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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ELEVEN LOOKED NOTHING LIKE HOW SHE DID THE LAST TIME ANDY HAD SEEN HER. She no longer wore her father's old clothes, but instead an edgy, dark makeover. She wore a large black tweed jacket over another black ensemble other than the white converse and tube socks. Her eyes were smudged with what appeared to be eyeliner and her hair entirely slicked back behind her ears with gel. Despite her dramatic change in appearance, Andy was incredibly happy to see her.
Andy couldn't draw her eyes away from the girl who had blood trickling from her nose, not even to look up at her dad to gauge his reaction. At that moment in time, she didn't care where Eleven had been or what she had done, only that she was safe and back with her. A weight felt instantly lifted from her shoulders, a swell of love instead replacing that vast emotion.
Eleven's gaze drifted over everyone in the room, locking with Andy until she felt someone shift behind her and they moved on. Mike's small body slid past Andy and towards Eleven until they embraced. Finally, after an entire year, Eleven had got what she wanted and waited for. Mike.
Both had tears in their eyes, appearing to be close to breaking down at any moment. "I never gave up on you. I called you every night. Every night for-"
"353 days. I heard."
Andy's eyes glossed over, tears brimming at the surface ready to spill. She was not sad, far from it and yet she had one of the strongest urges to cry she had ever had. She was immensely relieved, immensely happy. The worry she had felt for the girl was indescribable and to think she had run away partly because of her was incredibly painful. To see her back was a feeling like no other.
"Why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?" Mike questioned, face starting to crinkle in confusion. His tone was somewhat surprised, sprinkled with the tiniest hint of annoyance. He had missed the girl greatly and yet she was right there the entire time.
At the question, Andy tensed up. She knew the answer and therefore knew it was one that wouldn't please Mike. Another secret was about to be unfolded.
"Because I wouldn't let her." Hopper spoke up from next to Andy, causing everyone's eyes to divert from the young couple to him and then subsequently Andy. From shock, no one spoke. They didn't know what to say. It was all a lot to take in. Andy felt awkward and guilty, but desperate nonetheless to be with Eleven. The tears still welled in her eyes and as the girls locked eyes once again, she had to move her hand up to her mouth to catch the choked sob that left her lips.
There was no secret to keep anymore, not that she would have cared anyhow. Andy moved past everyone in her way, practically throwing herself onto Eleven. She fell to her knees slightly, pulling the girl as close to her as she could. She smelt of smoke and cheap, untasteful perfume, but Andy didn't care. There was no controlling the sobs that left her anymore. She finally had her back.
