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EIGHT MONTHS HAD PASSED.

Eight months since the harrowing events at Starcourt Mall, and life in Hawkins had changed for everyone. Hazel, Ellie, Eleven, and the Byers had packed up and moved away, leaving behind the fractured remnants of their once-tight-knit group. Since then, the rest of them had been trying to scrape together some semblance of normalcy, but no matter how hard they tried, it was impossible. Nothing felt the same.

Eddie, who had once been a constant in their group when Hazel still lived in Hawkins, had drifted away, spending more and more time with his band. These days, they barely saw him, except for a few fleeting moments. It wasn't that he didn't care, but the chaos of Hawkins was something he seemed to have left behind, intentionally or not.

Meanwhile, Isadora still suffered from the nightmares of that terrible Fourth of July. Every night, her dreams replayed the events over and over, as vivid and horrifying as when they first happened. Laura's face haunted her most of all—the moment she had sacrificed herself to save Isadora was etched deeply into her mind. The nightmares made it impossible to forget, even though she led her friends to believe that she didn't remember much from that night. Of course, that was far from the truth. Isadora blamed herself for Laura's death, unable to shake the overwhelming guilt. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Laura's final moments, and the weight of that memory crushed her daily.

In contrast, it seemed as though Billy didn't remember anything from that night. Isadora had watched him closely, hoping for some sign that the trauma of the Starcourt battle had affected him, but Billy remained as easygoing and calm as ever, seemingly untouched by the horrors they had all faced. That small part of her, deep down, felt a simmering anger toward him. How could he just move on so easily? Why wasn't he plagued by nightmares like she was? Why did it feel like he was perfectly fine after everything?

"Shit," Isadora groaned under her breath. She blinked down at the spots of blood that had dripped onto the page in front of her. With a quick swipe of her sleeve, she wiped them away before reaching for a tissue to dab at her nose. It wasn't the first time this had happened recently. Nosebleeds had become almost routine, especially when she pushed herself too hard. As she shoved the tissue away, she adjusted her glasses and returned to her notebook, trying to focus on her work.

College had been a whirlwind since she started back in September. She had been accepted into a nursing program, which was a huge deal, but the workload was staggering. She spent countless hours studying, trying to juggle her dream of becoming a paediatric surgeon with the stress of exams and assignments. Today, however, the constant studying was taking its toll. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache that had been lingering since she woke up. Maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the lack of sleep, or maybe it was the nightmares that continued to steal her peace. Either way, she was struggling.

"Issi?" Billy's voice broke through her thoughts, startling her. He stood leaning against the doorway of the small study they had set up in the spare room after Isadora had been accepted to college. His arms were folded casually across his chest, and he was watching her with an easy smile.

Isadora hurriedly shoved the tissue and bloodied papers out of sight, not wanting him to see. She turned to face him, her expression immediately switching to one of mild irritation. She didn't want to deal with Billy's teasing or questions about her health. Not now.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly as he looked her over.

"I'm just frustrated," she muttered, trying to sound nonchalant. "This assignment is kicking my ass." It was easier to talk about her schoolwork than to admit the truth—that she hadn't slept well in weeks, that the headaches were getting worse, and that the nosebleeds were starting to freak her out.

Billy raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You? Little Miss Perfect, struggling with an assignment? Never thought I'd see the day."

Isadora rolled her eyes, groaning inwardly at the nickname that had stuck with her since high school. "Can you let go of the whole 'Little Miss Perfect' thing, please?" she grumbled, tossing her pen down beside her notepad.

Billy's smirk widened as he strolled over to her. He bent down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, his voice teasing as he replied, "Nope. You're always going to be Little Miss Perfect to me."

"I hate you," Isadora muttered, but there was no venom in her words. She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Hmm, no you don't," Billy retorted confidently, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Yeah, you're right," she admitted with a sigh. "I don't hate you."

Before Billy could say anything else, the front door slammed downstairs, and both of them froze. They exchanged a knowing look—there was only one person who would walk into their house this early in the morning without knocking.

"Steve," they both said in unison, chuckling.

Isadora quickly pushed her chair back and made her way downstairs, finding Steve standing in the living room with his hands on his hips, looking like an annoyed parent.

