we both matter, don't we? | stranger things

4. The Weird Girl Who Evades Taxes

Freddy's Tunes has been closed early today.

Her headphones blast Queen's "A Night at the Opera" as she quickly races back to her home, completely ignoring those who wave at her in the street.

She ties her bike to her trailer and tries opening the door, failing, —Right, he locked it-—she whispers to herself, grabbing the key from the carabiner, and entering, making sure nobody is around her when she closes the door again.

There's no way Eleven recognised her, right? Freddie tried to make sure Jane's mind didn't make the connection, but one can never be sure, and she honestly has no clue what would happen if the girl recognised her and told anyone. Would Hopper keep her hidden? Would Eleven blame her for leaving her behind? Would the bad men, who listen to their phone calls and monitor the Curse, come looking for both girls and take their names again?

Fred's power helps her know when someone wants to harm her. But when she's overwhelmed, her gut is untrustworthy. So she makes sure all the windows and doors are closed and sits on the sofa, waiting to make sure she didn't take a step too far.

The clock on the wall ticks once.

She used to live in this same trailer with her uncle, when he was alive. He was a messy man. But every morning they would wake up with good music playing, and he would make her bacon with eggs. His name was Ricky, and Ricky would say he didn't need a bigger house because he barely spent time home. This mentality stuck to Freddie.

The clock ticks twice.

Ricky wasn't her uncle, obviously. He found the girl a few days after she escaped and gave her a place to stay, as long as she helped him with the store; Ricky's Tunes. He seemed like a good man. But he wasn't. So when he tragically died and had no inheritors, Freddie didn't feel remorse after claiming she was his only family alive. The trailer and the store became hers.

The clock ticks thrice.

Living alone hasn't been easy, but she's gotten used to it. She's responsible for herself. And, so far, it's been going great.

The clock ticks a fourth time, and Freddie knows nobody will take this away from her.

Somebody knocks on the door. As Fred has calmed down, she immediately recognises the owner of the excited thoughts outside; Hopper.

Opening for him, she's quick to invite him inside. —Did it work? —

—It went perfectly! —he, used to the trailer, makes his way to the kitchen to grab a soda, —Wheeler left her alone today, I think Jane's actually mad at him. I'm free, Bond! First time I didn't hear his demonic voice for an entire day! —

A chuckle escapes Freddie's mouth when she sees in his mind what their conversation actually went like, and she shakes her head. Hopper definitely needs to manage his anger sometimes. —I saw him today. He said you made him lie? —

—Whatever. —brushing it off with a smile, he sits on the sofa, drinking his can of soda. —I have a date tonight, by the way. —

With Joyce. Fred smiles, feeling his excitement like it's her own. —You came here just for that? Congrats, man. I might have something for you, lemme look for it... —

She keeps a few boxes in a corner, where she saves those trinkets for other people. Anything can be found there. At the bottom of one of the boxes, she finds a sealed cologne, which she almost gifted Billy a few months ago - she kept it after she considered some sunglasses would be a better gift.

—No, no, I came to give you something. —Hop looks for it in his pocket, bringing out a bunch of folded papers, —This year's tax form. So the IRS leaves you alone again. —

Freddie has never done her taxes (not the best at spelling, nor the best at math) so three years ago she learned how to make both Hopper and the IRS think she did.

Sometimes her powers are useful.

She grabs the papers, knowing they'll be in the trash by tonight - on the way he hands the Chief the cologne.

—Ladies dig it. —

Hopper gives her a thankful smile. Fred likes gifting him things, even as a thank you, since she doesn't know where she would be without his help. He's the only person in the town that, like her, understands Ricky wasn't as good as he would make others think; and Fred knows Hop helps her because he feels guilty about how her "uncle" treated her.

Although he may just have a tendency to parent any Lab kid he meets, knowingly or not.

Hearing his name on the radio, Hopper excuses himself, leaving her alone again.

There's a few things Freddie loves about her new life; among them, her last name. Bond. Ricky gave it to her hours after they met, and even though she's never watched the James Bond movies - "the classics" - she understands the popularity of her surname.

What she loves the most, however, is the word play only she understands.

See, when your whole thing is interacting with others' minds, it's only a matter of time before you develop important connections - ties so strong you can feel them all the time, whether for good or for bad.

Freddie, very originally, calls them bonds.

They happen naturally, when she cares so much about a person her brain unconsciously links to theirs. Some are stronger than others. The bonds let her easily check on the person, and their thoughts, their feelings, their memories, and their surroundings, no matter how far they are.

Right now, sitting on the floor with her eyes closed, she's following the string that leads to Billy Hargrove.

There's something... Off. Just like when she saw him in the pool, she can feel he's not quite himself, and his mind is clouded. A few things can cause this blur; drugs, damaged bond, an unconcentrated or weakened Freddie. Still, after she takes a deep breath, she can only see what he's doing for a small moment, immediately being awakened from her out-of-body state. The only thing she remembers: a girl taking an ice bath.

Freddie knows her face. —Heather? —

A knock on her door grabs her attention. It must have been what pulled her from the bond.

—Bond?! You weren't at the store, I need help fixing my lady! —

It's Munson. She sighs, wiping off the blood that dripped from her nose. Her curiosity is getting her too close to the Curse, she can feel it. Freddie should sit back, relax, and take a break, before she regrets it.

—It's open, come in! —

So let's fix Eddie's guitar instead.