After the interaction between Corina and Billy, Mary had gone out into the car-park, searching for her boyfriends car. But just like all morning, it wasn't there. Meaning he hadn't shown up for school and Mary found herself growing worried. But she were sure if anything had happened Gillian would have been in touch with her one way or another.

      And so, she sat inside her own car for a while during lunch, smoking and calming down before she returned to the hellhole some called school — which she dreaded.

      And she had every right to dread it, because during her last class when she was trying to leave school like she always did at 2:45 on a Tuesday, Mr Davidson decided to stop her in the hall and take her into his classroom; inches from the exit.

     "But Mr Davidson, I swear I am trying super hard. I've been going over the textbooks every night and I —"

      Mary's chemistry teacher held his slender hand up, silencing her next words and she pursed her lips together, "Miss Hopper, I understand that you're trying but frankly it's not enough to pass my class — maybe you should invest in a touter, Nancy Wheeler maybe?" Mary's lips opened and closed, trying to find words.

       "I don't need a tutor, I'll get the hang of it I promise — and Nancy is in the year below me, I'm a senior. I'll look like a complete idiot if I take on a younger tutor." She argued, gesturing with her hands; Mary might not have wanted to be the Queen of Hawkins anymore, but she'd be damned if she took on a younger tutor and let the whole school think she was stupid.

      Mr Davidson sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Miss Hopper, I hope you understand that you need to get higher than a C in order to pass my class. If not, I may have to have a word with your father about having you in extra circular classes." Mary stared at him, her jaw falling loose before she threw her hand up.

       "You can't do that! I'm already busy with helping out with my dad down at the station, I don't have time for clubs —"

        "Mary —"

       "With all due respect, sir. I don't see how chemistry is all that important to what I want to do with my life. I want to be a cop, not a chemistry teacher. Quite frankly this whole thing is bullshit —"

        "Miss Hopper!"

       Mary wasn't done, her face was practically turning red from frustration, "Call my father all you want, Mr Davidson. But passing chemistry won't get me very far in real life, so thank you for the advice, but I don't really need it." With that, Mary grabbed her books and began storming out of the classroom but Mr Davidson followed her into the crowed hallways.

       "That's detention! Detention for you all week, Miss Hopper!" He yelled after her as she stormed away with a scowl, her long legs taking her at a fast pace.

      "Whatever, dickhead!" She yelled back at him without doing so much as glancing over her shoulder, how ever she did stick him the middle finger which had the elder man's jaw dropping from Mary's crude behaviour he hadn't witnessed much over the past year since her attitude had peaked; she had been easier to handle.

        "Oh, Mary Hopper. Looks like the badass side of you is still in there somewhere." The voice of Tommy H had Mary rolling her eyes so hard she thought they may get stuck in the back of her head — she also didn't have to look to know that Carol was with him with her even bigger hair than last year; they still hung out even after breaking up a few months ago.

         "Why don't you's both do me a favour and piss off." She told them flatly, brushing them off as she walked ahead of them, however they just smiled in amusement and Carol chewed even louder on her gum.

        "Ah, so she treats everyone with such pleasantness." Mary paused in her quick walking to turn her head, catching the eyes of Billy Hargrove who was resting against a locker with a cigarette between his lips, his blue shirt half buttoned with a coy smirk.

       Mary sighed, jutting one of her hips out as she held her books to her chest, "Ah," She copied with a bitter smile, "Of course you're hanging out with these guys. Tools do usually tend to stick in the toolbox with each other." She said, glaring amongst the two who used to be her friends and the new guy at school who's interest in her was beginning to get infuriating.

       Carol chewed loudly on her gum as she folded her arms at her chest, "You used to be a part of that toolbox if I remember correctly — in fact, actually, you were the leader, remember? Before you ditched us." She reminded the brunette with a bitter glare who turned to her, smiling falsely.

      "Of course, how could I forget."

