SARA HOPPER WALKED THROUGH HER HIGH SCHOOL DOORS. The lyrics of Bowie's Rebel Rebel sung through her ears as she skipped through the busy corridor. Her art books were safely tucked in her arms, walkman hanging loosely in her fingertips. The chord of her headphones was curled dangerously around her neck. She'd become accustomed to the bustle of the crowds, though they made have made her nervous before. She passed Tommy and Carol, the latter whose eyes dragged down her as if unimpressed by what she saw. Sara just gave them no attention, dark jacket draping over her shoulders. She was wearing a yellow skirt again.

"Miss Hopper—headphones out!" Ms Gerald exclaimed. Sar ignored her, walking past with her books safely tucked in her arms. "Miss Hopper!" The girl just picked up her pace until she was jogging down the hall and slipping between the crowd before the teacher could catch her.

She strolled casually to her locker, a slight spring in her step. People gaze her quick glances as she passed, eyeing her outfit and the headphones she had over her ears. Sara supposed she was what people called 'alternative'. Not weird, but a bit eccentric and different from the popular pretty jerks who ran the school. At some point she'd stopped giving a crap. She slowed as she reached her locker, unlocking it quickly and dumping her things inside. The girl had been lucky enough to sport a locker right beside an empty one, which meant she had no annoying shoulders to hit her in the breaks beneath each period. She shoved her backpack in and pulled a jar of her best paintbrushes from one of the shelves. Her things balanced in her arms as she kept her walkman playing.

Rebel, rebel, you've torn your dress.

Rebel, rebel, your face is a mess.

Sara pulled off her headphones as she spotted a familiar tall brunet grabbing his books out of his locker. She took a running leap onto his back, pulling her arms loosely around his neck. "Steve!" The teenagers making their way down the corridor gave the two an odd look. She slid off his back with a laugh and heard him chuckling too. Steve turned around, pulling off his sunglasses. "Why do you wear those inside?" she accused. He just shrugged and slipped them so they were sitting on his hair. She snatched them off his head as he let out an 'oi!' and put them on her face. "I think they looked better on me." Steve raised his eyebrows and ran a hand through his hair. They were too large on her face, slipping down her nose and getting caught in her long blonde hair, but she looked kind of adorable in them. Her fingers reached up to adjust them, pulling a strand of her hair out against her neck. "Nice, right?"

He just shook his head with the breath of a laugh. She turned her head as she spotted their two friends. Nancy and Jonathan strolled down the hall, books in hand, the two chatting as they walked against the stream of people. Nancy Wheeler was the epitome of beauty. Her hair was cut short, framing her sharp jaw. Sara would be lying if she said she wasn't the slightest bit jealous. The girl flashed them a smile as they approached and Sar squinted her blue eyes through the sunnies. "Hey, Nance, don't you think I look better in Steve's glasses?"

Nancy just nodded with a coy smile as she came to stand at her boyfriend's side, the latter who drew his arm around her. "Definitely." Sara raised a soft eyebrow at the pair. There was a smile on her face. She'd become accustomed to the couple's antics, though occasionally Sar felt spikes of annoyance at their actions, despite loving the both of them. She couldn't be quite sure why.

Sara pulled the sunglasses off and handed them back to Steve, who had a grin on his face. "Get me a pair of those for my birthday," she told him, pointing. He just huffed a laugh and put them back on his head. "I'm serious!" Nancy joined in on the pestering. Jonathan just stopped to smile.

He had a camera strung around his neck, the one which Steve had gotten him. He still stood with his shoulders raised and head lowered, as if he was afraid someone might hit him—it had taken a lot of convincing from Sar to even get him to hang out with Steve for that very reason. But he'd loosened up a lot around them, Sara and Nancy especially. The four of them made an odd group: the former King and Princess of Hawkins; the loner photographer; and the girl who had mysteriously turned up after being 'dead' for over 10 years. No doubt the rest of the school thought they were a mismatched group, and Sar didn't doubt that they were. But she wouldn't trade her friends for anyone, and she doubted they would either.

"Sar, you got art now?" Jonathan was looking over at her, an eyebrow raised. She had his photography folder tucked in his arm.

She nodded to him. "Yeah." The photography room was on the way to the art block, which was a separate set of rooms across the courtyard. "I'll walk you," she joked, adjusting her things in her arms.

Having Jonathan in their school was great. While Sara couldn't know what it was like not having him at school beforehand, she could tell it was different for him to be included into a group. She could tell that Jonathan appreciated it. Whenever he tried to shy away from the group, obviously feeling like he wasn't fitting in, she'd grab his hand and pull him right back in. He just couldn't quite make an escape.

