THE KIDS AREN'T ALRIGHT ｡ STRANGER THINGS

4 - RIDDLED WITH WEIRDOS

Halloween drifted by, the air turning colder with each passing night. Things in Hawkins stayed the very same, the Lonsdale family doing their very best to maintain the perfect image of everything pretty and pleasant, all but young Daisy, who had abandoned that ideology a long time ago. The town folk took down the festive decorations, the jack-o-lanterns and the buckets of candies being replaced because soon, Christmas would be on its way. Although things stayed dull and mundane, that was about to change. 

"Aunt Beatrice, would you mind passing me the juice?" Daisy Lonsdale was seated around the family dining table, a crackling of the television set humming through the house. Her mother was folding laundry while her aunt chewed on some bacon, the newspaper set upon her lap. Daisy often wondered if the lady even registered what each page read, her mind full of nonsense since the incident. Another family secret they did not speak about, a few of those ran in the Lonsdale clan.

The clock chimed eight o'clock, Daisy brushing her blonde hair from her eyes while her aunt passed her the plate of eggs instead. "Daisy, there's a town meeting tonight. Therefore, I won't be home to cook dinner on time, but I'll leave some leftovers in the fridge. How's meatloaf sound?" Molly's voice cooed over the background noise.

"Sure, mum. Whatever."

Molly sent her a long glare, "I wish you wouldn't use that word."

Daisy was tilting her head, licking her lips from the sugary pancakes she was scooping into her mouth. A loud beeping sounded from outside, her ride finally here. "What word? Mum or sure?" She really did enjoy pissing her mother off.

Her mother was not impressed though, but Daisy was scurrying to her feet, pushing her sketchbook into her bag and hurrying towards the front door, kissing her aunt on the cheek on the way out. Her darling mother followed, her heels clicking on the flooring. Sunlight poured through the open door, Daisy waving at Dottie Fields who waited in her uncle's old batted truck, a gift she had received in the reading of his will a few months ago. "I really wish you wouldn't travel to school with her, I would gladly drive you."

"Drive me, huh? You mean actually take time out of your busy day of cleaning, cooking and gossiping about every other person in town with that catty book club you've got? Oh, geez, that's so kind of you, dear mother." The sarcasm was thick today, Daisy quite proud of herself as she bounced down the few brick steps, tapping her hand on the letterbox for good luck, something silly she used to do with Marigold whenever they left the house.

Molly was smoothing down her flowery dress, her signature apron tied around her waist as she waited on the front porch. "Daisy!" The mother caught the heavy glance of the next door neighbour, her mouth snapping shut as a smile was plastered to her lips. "Have a good day at school!" The second half of her sentence was overkill, her voice too cheery.

Daisy was rolling her eyes, yanking open the truck's door and slipping inside. Dottie was already waving at Molly, her cheeks bright red from the heater blowing hot air on their faces. "Goodbye, Ms. Lonsdale!" Daisy was yanking the door shut, watching her mother purse her lips as they drove off, the car letting out an angry splatter of exhaust fumes. "Golly, will she ever actually like me?"

That was a rhetorical question, but Daisy answered anyway. Both girls knew Molly Lonsdale was not the kindest woman in town, swayed by the old fashion ideas that people were different based on the tone of their skin. Daisy hated that about her mother. "We've been friends since we were eight. She didn't like you then, and she doesn't like you now."

Dottie shrugged, "At least my ma likes you."

"Trust me, you don't want my mother's attention." Daisy was kicking her boots to the dashboard, her fingertips yanking at the hole in her jeans by her knee, stretching the material in an old habit. "Sometimes, I don't even want her attention. I mean, come on, she's like the leading witch of the we're-better-than-you-book-club-community."