      Billy pushed himself away from the locker, stubbing out his cigarette out on it. He advanced towards Mary, "You were the Queen of this school, right? What changed?" He asked her, his voice dripping with curiosity and Mary looked up at him, tipping her head black slightly — lucky, he wasn't much taller than her.

      "It's this life changing thing called growing up," She told him, making the boy scoff as Carol rolled her eyes. Mary offered a false smile, "You'd understand if you's actually pulled your head out of your asses and tried to be nice —"

        "Nice?" Carol laughed, pausing her irritating chewing for a moment. She stepped closer to Mary who looked her up and down with judging eyes, "So what, you cut your hair, get a new attitude and suddenly you're the nicest bitch in town?" She asked her bitterly.

      Mary tipped her head back, chuckling to herself as Billy leaned against the locker beside her, "Wow, you've really got me all figured out, Carol, well done. Maybe Billy will give you a big kiss on the lips," She teased, stepping closer to the girl. Billy snorted, "I'm sure Tommy wouldn't mind."

     Her gaze briefly met Tommy's who was glaring at her heatedly, however she just simply smiled. Carol's nostrils flared, "Screw you, Mary. You can say you're too good to hang around with us anymore but you're still the same slutty little bitch you've always been." Carol's words were supposed to be an insult; but they barely phased Mary, she had been called worse.

      She reached into her back pocket, pulling out her lighter and cigarette packet. She plucked one and popped it between her lips before cocking her head and lighting the end. She inhaled deeply whilst Carol glared at her, silently fuming whilst Billy grinned ear to ear — yes he had grown more interested in Corina Hayes, the gorgeous red head. But he thought no one did bad quite like Mary Hopper.

      Mary exhaled onto Carol's face. She smiled, "Thank god for that." She brushed by Carol, banging her shoulder and the girl let out an 'ugh!' noise as Mary left her behind — as did Billy, who jogged after her.

      She walked towards the exit in fast strides, puffing on her cigarette as the boy caught up with her. He laughed more to himself, "Nice huh? Something tells me you ain't so nice, Hopper." He said from behind her as she pushed through the first set of doors to the exit; only a few more steps to go until she would be free.

      But his words made her stop dead in her tracks and spin to face him, almost making him crash into her chest. She plucked the smoke from her lips, "Billy, I swear to god, if I hear your antagonising stupid little voice one more time then I promise, I will burn you with this." She held up the cigarette after her threat, her eyes on his.

     Billy grinned, tilting his head, "No need for that, Hopper — only trying to make a friend." He told her in his usual coy voice and she tipped her head back, narrowing her eyes at him and settling one hand on her hip.

      "I don't want to be your friend. In fact, I don't even want to be within a five foot radius of you." She hissed up at him, however, the boy simply smirked.

      He lowered his face to hers. His eyes half shut, focused on her hers and she blinked back. He licked his lips, picking the cigarette from her hand whilst holding eye contact, "You're already within a foot of me, what's so bad about it, Hopper? You worried temptation will take over?" He whispered, making her chest heave up and down in frustration.

      Teenagers that moved to the exit turned and went the other way, seeing that two of the most popular people in school seemed to be having a heated moment, "Temptation? What're you even talking about, dickhead? The only temptation I have is to smack you!" She yelled in his face before turning her back and storming out the doors and down the stairs to her car.

     Billy walked out after her, now smoking her cigarette, "I'll see you at the party tonight!" He called after her, gesturing with the smoke, a lazy smirk on his face. Mary didn't even glance back as she shot him the bird.

     The drive to the station had been fast, so fast actually she hadn't even finished smoking the new cigarette she lit up. However upon arriving, she tossed the remainder out the car window.

      She was slightly pissed to say the least — she wished the likes of Tommy, Carol and Billy would just leave her alone. All she wanted was to stay away from their influences, because she was once them and going back to that scared the hell out of her; she didn't want to become the person that didn't get along with her own father again.

       She stepped out of her car, shaking her head and trying to rid herself of the thoughts taking over her mind — about the idea of being the old thrill seeker she once was. Which yes, she did miss, but the people involved in it were assholes she'd rather never befriend again.

