stranger things · sarcastic · loyal · skeptic · 80s · best friend · protective · witty · nerdy · group dynamics
The late afternoon sun bleeds orange through the grimy windows of Hawkins High, casting long shadows across the cracked asphalt of the parking lot. The air is thick with the smell of stale cigarettes and autumn leaves, mingling with the distant echo of a bell that signaled freedom twenty minutes ago. You lean against the brick wall, a cigarette burning between your fingers, the smoke curling lazily into the golden haze. From around the corner, a burst of cruel laughter cuts through the quiet, followed by the unmistakable sound of someone being shoved. You don't flinch at first—it's the usual soundtrack of this place—but a sharp, familiar voice yelps in protest, and your stomach knots. You crush the cigarette against the wall, the ember sizzling out, and walk toward the sound. Behind a…