ू ₒ ु  ───  » » » ↳ episode one ↴

↳ NORMAL, what an easy word, however so difficult to become. Normal is not in Melanie's vocabulary, she has never known how to be it. Not in Hawkins, much less California. Melanie missed being with her friends in Hawkins. It was her favorite, she missed watching movies, playing d&d, shopping, and playing pranks on the boys.

Melanie was in her room, staring at her image in the mirror. She kept picturing herself as different people, specifically two girls from school. They're known as Stacy and Angela, the most popular girls in the entire school.

Melanie was so distracted that she didn't hear the knock at the door. There was another knock but this time she heard it by the noise startling her.

"Melanie! Hurry up!" a familiar voice shouted from across the door. Melanie groaned, grabbing her bag. "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

She swung open her door. "It's time for school already?" the boy known as Will gave her an unbelievable look. "Are you serious right now?"

Melanie opened her mouth but nothing came out. After a moment, Will eventually let out a sigh of frustration. The two heard a beeping noise outside.

"Come on, Argyle's waiting for us," Will started walking away, leaving Melanie behind. She stood there, before catching up to him.

The Byers and El walked out of the house, holding their projects. When they got to the van, Will opened the door, letting the girls inside.

"Hold on to your butts, brochachos," Argyle instructed them with a grin on his face. Before Joyce could come outside and say goodbye they drove off.

Melanie stared out the window, shaking her leg as she clenched her fist tightly. School wasn't necessarily Melanie's favorite. Something would always go wrong, one way or another.

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Will, Melanie, and El walked toward the entrance of the school with Jonathan and Argyle behind them. Melanie could feel the stares they earned, everyone found them weird. According to them, the Byers were still known as the new people in town.

Will, El, and Melanie wandered through the halls, the Byers boy sent El a reassuring smile. Melanie eyed how confident they were, meanwhile, she was the complete opposite.

As they walked, a girl waved to her friend, who was behind Will, El, and Melanie. El waved back, thinking she was waving at her, unfortunately, she was not. El turned back, seeing the girl and her friend, which made her smile drop.

The three turned the corner, arriving at their classroom. El walked in first with Will helping her pass by. Melanie was the last one in, she watched as El pushed past a girl, named Stacy to get to her seat.

Melanie sat down beside El, eyeing the two girls in front of her. She had wondered what it was like to be them.

Melanie looked over at the boy next to her, known to be Jake, Angela's boyfriend. Before she could get a chance to look at Angela, Jake threw a spitball onto El's cheek, causing her to turn to them.

Melanie watched as they laughed, thinking how they thought it was funny. Melanie turned to El who was wiping the spit off her face. She sent El a smile as the dark brown-haired girl sent one back.

Angela turned back to the two girls sitting close to her, watching as the girl with light brown hair was comforting who she knew to be Jane. The blonde-haired girl's laugh wore off, she now had an irritated look.

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"After learning to speak, she traveled the world to spread her message, and along the way, she changed how the world perceived those like her with disabilities. And that is why I have chosen Helen Keller as my hero," Angela said, having finally finished her presentation.

Everyone paid attention to her presentation, though, Melanie couldn't care less about it. She had always been so rude to El for no reason at all. So why even bother listening to her "annoying" voice?

The whole class clapped for her, even Melanie, surprisingly. The teacher clapped as she walked toward the light switch.

"That was wonderful, Angela," the teacher praised. She switched on the lights, causing Melanie to shut her eyes. Melanie slowly opened her eyes, getting used to the light. "Truly wonderful,"

She walked back to her desk. "What an inspiring story," she said, causing Angela to chuckle. "Okay," she sighed. "Now let's see who has to follow that,"

The female teacher put on her glasses, reaching down for a piece of paper inside the bowl. She took out a paper and lifted it to her glasses. "Jane," she read aloud.

The class slightly clapped as Melanie looked over at El who they knew as Jane. She turned her head and looked at Will, he sent her a nod. Jane sighed quietly, standing up with her project.

