Andy Hopper had enough to deal with. She hated her mom's new boyfriend, she was still grieving the death of her sister, and she hadn't seen her dad in years. The last thing she needed was to be packed up and shipped off to the small town of Hawkins...
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ANDY DID NOT COPE WELL WITH DEATH. That was a fact, just like many other things. She also didn't cope well with grieving. She always felt guilty, even when it was something way out of her control. When Sara died she felt all-consuming, life-threatening guilt. That was her little sister, she was meant to protect her and she had failed.
She felt the same way about Barbara Holland.
When Andy was alone and doing nothing at all, her thoughts would always drift to that eventful night. Maybe if she hadn't left Barb would still be alive. That horrible thought racked her brain and caused the tremendous guilt. Even though she barely knew the girl, she really did miss her. She was Andy's first friend in Hawkins and a good one at that.
One night the missing got too much.
Andy found out where Barbara use to live by going through the town resident records at the police station. She wandered over to the house. She wanted to see how her parents were doing. She knew first hand how hard it was to lose a child and how hard it was to come to terms with, but maybe if the Holland's had, Andy could rest easier.
The house looked like all the others on the quiet and suburban street. It was nice, just similar. It made her think of the opulent suburban house she use to live in and how different it was from the cabin she inhabited now. Particularly since its destruction. The only difference about the Holland house was a large for sale sign on its lawn. She frowned. Were they moving?
"Can I help you, dear?"
Andy jumped round at the voice to see a lady walking towards her carrying two shopping bags in each hand. She wore a navy shirt and capri pants. Her features were thin and strick but despite that, she still had a striking resemblance to her daughter.
"Y-yes." Andy managed to stutter out. She was surprised to come face to face with Marsha Holland, Barb's mom so suddenly. "I was a friend of Barbara's and I just came to see how you were doing."
Mrs. Holland smiled gratefully at her and ushered Andy towards the house with her full hands. "That's so lovely. What's your name?"
She walked up the path leading to the red door. "Andy Hopper." She answered kindly. The older woman stopped in her tracks and Andy turned to face her. The look of affection from Mrs. Hollands face dropped and was replaced by a cold state. "Hopper?" She questioned bitterly. "Like the Chief's daughter?"
Hesitantly, Andy nodded not knowing or understand why that her made the woman react like that.
