Stay or Go

Chapter 4

Its my first day back at school and I am already late, well late by my standards. "Where's Dustin?" I ask my mum as I make my way down the stairs, she hands me a mug of coffee before picking up her cat "he's gone to meet his friends before school." She says. I nod leaning against the kitchen counter "I thought we would ride to school together." I admit. Mum shakes her head "he really become independent since you left." She tells me "he's out a lot now days, I hardly ever see him."

I give her a comforting squeeze of her hand before downing my coffee and grabbing my biker helmet "I'm heading to school, I'll see you later." It's a cold day, much colder than I have been used to these past two years. Something that will have to change. When I start my motorcycle I get looks from other people along our street, I ignore them, they stare because no one in Hawkins has a bike like mine. They also don't expect a woman to be riding it, it isn't seen as 'feminine'. If only they knew the reason I learnt how to ride.

-

I arrive at school to more staring and whispers from other kids. Jonathan finds his way over to me, hands clutching his camera "you still carry that around?" I ask eyeing it with a feeling of comfort. I guess somethings don't change and he is one of them. He looks down at the machine and scratches the back of his neck"uh, yeah, I guess." I smile and walk beside him, linking our arms. Hawkins High is busy, loud, wild, totally different from Heaven Academy which was silent, disciplined. I guess I forgot what it was like being in a public school, Jesus that makes me sound so stuck up. I can hear a group of girls, freshmen, squealing loudly across the school parking lot. I wince and my friend smiles shyly "not regretting your decision already are you?" he asks, I scoff and roll my eyes "like hell, I'm glad to be back. You won't look like such a loser anymore."

He fake gasps and clutches his chest "thats low Lorri, even for you." he says, we push open the doors into the school. It's even louder in here. "Oh you love me." I say flippantly before remembering what happened before I left, the thing that we never got to talk about. Jonathan clears his throat awkwardly and I step away, looking at the rows of lockers pressed up against the walls of the hall. I spot Nancy and quietly excuse myself, heading over to her.

She is standing by her open locker talking to Barb. "Nancy, hey." I say once in ear shot, plastering a smile on my face. The brunette turns and smiles too when she sees me "I still cant believe you're back." she says in way of greeting, Barbara waves at me awkwardly. I lean against someone's locker and clutch my bag tightly in my hand "neither can I." I admit "things haven't changed much." Nancy chuckles and shuts her locker. We all start towards our first class, which we have together "yeah, I guess." she says, I look above the smaller girl, eyeing her friend who seems focused on the path in front of us "so Barbara." I say catching her attention "I don't think I got the pleasure of meeting you when I was last at Hawkins High." she shakes her head and pushes her glasses up her nose.

"No you, uh, you wouldn't have known me." She says seeming nervous, or even on edge "you were a popular kid, I wasn't." I scrunch my nose up and tilt my head to the side slightly. I move out of the way of a freshman running down the hall and say "I know I've been gone a while, but I am pretty sure I wasn't popular." Nancy looks between the two of us, her brown eyes doe like "she hung out with Jonathan Byers." she tells her friends who nods in acknowledgment.