Neighbors - Strangerthingsau

Chapter 22

The New Normal

"El, you there? Over."

El smiled to herself. It was 3:15 on a Tuesday afternoon, and just like everyday for the past week, Mike called her to tell her about all the things she missed. El really enjoyed this time, because after Hopper placed a few more ground rules, the party rarely got to come over and hang out with her.

El grabbed her walkie that was seated right beside her and press down the button on the side. "Yeah, I'm here. Over." She got up from her desk and walked over to the window, about to break one of the rules she constantly broke.

Hopper told her about the rules a week ago, when he came home from investigating the lab, he came up with the "don't be stupid" rules. They consist of:

1. Don't open the curtains.
2. Don't answer the door at all. Let someone else do it.
3. Don't go outside alone. Especially in the daylight.
4. Friends are allowed to come over at certain times.

El was okay with number 2 and 3, but 1 and 4 she absolutely hated. She gets he's trying to keep her safe, but he is making it seems more like a prison than a home.

Her mind skips over to Joyce and Jonathan, and she immediately feels bad. They have been asking questions left and right about El and why she wasn't going to school. No one ever told them anything, they were left in the dust. El wanted to tell them, but Hopper kept saying it was for her safety. She was tired of be cooped up in her room, saying she was sick. Joyce had started getting really worried, thinking that she wasn't getting better.

She felt bad for keeping this from them, they had a right to know. Many times, she asked Hopper if they could tell them but every time she got the same response, "we can't. If we do it'll only put them in danger, and we don't need more people in danger around here."

She goes back into reality seeing that she was facing the curtains. Everyday after school she breaks rule #1. She inhales as she pulls the curtains out of the way and looks over to the window across the way. Mike sat there just like the day before. She watched as a smile grew on his face and he waved at her. She waved back with the same smile on her face.

"Hey!"

"Hi!"

"Did you convince Hopper yet?"

"No. It doesn't look like he's gonna budge."

El, for the past week, has been trying to convince Hopper to let the party come over more often. But every time she asks, he says no. And she knows why he says no too. He is still angry at them for making her tell them her secret. So, this is his way of punishing them.

"Don't worry, he'll come around. Eventually."

"I just hope it's sooner than later."

"Me too." He pauses in thought. "So Hopper's probably not letting you go to the snowball."

"It doesn't look like it." El sighed sadly. "But who knows, things could change. Right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Totally." He replied not sounding really convinced.

El looked at his face. Even far apart, she could see the disappointment in his face. They were both looking forward to it, but things change. And hopefully they'll change again so they can go.

El thoughts were disrupted by a soft knock on the door, followed by a low, deep voice, "El?"

El's eyes widened as she turned to face her window again. "Hopper!" She hissed quietly.

She quickly made sure to close the curtains before answering the door to a tired looking Hopper. Hopper stepped in the room, drawing a big breath in. He closed the door before turning back to El.

"We need to tell Joyce and Jonathan."

"But- wha- why?" She smattered. Confusion took over her face.

"Joyce is becoming worried about your health. So worried, in fact, she's considering taking you to a hospital." He said rubbing his eyes.

El felt the anger start to boil inside her. "I told you."

"I know, ki-"

"I told you, that we should tell them before things got bad." She raised her voice.

"I know, El! Liste-"

"Why should I listen to you, if you didn't listen to me?" She said beginning to shout now. "We made it worse by keeping this from them!"

"Calm down!" Hopper said fully knowing Joyce is downstairs helping Will with his homework.

El didn't say anything. She couldn't, she had no words to say. She had to stay in her room, her prison cell, for a week saying she was sick. She told him over and over again, to tell them the truth so she can at least walk around her house without sneaking, but he told her no every time. Her anger barely subsided, but she tried to calm down.

"Come on." Hopper said after a moment of silence. "Let's go."

The two silently walked down the stairs together. By the time she go to the bottom her anger turned into nervousness. Yes, she wanted this, but she didn't know what their reactions will be. That's what scared her the most.

Joyce and Jonathan were in the kitchen starting dinner talking amongst themselves until Hopper clear his throat and their to whipped towards the noise.

Joyce immediately made eye contact with El and went over to her. "El, how are you feeling honey?" She asks with worry in her eye.

"I'm fine. I've been fine. I was never sick." El admitted.

"Well, then why didn't you go to school?" Joyce's suddenly filled with anger. "Has someone been picking on you. Because I swear to God if someone did I will mur- I will-"

"Joyce!" Hopper said trying to calm her down.

"There is no one picking on me at school."

"Then what-" she started questioning until Hopper interrupted her.

"You two better sit down for this. It's a long story."

"Story about what?" Jonathan asked sitting down.  El looked at him with sad eyes.

"My past."

Authors note

Thank you guys for 2k reads!! That's amazing!! I hope you guys really enjoy this book. There is a lot more to come in the future with this book!!

Love ya see you next week