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THE DAY started as it always did, cold bowls of cereal in front of the television, one of Max's shows that she adored and Jackie also found interesting, but she'd never admit it aloud. The house was empty, Billy was out doing whatever Billy Hargrove did, and their parents were working.
Cleaning out the dishes, Max nudged her. "Up for some skating?"
Jackie grinned. "Duh."
The road outside of their house wasn't the greatest for a skateboard, there was bumps and pebbles everywhere, but that didn't stop them. Jackie felt rusty, pulling out her board and getting on it for the first time in what it felt like years.
Max sped by her, and like muscle memory, Jackie balanced herself, and chased behind. They laughed, Jackie's hair whizzing behind her. Tired of racing, they resorted to new tricks.
"No, you have to put your feet on top of the wheels," Jackie informed her sister, watching as she balanced and kept a hand raised just as a precaution incase she fell. "That's the easiest way to flip the board."
It was another hot summer day in Hawkins, and Jackie's hair was pulled up completely to the top of her head, she'd been sweating underneath the scorching sun, and the hair had been sticking uncomfortably to the back of her neck. Strands fell, framing her face, and she had to annoyingly tuck them behind her ears before they fell back into her face again.
Max nodded, and slowly lifted her feet up in the air as she jumped, the skateboard flipped slightly, but not enough and it skidded out from under her. Jackie rushed to her, catching Max by the shoulders just as her head almost hit the ground. "Jesus," she muttered.
"You okay?" Jackie questioned, her voice laced with concern. When Max nodded, she released her and looked up to see a girl approaching. She was hardly recognizable now, her hair curling blonde at the tips, nearly reaching her shoulders. Her bone structure had grown over the course of the months, and she looked like a real teenager now. Except for the baggy old clothes she was wearing. She stepped up to them, offering Max's board. Jackie refrained from tilting her head in confusion—the last time either of the Mayfield sisters saw her she hadn't been the nicest.
Well, excluding the one time they'd had a movie night at the Wheeler's.
"Eleven," Max greeted, brows furrowed slightly. "Hi."
Eleven closed the gap between them, and held the board for Max to take. She still looked awfully young, like a lost puppy with big eyes. She glanced between them. "Hi," the young girl responded. "Can we talk?"
