‧₊ ·˚ ༘❁ ┊ep 1. the hellfire club. ▬▬▬▬▬▬
꒰ ✎ ꒱ؘ STARGIRL, a stranger things fanfiction

dear el,

hi, el! I miss you so much that words can't not explain how much my mom would let me go see you :(. mike tells me you guys are still strong and well! have a good spring break and maybe in summer, I can go see you! my mom is thinking of going to see my Abuela and Abuelo in Lenora where I was born! max misses you and the others also do. remember when I and Lucas finally got together? we're still going strong! he made the basketball team and tonight's his championship basketball game! I also made the softball team a few months ago but the season is over for me to show you how I play. but when I visit in the summer I would love to teach you! tell will I said happy birthday and I miss Jonathan and the others! I hear Jonathan made a new friend called argyle and they smoke funny plants. I can wait to see your el!

love, Franny x

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"Hurry!" Kirby rushed to her sister who was placing her Hawkins High softball jersey before rushing out of her room and running to her sister's car.

Her mom told her no running into the house before she grabbed her keys and shut the door closed. Kirby drove fast because she COULD not be late again to the pep rally. "I can not be late. Because if I'm late once more—"

"Nancy will tell you to not be late again. Kirby, c'mon we know how she is... Hawkins's post and everything is now the school paper. The pretty usual thing she does." Franny interjected as Mrs. Kelly waved hi to them. "To the gym kids!"

Franny sighed before making her way to the gym where Mike and Dustin were. "Hey." She smiled. "Softball? They still have that going on?" Mike asked. Franny shook her head. "I still have to wear it even if the seasons are over." She brought her mouth into a line.

Mike nodded understand-fully. Later Max arrived standing next to Franny. "Hey," Max whispered to her before placing her Walkman in her backpack.

"Hi. How's your mom doing?" Franny asked. "Fine." Max gave a fake smile before the cheerleaders came into view in the gym. Franny promised herself when Lucas was on the basketball team she tried to get on the cheer team, but she found a passion for softball instead.

The cheerleader's routine intensified as the band started playing bigger music.

"And let's hear it for your tigers!" An announcer spoke before Jason Carver broke through the paper. Franny spotted Lucas which she gave a Whoo. She was happy for him and she was proud he did something like this. "Go Lucas!" She called out which made him smile even bigger.

"Good morning, Hawkins High!" Jason spoke. They all cheered louder as Franny, Max, Dustin, and Mike kept clapping. "First off. First off, I'd like to thank each and every one of you." He added. "Without your support, we wouldn't be here."

Franny scoffed. "Without Lucas, you wouldn't be here." She muttered under her breath before listening to what Jason had to say. He walked while he talked, "Give yourselves a big hand."

Lucas spotted Franny in the crowd smiling and clapping happily. He gave her a wave which she smiled at and waved back. "And of course, of course, I have to give a special shout-out to the best and prettiest fans of all time."

Franny's heart sank. Well, that just made her feel a little more insecure. "The Tiger Cheer Squad!" Jason smiled. He walked to face the main cheerleader.

"Chrissy..." Jason pats his heart. "Chrissy, I love you, babe." Chrissy smiled and blew a kiss on him.

"You know..." Jason trailed off. "...I think I can speak for all of us when I say, it's been a tough year for Hawkins. So much loss. And sometimes I wonder, How much loss can one community take?" Jason paused.

"In dark days like this, we need something to believe in. So, last night, when we were down by ten points at the half to Christan Academy, I looked at my team," Jason turned to his team. "and I said, think of Jack, think of Melissa, think of Heather,"

"Think of Billy."

Max looked away as Franny held onto her arm. She gulped trying to face tears. "Think about our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper." Franny lowered her gaze. She didn't want to think of him. She thinks he's dead, she breathed looking to Jason who looked at her. Everyone knew Hopper and her mom were dating. It was a small town, people talk. She closed her eyes as Jason spoke more.

"Tonight we're gonna bring home the championship trophy!" Jason yelled as the people cheered. Franny quickly left the gym before Lucas and the others followed her out. "Franny wait!" Lucas called out.

She turned to look at him, "Can you please come to my game tonight? Mike and Dustin are already asking Eddie if they can postpone. Please, come." Lucas handed her a ticket which she took and placed it in her pocket. "Sure. Do you want me to come to sit with you at lunch again?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah. I don't want to feel like they don't want me there without you being there. You're very easy to like." Lucas smiled and laughed as Dustin and Mike came talking to them.

"Lucas. We can't." Dustin told him as they all started walking. "I don't get the big deal. Just talk to Eddie." Lucas explained as they walked the open hall. "Get him to move Hellfire to another night."

Mike shook his head. "Just talk to Eddie." Dustin scoffed. "Why don't you just talk to your coach and get him to move the game?" Mike added.

"I think that's a great idea, Mike." Dustin agreed, "Thanks, Dustin." Franny looked to them "Guys, you know how big of a deal this is to him, and partially me. Just talk to him. This is the championship game." Franny told them.

