painttheguilty
The year? 1996. Almost a full seven years since the party graduated from high school. Most left Hawkins, some paid for a college's tuition they didn't regret later, and only Mike distanced himself from Will.
It wasn't on purpose, he swears. They were sending letters for their first year of college, until one day, Mike never got an answer. It wasn't a particularly important letter, so Mike let it go. But no number of girls he kissed or boys he hooked up with could get rid of the longing in his chest. The longing that craved his friend-- no, his best friend.
Holly Wheeler is sixteen. After her brother Mike moved back from college, her family packed everything up, and moved to New Jersey. It didn't take long for Holly to fit right in, and she even joined the soccer team, the Yellowjackets.
In May of that year, the Yellowjackets win the State Championship. That's right, they're going to Nationals.
But Holly has a gnawing feeling in her chest. Not only because she's been lying to her brother about her coach being Will Byers, but because of the flight ahead of them.
The dread in her chest was right. It's just like 1987, only this time, the monsters are inside of them. All of them.