"Seriously? You're late again," Steve said, his voice filled with mock exasperation.

"Oh, crap. Just give us five minutes," Isadora called, turning on her heel and sprinting back upstairs.

Billy raised an eyebrow as she came racing back into their bedroom, grabbing her work uniform from the closet. "What's going on?"

"I forgot Steve was giving us both a lift to work today," Isadora explained breathlessly, tugging her pyjamas off and hurriedly pulling on her uniform. "And we're already late."

"Again?" Billy chuckled. "You know, Steve's going to stop offering rides if we keep this up."

Isadora flashed him a mischievous grin as she buttoned her shirt. "Well, then my plan is working perfectly."

Billy leaned against the doorframe, eyeing her curiously. "I'm scared to ask what that plan is."

Isadora paused mid-button and folded her arms across her chest, smirking at him. "You know, I can see you staring."

Billy's grin widened. "Wasn't exactly trying to hide it, Princess."

Rolling her eyes, she finished getting ready. Billy also went to get changed before they hurried downstairs, where Steve was waiting by the door, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Whatever it was you two were doing up there, I don't want to know. Robin's waiting for us in the car," Steve said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"We were just getting changed," Isadora retorted, shaking her head. "Kendra didn't come with you this morning?"

Steve shook his head. "No, she's already at work. They called her in early."

The three of them piled into Steve's car, Isadora and Billy squeezing into the backseat together.

"Hi, Robin," Isadora greeted her friend with a smile.

"Hey," Robin smiled back, glancing at both Isadora and Billy. Isadora had been surprised by how quickly Billy and Robin had become friends. In fact, she'd been even more surprised when Robin felt comfortable enough to come out to them, admitting her crush on Vicki, but Billy's supportive and encouraging reaction had warmed Isadora's heart. Their little group—Isadora, Billy, Steve, Robin, and Kendra—had become incredibly close over the past few months.

As Steve rambled on from the driver's seat about something Isadora wasn't quite paying attention to, she leaned forward and asked, "Steve, what exactly are you rambling on about?"

Steve glanced back at her, clearly annoyed. "Were you even listening?"

Isadora grinned teasingly. "Nope. Never do."

"Gee, thanks, Jones," Steve muttered, rolling his eyes. He turned to Robin. "See? She's mean to me."

"I'm right here!" Isadora laughed, playfully swatting at Steve's arm.

The playful banter continued as Steve drove, and Robin eventually began lamenting about the upcoming pep rally and her appearance that morning, but Isadora could tell the real reason Robin was anxious—it wasn't the rally, but Vicki. And Steve wasn't about to let her off the hook.

"You just gotta be yourself around her," Steve said, quoting advice Isadora had given him once before. Robin rolled her eyes, not buying into it.

They continued to rib each other all the way to work. When they finally pulled up to the clothing store where Isadora worked, she leaned over and kissed Billy.

"See you later. Love you," she said softly.

Billy grinned, his eyes twinkling as he kissed her back. "Love you too, Issi."

She waved to both him, Robin and Steve as she hopped out of the car, watching them drive away before heading inside. Another day in Hawkins, another attempt at normal life—if that was even possible anymore.

After clocking in at work, Isadora made her way to the staff room, dropping her bag into her locker with a sigh. Her head throbbed with a persistent ache that had been bothering her since the early morning. She fumbled in her pocket, pulling out a packet of Panadol and quickly swallowing two pills with a sip of water from her bottle. She closed her eyes for a moment, hoping the pain would subside soon. After a few deep breaths, she forced herself back into the rhythm of her day, heading out toward the register, where customers were already lining up.

As the familiar sounds of the store filled her ears—cash registers dinging, bags rustling, customers chatting—she settled into her work. For a while, the routine helped distract her from the lingering pain in her head, her hands moving automatically as she scanned items and smiled politely at each customer. The monotonous tasks kept her grounded, a small slice of normalcy amidst the chaos her life had become since the Starcourt Mall incident.

But then, from the corner of her eye, she noticed someone entering the store. A familiar face, one that brought a genuine smile to her lips—Beatrix Hargrove, Billy's twin sister, strode confidently toward her. Isadora immediately brightened as Beatrix approached.

