Built for Error • STEVE HARRINGTON, OC, BILLY HARGROVE

en.

en.

WHEN Danielle woke at six in the morning, she wished she had turned on the heater. Bringing the covers to her body, the woman stared at the clock hung on her wall. Six ten in the morning. Could do better, could've done worse, she thought. Stating she struggled to get out of bed was gentle compared to the internal fight she led against herself to snuggle farther into the mattress. Nonetheless, she eventually gave up and decided it was better for her to leave the bed.

Right after she dressed up, Danny got out of her room and stumbled downstairs before facing her mom.

"Morning, sleepyhead," said her mother. Laura was holding a cup of dark coffee and the local newspaper. Frank ? Already at his desk. Her father woken up way earlier than she ever did in 18 years of her life. Sometimes at three, sometimes at four.

"Your dad and I prepared your stuff for school, the road knackered you yesterday. Therefore, we did it for you," explained the brunette as she pointed at the bag near the dining table.

"Well-I..." she muttered blankly. "Thank you, mom," said Danielle. Sitting on one of three bar chairs. The brunette picked up one of the pancakes on the surface, recited her morning and daily prayer, then proceeded taking a mouthful of the industrial pancakes.

Turning around, Laura unpacked a couple of dishes from the scotched boxes.

"About school, you know the rules. I hope ? You don't bring anybody home, you avoid contact, and you focus on your notes, is that correct?" asked Laura with what seemed to be a much stricter stare. Danny nodded silently as she sipped her fruit juice before jumping on the ground.

"Honey," began her mother. "I know it's not easy for you. As it isn't for any of us, here. I'm tired of dealing with your father and his breakdowns. I want this to work out, be a happy family again," she stated. "Hawkins is just a transition, we're not supposed to stay here for over a year. You know this."

"Yes, mom. I know..."

Seeing her vexed and probably emotionally attained by her words, Laura stepped towards her daughter and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm sorry. Really, I shouldn't have said this so early. I should've given you a dozen of minutes to wake up at least."

Danny shook her head. "No, I understand... I just hope everything will go well."

The eldest crawled her lips upwards. "So do I, my love. Now it's time for you to leave, you'll get late otherwise. Your bicycle is just next to the car. Don't get lost and follow the kids, okay?"

The teenager timidly hugged her mom and then her bag. She gave her a wave of goodbye before jumping outside. Cold. Freezing cold. "Lord," she had whispered.

Grabbing her vehicle of fortune, Danielle brushed back her hair in a rough ponytail and gave a glance around.

Following the kids, that shouldn't be too hard.

***

"No, I'm not gonna play a dwarf in the next D&D campaign, Will!" shouted a boy from far.

Danielle shrugged, they looked pretty young. Average fifteen years old, she guessed. It was her first time in a public school, and more specially, a non-catholic one. Danny felt her heart pounding into her chest as she kept staring at the clock after the boys had left.

"I'm sorry, you are?" she heard in her back. She turned around brutally and got lost into the eyes of a woman way older than she was. "No, no... It's me. Am I at Hawkins High?" she asked innocently.

The woman unleashed a laugh from her thin lips and had a smirk. "Yes, you're at the right school, miss ! I assume you are new. I'm the student council. Miss Preston," explained her interlocutor.

Suddenly, Danielle gasped slightly. "Oh, Mhm... I'm the new student. Danielle Cadwell, nice to meet you. I moved in from Indiana Polis, yesterday."

Preston presented her hand, which led into a shake. "Oh yes, the newcomers. Glad to see people investing Hawkins ! Our dear little town lacked of new faces. Well, miss Cadwell, your first class seems to be maths from what I've seen yesterday. It's the A-3."

Danielle thanked her and parked her bicycle as she jogged to the interior of the building. She had to follow all the 12th grades, that shouldn't be too hard. The building was relatively basic, a school like she had seen many.

Drastically different of the one she used to patronize when she was still in Indiana Polis.

When she found her class, she stayed out of the room for a bit. She had noticed numerous people passing by though : a boy with thick brown hair, another one with a mullet, a woman with a short haircut and others she didn't really keep in mind the appearance of.

She heard the bell ringing, twice. Right after, the teacher presented himself to the students. A man, not taller than 5'8 and in his fifties. At the very least. "Hello. I assume you are Danielle Cadwell ?" he started with a smile. "I'll be your maths teacher throughout this year at Hawkins High. Welcome here !"

He directed his left hand in the direction of the room. "Take place next to my desk, I'll introduce you to your classmates." She nodded with a shy smile and entered as being told, catching the stares of everybody as soon as she had made her entrance.

The middle-aged man put down his books on the hard and dark wood, gifting his students of a genuine smile, he tapped his feet against the ground a couple of times and took a cough from his raspy throat.

"Hello everybody, I hope you rested well during the Christmas Holidays and leisured of the Snowball during the festivities ! To wish to all of us a happy and healthy new year, we've been granted of the presence of a new family in town. The Cadwells' ! Thus, I introduce you to Danielle Cadwell."

He clapped in his hands, attracting cheers and mutters from some and others. "Introduce yourself a bit, want you?" asked the grey-ish haired teacher.

Danny twirled her fingers between each other. God, she hated facing a crowd. Even more when she spotted some talking and being perfectly aware it was all about her. "Hi-... I mean, Hello. I'm Danielle Cadwell, and I'm from Indiana Polis. I moved to Hawkins for my dad's job. I want to be a lawyer. Nice to meet you all."

***

mai' speaks : Hello, welcome to the very beginning of "built for error" ! Firstly, I wanna thank damnwinger and lookingforlucy for motivating me unconsciously to start and pursue this project. I'm clumsy with English and still struggles. Thank you to both of em, I've read all their works about Stranger things and won't stop there ! <3

Besides, here we begin the story of Danielle ! Honestly', I'm really nervous about writing a love triangle because I don't know how to do this. I hope I'll be doing good, though.

Hope you liked it !