Waiting Room | A Stranger Things Story - Eddie Munson | VOLUME I

Back In The High Life Again | Part I

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𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐈

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟔
   3 Weeks Before

'𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒, and a big welcome back students of Hawkins High! It is a privilege once again to serve the students, staff and faculty of this school for another year. We are using this announcement to advise that we are grateful to our school community and we have an unwavering commitment to help you all through the next 180 days under our care. Let us also take this time to remind you that as per instruction from the Hawkins Police Department and the school board the towns curfew still remains very much in tact. Students found outside of their homes after 9pm with no given consent will be reprimanded by the state and the school board in its entirety. Have a good year, Tigers!'

Principal Higgins' shrill yet strangely optimistic voice rang through the halls of Hawkins High as I exited the girls bathroom. I had taken a breather before I attempted to navigate my way through the sea of students to spectate at my own appearance.

I wanted to be comfortable on my first day but to the untrained eye I had put in minimal effort.

I wore a knock off pair of light blue wash Levi Mom jeans that were slightly too tight and hurt to sit down in. A plain black T-shirt shoved into the waistband partnered with an oversized burgundy plaid shirt from Goodwill.

My once brown black hair had been bleached by the sun during the summer and speckles of auburn could be seen throughout in the fluorescent bathroom lights. I had stared too long for comfort at my face. Locking eyes with myself.

Everyone had always said I had my Mother's eyes. Blue flecked with grey. Mine were sunken and tired.

And I hadn't seen hers in a while.

My lips were sore and chapped from biting at them and I hadn't bothered to cover up the blemishes on my forehead with any powder as the concern of being late was too great to ignore.

My timetable for the year and map of the school clung tightly to my chest with my left hand, my right securing my ever slipping dark denim backpack to my shoulder.

I had spent the last week of Summer memorising this stupid piece of paper back to front so as to avoid any slight encounter with lateness that would draw attention to me.

I glance at the now mildly crumpled pieces of paper once again, my speed increasing as I was now power walking to Math.

'B12, B12, B12.' I muttered to myself, my new painfully white Rebook sneakers squeaking beneath me. I could feel a blister forming on my right heel as I hadn't taken my Dad's advice and worn them in over the Summer.

I finally came across B12, Maths with Miss Williams. I glanced through the glass window pane before pushing the weighty Cedar-wood door to step inside.