She turned back to the couple, long hair falling around her shoulders. "See you in Chem?" she asked Nance. "And you," she pointed a finger at Steve from where they were clutching her books, "in English Lit." They both nodded to her as she and Jonathan walked off. Some of the kids gave them looks as they passed. They didn't mind Sar so much, but Jonathan was kind of known as the school loser. She just smiled at them confidently and bumped her shoulder with Jonathan's when he looked down. Tommy H stuck out his leg to trip her and she jumped over it nimbly, just sticking up her middle finger as he was left behind them.

"Miss Hopper!"

Sara thought about if Steve or Nancy knew about his harassing, and how they'd both have his liver on a stick. She smiled at the thought. Sara wasn't particularly worried though. If Tommy ever tried to back her up against a wall she'd remind him how she broke his nose.

Jonathan looked over at her as they exited the building, wind blowing through her long hair. "How's your art going?" he asked her.

"Good," Sara said, nodding. "We're mostly just doing sketch work at the moment. I think I know what I'm going to make for my final project though." She shrugged, almost dropping her expensive brushes. "Probably something representing the kids of the lab. Y'know. Or the night sky. I've always loved the night sky." She made a face. "It's probably definitely going to be a painting." Jonathan just snickered at her indecisiveness. She gave him a playfully annoyed look and nudged him with her shoulder.

Sar felt her heart thrum in her chest as a limber dark-skinned girl rounded the corner, curly hair bouncing around her head. Her dark eyes regarded Sar as she passed, and the girl couldn't help but watch after her. Jonathan noticed her staring. "Okay?" Jonathan asked her.

She watched as the girl walked down the path with her group of friends, black jacket and skirt wrapped around her figure. She'd looked so much like someone she'd known once-upon-a-time. Her throat felt dry and she knew her fingers were digging into the skin of her wrists. Sara loosened her grip. She nodded slowly. "Okay."

When in her art class, Sara went straight to her private space. There were some decorations hanging from the ceiling and a collection of her favourite music sitting waiting on her table. She ignored them, pushing them to the side. Sara crossed her legs over each other as she sat at her desk, painting a young girl with a mass of brown curly hair and light caramel eyes that stared through the page. She was wearing a brown jacket.

Eleven had turned up on her doorstep on the 13th of February 1984. Well, she hadn't turned up alone. Sara's father's hand had been on El's shoulder, the younger girl tiny against his large frame. The girl was shivering, covered in flakes of snow. She had a few layers of jackets over her shoulders, a warm hat on, and the poor thing had nothing covering the skin between her knees and ankles. Her lips were trembling.

"We've got a guest," Hopper had told them.

Sara had lunged forward, pulling the girl into the warmth of the house with strong arms, snow falling from her clothes. She had one of her hands on the back of the girl's head as they hugged, face tucked into her short hair. She sniffed. "Oh, God, El," she had said. "Oh, God, you're alive." She'd probably cried. James had lifted the girl into the air and Katie had laughed with excitement.

She hadn't been living by the lake with them. It was too dangerous, Hopper had insisted. She'd take the house in the woods. And if the kids were careful they could go see her after school, and James whenever he pleased. They spent a lot of their free time with the girl. Sar brought over her art homework, James sat in there all day to bring over VHS tapes and music he thought she'd enjoy, and Katie did her English homework with her, teaching Eleven new words every time.

There seemed to be a new edition to the Hopper family.

Sara thought about it later after school as she sat on the hood of her blue car — something which she had been saving for since Christmas. She had her books on her lap as she flicked idly through the pages of her Maths homework.

Her gaze came up as she heard soft footsteps, landing on the young boy in front of her. "Hey, Will," Sara said. The boy was bouncing on his feet. Jonathan stayed late at class twice a week, so Sar had been given the job of taking Will home. It was a delight, really. She loved the boy.

He grinned up at her. "Hi." He'd gotten much healthier in the past months, was no longer hauntingly skinny or as pale as he had been the first time she'd saw him. He still had those bags under his eyes, and constantly looked on edge, but it was only natural. Sar was still on edge after the lab. She saw scientists everywhere she looked, especially now she was living back in Hawkins.

Sara smiled at him, swinging open the door of her car. She popped her bubblegum and waved eagerly at the other three kids. They had their bikes by the handles, grinning widely back at her, Dustin most of all. The girl threw her books in the backseat as Will slipped in beside her. His tiny body seemed swarmed in her leather seats, backpack resting on his legs. She made sure he had his seatbelt on before she reversed from the parking lot. "How was your day?" she asked him.

Will put his bag down by his feet. "It was good. Mr Clarke taught us more about the human brain. It's really interesting!"

Sara hummed in agreement. "Kids bothering you?" she asked as they pulled out onto the main road.

Will shrugged. "They still call me Zombie Boy."

