OUR STORY BEGINS HERE, as young Mariella DeGray pedalled her bike from her house on Loch Nora to the Wheelers residence on Maple Street on the cold autumn's day of November 6th, 1983.

The wind whistles as she pushed her way through it. Hair whipping back while she hums a soft tune to herself. She knew the boys were late into their campaign, they began at 10 in the morning after all. It was around 5PM when she left her house.

Shaking her head at the boys dedication to such a silly game, she pulled to a stop in front of the familiar scene of the Wheeler's. The garage door propped up a little bit. She smiles, knowing that they left it open for her when they received the phone call from her confirming that she would be there in about 20 minutes.

Entering the garage and putting her bike to the side, she opens the door into the house which was left unlocked. As usual.

"Mariella, is that you?" Mrs. Wheeler's voice calls from the kitchen.

"Yes, Mrs. Wheeler! It's me," Mariella responds, untying her white Converse and adjusting her high socks before walking to the kitchen.

Upon entering, Karen turns her attention away from the dishes she was washing.

"There's Mariella! The boys were missing you," She chuckles while smiling at the young DeGray girl.

Mariella smiles back while walking towards the woman and standing next to her, leaning into the counter.

"Yeah, I know. Michael kept calling me while I did my chores!" Mariella chuckles, finger-combing a bit of her tangled hair. Recalling the multiple phone calls from her boys whining and begging her to come.

"Well, they're in the basement — we ordered some pizza earlier so it'll be here in a few. Always here to chat if you get tired of their shouting," Karen laughs, putting down the dish and drying her hands.

"Alrighty, thank you! I'll probably take you up on that offer, by the way!" Mariella nods before going down the stairs to the basement.

As she descended down the stairs, she heard the crude shouts from her boys. She giggled lightly as she got the last step. Her presence going unnoticed.

Shaking her head, she makes her way to the table, behind Will. Catching all but his attention. The other smirk and watch as she smacks Will on his back, followed by "Boo!". She shouts out from behind him, causing him to jump from surprise.

"Mars!" He yelps, turning to look at her. He smiles.

"Our timid gem!" Lucas cheers while tossing a piece of popcorn into the girl's hair. She rolls her eyes before picking it out.

"Look who decided to show up," Dustin jokes, smiling cheekily at the girl as Mike pulls up a chair for her. He puts it in between him and Lucas. She sits down.

"So, what's going on?" She asks while staring down at the board. Despite being friends for two years now, she still hasn't learned how to play. One, she wasn't very up for it. Two, she actually enjoyed watching them play. After all, she was always an observer. Sometimes, she'd whisper ideas for the adventure into Mike's ear with a grin.

♧

Time lulled and at this point, the boys were still excitedly playing. Mariella had retired to laying her head on an open spot on the table. She began to fall asleep about an hour ago.

"BOOM!" A shout and the rattle of the table caused her to jerk her head up in shock. She looks at what Mike is holding and sees the Demogorgen figure in his hand and she sleepily rubs her eyes, watching as Mike narrates.

Mike lowers his voice softly. "That came from something else. The Demogorgen!" He slams the figure onto the table. The boys erupt into groans.

"We're in deep shit!" Dustin throws his hand up while Mike shouts out, "Will, your action!".

"I don't know!"

"Fireball him!"

"I'd have to roll a thirteen or higher!" The boys begin to bicker and try to weigh out options before Mike shouts out and frenzy erupted between the boys. Will throws the dice and shouts out fireball.

Frantic, the boys begin searching for the dice which clattered to the floor and Mike is called up by his mom. Mars still with her head to the table, hearing the clamour the boys are making underneath as they crawled on the floor in search for their precious dice.

"Oh! I got it!" Will shouts out happily. Lucas and Dustin run to him.

"It was a seven? Did Mike see it?" Lucas asks which Will respond with a shame of the head.

"Then it doesn't count!" Lucas hisses while they begin putting their jackets on, Lucas pulling a piece of Mariella's hair to signal her to get up.

Once ready, Will, Lucas, and Mariella find themselves on the staircase ready to go up.

"Hey, guys! Does anyone want this?" Dustin asks while open up a nearly empty pizza box. Only to be met with 'no' in unison from the three who already began up the stairs.

Mariella bustled passed the kitchen and slips on her Converse, tying them round her ankles and back to the front. The boys doing the same.

They stood in the garage and Dustin exits the house, grumbling while eating the slice of pizza he offered.

"There something wrong with your sister!" He says to Mike, walking over to his bike.

"What are you talking about?" Mike scrunchies his brows, in both confusion and annoyance.

"She's got a stick up her ass," Dustin explains, mounting his bike.

"Yeah. It's because she's been dating that douchebag Steve Harrington." Lucas buds in while turning on his bike light.

"Yeah, she's turning into a real jerk!" Dustin shakes his head.

"She's always been a real jerk!" Mike argues.

"Maybe she just doesn't like annoying little boys!" Mariella chimes in, with a smirk.

"Shut up, Ella!" Lucas rolls his eyes, kicking her bike wheel.

"She used to be cool," Dustin says whild beginning to bike off.

"Like that time she dressed up as an elf for our Elder tree campaign," Dustin adds as his bike picks up speed.

"Four years ago!" Mike shouts after Dustin.

"Just sayin'!" Dustin comments he takes off completely. With Lucas not far behind bidding them goodbye with a 'later'.

Leaving, Mariella and Will with Mike.

"It was a seven." Will turns to Mike while Mariella fixed her light which was flickering.

"Huh?" Mike asks.

"The roll, it was a seven. The Demogorgen, it got me. See you tomorrow!" Will finished before biking off to catch up with Dustin.

Mike then turns to Mariella, who still fiddled with her flickering light.

"Your light almost burnt out?" He questions, walking over to the girl.

"Yeah. Nearly. Hopefully, it doesn't burn out in the way home though," She shrugs before giving him a smile.

"See you tomorrow, then?" She asks, tilting her head.

"You better bet on it," Mike smiles before clapping her on the back.

And, now. Well, here's where the story really begins.