Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 32: New Job

Saturday morning, Mia was up and dressed before the rest of the family was awake, even Georgie and that kid rose with the sun. She wore her nicest dress and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. She needed to look as presentable as possible.

While making a quick breakfast, Bill, dressed in boxers and a t-shirt, comes down the stairs. He's stunned that his cousin is not only awake but looking like she's going to an office job.

"W-Where are you going?" he asks, grabbing juice from the fridge.

Mia leans against the counter wolfing down cereal and takes a swig of juice before answering.

"Job Interview," she answers.

"Where?" he asks.

Mia holds out the flier that she'd picked up last weekend and continues to eat while Bill reads it over.

"Y-You want to tutor someone?"

"It's way better paycheck than what I'd get for pumping gas at the station or stocking shelves at the supermarket."

"What about getting a job at the mall?"

"Thought about it, but honestly I'd rather do something I'll enjoy than something that would make me wish I was dead for no money at all."

Bill looks at her in confusion.

"The job market is not exactly promising when you're a teenager, remember that," she says before dumping the bowl in the sink. "Anyways, I gotta go... gonna be late."

She goes for the car keys, which she had permission from her aunt and uncle to use as biking in a dress is far from a good idea.

"Isn't J-Jim Hopper the sheriff?"

"Yep, anyways see ya," she says before going out the door.

...

It takes at least 20 minutes to find this "place of residence." While Mia could have gone to the station and interviewed there, something just didn't feel right to be asked questions by the police in their place of work. It could ruin her reputation. She'd actually returned to talk to Mrs. Byers again and found out Jim Hopper's address and the nice woman even drew directions on how to get there.

As she pulls up on this wooden cabin, which looked completely run down and dilapidated, she can't help but wonder why the sheriff of Hawkins would choose to live out here. To get away from the people? To avoid people, especially crooks, finding out where he lived and bothering him? Guess that could check out.

She checks her hair in the rear-view mirror before stepping out.

...

Meanwhile, Eleven heard the car pull up and went to her bedroom window to look. It was some strange lady and fortunately, she didn't look like someone from the lab. She looked to be about Nancy or Johnathan's age, but that could still mean that they were bad.

She hops off her bed and goes to find Hopper, who is sipping coffee and putting Eggos in the toaster for her.

"Papa," she says.

"What's up?"

"There's someone here."

"This early in the morning. Damn solicitors..." he grumbles. He was glad he was licensed to carry a firearm, ready to scare them off... or maybe he should buy and hose and have fun that way.

"It's a girl," Eleven adds.

"Well then, if it's girl scouts I'll buy us some cookies," he says, heading to the door with his mug still in hand.