"And it's is the end of Eddie's campaign." Dustin acknowledged. "A semester of adventuring has led to this moment, and we need you," Dustin asked as they walked into the school.

"And the Tigers don't. You've been on the bench all year." Mike added. "That's not the point. If I get in good with these guys, if Franny gets in with these girls. We'll be in the popular crowd, then you guys will too." Lucas explained as Mike rolled his eyes.

"Has it ever occurred to you that we don't want to be popular?" Mike asked as Franny and Lucas stopped at their class. "So you want to be stuck with the nerds and freaks for three more years?"

Mike and Dustin nodded. "Hello?" Mike pointed to his shirt. "We are nerds and freaks." Dustin agreed. "But we don't have to be. If you just come to his game tonight. Wait. You can probably ask Sully to tell Eddie to postpone the campaign." Franny smiled, Mike and Dustin looked at her confused.

"Does Eddie ever tell you that he's been talking to a girl from Softball?" Franny asked. "Yeah, we just assumed it was you." Mike nodded his head.

Franny rolled her eyes and pointed to a girl who was Sylvia Hernandez talking with Eddie. "Her. You see people say she's his girlfriend. So, maybe you can talk to her and ask her to postpone the campaign." Lucas looked at her.

"Guys. We came to high school wanting things to be different. Right?" Lucas asked as they all nodded.

"So now we have that chance. I skip tonight, that's all out the window. So I'm asking you guys, as a friend, as a best friend, just talk to Eddie or Sylvia to postpone the game. Tell him to move it. Come to my game. Please."

Lucas handed them two tickets to his game and they took them as the bell rang. Lucas placed his shoulder over Franny as they both waved and walked into the classroom.

"I really hope they come," Franny told him as they both sat in their seats. Lucas nodded. "I hope." Lucas sighed looking to the teacher's chalkboard that was written 'Read page 217-220'.

Lucas and Franny sighed as they took out their books. "Wanna read together?" Franny asked as Lucas nodded, "Yeah, babe." Lucas smiled. She moved her table closer to Lucas' table as they read. "That was the first time you've called me that." Franny placed her hand on her chin as Lucas looked at her smiling.

"I know." He laughed. The bell had rung quickly before everyone rushed out. Franny and Lucas walked to their lockers next to each other. She opened it and placed her books as Lucas talked to one of his teammates.

Franny spotted Max walking with her Walkman on, clearly hearing Running Up that Hill by Kate Bush playing as she walked to the counselor. Max and Franny spotted Chrissy walking out with her grabbing onto her cheer uniform.

"Chrissy!" Franny called out as she shut her locker walking to her. Chrissy turned around and looked at her as she smiled at Franny. "Frans! Hey! Uhm I haven't seen you sit at our table lately. Is everything okay?" Chrissy asked.

Franny nodded. "Yeah. Everything's fine. Lucas wants me to sit with him at lunch for a while." Chrissy nodded as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you want me to come to sit with you too. I'm sure Jason wouldn't mind." Chrissy smiled as they walked to the bathroom.

"Yeah." Franny smiled. "Uhm, could you excuse me? I have to do something." Chrissy told her as she rushed inside. Franny nodded left with her mouth hung open.

Franny stared at the door as she went back with Lucas. "Hey." He smiled. Franny smiled. Lucas placed his arm around her shoulder as they walked to the cafeteria.

They sat at the table where Lucas' teammates were. "Hey, Franny," Patrick spoke. She smiled as she sat next to Lucas. They kept chatting as they talked about basketball.

"Hey uh, Franny." Jason finally spoke out. She turned her head to him giving him a bright smile. "What's up?" She sighed. "How was softball going? Y'know when you played. Seems like fun." He smiled.

She gave a nod. "Super fun. I mean, I was on the school paper a lot of times because of my sister." Jason coughed. "Your sister like the gay one?"

Franny shut her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah. If you also didn't know she's dating Robin Buckley who is also friends with Steve Harrington. Just to get the word out." She crossed her arms before she fell back into the chair.

The talking was soon cut off by Eddie Munsons," Or a game where you toss balls into laundry baskets!" Jason stood up before telling him something.

"You want something, freak?" Jason spoke as Eddie stuck out his tongue and made devil horns with his fingers. Franny tried to not laugh from it she looked away covering her mouth with her hand, hiding her smile. Jason glares at him.

"Prick," Jason muttered. Franny looked back to Lucas who was already looking at her. She sighed giving wide eyes before talking back with Jason.

"I can get you guys your own headlines if you want. Kirby and Nancy wouldn't mind." Franny smiled as Jason pictured the headline of the basketball game for his team.

"Sure." Jason smiled as he looked to his team who laughed. "Guess I'll go tell her after school with Mike then..." Franny trailed off.

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"Hurry!" Mike yelled out as they rushed to the Paper and Yearbook room. "Okay!" Franny yelled back as they rushed to the door.

