Casey Hopper has lived an interesting life, yet she never had any real complaints. Growing up without a mother and being raised by her single father until he meets someone new. Casey is forced to leave her home of Hawkins and her best friend Steve H...
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1983
"DAD, C'MON, WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" The youngest Hopper shouted from the kitchen as she packed her lunch into a brown paper bag. A PB and J, plastic bag full of chips, and an apple. Food for champions. She made her dad's lunch prior to hers. Even though half the time he didn't eat it. It was almost the same, except he got a turkey sandwich instead. The man loved to make things complicated.
Jim Hopper walked out in his uniform with a cigarette between his lips and yesterday's beer in his hand. Casey deadpanned at the sight, "Really?" He shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't know what she was referring to. Snatching the cigarette from his mouth, she put it out in the ceramic ashtray on the countertop, "It's 8:00 in the morning."
"Five o'clock somewhere, munchkin," he quipped, taking his hat of the back of the couch, and placing it on his head, then grabbing the keys to the cruiser. All while downing the last of the beer.
The brunette rolled her eyes, "Oh, ha ha, I've never heard that before." She took the beer can and replaced it with his lunch with a sarcastic smile, "You better eat it." She grabs her backpack off the floor, lazily slinging it over her shoulder.
"I always do," he argues loudly as the pair make their way out the door of their tiny trailer by the lake.
"Right, so Flo is just lying to me?" Casey smartly counters climbing into the passenger seat, her brow raised.
The car roars to life as her dad turns the key in the ignition, "I—yes, yes she is."
Casey laughs, "Can't sneak anything past me, dad. I'm your daughter, remember?"
The tires burnout as Jim rushes out onto the street just like they did every morning when the father-daughter duo walked out fifteen minutes later than they probably should have. It didn't matter how much earlier Casey set her alarm. She would always lay in bed for at least ten minutes before getting up. If the Hopper's were one thing, they weren't morning people. Mornings were for contemplation and coffee, her dad liked to say.
Hazel eyes watched the autumn trees pass as they drove by. A mix of orange and red leaves collected on the ground. Casey loved this time of year. With Halloween just passing, Hawkins was getting ready for Thanksgiving. Then Christmas would be coming right around the corner. Snow covering the ground, hot cocoa, and Christmas movies. It made her all cozy just picturing it.
"Not sure I can pick you up after school today," Hopper said, luring the teen from her thoughts.
"That's okay. I can ask Jonathan if he can drop me off at the station on his way home," she answered, directing her attention now out the windshield.
