Your little sister (Max) and mom have been having a hard time. You decide to move to Hawkins to help out, and while giving up California and your senior year might be hard, there is a boy across the trailer park who just might make it worth it...
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Life in Hawkins wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't great. Your mom came home from work Saturday night exhausted from working two shifts. While she seemed happy to see you, it seemed like she was happier to see the cans of beer in the fridge. You needed to ask Max about it but figured that it could wait for a few days. The three of you sat around the TV eating pizza and catching up. Neither Max nor your mom asked much about your dad, and you couldn't blame them. It wasn't like he had spent much time with you over the last year. Most nights it was just you while he was off on dating women twenty years younger than her.
The three of you did talk about Matt quite a bit though; they both wanted updates on how he was doing at West Point. You happily shared the polaroids that would get hung up tonight. Max had suggested that you give him a call, but you had to let them know that there were only free hours Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. He wouldn't be able to take the call even if he was free. You promised to let Max listen in and say hi on your call tomorrow.
With dinner finished, Max offered to help you unpack. You put on the new Kate Bush tape for the two of you to enjoy while you made quick work of your clothes and books.
"Why do you like them so much?" Max asked.
"Which them?" you replied.
"The books," she said and gestured to the stacks. "I mean you brought encyclopedias with you!"
You shook your head. "My dear, sweet sister. Those are no mere encyclopedias! That's Man, Myth, and Magic. It's all about the obscure and occult and mystical. They're fascinating and a great reference point. Anything weird, they've got an entry on it."
Max smiled and shook her head. "You are such a nerd."
"And proud of it. My books are always there for me. They'll take me away to anywhere I want to go. I can be in a romance, an epic, an adventure, and all I have to do is open the pages," you told her. You felt yourself getting swept away. "Plus, they smell incredibly good."
She took a whiff of one. "Umm, I'm pretty sure this one just smells like weed." You looked down at her.
"Ah, yes... Billy Graham. Great for keeping anyone away," you said and knelt beside her. Opening the book, you showed her the hollowed-out compartment with a small packet of rolling papers and matches.
"Uh, shouldn't there be drugs in your secret compartment?" she asked.
"Not if you don't want to get arrested for taking drugs over state lines. I brought the gear, but I'll have to find someone here to buy from. You guys do have weed, right?" you inquired and suddenly began to worry. Indiana was quite far away from California, and their attitude about weed might be way more conservative.
"Oh, you can probably just ask Eddie. I'm not sure if he sells or just knows someone, but that he definitely could help," she answered.
