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ONCE THE DUST had settled, and it was clear that everyone had survived and the immediate danger had passed, Ana did what she does best

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ONCE THE DUST had settled, and it was clear that everyone had survived and the immediate danger had passed, Ana did what she does best.

She ran.

She'd informed the school she would be taking the next few weeks off due to personal reasons. Left word with Flo that she would be heading out of town should anyone be looking for her, Ana wasn't brave enough to relay that message to Hopper herself, and she was gone.

Ana Thompson escaped to the comfort and familiarity of her family's home in Texas. She needed time to reflect on the mess her life had become, and if it was even worth the effort of saving.

Ana and her parents watched as reports of the Department of Energy's involvement in Hawkins flooded the news. They asked if she had been aware of the happenings about town and she'd feigned ignorance, which they readily believed. Their eldest child, the school teacher, would never have get herself wrapped up in some government conspiracy, or so they thought.

No one from Hawkins called to check on her during those weeks. No one reached out to see if she was okay. Life...just kind of moved on, and maybe it was time she moved on as well.

Her and Hopper were still broken up, and while she stubbornly refused to make life decisions solely based on a guy, it wasn't an unimportant factor. Perhaps she just felt like her time in Hawkins had ended, was simply ready to be done with the endless drama and chaos that seemed to exuded from the town like a noxious gas. Either way, she couldn't make that determination while still confined within the county, so the trip was a respite, a time to think, an opportunity to reach some kind of resolution.

Had it worked, the time away? She really wasn't sure, but when Ana finally made her gallant return to Hawkins, Indiana, it was the night of the Snow Ball Dance.

She had spent the better part of the day with Scott Clarke, preparing the gym with decorations and setting up refreshments, but hadn't run into any of the Demogorgon crew yet. Although, that eventuality was inevitable.

Nancy and Jonathan arrived at the dance first, intending to help with photo taking and drink pouring. They seemed surprised by Ana's sudden appearance back in their lives, but politely waved in greeting all the same.

One by one, Mike, Will, Lucas, and Max filed in after, sporting their best formal wear. The children each greeted Ana with a hug, saying how much they had missed her and how happy they were she was back. She'd missed them as well, and the realization made her determination waver on its already shaky structure.

Dustin was the last to arrive, and his new hair was a sight to behold. Clearly, he had been spending too much time around Harrington, given the heights his curls were suddenly reaching.

"Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper began playing through the speakers, and each of the students started pairing off to slow dance until just Mike and Dustin were left solo. Ana watched them awkwardly mill around from her spot behind the welcome table, feeling the secondhand embarrassment set in, remembering her own days of traumatizing school dances.

STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED_JIM HOPPERWhere stories live. Discover now