Andrea knew the moment postpone left Mike's lips that there was going to be quite a disagreement. The Hellfire Club did not postpone anything. Andrea learned that the hard way when on her birthday, Dustin couldn't celebrate due to a campaign.

On New Year's Eve.

She knew how dedicated these people were to the game that they played. Andrea wasn't mad, Eddie protected her brother and his friends from bullies when she couldn't - when she wouldn't be anywhere in sight.

She was grateful for him. Grateful that he stepped in for the kids as well. "WHAT?! No! Postpone? Can't just drop this on us!" Everyone in the group minus Eddie began to yell together.

"Over my dead body," One of the guys glared at the two teenagers.

Eddie was trying to say something but clearly, no one was listening so he exclaimed, "Shut up!"

A few groans left from the group. It was obvious that no one was happy with the turnout. Everyone wants to speak and say their own thing.

"You saying Sinclair's been taken in by the dark side?" Eddie questioned as he held a pretzel between his fingers.

Andrea tried not to laugh. The dark side? It kinda sounded childish to her. She didn't want to sound mean but there was absolutely no way that these people were Jedi.

"Uh, something like that," Mike responded, clearly not knowing what to say.

"Something like that?" Eddie threw a piece of food at Mike causing Dustin to lean back.

"Jesus Christ..." Dustin mumbled as he looked around.

"And rather than find a sub for him," Eddie waved his hand as he brought up the topic, "You want... you want to postpone 'The Cult of Vecna'?" Eddie was clearly emotionally drawn into this and it was a little strange.

"I...I don't want to postpone it. We don't want to postpone it," Mike began to stutter out as he explained to Eddie, "It's just that, you know, most of the subs will be at the championship game. Like Andrea."

"Andrea? She plays D&D?" Eddie looked amused by that, "Didn't know she was that type of girl."

"There's a lot that is unknown about me, Munson," Andrea shot him a look.

She watched as Eddie pushed away from the table. He was clearly getting aggravated and aggravated really quickly. Mike and Dustin tried to make up some sort of explanation or reason that they needed it to be postponed but it was clear no one was listening.

"Oh, it's the championship game?" Eddie whisked around as if he hadn't known.

"Yeah," Mike looked over to the side before giving an obvious tone.

Eddie looked at Mike before narrowing his eyes, "Can I level with you? Jeff graduates this year. Gareth's got, what? A year and a half? Me, I am army-crawling my way toward a D in Ms. O'Donnell's. If I don't blow her final, I'm gonna walk that stage next month..."

Everyone laughed as they watched Eddie do some sort of odd walk. Clearly, he wanted a reaction as he spoke. Eddie was what everyone called a super-senior, being twenty years old and still stuck in a High School due to failing back twice.

"I'm gonna look Principal Higgins dead in the eye," He slowly turned as he had a devilish glint in his eyes, "I'm gonna flip him the bird," Eddie demonstrated before adding, "I'm gonna snatch that diploma... I'm gonna run like hell outta there!" He made a weird motion yet again.

Dustin laughed as he watched Eddie. Andrea knew why Dustin had always gravitated toward the older teenagers in the crowd. Especially ones like Steve or Eddie. Steve, being top of the charts, he was always the guy on top and the one you never wanted to cross until his fall. He could be a total douche but people's safety mattered.

Then there was Eddie, as strange as he could be he was a sweetheart. He cared for people, people in his group, the strange or misunderstood. He was never on top but he knew what it was like to be constantly thrown down for who you were.

Deep down, everyone shared one common goal of making sure people knew that they mattered.

"Didn't you say that last year?" One of the boys questioned.

"And the year before?" Another one questioned.

Eddie ran back over quickly as he spoke, "Yeah, yeah, and I was full of shit. This year's different. This year is my year. I can feel it. '86, baby."

Eddie looked around momentarily before his gaze fell back on the crowd of the younger teenagers. Eddie was determined to finally get the hell out of High School. Andrea knew he wanted to but she also knew if he failed yet again he would be kicked out.

She listened as the others laughed and chuckled. It was usually like this. Though, they were a lot less wild than Andrea had remembered from the previous time that she had seated herself with the group. Eddie constantly made weird faces while he stared at Andrea.

"You know what that means?" Eddie asked as he looked over at the two boys, Dustin still laughing while Mike watched in awe before they shook their heads.

"Oh god," Andrea pinched the bridge of her nose.

"It means you boys, are the future of Hellfire," Eddie walked around Andrea before placing a hand on both Mike and Dustin's shoulders as he pulled them closer before saying, "I knew it the moment I saw you. You sat on that table right over there, looking like..."

"Lost puppies?" Andrea questioned as she tilted her head.

Eddie snapped his fingers at Andrea before adding, "Looking like two little lost sheep."

Dustin let out a small chuckle as he looked amused. A smile rested on his face while Eddie turned to him. Mike's gaze followed Eddie as he looked happy. Though, Andrea could not help but diss whatever the hell happened to Mike's hair.

It looked horrifying as if He-Man had a child with pale skin and black hair.

