is rubbing off on him." Daniel and Allison share a look before laughing at Mary. "That would be puberty, Mother." Allison chuckles. Mary cracks a smile before sending each of her children off with a kiss. "Stop growing up." She mumbles to them both before walking off to her room with a shake of her head.
Allison and Daniel race each other upstairs, Daniel loses only because of a perfectly timed hip bump that leaves him sprawled on the second last step. Giggling, the older teen walks into her room and collapses on her bed, Daniel joining her a few seconds later.
"Cheaters never prosper." He mumbles grudgingly.
"Neither do whiners," Allison replies, earning a jab in the ribs. They chat for a while about Daniel's new friends before Allison sends him to bed when she realises it's nearly ten-thirty. He likes all four of them, even Mike who Daniel said was closed off at first but warmed up to him eventually.
Lucas told him that they had lost a party member, her name was El and she was their mage. It had happened almost a year ago and Mike had been closest to her. Daniel had backed off Mike after that and he had begun seeking him out as the night continued. Dustin and Lucas argued a lot and Will was even quieter that Daniel was, but they had all been welcoming and in awe of the blond boy, especially when he defeated the dragon from Dragon's Lair on his second try.
Allison bids her brother good night with a smile and changes into her pyjamas with bleary eyes. She remembered that she was running with her Father tomorrow and her last thought before she fell asleep was that she was glad she didn't push herself on her run tonight.