Lights /Stranger Things\

~welcome to California~

"All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray. I've been for a walk on a winter's day. If I didn't tell her I could leave today. California dreamin' on such a winter's day."

~~~

3rd person pov:

The pizza van stopped at it's usual place in front of the Byers' house and the three teenagers walked out of the door towards it. The oldest boy with long brown hair, a shirt and a friendly smile, Jonathan Byers, greeted the van's driver, his sort of weird friend Argyle. The younger boy opened the back door for his sister who was carrying a shoe box, her project for that day.

Soon they arrived at Lenora Hills High school, parting ways as the older boys, Jonathan and Agryle, left for their class and the younger siblings, Will Byers and Jane Hopper, left for their class at a different room of the school. Jane tried waving at people the two passed, but no one waved back, she tried playing it cool with Will around, but she felt different and like she didn't belong, mainly because of her past and the little tattoo she had to keep hiding was a reminder of that.

"El, you okay?" Jane turned her head to her left to see the concerned face of her brother Will, she quickly put on a smile.

"Yeah, just a little nervous about the presentation, is all," Jane shrugged, Will didn't seem to fully believe her, but he let it slide this time.

"Alright, you excited to see Mike?" Will asked, giving her a bright smile, Jane smiled back brightly.

"Yes, oh my gosh, I've got the whole day planned, we'll go to Rink-O-Mania and then to the park, oh and we'll have tacos for breakfast, and then we'll go to the beach and have cocktails," Jane started excitedly and rambled on and on while Will watched her with a bright smile. "Are you excited to see Mike?" Jane asked, Will was taken back by the question.

"Yeah, I mean obviously, Mike's my best friend. We've known each other for years and I really missed him the past year, Lucas and Dustin too, but like Mike the most," Will replied, struggling a little, Jane just let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, I get that. I really miss Dustin too," Jane sighed, but put her smile back on. "And Max, mostly Max," she added.

"Not Lucas?" Will asked, Jane thought for a moment.

"Me and Lucas never really got the spark, if you know what I mean. What I'm trying to say is, sure yes, I like Lucas, but we're not that close or anything, so I don't really miss him. I mean, sure it'd be nice to see him and everything, but you know, we don't get along all that great, like Mike and Max, you know, but it's kinda worse with them," Jane let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah, I think I get it," Will replied with a nod, Jane gave him another smile before the two entered their class.

~~~

Will's pov:

As per usual, I left the school door, but this time I saw El sitting on the ground while Angela and her friends were leaving, most of other people watching El and laughing. I ran over, seeing her project she worked on so hard was destroyed.

"Did Angela do this?" I asked, glaring behind the blonde who didn't even turn back once.

"Hey, it's not that bad. We can fix it, I'll help you, okay?" I said, looking at the half broken figure in El's hand, she was totally ignoring me.

"It's fine," El finally said as she got up with the rest of her project in her hands. I wanted to hug her, but would she let me?

We walked to Argyle's van in silence and El didn't say anything even after she sat down. Jonathan looked at us, I tried to somehow tell him not to ask, but apparently he didn't take the memo.

"What happened?" Jonathan asked, looking at El's broken project. El looked up, seeming like she'd love to punch someone right about now.

"I fell," El said, still killing Jonathan with her look before she looked back down at the box on her lap.

"Okay, well... be more careful next time," Jonathan mummbled before turning to face the front of the van, I looked out the window too, watching the countless houses rush behind it.

~~~