Matilda 'Dixie' Green, who gets dragged into the unfathomable events at Starcourt Mall by her hopeless crush on Billy Hargrove and new-found middle-schooler friends. She struggles to cope with the trauma, which gradually costs her, her popular cheer...
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𐮚 The Mind Flayer 𐬾
Matilda's POV༒༒4th July, 1985
"Superstar!" Mason called me, he'd arrived home from one of his friend's homes that had instruments in their garage - some musicians who were dropouts I never got to meet but he raved about like they were an answered prayer, "I'm in the band - like, officially," his voice excited and low, not wanting mom or dad to hear because they had no idea.
I was stood in the front yard secretly practicing basketball and upon hearing Mason's voice I turned around, the replacement ball that Mason had got me in my hands - I felt happy for him, "Wicked - so, you're leaving Hawkins?" I pout.
"I have to go before this shithole ruins me - it's a once in a lifetime opportunity," he whispers, coming closer - he could see, beneath the happiness I felt, that I was sad... sad that he'd no longer be around to play basketball, to listen and dance to music, to cheer me on, "I'll still be here with you - in the form of... I don't know," he looks down, his mousy hair falling in front of his face, his blue eyes land on the ball and his light up, "The cassettes, keep that Black Sabbath one you love so much - and I'll send letters, I promise."
I hold my own hands, fiddling with my fingers, "When - are you gonna go?" I nervously look up, my also mousy hair covering my eyes.
He bites his lips together, clearly feeling guilty because he knew that I didn't have anyone else who accepted me for who I was... not even our mom or sister, "Tonight," he sighs, "I'll be sneaking out once everyone is in bed... I'll write a note for mom, dad - Becky... and we're all planning to meet at the bassist's van - he's gonna drive us to this record company... which is - it's a long drive away," he tries to contain his excitement, but it shows in his voice.
"But - high school," I frown, "you're going before I even start," I huff, knowing that it's going to be miserable without him and that it'd be Rebecca looking out for me... which I knew would be miserable because she was embarrassed to have me as a sister, she'd tell me to stay in my room on the rare occasion that she'd bring friends from Hawkins High home...
I knew she'd desperately try to change me or completely ignore me when I go to high school - and without Mason, I had nobody apart from Chrissy... who was a good friend, but she couldn't wait to start hanging out with the likes of Rebecca, the cheer team at Hawkins High.
"I'll miss you," I mumble, not liking to admit it, which makes him chuckle and he ruffles my hair.
"I'll miss you too, superstar - that's why I'm telling you all this... rather than in the note I'm leaving them," he gestures towards our home, "They'd never let me go... skip senior year if they knew it was for drumming," he makes a look of sarcastic horror on his face, which makes me giggle with him after, "It might take a while - to be settled somewhere else, but once I am hopefully you will have graduated and you can join me."
