A New Girl // Stranger Things (after season 2)

Chapter 29

It was a quiet car ride back to Hawkins. I didn't know what to say to Dustin, but I also didn't know what to tell Kali because Dustin was in the car with me. Surprisingly, Dustin was also quiet throughout the entire ride. We did peak at each other once in a while but didn't speak. I guess there was still a bit of tension.

We arrived at the diner and we all got out of the car. Joyce had not arrived yet so we waited for her at the carpark.

"Okay kids, you all get one table, so you can get to know Kali better. Joyce and I will have one table," he said.

"Okay?", I answered.

But I wasn't okay. Firstly, did Hopper have a thing for Joyce? Because they are have a table to themselves and the rest of us are sharing a table, a terrible way to divide tables. Secondly, it was going to be awkward. I still haven't reconciled with the rest of the party and I don't want to rise it up while Kali was around. I think I'll just keep quiet during lunch but it is going to be difficult because I like to talk.

I think Dustin saw my distress.

"Are you okay?", he asked.

"Not really," I told him honestly.

"Is it because you have to sit with my friends later?", he asked.

"I don't want Kali to think that your friends are bad or that I am a bad person. I want her to make friends with them so that she can work with them. I want her to have a group she can connect with because she left her friends in Chicago to come here. I don't want her to feel left out or lonely," I said.

"I just don't want to bring up what happened. And I don't want to start a fight with the others," I continued.

He nodded in understanding.

"I think I'll just stay quiet," I said.

"You can't stay quiet forever," he said.

"I know but that's the best solution I have for now," I said.

"I overheard you guys just now, sorry, but Kali is already suspicious of us. Keeping quiet didn't really help," Dustin said.

I leaned back on the car and sighed.

"I know you are sorry for what you said that day. I know that it is going to be awkward with them but do this for Kali. If anything goes wrong, I'll stick up for you. They may not trust you, but they trust me. Don't worry," he said.

I smiled at him.

"Thank you, I needed that," I said.

I saw him smiling too.

We saw Joyce's car pulling up to the carpark and I shifted myself away from Dustin. Once the boys came out of the car, it was like he was a whole different person.

He walked over to them, then exclaimed, "Damn, I'm hungry."

Joyce walked over to Hopper and Hopper whispered something to her and then she nodded.

"Okay kids let's go," Hopper said.

We follow him inside the diner.

Hopper and Joyce sat at a two person table while the rest of us shared a bigger table.

Eleven, Mike, Lucas and Max sat across Will, Dustin, Kali and I. It's like the couples on one side and the single Pringles on the other. Though I sat in the middle, I tried to ignore the conversations happening beside and across me.

"What's it like in Chicago? I actually haven't been there," Lucas asked Kali.

"It's pretty cool. There are many tall building and rich snotty people. And bright lights. Like there's even traffic at night," she said.