Jailbird || Stranger Things

seven ➵ fitting in

If there was one thing Teresa dreaded more than having to face her father after being released from juvenile hall, it was starting at a new school.

Again.

Of course, due to the rumors floating around Hawkins about her personality and past, it already came with its own special set of challenges.

With a small curse, she looked into the rearview mirror, adjusting her hair under her cap and peeling off the bandaid over her nose. At the reveal of the now yellowing bruise, she flinched, choosing to ignore the small scab that had replaced the cut from a few months prior. She put on a fresh bandaid, hoping it would help her to not pick at it before she let out a sigh.

After another curse word, to help her get over her nerves, she pushed the door open to her car, then slammed it behind her. She threw her book bag over her shoulders, tightening her ponytail and pulling it through the back of the cap. As she approached the high school's doors, she had to put in the effort to ignore the talk around her.

The office was about as busy as the station, which further reinforced her belief that Hawkins still wasn't really an interesting destination for anyone. It was still the same sleepy town, or at least on the surface when the government wasn't opening gates to other dimensions that released creatures capable of kidnapping and murder.

She stood by the desk, waiting patiently for the woman to have a moment between filling out information and sorting papers. When she finally looked up at the new student, Teresa forced that same polite smile she had effectively been rehearsing with everyone in town and introduced herself.

Getting the paperwork, and now armed with her class schedule—complete with electives and perhaps one too many AP classes—Teresa was in the middle of attempting to figure out the layout of the buildings.

"Hey, Hopper!" Steve spotted her holding the papers, and lifting his hand from around Nancy's shoulder, who was trying to organize her locker. The girl waved her hand, and while a little hesitant, Reese turned and approached them.

"Hey guys," she smiled slightly, watching as Jonathan pulled out a few books from his locker, just a few steps away. He looked up at her voice, shooting her a small smile.

"Hey, you find your classes okay?" Nancy asked, closing her locker and turning to lean against it as they spoke to the new girl.

"Yeah, I think so, once I ignore the map and rely on my eyes. Not exactly rocket science, although I'd rather try to figure that out instead of— what the hell is moral education?" she read out, looking up at the couple as Jonathan closed his locker and approached the group.

"We discuss morals," Steve quipped, her eyes rolling. "They just tell us what's right and wrong."

There was a small beat of silence as they all realized why Teresa had been enrolled in the class.

"Huh, I didn't realize school administrators had a sense of humor," she shrugged lightly, scanning the rest of her schedule. She looked up, taking in the sight of the three teens. "Are you guys all juniors?"

"Just me," Steve replied, lifting his hand from Nancy's shoulder again as if he was in class.

"Well, in that case, I'd like to apologize in advance."

They didn't realize why for the first few classes. It was during the lunch hour that Steve watched her threaten Tommy with shoving her fist down his throat until he couldn't say the vulgar things she'd overheard, once again. Not that Steve would have stopped her. In fact, Nancy saw him smile.

Of course, the perhaps exaggeratedly loud display during lunch cemented Teresa's place as threatening, though she kept to herself. During a particularly boring lesson of chemistry, he even saw her sit in the back, boot sole resting on her seat as she sketched in her new workbook.