"You were wearing a Weird Al t-shirt," Eddie spoke as he looked at Dustin, the boy making a face of surprise as he nodded, "Which I thought was brave."

Dustin clearly did not know how to react as he whispered, "Thank you."

"Mike, you were wearing whatever shit your mommy bought you from goddamn Gap," Eddie was not as nice on Mike's end as he looked at the boy, causing everyone at the table to erupt in laughter.

Andrea watched and nearly rose from her seat as the laughter continued before halting as Eddie yanked both boys up by their shirts. He turned them around and made them face the cafeteria.

"And we showed you that school didn't have to be the worst years of your lives, right?" Eddie questioned as he began to walk the two around.

"Ooh is the Queen getting protective?" One of the guys joked with a false pout.

"Zip that damn pout back up before I cut those lips of yours off," Andrea shot back as she plopped a piece of apple into her mouth.

The table looked at each other before deciding it would be wise to stay quiet. Andrea peered back at Eddie watching as he led her brother and Mike off. He knew that she would beat his ass in a heartbeat if he did anything that got them in trouble or even just bullied.

Andrea knew that bullying was inevitable. It was a part of the teenage culture, sadly.  All anyone did once they saw someone they believed looked out of place or different was judge them. This is what caused so many problems with teens committing suicide.

Andrea looked down at the bracelet on her wrist. Fiddling with it momentarily before she heard talking which caused her head to go up.

"Hello, little one..." in a voice that was so familiar, but it was impossible.

No one else seemed to hear it. Andrea's eyes passed over the other members of Hellfire seeing if they had heard it but everyone seemed focused on Eddie walking off with both the boys.

Andrea grabbed her bag before quickly leaving the table. Throwing her lunch away before she practicality bolted from the lunchroom. She felt sick.

"You'd adapted."

Andrea stopped in the hallway as the lights flickered before she couldn't see anyone. The girl bolted through the hallway before she paused at the glass doors.

Her heart sunk at the reflection she saw of herself. She was no older than twelve. Covered in blood. Her hospital gown, bloody. Her face, bloody.

Andrea turned hot on her heels before she ran back through the halls before ending up in the girls bathroom. Slamming the door shut as she backed in.

Andrea looked ahead as the lights flickered. Her head turning as she looked in the mirror. The same reflection came about, but this time, she was not alone.

"My sweet, sweet, Andrea... you have done wonderfully."

The blonde stood in his crisp white suit as he looked down at the younger Andrea, his hand holding hers.

"Leave me alone," Andrea huffed out as she tried to remain her composure, watching the reflection carefully.

"The power you express... Papa had to do you as he did me..." he seemed disappointed as he spoke, "it is a shame that he thought he could contain us...."

She watched as a few cards fell down, the only one that she could actually see being a 10 with spades.

"Go away!" Andrea yelled before the mirrors shattered.

Andrea ducked away, the lights were normal once again but the mirrors were in fact shattered. Andrea looked at the broken shards of glass before she quickly left the bathroom.

"Andrea?" The girl turned quickly, trying to calm herself, "Are you okay?" It was Lucas.

"I'm fine," Andrea looked at the boy, taking in his Hawkins High outfit before she tried to turn away.

"Your nose..." Lucas caught her attention, "What happened?"

Andrea wiped her finger across her upper lip, pulling away and seeing the blood before she shook her head, "Nothing."

"Andrea..." she could tell that Lucas was worried, but she didn't need anyone finding out about this.

Andrea walked closer to Lucas, now being chest to chest with him as she spoke sternly, "Don't say a word to anyone, you got it?"

"Yeah... Yeah," Lucas looked surprised by the action as Andrea backed off.

The rest of the day, Andrea was on edge. She ended up going out to one of the pay phones and calling 'Family Video' just to talk to Steve or Robin.

"Family Video," She could hear the boredom in Steve's tone.

"Steve!" Andrea exclaimed as relief washed over her, "How has work been?"

The line went silent for a few seconds, "Andy? As much as I love talking to my favorite girl, aren't you at school?"

"Free period," She responded as she leaned against the brick wall, "Answer my question."

She could hear his chuckle through the phone, making the ghost of a smile cross her lips, "It's currently being slow. Not many people are coming in yet because... work and school, you know."

"Yeah," Andrea chewed on her lower lip, "You're coming to the game, right?"

"I promised you I'd be at every one. Didn't we agree this morning I'd come?" Steve retorted as his tone changed, "It's still bothering you, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Andrea questioned as she fiddled with the end of her skirt since she had to hold the phone, "Nothing is bothering me."

"You can talk to me, you know. I won't judge you," Steve's tone was full of worry but still managing to be soft.

"I know," Andrea sighed as she pushed herself off of the brick wall, "Like I said, we'll talk after the game, alright? Mom invited you over for dinner."

"I know, she told me on my way out this morning. We'll talk after and I'll take you and Dustin home and stay for dinner," Steve spoke.

"ANDREA! IS that Steve?!" Dustin questioned as he ran over.

"Is that Dustin?" Steve questioned through the phone.