Melanie could tell how frightened and nervous El was. Melanie was the same way, but it for sure wasn't easy for El. With a story like hers, she had every right to be afraid.

Melanie glanced over at Angela, who was completely clapping. She rolled her eyes, thinking the blonde didn't see.

As Jane got to the front of the class, everyone stopped with the noise. "Hi, for my hero," she broke off, turning to her siblings. "I.." she swallowed. "I chose my dad."

Everyone except Will and Melanie's faces were confused. Some were even sending glances from across the room or behind one another.

"And for my visual aid, I made a direyama of our cabin," she slowly turned the project, facing the front of the class.

"More like diarrhea," Jake commented, letting out a laugh as everyone copied. "You're like diarrhea," Melanie mumbled, loud enough for the students to hear but not for the teacher.

The class's laughter ended. Melanie slowly looked around the classroom to see everyone's attention on her.

Melanie gave them a "what" look. "Why are you looking at me? The presentations up there, not here on my face." she snapped.

"Thank you, Melanie." the teacher said, earning a "you're welcome" nod from her.

"Let's be respectful."

Jane continued with her presentation. "This is my dad," she helped up a small figure, who seemed to be Hopper.

Melanie looked down at her desk, she missed Hopper a lot, whether he was her dad or not. The three were always close to one another, helping each other out through crisis after crisis.

"His name is Hopper," Melanie felt someone staring at her. She turned her head, seeing Will looking at a girl.

Melanie turned behind her, gazing at each student, till her eyes landed on.. Angela. The blonde quickly turned away. Melanie turned back to her desk, with a slight smile on her face.

Melanie didn't exactly know what she felt about Angela. There were times when Angela was nice, not to Jane but Melanie. It was only from afar so it didn't mean anything, right? But, was what she felt about her really so wrong?

Melanie turned back to El, who was lifting a figure of a squirrel to the side of her face. "This is Mr. Fibbly, he is a squirrel," Angela let out a snort.

The student's laughter scattered. "What?" a student said in disbelief. Melanie watched El's smile drop. El turned to Will, who gave her a nod. El swallowed, unsure of what to do or say.

"And this is the alarm that my dad made," she continued, nervously. The blonde raised her hand.
"I.. I was never scared because.." El trailed off as her gaze shifted to Angela. "Beca- because.." El turned to the teacher.

"Uh, Angela, let's save the questions until the end of Jane's presentation." The teacher told her, receiving a fake apologetic smile as she lowered her hand. "Yeah. Sorry. I'm just, like, confused." the blonde furrowed her eyebrows.

"I thought this was a presentation about a historical hero," she said, repeating the exact words of the teacher. "My dad was in the newspaper," Jane blurted out, attempting to cover herself up from embarrassment.

"Your local paper," Angela scoffed. All the students laughed with the girl, not caring if they were being mean whatsoever. "I just don't think that's what.." Angela trailed off as she made eye contact with the girl next to her.

Angela shook her head, turning back to the front. "Mrs. Gracey meant by historical." she finished. Melanie began shaking her leg as she tapped on it.

"This is supposed to be about famous people," El's eyes were filling with more tears by the second. "My dad is famous,"

El gripped onto her project. "He.. He saved lots of lives. In a mall fire," El turned to Melanie. "He was a hero for people, and he was my hero too."

The girl kept quiet as she watched Jane go on and on about her father. Some students were struggling to keep in their laughter, others were feeling sorry for her, which was a surprise to Melanie as soon as she saw the looks they had on their faces.

"That's not what I'm saying at all, but it's okay," the blonde had a fake sympathetic look on her face. "I am so sorry, Mrs. Gracey, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted clarity on the rules of the assignment,"

The teacher waited a moment to see if she was finished. "Well, technically, you are correct, but Jane has decided to do her father. So, please continue with your presentation, Jane."

Shortly, El finished her presentation. Once she sat down, Melanie kept glancing over at Angela, giving her irritated stares. The blonde most definitely did notice and hear everything, Melanie mumbled about her.