"Nancy!" Mike yelled out. "Kirby!" The whole club turned to the look at the two. "Nancy. Uh, do you wanna join Hellfire?" Mike asked as Nancy glared at him.

Franny walked up to her sister and she grabbed her arm. "Okay. Don't be mad at me but I may have told Jason Carver I would get them a headline." Franny looked at her sister like a friend looked. Kirby sighed. "Okay. Fine, I'll tell Nancy to get the the headline. But this..." Kirby backed up and pointed to her. "...this is the last time!"

Franny nodded leaving with Mike. "So Eddie didn't postpone the game, huh?" Franny asked as Mike walked with his arms crossed. "Yeah. He didn't want to." Mike replied with his shoulders heaving.

"Did you talk to Sylvia like I asked?" Franny told him as Mike's eyes went wide. "Shit. Uhm no." Mike noted. "Mike..." Franny trailed off her voice getting quieter. "I told you to talk to her!" Franny stopped in her tracks as Mike faced her.

"I know, Frans, but what if she didn't tell Eddie?" Mike added. Franny rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Okay, I'm gonna go get changed in the locker room. I have some extra clothes. Bye. Have fun at Hellfire tonight." Franny sighed as Mike watched her enter the girl's locker room.

Franny was getting changed when she heard a noise. "Hello? Is anyone there?" She asked placing her shirt on her head. Another clanging noise came from the room.

She walked toward the clanging noise. She saw Sylvia sitting on the floor. "Sylvia! Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Sylvia was crying with a sniffled full nose.

"No." Her eyes were red, as teas were down her chin. "Eddie... Eddie and I were supposed to hang out after school but he never showed up..." Sylvia sniffles again.

"I saw him go with Chrissy Cunningham." Sylvia sat up before she grabbed her bag. "I should go... the game's starting soon." Sylvia smiled as she left. Franny watched her leave with more tears in her eyes. Franny sat up as she went back to her locker, as she placed her shoes she went back into the gym and waited for everyone to arrive.

After a few hours, the game horn blared as the Hawkins Basketball Team striated through. Everyone cheered as the team warms up. Franny sat right in the front of the bench where Lucas would sit.

She watched Lucas make a few shots in the basket before the game actually started. The music stopped for the National Anthem. Lucas looked to one of the empty bleachers where Franny was. Lucas waved to her as she looked at the empty seats next to her. She gave an apologetic look to him.

Tammy Thompson had entered as she sang the national anthem for the school. Franny shut her eyes as Tammy sang off-key. As she finished singing Lucas sat next to Franny. "Hey. It's okay we're gonna win. Trust me on this..." Franny smiled as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "babe." She smiled at the last part.

The whistle blows as they watched their team make a few shots. Jason made a shot that made them cheer. Jason looked to Chrissy as he touched his heart.

"You'll be out there soon. Believe me. Give it time." Franny whispered as she watched the team make more shots. Lucas and Franny watched as one of his teammates get injured.

"Sinclair, you're in." The coach told him. Franny gave a smile and a nod to Lucas. "Huh?" He asked. "You're in. Son, let's go!" He told him.

Lucas took off his sweater and handed it to a Franny who gave him a big smile with an encouraging look. "Go!" She mouthed as he ran to the court. Lucas did well on the court as Franny watched she cheered for Lucas.

"Whoo!" Franny jumped in excitement as she cheered loudly. "Go, babe!" She yelled out clapping and cheering more. The other team goes up two points. The ball misses the basket. Jason catches it and asked for a time-out, the teams planned their way to win.

The game resumed as Jason tried to shoot the ball but he was blocked. It was like slow motion Franny looked with wide eyes at Jason and Lucas.

Jason took the shot as he threw it. The ball bounced off the rim. Everyone told the team to grab it. Lucas caught the ball as he fled bouncing it, time was going quickly.

"Shoot it!" Franny called out. Luxas' feet leave the court as he shoots it. The ball circles the rim, and the ball hits the backboard as the ball sinks into the net.

The crowd roars as they all cheer. Franny watched as everyone cheered for Lucas.

Franny rushed to him as they placed him. She kissed him as she hugged him in excitement. "I told you," Franny whispered as she hugged him.

They all left as they were changed back into their normal clothes. "You did it! That was you!" Jason cheered. Lucas placed an arm around Franny.

"If it wasn't for Franny believing in you, we never would've won. She's like a... lucky charm." Jason added smiling at her. She gave a smile back.

Franny and Lucas smiled to them, Lucas looked to the door a few feet away from him. It was Mike, Dustin, and Erica all cheering from their game of D&D.

Lucas looked to Franny in disappointment. "I'm sorry," Franny muttered. Lucas nodded. "It's fine. You coming with us?" Lucas asked. Franny shook her head. "Nah, my mom wanted me home after Kirby was done with the game," Franny explained as Kirby's car pulled up right in front of her.

She walked to the passenger's seat as she waved bye to her boyfriend as she smiled while getting in the car. "See you, tomorrow babe." She waved as Kirby drove off.