Chapter 5

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Three days. Three amazing days Joyce didn't have to worry about a single thing. The slight hangover that endured Sunday had been long gone. School had surprisingly gone well, no one wanted to come near her for fear of projectile vomiting. Hopper constantly left cute little notes in her locker, all of which had some kind of cheesy vampire joke on them. Normally she would have quickly put a stop to it, afraid someone would see him lingering around and start asking questions, but after finding out it wasn't a prank, she realized how much she enjoyed the attention. The simplicity of them is what made it so special, so very Hopper. Just those few words written on a crumpled piece of notebook paper propelled her emotional high. She felt as if she could take on anything and anyone in the world. Until the day came she was reminded she wasn't allowed to be happy.

It started with small things. Someone calling her a pervert for snapping shots of the wrestling team working out for the yearbook. Someone making fun of the sweater she'd chosen to wear that day. Stupid petty remarks just to get under her skin and thankfully biology was the last class she had for the day and one she happened to share with Hopper. Unfortunately, due to an ongoing group project, Hopper hadn't been able to move his seat up front next to Joyce. Instead, he had been forced to continue to work with Chrissy, who made a point not to speak to him unless it was about their project.

Of course, no one had wanted to partner with Joyce, so she was yet again going at another project alone. Thankfully, she didn't really need this biology class. She had only taken it as a demand from her father, wanting to make sure she had every possible school period filled. At least she knew most, if not all of the material, so she didn't really need to pay attention.

She had been doodling on a piece of paper ignoring the teacher when she felt something hit the back of her head and it only got worse when she reached up and felt something sticky stuck in her hair.

"Chrissy, what the hell?" She heard Hopper ask, turning around to see him staring daggers at the women to his right.

"What?" Chrissy asked with a shrug. "I thought it was the trashcan."

The class erupted in laughter and Hopper's face turned red with anger. "May I be excused?" Joyce asked, getting a nod from the teacher as she told everyone to settle down.

Joyce quickly grabbed her bag and made her exit, not noticing her camera sliding to the floor in her haste to get out of there.

Thankfully it hit Hopper's shoe when he stood to go after her and carefully scooped it up on his way out of the classroom. "Joyce!" He called when he saw her standing at her locker, struggling to get it open due to her hands shaking.

"Go away...please just leave me alone, Hop." She whispered, not looking at him as she tried her lock for the third time.

"But your cam-."

"Jim!" Hopper was cut off mid-sentence to Chrissy coming up behind them, causing Joyce to turn around. "What are you doing? What is this?" She motioned with her hands to the two of them.

"What am I doing?" He asked sarcastically. "What the hell are you doing Chrissy, Gum? Really? How mature."

Chrissy laughed, a smirk spreading across her face. "So that's what it is huh? You're fucking the trash princess! I couldn't get my head around why you would suddenly leave me after our date. I mean, what other reason is there. Look at me, then look at her." Chrissy pointed her hand at Joyce, popping her hip out for emphasis.

"Chrissy, you don't know what you're talking about. Just go back to class." Hopper instructed not wanting to deal with her bullshit at the moment.

"Why else would you waste your time helping this loser?" Joyce didn't miss the look Chrissy gave her like she was nothing more than a doormat she'd gladly wipe her feet on. "You certainly aren't giving me any, so you must be getting it somewhere."

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