A few months had passed since Mira had arrived in Hawkins, and her life had quickly filled with new friendships and experiences. She had grown close to Nancy, Will, and Steve, often spending her afternoons with them, and had even started hanging out with Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. Her ability to blend in seamlessly despite being from a different time, coupled with her intelligence and charm, made her popular with both students and teachers.

Mira excelled academically, and her teachers frequently praised her for her insight and diligence. She always had her hand up in class, not just because she knew the answers, but because she genuinely loved to learn. The other students, instead of being put off by her intelligence, admired her enthusiasm and dedication.

The friendship between Mira and the boys grew stronger by the day. They were delighted to have someone as cool as Mira—a pretty girl who was also a nerd—join their ranks. She had even joined a few Dungeons & Dragons sessions, much to their delight. They were thrilled to have someone who could match their passion for the game, and Mira enjoyed their company, finding comfort in the familiar faces and the innocence of their camaraderie.

The Sleepover

It was a chilly Friday evening when Mira, Nancy, and Barb gathered at Nancy's house for a sleepover. As dusk settled over Hawkins, Mira biked over to the Wheeler residence, the cool autumn air whipping against her face. She was excited about the night ahead—a chance to unwind and bond with her new friends.

Nancy's room was spacious and inviting, with posters of her favorite bands on the walls, a stack of records near her stereo, and a few decorative pillows strewn across her bed. A small lamp in the corner bathed the room in a warm, cozy glow. Barb, already in her pajamas, was lounging on the bed, flipping through a magazine. Nancy was setting up a stack of VHS tapes for their movie marathon, her face lighting up when she saw Mira at the door.

"Hey, Mira! You made it!" Nancy greeted her with a big smile.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Mira replied, smiling back as she walked in, setting her backpack down by the bed.

Barb waved from her spot. "Hey, Mira. Ready for some serious girl time?"

"Oh, absolutely," Mira laughed. "I've been needing a night like this."

Dancing and Music

Nancy clapped her hands together, clearly excited. "Okay, so I've got a bunch of records, and I thought we could start with some music. You know, set the mood for the night."

She moved over to her record player and placed a record on it. As the needle touched the vinyl, the room filled with the upbeat tunes of The Go-Go's.

"Oh, I love this song!" Mira exclaimed, immediately starting to sway to the music. She had heard this one before, even in her time—it was a timeless classic.

Nancy laughed, joining Mira in dancing around the room. "Me too! It's one of my favorites."

Barb, a bit more reserved but still enjoying herself, eventually joined in. The three of them danced around Nancy's room, laughing and twirling to the music, letting the rhythm take over. Mira felt a wave of happiness wash over her. It was the kind of pure, unfiltered joy she hadn't felt in a while, and she allowed herself to be fully present in the moment, grateful for these new friends who were quickly becoming a significant part of her life.

After a while, they collapsed onto the bed, breathless and giggling.

"Okay, okay," Nancy said, catching her breath. "Enough dancing for now. Let's talk about something important—crushes!"

Barb rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, come on, Nancy. Are we really going there?"

"Of course, we are!" Nancy grinned. "Mira, you first. Spill. Who do you have a crush on?"

Mira blushed slightly, not because she had a crush on anyone, but because she was taken aback by the directness of the question. "Oh, I don't know... I'm still kind of new here. No one's really caught my eye yet."

Nancy looked slightly disappointed. "Really? Not even a little crush?"

Mira chuckled. "Nope, not yet. But I'm sure I'll let you know when I do."

"Okay, fair enough," Nancy replied, then turned to Barb. "What about you, Barb?"

Barb shrugged, looking a bit uncomfortable. "I mean, I don't really have a crush right now either. I'm more focused on school, you know?"

Nancy sighed dramatically. "You two are no fun!"

Mira laughed. "Oh, come on, Nancy. What about you? Are we really going to pretend like you don't have a crush on a certain someone?"

Nancy's cheeks turned pink, and she smirked. "Okay, fine. I guess you could say I have a bit of a thing for Steve."

Barb chuckled. "A bit of a thing? Girl, you're practically head over heels. you both smooching each others faces off"

Nancy blushed even more. "Alright, fine! we are dating, okay?"

Mira smiled, enjoying this lighter side of life. It felt good to talk about normal teenage things, even if just for a little while. It reminded her of what life could be like if she weren't caught up in the complexities of time travel and the dangers that lay ahead.

the conversation shifted to gossiping about people at school.

"Can we just talk about how annoying Tommy H. is?" Nancy said, rolling her eyes. "He thinks he's so cool, but he's just... ugh."

Barb nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and Carol's no better. They're both so full of themselves."

