𝘿𝙍𝙄𝙁𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 - Max Mayfield

2. Hawkins Was Not Part Of The Plan

Aiden's heart raced as he followed the teacher through the bustling hallways, his mind racing to catch up with the sudden turn of events. What had he gotten himself into?

Doubts began to fade as he felt a surge of excitement, wondering what other surprises this time period might hold.

Upon arriving at the principal's office, Aiden found himself face-to-face with an older man who exuded an air of authority. Hee greeted him with a small smile, "And who might we have here?"

"Aiden..." The teenager stuttered. "Aiden Harlow"

"And what school did you transfer from?" Coleman asked.

Panic started to build as he thought up the first school that came to mind.

"East Side middle school" Aiden slipped, realizing his mistake only after the words were out.

"Oh..." Coleman looked thoughtful. "That's in New York, isn't it?"

"Y... Yeah, it is" Aiden was shocked his actual school had existed since the 80s.

"So why'd you choose Hawkins Middle?" Coleman added.

"I just moved here and my... My cousin, Mike Wheeler recommended it"

Aiden's mouth was on autopilot now,but he couldn't dare stop now.

"Mike Wheeler," the older male smiled at the name. "The AV club member,correct?"

Aiden nodded.

"it's a bit short notice but... considering Mike's record in the school..." Principal Coleman looked around at some files and gave a piece of paper to the lightskinned boy.

"Welcome to Hawkins Middle, Aiden" he smiled.

Aiden's eyes widened in astonishment. He couldn't believe his luck as he nodded, playing along with the charade.

"Thank you, Principal Coleman. I'm excited to be here."

'Seriously,you have no idea...'

His attention was then drawn to a calendar on the principal's desk. His eyes scanned the dates, and his heart skipped a beat as he read the year—1983. The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning, dispelling any lingering doubts. He was indeed in the past, in the midst of the 1980s, a time period he had only seen through the lens of nostalgia.

Aiden's mind raced with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. He now had to navigate this new world, make sense of his unexpected journey, and find a way to fulfill the mission bestowed upon him by Sakumo and Minato. But for now, at least he had a cover story to maintain and a role to play in the strange town of Hawkins.

______________________________

As Aiden attended classes throughout the day, he couldn't help but feel a constant sense of disbelief. The stares he received from his fellow students, dressed in their '80s attire, made him acutely aware of his modern clothing; A black sweatshirt with blue ripped jeans and a pair of black and white vans seemed a little too much..  and his Kunai shaped pendant was probably making it even more obvious. However, he tried his best to ignore the curious glances, his focus on maintaining a low profile. Underneath his sweatshirt, he discreetly tucked the sheathed short-sword given to him by Sakumo, a reminder of the extraordinary journey he had embarked upon.

As the school day drew to a close, Aiden realized he had nowhere to go; luckily he had a few dollars in his backpack for snacks,but that was about it.

"Great" he sighed as he sat outside of the school. "Just great... I'm stranded"

He contemplated his options – which weren't even a lot, and with the nightfall approaching, he made a daring decision.

Rather than venturing out into the unknown streets of Hawkins, he resolved to spend the night within the confines of the empty middle school.