"Hi, Issi!" Beatrix greeted her cheerfully, a smile lighting up her face as she reached the counter where Isadora stood.

"Hey, Bea! How's it going?" Isadora asked, leaning slightly on the counter as she greeted her with warmth.

"I'm good. Just wandering around downtown today. Needed to get out of the house," Beatrix replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She glanced around the store before focusing on Isadora again. "How about you?"

Isadora shrugged, rubbing her temples to ease the dull ache that still pulsed in her head. "I'm okay, just tired, really. I've been running on fumes lately. Not much sleep, plus the headache from hell."

Beatrix raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. "Headache? Why aren't you sleeping?"

Isadora rolled her eyes at Beatrix's suggestive tone, knowing where her mind had gone. "Not for the reasons you're thinking," she said with a smile. "It's school. Between studying for my classes, working late shifts, and life in general, I haven't had much time to sleep."

"Okay, okay, I believe you," Beatrix replied, throwing up her hands in mock surrender. "I don't need details."

Isadora chuckled softly, careful to keep her tone light, even as the weight of her nightly nightmares pressed heavily on her. She wasn't ready to talk about them—not even with Bea. Each night, her dreams dragged her back to that horrific evening at Starcourt, Laura's face etched in her mind, frozen in those final, harrowing moments. The guilt, the terror—it clung to her like a shadow, but Isadora buried it deep, determined to hold on to a semblance of normalcy, if only for Billy's sake. Yet it wasn't just Laura's memory haunting her anymore. Ever since their trip to California, she had been plagued by vivid flashbacks of the terrifying night with her ex-boyfriend, Kyle—a night that left her with a scar she could never erase.

As they continued talking, the shrill ring of the shop phone echoed through the store, interrupting Isadora mid-sentence.

"Sorry, Bea, I've got to take this," Isadora said, flashing Beatrix an apologetic smile.

"No problem. I'll catch up with you later!" Beatrix waved as she made her way toward the exit.

Isadora watched her go before answering the phone, leaning against the counter with a tired exhale. "Downtown Threads, this is Isadora."

"Isadora!" Dustin's enthusiastic voice came through the line.

"No," Isadora replied immediately, her voice laced with playful irritation.

Dustin huffed dramatically. "You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"I have a feeling I know exactly what you were going to ask," she shot back, a grin forming on her face despite herself. "But fine, humour me. What is it?"

"Do you want to join us for Hellfire tonight?" Dustin asked, hopeful as ever.

Isadora laughed softly, shaking her head. "Is that the club where you and your friends play that fantasy game?"

"Dungeons and Dragons," Dustin corrected with a slight edge in his voice. "And it's not just some fantasy game. It's—"

"I know, I know," Isadora interrupted, laughing. "I'm just surprised you're asking me and not Steve."

Dustin groaned on the other end of the line. "I did ask him, but apparently he has a date tonight that he absolutely refuses to reschedule. Can you believe that?"

"Wow, Steve with actual date plans," Isadora teased. "But sorry, Dustin. I've got plans tonight too."

"You're kidding!" Dustin groaned in frustration.

"Afraid not," Isadora said, glancing over to where her boss was keeping a watchful eye. "Look, I really need to get back to work, but good luck finding someone else for Hellfire tonight, okay? Talk later!"

She hung up quickly, stuffing her phone back into her pocket before Dustin could argue. Her boss shot her a stern look, and Isadora gave a sheepish smile before returning to the register.

The rest of her shift dragged on, her headache ebbing and flowing with the hours. By the time she finally clocked out, she was ready to collapse, but her mood lifted as she spotted Steve waiting outside the store. Billy and Kendra were already in the car, their familiar faces lighting up as they saw her approach.

"Hey! Your sister stopped by today," Isadora said as she slid into the backseat beside Billy.

"Bea?" Billy turned to her, curious. "How's she doing?"

"She seemed fine. I didn't get to talk to her much because I was working, but she looked good," Isadora replied, buckling her seatbelt. "Any news on Max?" she asked, her tone softening.

Billy's expression darkened slightly. He shook his head. "No. She doesn't really talk to me anymore."

