The Long Game, Lucas Sinclair

004. JK NO HE'S NOT

CHAPTER FOUR.
1x04: The Body

Samantha Hughes was eight years old when she first met William Byers.

It was Hawkins Elementary's first day back from winter break, and none of the first graders were having it. Especially Mrs. Hoover's homeroom.

No, actually. It wasn't Mrs. Hoover's homeroom anymore. Sam's mom had mentioned something about Mrs. Hoover having a baby, so she wouldn't be returning for a good amount of time.

Sam didn't really get it, but she really did hope the stork delivered Mrs. Hoover's baby soon. She didn't know how much longer she could stand Ms. Godfrey as their substitute.

"Alright, y'all. Ev'ryone stand up. Imma give y'all a new seatin' chart for the new semest'r," the pale and wrinkly old lady announced. Sam didn't think Ms. Godfrey was aware that first graders had no clue what a seating chart or a semester was, but maybe that was the horrible accent Sam couldn't understand.

"I'm not havin' no Mrs. Hoover incidents again, ya hear? Y'all gettin' split up by boys and girls, 'cause y'all too young for all that."

Sam always tried to be a nice person, as her parents taught her to be, but it had already been about five seconds with the woman and Sam was going to combust.

Whatever that word meant.

Ms. Godfrey pointed to one side of the classroom, and upon checking the L's on her hands, Sam realized it was the right. She glanced down at her attendance sheet. "Alright, fellas over there. Anthony Walsh, Matthew Jones, Taylor Brown, Justin Zimmerman..."

She continued listing off all the boys in Sam's classroom, but Sam tuned it out as the information didn't pertain to her.

Unless Ms. Godfrey knew something Sam didn't, because it wasn't long before Sam swore she heard, "Will Byers, Mike Wheeler... oh, and Sam Hughes."

Sam's eyes shot up to the teacher, concerned and very, very confused. It was only when everyone started laughing that Sam realized Ms. Godfrey didn't even think she was a girl. She had seen Sam's name on the attendance list and thought Sam was a literal boy.

"What's so funny, huh?" Ms. Godfrey snapped, completely missing how Sam was trying to hide away from all human life. "Quitch yur laughing and start movin' 'round!"

Sam, the people pleaser she was, had no bravery to tell her substitute that she was quite a female. So she started moving around like the good little boy she apparently was and sat in the closest seat to the back corner she could find. Everyone was still turning around and laughing at Sam, causing her to slouch down even further in her seat.