"They're still calling you that?" she huffed. "Want me to come scare them for you?" No doubt word had gotten out in both high and middle school that Sara had punched Tommy H. in the face. People tended to avoid her if she had a fight to pick with them.

Will shook his head slowly. "It's alright. It's better now, I think." Sara hummed as she glanced back up at the road.

The silence seemed to cut through them. Sara found she didn't like the silence anymore. It left too many unanswered questions and holes that seemed to look right through her. It had been much better before. She leant forward and pressed a button to turn the car's tape player on. "You get free reign over the music," Sar said, gesturing to the radio. "Got some tapes in here." She pulled down the drawer just above her knees. "Or you can find a station. Don't mind." Will nodded at her and pulled out one of the tapes. It was a Bowie one—Sara knew he was Will's favourite and made sure to stock up on his music whenever she was due to take him around. "Bowie, good choice," she said, as if he hadn't chosen it the last fifteen trips. He just grinned at her sheepishly and she ruffled a hand through his hair.

When they arrived at the Byers' house, Sara walked Will up to the door, as always. It was cold this time of year, and she adjusted Will's jacket when she saw it was slipping down his shoulders. They paused at his door for a moment. "You okay for now, buddy? Don't need me getting you dinner or anything?"

Will smiled up at her. "No, that's okay. Thanks for taking me home again, Sara." She just gave him a short smile.

"No problem, kid. You call me if there's any problems, okay? Any nightmares and I'll fix them right away, alright?" She ruffled his hair again as he grinned and shied inside. She stood on the doorstep for a few moments. The lights on the house turned on, and nothing flickered. A wind blew through her hair.

She'd never quite understood the protection Lune had felt towards her until she'd met Will. Sure, she loved Katie with all her life and would die for her just as quickly, but there was something about the vulnerability in the boy that made her want to throw anybody who threatened him across the room. Maybe it was something about the boy's innocence; the fact she was the only one he could talk to while in the Upside Down; maybe his panic and fear of every little thing, that reminded him vaguely of her.

She had cornered a eighth-grader by his locker after she'd gotten an 'anonymous' tip about the kid who'd been harassing Will. She wasn't a naturally scary girl, but her temper wasn't something anyone wanted to get in the way of. Her gaze on it own was terrifying, not to mention when she crossed her arms and stared the kid down in silence. When she'd finally spoken to him about the issue he'd already known it was about, her voice was low and cold. The bully had been caged against his locker, only reaching her shoulder as he nodded quickly. She'd been ten minutes late to her English class, but didn't regret a thing. When Will asked her what the reason for the bully avoiding him at all costs, Sara had just shrugged and continued with her homework. Now, as she slipped back in her car, and she looked back towards the house a second time to make sure Will was alright — she realised how Lune might have felt when she saw Sar so broken.

She ignored the jump of panic that spiked in her chest when a streetlight flickered above, and drove down the street.

•°•☆•°•

Aw responsible mom Sar! Honestly she and Steve are the best babysitters just look at them. Also Sar thinking she sees Lune everywhere in other girls makes me so sad? Like why can't my baby just be happy??? I listened to M83's Outro and Wait while writing this and I think the emotions seeped into it. 

I can't believe it's part two already! I promise in this second part Steve and Sara are a lot more affectionate than in the first book, cause they're much closer. Romance is coming, okay! Also aw Sar still suffers from trauma from her past and even with all the crap last year.

I'm sorry this has taken so long to come out! I've been absolutely bogged with school work lately and have been trying to write as much of the story as possible before I uploaded the first chapter. Thank you for sticking with me! Hopefully the next update of this will be on Monday, as Monday & Thursday is my usual updating routine, but as I'm very busy with school at the moment the schedule might have to be pushed back, so please be understanding! I absolutely love all of you readers so much!!

Right so while I've been procrastinating this book, I've written a character book that you might want to check out if you're at all interested in my works! Also while you're here, check out my Spotify with this code here:

To input it, all you have to do is go to your phone and click on search in the Spotify app - and then click the photo button in the top right corner of the search bar. Then just scan the code! My Spotify has story playlists + other playlists that I make for moods and aesthetic purposes. So if you're interested, check it out!

HarleyPotter-Weasley Btw your support is amazing! Thank you so much! Lowkey love you!

Dude, I could not stop thinking about how much I should rewatch Black Panther (for like the third time) the entire time writing this. And I was listening to the original (lyricless) soundtrack the whole time. Man, that is such a good movie. And the soundtrack is bomb! If no one's seen it go watch it right now! Honestly it makes me cry I love it so much. Hands down the best villain I've ever seen, amazing representation of both colour, culture and women, and bomb characters. Like honestly. RECOMMENDED; GO WATCH IT NOW!

Sorry if there's any mistakes it's 1 in the morning.