Andrea looked at her brother as she held the pay phone, "Yeah it's Dustin, and yes it is Steve."

"Good!" Dustin took the phone before Andrea could do anything, "Do you want to join Hellfire? Please, Steve- we need a sub!"

Andrea let out a sigh as she watched her brother. Pinching the bridge of her nose as she waited to hear what he would say next based on Steve's response.

"Just miss watching, Andrea! Just one time!" Dustin exclaimed, clearly not happy with Steve's answer.

"Hey," Andrea gave her brother a look.

"He sees you all of the time! This is more important than a stupid game," Dustin didn't realize how his tone sounded until he saw the look on Andrea's face, "Drea..."

Andrea turned hot on her heels leaving Dustin by himself at the phone. She continued to walk across the school lot before going back into the gym. She let out a soft sigh before moving to sit on the bleachers.

She sat her bag on the seat beside her as she stared at the different posters. They were colorful. Bright oranges, greens, and yellows contrasting one another. Each having a different saying with the same meaning.

It was all leading back to Hawkins High School spirit.

Ridiculous, Andrea muttered as her leg bounced. So much has happened in this town and they still twist it to their sick vendetta in an attempt to be seen. To be liked. She couldn't help but think back on Jason's speech.

The speech was utter bull shit to say the least.

"Andrea?" A voice called out through the echo of the gym, "Are you alright?"

"Why does everybody keep asking me that?" Andrea lifted her head as she peered across the gym at the girl she hadn't talked to in forever, "Shouldn't you be in the newsroom?"

"Don't push me away, please," Nancy pleaded as she trudged across the gym, the sound of her shoes echoing.

"I didn't push you away," Andrea corrected as she looked at the other woman, "You pushed me away."

Andrea looked at Nancy's expression. She knew Nancy was having a hard time doing the long distance thing with Jonathan but she did not have to push Andrea away in the process.

Andrea tried to stay close to Nancy, she really did. Though, the High School excuse came up. The women claiming they went their separate ways instead of saying what had really happened. The fact that they had a massive fallout.

"Why don't you go spit some more news? The tabloids would love that one," Andrea looked at Nancy with a stern look as she grabbed her bag.

"Andrea," Nancy's voice was scolding, "Please just let me talk."

Andrea turned and looked at Nancy as she pushed her bag over her shoulder, a scoff leaving her lips, "I remember when I told you that, once upon a time."

"Andrea," Nancy pleaded with her as the girl made her way down the bleachers.

"Have a good time with your paper, Wheeler," Andrea continued to walk out of the gym, slamming herself harshly into the doors of the gym before letting them fall shut behind her.

Everyone had changed.

Almost everyone had fallen out.

Nancy and Andrea who were once best friends, Nancy being the first friend Andrea ever had, were now mere acquaintances who had no clue truly what was happening in the others life.

Nancy only heard about what was happening with Andrea through her brother, Mike.

Andrea only knew what was happening about Nancy through both of the boys, Dustin and Mike.

And some from Will.

Despite how far the Byers were, Andrea stayed true to her word. She called Will every other day and on the days she wasn't calling Will, she called Eleven. She even wrote letters to the two just to make sure they did not feel forgotten.

She would send them post cards from Hawkins and little trinkets she found around. She even mailed them paper rings which she had began to make. It was an obsession she had gained because she liked doing something with her hands.

Andrea walked over to her locker, twisting the lock as she put in her code before pushing up on the lever and pulling it open. A small hum leaving her lips as she tried to ignore everything happening around her.

She unzipped her book bag as she began to pull out certain textbooks and placing them neatly into the locker. Pushing over a few notebooks in the process. Andrea pulled out a book before placing it in her book bag.

Her eyes lingering over to a picture that was taped into the door of the locker.

A sigh leaving her lips as she looked down. A frown tugging down her lips before she shut her locker.

The picture of Steve and Andrea dancing at Prom with both Nancy and Jonathan dancing beside them as they laughed and smiled now clouded over by the darkness of the bitter shadows.

Andrea gripped her book bag over her shoulder as she walked over to the bikes. Pulling her bike out of the bike part before she she hopped on.

She noticed the looks on the faces of her friends. Andrea sighed before securing her bag on her back and starting to pedal away from the school, needing to get away for at least a few hours.

Andrea found herself going home for a bit. She knew where she would need to go in a few hours and she'd get there eventually.

"Annie baby! How was school?" Her mother asked as she grinned widely upon seeing her daughter enter the room.

"Great, mom," She smiled as she shut the door behind her, "Dustin's still at school he has a campaign."

"Oh," Mrs. Henderson nodded as she watched her daughter make her way back to her room, "Steve's bringing both of you home before having dinner with us! You've got yourself a good one, baby."

Andrea peered back into the living room as she smiled at her mother, "I know. I'm going to take a nap before the game, if that's okay."

"Yes! Yes! Go ahead," her mother ushered her off as she continued to talk about the importance of proper rest.

Andrea held the reflection of a smile as she retreated back into her room before sitting her bag down.

Who is starting it this time....