Mira chimed in, remembering her run-ins with Tommy. "Yeah, Tommy acts like he owns the place. It's like he's got this inflated ego just because he's on the basketball team or something."

Nancy laughed. "Exactly! And don't even get me started on Carol. She's just as bad. Always making those snide remarks."

"Right?" Mira agreed. "Like, just the other day, she said something about my clothes being 'too fancy' for Hawkins. It's like, sorry for having a little style."

Barb snickered. "They're just jealous, Mira. Don't let them get to you."

"Oh, trust me, they don't," Mira replied with a grin. "I actually find it kind of funny. It's like they're stuck in their own little bubble, and the rest of the world doesn't even exist to them."

The three girls laughed, finding comfort in their shared opinions. It was refreshing for Mira to have these candid conversations. For once, she didn't have to worry about the complexities of her life and could just enjoy being a teenager.

As the night went on, they moved on to watching movies. Nancy popped in a VHS of Sixteen Candles, and they all got under their large blanket on Nancy's bed.

As they watched, they made comments about the characters and the storyline, laughing at the funny parts and sighing at the romantic moments. Mira found herself relaxing more than she had in a long time, allowing herself to get lost in the simple pleasure of a sleepover with friends. 

Mira lay on the floor of Nancy's room, her head resting on a plush pillow as the flickering light from the TV danced across the ceiling. Nancy and Barb were curled up on the bed, engrossed in the movie playing—Sixteen Candles, a classic teen film that Mira had seen countless times. But tonight, it wasn't the antics of the movie's characters that captured her attention; it was the memories flooding her mind.

As Molly Ringwald's character stumbled through her awkward teenage life, Mira's thoughts drifted back to Sydney. She remembered a sleepover they'd had not long before everything changed, just the two of them with a bowl of popcorn and a cozy blanket thrown over their laps.

"Seriously, Mira," Sydney had laughed, her eyes twinkling with mischief, "if I ever have a birthday as bad as this girl's, just shoot me."

Mira had giggled, tossing a piece of popcorn into the air and catching it with her mouth. "Oh, come on, Syd! It's a classic! Besides, who wouldn't want Jake Ryan waiting for them at the end?"

Sydney had rolled her eyes dramatically. "Please, Jake Ryan's got nothing on Harrison Ford. Now there's a real man!"

They'd both dissolved into laughter then, making up ridiculous backstories for each of the characters, turning the movie into a comedy far greater than it was ever intended to be.

Now, lying in Nancy's room, Mira felt a heavy weight settle in her chest. The room was filled with soft giggles and whispers, but all she could hear was Sydney's laughter echoing in her mind. She could almost feel Sydney's presence next to her, almost see the playful smirk that was never far from her face.

A tear threatened to escape, but Mira blinked it away, forcing a smile as Nancy turned to ask her something about the movie. "Yeah," she replied absently, not even sure what she was agreeing to. She didn't want to cry, not here, not now. She needed to stay focused, to keep her emotions in check.

But as she turned her gaze back to the screen, she couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. She missed Sydney—missed her warmth, her humor, her unwavering friendship. And as she lay there, trying to push away the ache in her heart, she whispered silently to herself, "I promise, Syd, I won't forget you. I'll do everything I can to make things right. I'll fix this. For you."

After the movie, they all lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"You know," Nancy said softly, "I'm really glad we're all friends. I feel like we've got a good thing going here. you know when steve told me he and his family had dinner with you. i really thought you would be like tommy and carol. thank god you are not like those dickheads."

"Yeah, me too," Barb agreed. "It's nice to have a close group of friends."

Mira forced herself to join in the laughter with Nancy and Barb, but her mind was elsewhere, lost in the past. As the movie played on, she could almost feel the weight of Sydney's absence pressing down on her.

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine, and for a brief moment, the room seemed to grow colder. The flickering shadows cast by the television seemed to stretch and twist in unnatural ways, and a strange feeling washed over Mira, one she couldn't quite place—a feeling like she was being watched. She sat up, glancing around the room, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just Nancy and Barb, caught up in their own little world.

Maybe it was her imagination, or maybe it was something else. She tried to shake it off, but the unease lingered, a whisper in the back of her mind. And as she settled back down, Mira couldn't help but feel that tonight was only the beginning.

Something was coming, something she couldn't quite see, but could almost feel—waiting, watching, and getting closer.

ooooooooooooh it happenening. im already shivering at the thought of it.

also apologies billy hasnt appeared yet. but i need to do a relationship building so the actions and reactions feel genuine with mira and other characters.

please be patient season 1 is beginning but i will finish it quickly.