Isadora's heart sank a little at the reminder of how strained Billy and Max's relationship had become. After everything that happened at Starcourt, Max had withdrawn, isolating herself from nearly everyone, including Billy. Isadora had tried reaching out to her a few times, but Max had been distant.

"I'll try talking to her," Isadora said softly, slipping her hand into Billy's and giving it a gentle squeeze. He smiled at her in gratitude, though the sadness in his eyes was hard to miss.

Steve pulled away from the curb, and they drove in comfortable silence toward his place. They were going to change before heading to the pep rally at Hawkins High. After the group had changed into more comfortable clothing for the evening, they headed back to the high school, and Isadora stepped out and looked around, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. It felt strange being back here, standing outside the school they had all graduated from.

"Feels weird, doesn't it?" she mused, glancing at Billy as they walked toward the school.

"Yeah," Billy agreed, his voice low. "I never thought we'd be back here."

When they arrived, the gym was already packed with students, parents, and alumni. The energy was palpable as they entered, the sound of excited chatter echoing off the walls. Isadora's eyes scanned the room until they landed on a familiar face—Nancy Wheeler, sitting near the front, furiously scribbling notes.

"Hi, Nance!" Isadora called, waving. Nancy looked up briefly, gave a quick wave back, and then returned to her notes, her expression focused.

As they found some empty seats in the bleachers, Isadora grinned. "You know, we might actually see Hawkins win a championship game tonight—right after you guys graduated," she teased, glancing at Steve and Billy.

Steve smirked. "Thanks for pointing that out, Issi."

"Glad I could help," she shot back playfully as they all sat down. The lights dimmed slightly as the pep rally officially kicked off.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the national anthem. Performing tonight, all the way from Nashville, our very own Tammy Thompson!" the announcer's voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

Isadora's eyes widened in disbelief as she exchanged looks with Billy, Steve, and Kendra. Steve shot a knowing look toward Robin, who was standing with the marching band.

As Tammy's off-key rendition of the anthem began, Isadora struggled not to laugh. Billy leaned over, whispering, "Couldn't they have picked someone who can actually sing?"

A girl sitting nearby chimed in, "Wow, she sounds amazing, doesn't she?"

Isadora and Steve exchanged horrified looks, and Isadora bit her lip to stop herself from bursting into laughter. Tammy's performance finally ended, and the crowd gave a polite, if slightly underwhelmed, applause.

Billy, who had been covering his ears during the song, slowly removed his hands. "Is it safe to uncover my ears now?"

Isadora laughed. "Yes, it's safe, Love."

Brenda, the girl from earlier, waved at Billy, but he was too distracted, talking to Steve to notice. Isadora shook her head, amused, and turned back to the game.

As the basketball game got underway, Isadora surprised herself by how invested she became. She cheered loudly when Hawkins scored, clapping enthusiastically alongside her friends.

"Since when do you care about basketball?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've always cared!" Isadora protested.

Billy snorted. "You used to sit in the back and read during games."

"Not every game," Isadora retorted, crossing her arms. "I did pay attention sometimes."

"Sure you did," Billy teased, flashing her a grin.

The game was intense, with both teams neck and neck as the final minutes ticked down. The entire gym held its breath as Lucas took the ball. With only seconds left, he made a daring move, and the ball sailed toward the hoop just as the buzzer sounded. It hit the rim, bounced off, and then—miraculously—fell through the net.

The gym exploded in cheers. Isadora leapt to her feet, cheering alongside Steve and Billy, who were hugging each other in excitement. She couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm, feeling a genuine sense of happiness as she caught Kendra's eye. They shared a knowing look, both of them amused by the boys' antics.

After the game ended, the group slowly made their way outside, still buzzing with excitement. As they reached the car, Robin joined them, and they all piled in for the ride home, chatting and laughing about the night's events.

Once Steve had dropped Robin off, he drove Isadora and Billy home. The evening had been filled with laughter and good memories, but as they waved goodbye to Steve and Kendra and entered their house, neither Isadora nor Billy could have predicted the life-changing events that were waiting for them—events that would turn their world upside down in ways they couldn't yet imagine.

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And we're here at season four, buckle up cause it's gonna be a wild ride.

Enjoy! Xo

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