Art Class • Will Byers

1

Dear Mike,

We have been in California for 91 days. Things have been good in school and me and Will are even closer than we were the last time I wrote to you. Johnathan made a new friend last month called Argyle who takes us to school every day. Johnathan started to smell weird and I think its because of the plants he smokes. I cant tell Joyce and Hop and he said Will and I cant have any.
How are the rest of the party? I miss them. I miss you too. I can't wait to come see you guys for spring break.

Love, El.
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The Byers-Hopper family were happy in their own home. They were a close family who spent a lot of time together. To them, they were a perfectly normal family, nothing weird about them, with an interesting past that nobody else in their new town knew about. (Hoppers dead daughter and failed marriage, Joyce and her sons being abused by Lonnie, Will going missing, and El being adopted.)

But to outsiders, they were weird and weren't people to hang around if you want to keep a reputation. To them, Jim Hopper was a rookie cop who thought he could make a huge difference. Joyce Byers was a nice but really odd woman. Johnathan Byers was a creepy looking stoner who hangs out with the loud and obnoxious Argyle. The twins, or that's what they thought they were, Will and Jane were quiet and weird. Jane was behind intellectually and tried being an outgoing person but clearly didn't understand people and how rude they could be. And Will was quiet and shy and was always right next to his sister, stopping her from doing things. He was also kind of sassy.
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It's Friday night, January 11th, 1986. It's movie night for the Byers-Hopper family, just like every Friday. Argyle has been doing these movie nights with them and even bringing Pizza for the last couple weeks.

Tonight, though, was a special night. Today was they day that they decided to be Els birthday. Today, she was 15.

Hopper was in his recliner with a beer and a plate with pizza. Argyle and Johnathan were sitting on pillows in front of the couch, Johnathan zoned out and Argyle rambling on about something. Will hadn't come out of his room yet. Joyce was preparing more plates of pizza in the kitchen while El talked to her.

"I have never had a birthday before." She chirped excitedly.

Joyce laughed with a smile. "I know. How do you like it so far, sweetie?"

"I think it is fun. Can we have egos and ice cream after pizza?" El asked. She had never gotten over her love for egos.

"We are out of egos, but you and Will can walk to the store down the road and buy some? We'll even wait to watch the movie." Joyce answered. El quickly nodded and took off to Wills room while Joyce got out some money.

As El rushed by, she bumped into Hoppers chair. "No running in the house please." He said. El apologized and speed walked to her brothers room. She opened the door and he jumped.

Will immediately said, "El! You're going to see your present! Close your eyes!" Els hand flew over her eyes as the two of them laughed.

"Joyce said that we can walk to the store to buy egos. Come on."
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It was still really cold outside so the 'wonder twins' were both bundled up in winter jackets. They were pretty close to the store when Will started talking.

"You know, if today's your birthday that means you're older than me," He said, nudging her a little bit. "By a few months anyways."

"Really?" She asked.

"Mhm."

"Can I know what my present is?"

"Not until later. After the movie." He chuckled, looking at the girl he has learned to love as his sister, the girl who was his sister.

"Please?" She pleaded. He shook his head no stubbornly, not willing to give it up. "Please, please, please, please, please-"

"No!" Will laughed. Him and El always laughed together. "Do you still like all your classes?"

"Yes. What about you?" She asked.

"Yeah, they're good I guess. I'm still trying to get one class changed to art, though." Will shrugged as he pushed open the door to the store and followed his sister to the frozen food isle. There were a few adults in the store, some with small children. And a few people the two had recognized from school.

"I'm sure they'll let you." El said, grabbing a box of egos and handing it over to Will. "Hold this." Will grabbed the box and immediately handed it back.

"I don't want it!"

"Why not?"

"Why not? What do you mean why not? It's cold as hell!" He complained but took the box anyways. "Yeah, I'm sure they'll put me in art. If not mom will probably come down there and say something about it." He handed the box to the person at the front desk.

"Thank you." El smiled at the woman as she gave them change and their bag.
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The movie was over and El had opened the gifts that were on the coffee table. There were five of them. One from each person in her family and one from Argyle.

She opened Hoppers first. It was was a shirt with the egos logo on it.

Next was Joyce's. It was a few different colored hair clips.

Johnathans was a wooden 'E' painted purple that he had made in shop class.

Argyles was a tyedye Surfer Boys Pizza shirt.

And last was Wills. It was a painting of hers and Hoppers cabin. It was identical to the actual thing. El loved it and had immediate jumped to hug him.

"This painting is so good! Can we go hang it up?" El asked Hopper excitedly.

"Now? It's the middle of the night." He said. "Fine, I guess we can." El jumped up and down. The two of them went to her room and Johnathan and Argyle went for a walk. Probably to smoke some more. Now it was just Will and Joyce on the couch.

"You're a good kid, you know that?" She asked, pushing Wills shoulder lightly. He hummed in response and took a sip of his drink. "You're so good to El. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, mom. I'm just being a good brother."

"How is she doing in school?"

"Pretty good, I think."