Family Line - Dustin Henderson

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River just wasn't someone people stuck around for. His  mother had left him and his brother when he was five due to her husband who was an abusive drunk who didn't give a shit about his children.

Neil Hargrove hated River, unlike his older brother Billy, he looked too much like his mom for his dad's liking. He was always going on about how the boy was too soft, too much of a fairy to stick up for himself.

Billy wasn't much better, he used to be an okay brother when they were younger. But then he started to listen to what their dad was saying about River and he decided he didn't want to be known as the boy with a queer brother.

Then once his mom had left, Neil met someone else. Susan Hargrove, previously known as Susan Mayfield. She had a daughter, Max, who became River's stepsister. River had spent a whole month after he'd met her trying to learn to skateboard so they'd have something to talk about.

It didn't work and when Max found out she had tried to teach him herself but that hadn't ended well. They were complete opposites but they seemed to fit.

And then they moved, leaving their whole life in California to move to the small town of Hawkins. River didn't care to much about the move, it wasn't like he had any friends in California anyway.

But Max wasn't happy about it, leaving California meant leaving her dad and all of the friends she'd made all over the years. That's when their relationship started going down hill. She just couldn't understand why he was okay with leaving everything behind. 

They were due to start Hawkins middle school, Billy had been ordered to drop them off in the reception where they now sat waiting for the headmaster to show them to their new class.

River sat, his knees pulled up onto the seat as he leant his head in his hands trying to focus his attention on his breathing. This wasn't a good start, his plan was to come in here and try to make as many friends as he could and then hide in the background so no one would notice him.

The only problem was he wasn't the best with social interactions, his hands would start to shake, his breathing would quicken and he would always be stuttering over his words. He looked up when he noticed the door open and a man walked out looking the two up and down.

"You must be River Hargrove and Maxine Mayfield." Max nodded stiffly standing from her seat, River didn't reply only slowly followed Max not taking his eyes of the floor which suddenly seemed very interesting, "Alright then, right this way."

The man led them through the hallway towards there first class which would be with Mr Clarke. River made sure to stay right by Max's side not wanting to get left behind. She glared at him when he almost tripped over his own feet.

When they came to the classroom Max quickly pushed past the headmaster entering first, leaving River in the hallway.

"Ah, this must be our new students." A man who River guessed was Mr Clarke spoke. River quickly walked into the room attempting to follow Max towards the two empty seats at the back of the classroom, "All right. Hold up. You don't get away that easily."

Mr Clarke called the two back to the front of the class, "Come on up. Don't be shy. Dustin Drum roll," One of the kids in the front row with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes closed his text book and gently began to tap his finger against the cover.

"Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California. The latest passengers to join us on our curiosity voyage, River and Maxine!" 

"It's Max." The girl quickly corrected him. River sighed closing his eyes rocking back and forth on his feet wishing more than anything that he could just go and sit down and have everyone stop looking at him.

"Sorry?"

"Nobody calls me Maxine. it's Max."

"Well, all aboard, Max. And you to River." The two quickly made their way to the back of the class taking their seats, River leaning his head on his desk trying to ignore the four boys at the front of the class who were staring at the two siblings.

River sat on the steps his hands in his lap as he watched Max skateboard up and down the path in the playground. He would usually go join in but he didn't to make a fool out of himself in front of everyone.

His dad had told him to buy food at school but hadn't given him money to buy any, so instead he lifted his knees up to his chest leaning his head on them, watching the other children run around playing with their friends.

He froze when he saw the four boys from earlier stood watching them from the other side of the path. None of them noticed that River had saw them and he quickly called Max over. She looked at him confused but still picked her board up making her way over to the short boy.

"Whats up?"

"You know those b-b-boys from earlier."

"What the weird ones who kept watching us?" River nodded his head, "What about them?"

"They've been s-s-s-stood over there w-watching you for the past seven m-m-minutes." Max turned slightly in their direction and they all quickly turned looking elsewhere. Max smirked grabbing an old piece of paper before writing something on it.

"Come on." She smiled at River helping him to his feet, she dropped the paper into the bin just before they entered back inside the school.

River stood in the car park waiting for his brother to pick him up and Max up. He'd made sure to get there extra early not wanting Billy to get mad at them for being late. The usual blue Chevy Camaro pulled up infront of them, neither of them spoke as they quickly jumped into the car. 

River always sat in the back, he hated sitting next to his brother. The older boy always knew how to start an argument over absolutely nothing and he just wanted to avoid the yelling.

The ride was silent and they were home within a few minutes. River hoped out the car making sure not to slam the door behind him. He quickly ran inside towards the kitchen starting to make some food for tomorrow. 

He didn't get the time in the mornings, and since his dad couldn't do it then he'd have to make it the day before. He'd only managed to grab one slice of bread when it was suddenly pulled from his hands.

"What do you think you're doing?" The gruff voice of Neil Hargrove spoke from behind him.

River held his breath, turning round to face his dad, "Making my l-l-lunch for t-t-tomorrow."

"I thought I told you to buy it at school."

"But I d-don't have any m-money." River frowned, digging his shaky hands into the pocket of his blue jumper.

"That doesn't seem like my problem." The man huffed shoving the bread back into it's bag. River nodded closing his eyes turning away from the man muttering a quiet 'okay' under his breath. He walked towards his room, Max opening the door to her own as he walked past.

"Hey, you want to go to the Arcade?" Max asked. The girl watched concerned as he shook his head walking into his room, closing the door behind him.