       Upon walking closer to the station, she was suddenly hit by a strong sickening smell and she scrunched her face up in disgust, "Shit." She hissed under her breath at the smell, putting her hand over her mouth as she moved closer to the truck it was coming from.

      She picked up the sheet covering what she thought could only be the likes of a dead body but was surprised to see instead, it was over a dozen mouldy pumpkins with flies buzzing around them.

     She put the sheet back down, her face still screwed up hilariously as her father now came down the steps towards his own truck. Upon noticing her he tossed the keys to the truck, "Ah, good you're here." She caught the keys and stared at him in confusion.

      She noticed David Roth behind him — who the truck she stood by belonged to, "Drive my truck behind us. We're going to a few of the farms that Dave thinks has been poisoned by Merrill." He explained as he walked towards her and she screwed her face up further.

         She looked at Dave as he got into the drivers seat of his truck that reeked of rotten pumpkins, "Merrill? You think nice old Merrill went and — wait, hold the phone! I get to drive the car?!" She was bouncing with excitement now, making Jim roll his eyes playfully as he got into the passenger side of Dave's truck.

       She let out a thrilled squeal before she tried to cover it up by straightening out her face. But still, she couldn't help but beam brightly at her dad through the window, "Thanks dad — this is pretty neat." She then ran around the Chief's truck and hopped in, sticking the keys into the ignition.

        She had watched her father rev the engine many of times and knew it took a few turns to get it going. The police department didn't want to splash out for a new 'chiefmobile' as Callahan called it — but still, Mary couldn't wait to drive it.

       "Come on, baby. Be good to me." She spoke to the truck, caressing the wheel in one hand as she turned the ignition a few times before finally the sound of the engine roaring had her beaming brightly — a full toothy pretty smile.

      She fist pumped the air, too caught up in the moment to realise that Dave and her father were already driving down the street. But after glancing in the rear view mirror, her jaw dropped and she quickly reversed, "Shit! I'm coming!"

                            ———

      Mary's face was screwed up in utter disgust, her thick brows pulled together, hair now tied back and lips pursed. She had drove around two of the farms, following close at her father's side as he inspected the damage.

      They were at the Millers Farm — which Mary hadn't been to since she were a little girl. Her mother used to take her and Sarah to their little market to pick pumpkins for Halloween; Diane would then bake a pumpkin pie just in time for Jim to return home after a days work to take the girls out trick or treating.

     But the farm looked nothing like what if once had. The roots were rotted, pumpkins had turned an awful sickening green and flies buzzed all over what was once a beautiful field. In a way, she supposed what happened at the farm was the same as what had happened to her family; it had slowly withered away.

     Mary looked over at her father from across the way, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Dad, what the hell is all of this?" She called over at him, not understanding how more than the one farm could look that way.

       Jim screwed his face up, "I have no idea," He told her, making the girl frown. He turned and walked up to her, pulling off his latex gloves, "But it's getting late so you should get going — you have that party you've been looking forward to all month to get to." He reminded her, but still the state of the farms were bugging her.

       "You sure? Cause I can stay and help out a while longer, I haven't even heard from Charlie all day anyway so —"

       Jim held up his hand, silencing her, "Your friends are going, right?" She nodded, "Then that's enough for you to have a good time. Go, have fun, these farms aren't going anywhere." She stared up at him, contemplating it; truthfully she was reconsidering going after her run in with Carol, Tommy and Billy.

      The look on her fathers face made her stop pondering and she sighed, "Alright! I suppose I do really need to start getting ready," She smiled at her father who smiled back, "I think I might stay at Steve's afterwards, so don't worry if I'm not home." She told him and her father nodded.

      He ruffled her hair, "Have a god time, kiddo!"

                            ———

      Ya'll, it's gonna start kicking off soon! All these chapters have pretty much been fillers? So hopefully it should get good within the next few!