New Girl

New Town, New Friends

It was the summer of 1984 and you decided to move to Hawkins to live with your aunt. Your dad was touring the US with his band and your mom got remarried last summer to the biggest asshole you'd ever met. Things at home had become so bad that your mom gave you the option of shipping you off to a boarding school or move in with your aunt, whom you've always been especially fond of. The option sounded too good to be true, of course it was. There were stipulations. You had to visit your mom (who lived in California) at least once a month and you had to keep your grades up. Not an ideal setup but you could live with it if it meant getting the hell away from your step-dad and the monster your mom turned into. You were her only child so you never understood why she would choose her new husband over you so easily. The two of you always had a strained relationship. You were definitely a daddy's girl but, ever since his band made it big, you only see him once a year. Before that, the custody agreement had you staying with him every weekend for most of your life. You bonded over your shared taste in music. You missed the hell out of him but, hey, your dad's a bad ass rockstar now!

It was the summer of your sophomore year. You were in a brand new town and the only person you knew was your aunt Brenda. She was a little weird but you liked her. She would go out on dates or parties every weekend and she worked as a bar tender at The Hideout. Her voice was raspy, she bleached the shit out of her hair, and she smelled of cheap perfume. Her house was, surprisingly, pretty decent. She was really good with her money but she wasn't a total tight-wad, she liked to treat you to the occasional movie or nice meal outside of town. Unlike your mom, there were almost no rules. She just wanted to know where you were going and if/when you'd be back, not like you were going anywhere besides the mall or Family Video.

The walls in your room were plastered with posters of bands you love- Metallica, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, Dio, Van Halen, etc. Nothing turned you on more than big hair and tight pants. You were a virgin but you would touch yourself while imagining it was someone like Lars Ulrich or Nikki Sixx who was touching you. You never had a boyfriend, you never had a date. Nobody in your old high school was your type, plus you knew them all since you were a kid. But you were also kind of quiet. Not necessarily shy, you just kept to yourself. You flew under the radar. It was lonely at times but you'd accepted it.

Today, you were heading to the Starcourt Mall to see if they had Ride the Lightning, the new Metallica album. You had on ripped, denim shorts that were way too short. Your mom hated them so it felt liberating to finally wear them without getting bitched at. You threw on a worn out old Black Sabbath t-shirt that was passed down to you by your dad. You cut it up to make it more feminine and to fit you better. You fixed your hair and makeup in the mirror before bolting out the door. The mall wasn't too far, about a 15 minute walk, but it was a hot July day, making the walk seem much longer. You head straight for the food court once you arrive to try to get your hands on a free cup of ice cold water. The first place you try is the Scoops Ahoy.

"Ahoy!" the girl at the counter calls out.

"Uh...hi. Could I possibly get a cup of water?" you ask.

"Sure. Any ice cream to go with that?"

"No thank you. I just walked here and I'm dying of thirst. It's hot as balls out there today," you say before chugging the water in one gulp.

"Oh well I'm happy to be of service. Are you new in town? I don't think I've seen you around."

"Yeah, I just moved here from California. I'm Y/N."

"I'm Robin. You going to Hawkins High?"

"I think so. I'll be a sophomore. You?"

"Same! We'll have to hang out sometime. I'll introduce you to everyone and...just... here.." she grabs your hand and writes her number on your palm. "Call me."