Road Trip 1988 - Stranger Things Fanfiction

Chapter 1: Goodbye, Indiana

Hawkins, 1988

Hawkins High School let out early June on a warm summer day, the upcoming class of 1989 full of relief and excitement for their long two-month break before senior year. Fellow students Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will have been awaiting this very day since they entered high school. Not particularly for prom or graduation, but for that very summer.

On the exact day two years ago, in the Wheeler's basement, the sleep-deprived D&D players started their first money jar labeled "1988 Senior Year Road Trip." The glasses contained all of the money saved up from the four boys, along with Eleven and Max who were shortly added on after becoming the girlfriends of Mike and Dustin.

Between allowances, Christmas money, pocket change, and lucky $20 finds, the group of teens saved up enough money to officially start planning their road trip to California. Wanting to choose a place they all had never been, in somewhat driving distance, the group came to the conclusion after Nancy came back raving about her trip there with her boyfriend, Jonathan.

So when the final bell rang, the group ran to meet at Mike's lockers and piled into the 1985 maroon Plymouth Voyager Lucas had acquired from his dad. They all had been packing the week before, eager to get a head start on the driving that evening. Each of them were dropped off to trade in their backpacks for duffle bags and ended up at the Wheeler household.

Of course, Karen insisted on making a feast for dinner before they ventured off. Making their way to the basement while she started the chicken and lasagna, the teens sprawled out on the couch and floor.

"I'm so glad this shit is over!" Dustin exclaimed from the couch with his arm lazily thrown around Max.

The couple had started dating last winter; at first, it seemed as if the two truly despised each other. In 8th and 9th grade, there was always tension and arguments between them. Whether it was trying to beat each other's arcade game scores or deciding on a Friday night movie, the interaction almost always ended in bickering.

Had Dustin listened to his beloved friend Steve Harrington's advice, he would've known it was the "electricity" causing this so-called rivalry. Eventually, the curly haired boy gave in and nervously asked Max out. At first, she played it off as if he was kidding and was going to use the embarrassing response of yes against her; but once she realized he was serious, she turned an uncharacteristic shade of pink and gave him a sweet smile he'd never seen before; kind of like the one she's giving him now.

"I know!" the red-head agrees, "I can't believe we're actually doing the road trip. Do you think we're gonna kill each other?" she chuckles.

Lucas nods immediately, "oh, absolutely."

"Shut up Lucas," Mike says playfully, "it'll be fine!" El gives him an apprehensive look and he catches it, "right El?"

Mike and Eleven have remained as strong as ever. Everyone at their high school knows it's as simple as that: Mike and El, El and Mike. Ever since they entered the small Indiana school, they'd been attached at the hip; holding hands in the hallway, sweet pecks on the cheek at lunch - they had a way of being affection that wasn't annoying high school PDA, it was just genuinely obvious they were showing their love for one another.

Her face pinches together while trying to give him a reassuring smile. "I think it'll be okay, for the most part," she says, wanting to have a slight grasp on reality. She knows the long car rides and hotel stays will have times of bickering and severe pillow fights.

"So, what's the itinerary again?" Will asks, making sure the plan is somewhat known. The last thing he wants is to be stranded on the dark roads of the Midwest. Mike takes out his crumpled notebook, a somewhat organized list written down in his messy handwriting.