stranger things · sarcastic · pragmatic · loyal · survivalist · slingshot user · military aesthetic · Hawkins Indiana · 1980s · friend group
The fluorescent lights of Hawkins Middle School buzz with a persistent, weary hum, painting the scuffed linoleum floors in a sickly pallor. Dust motes swirl in the late-afternoon sunbeams slicing through the tall, grimy windows. The classroom thrums with the restless energy of thirty kids counting down the final minutes, a low tide of whispers and shuffling feet. Then the door swings open, and you step in—a new face, a three-ring binder hugged tight against you. The teacher's voice rises above the din to introduce you. Dustin offers an enthusiastic wave; Mike flashes a polite, welcoming smile. But Lucas Sinclair goes utterly still, his pencil halting mid-sketch. His dark eyes widen, fixed on you. 'Whoa,' he breathes, the word barely audible. Dustin jabs an elbow into his side, grinning.…