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October 1, 1980

         A loud metal shrill echoed through the air, bringing Winnie Hopper back to reality. The 8th grader stood up quickly and left the classroom. It was Friday and school had just ended. She was determined to get out of there.

She didn't know why she always rushed to go home, seeing as her living situation was a piece of shit to say the least. The trailer beside the lake had been her home for two and a half months now, and she still didn't feel settled in.

Over the course of the year, Winnie's life had progressively gotten messier and messier. Her little sister died in the spring, her parents divorced in the summer, and she was forced to choose which parent to live with since both refused to share custody.

Always having been a daddy's girl, Winnie chose her father pretty easily. But when the pair moved to the man's hometown, and the fourteen year old got to see what her life would be, she started to question everything.

The town had nothing. Absolutely nothing. And she lived in a trailer. Two and a half months into their new life, and one month into the school year, Winnie still knew no one. Everyone knew she was the daughter of the brand new Chief of Police, but that didn't mean everyone wanted to be her friend.

So, for what felt like the thousandth time, Winnie walked out the doors of Hawkins Middle School, and began to bike away by herself. Taking a detour only briefly to pick up some snacks from Melvad's General Store.

The little bell chimed as the young girl walked inside. She made her way through several isles, scanning the shelves and considering her options. Eventually, she picked out a party size bag of Cheeto Puffs and a six pack of Coke.

She placed them on the conveyor belt next to the register and got ready to pay.

"Hey kiddo!" The sweet voice of Joyce Byers rung out.

So Winnie lied, she didn't have zero friends. Joyce Byers has been the one constant so far in this town. Every Friday, like clockwork, Joyce is at the cash register during Winnie's snack runs.

"Hi Mrs Byers," the girl replied. She watched the woman scan the items and bag them.

"Got any fun weekend plans?"

Winnie sighed, "Same as usual, ya know sit home alone, watch tv and stuff. Might try to clean up a bit though, get rid of the beer cans and cigarette stubs before a friend decides to come over."

The last bit was meant to be a joke but the bitterness that coated Winnie's voice showed how she really felt about it all. It wasn't directed at Joyce, of course. The woman was an angel. The girl's tone was directed at her father. Her always absent, always drinking, always sleeping, deadbeat father.

That's all he's been to her since they arrived in town two months previous.

Joyce frowned at Winnie's words, "Alright sweet pea, listen. My oldest son, Jonathan, is only one grade below you. I don't want to make you uncomfortable so it's up to you, but I think you should come to our house and meet him. To be honest, I think he needs a friend just as much as you do."

The Hopper girl was hesitant. She usually wasn't shy, but showing up to a random kids house unannounced was still an awkward situation. However, she weighed her options.

She could go home and sit alone while waiting for her dad to get back, who probably would crash immediately after walking through the door, beer can in hand.

Or she could go hang out at Joyce Byers house, possibly eat some real food, and maybe make a friend.

Winnie realized there was no competition.

So, when Joyce's shift ended, the girl climbed into the passenger's seat and they headed to the Byers residence.

And that became their new tradition. Every Friday like clockwork, Winnie would be at the Byers' house.

She bonded with Jonathan and Will too, the brothers quickly grew a liking to her, and they treated her like she belonged.

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Fridays turned into full weekends as Winnie liked not being stuck in a trailer all the time.

Weekends turned into everyday. Jonathan and Winnie would bike to the boy's house after school and the girl would stay for hours.

Everyday turned into all the time. Sleepovers on school nights became a reoccurring event.

By the end of the school year, Joyce had decided to turn Lonnie's old home office into a bedroom for the Hopper girl. It was small, a little cramped, but it meant no more kicking Jonathan out of his room. And it was a better use for it then collecting dust ever since the man left.

And for the next 3 years, Jim Hopper would become a stranger to his daughter. He let it happen, because from afar, he thought she looked happier.

Winnie had become more of a Byers than a Hopper, and that's what the police chief thought she wanted. She belonged with them. And she stayed until she felt she couldn't anymore

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