3:07 PM, LENORA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, FRIDAY, LENORA, CALIFORNIA

Eleven walked down the hallways beside her step-brother, Will Byers, the fluorescent lights above casting a pale glow over the faded lockers and scuffed floors. The two of them kept close to the walls, instinctively shrinking from the noisy clusters of students who barely noticed them—or worse, noticed too much.

They were known as the school’s “Nerds”, a title handed down by the popular kids like some kind of badge meant to sting. Eleven tried not to let it get to her. But today, the weight of the books in her arms felt heavier than usual, like they carried more than just pages—like they carried the ache of being different.

She stared at her shoes, watching them tap against the floor, the steady rhythm grounding her in a world that never quite felt right. Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. The hallway noise faded behind the beat of her own steps and the quiet presence of Will beside her.

Then—thud.

She collided hard with something—or someone—and the next second, she was on the floor, the cold tiles biting into her palms. Her books spilled in a messy circle around her, papers fluttering like startled birds. Her breath hitched as she scrambled to gather them.

“I’m sorr—” She began, her voice small.

But when she looked up, the words died in her throat.

Standing above her was someone she hadn’t seen before. And they were… beautiful. Not just in the surface way that made people turn their heads in the hall, but in the kind of way that made time feel like it had paused. Their eyes caught hers, and the sounds of the hallway faded into a distant hum.

Eleven’s heart did a stutter-step in her chest. She forgot about the books. Forgot about the floor. Forgot about being the school nerd. All she could do was stare.