Mike Wheeler, always the awkward but endearing friend, steps forward with a nervous smile when he first meets the new girl. He scratches his head, trying to think of something cool to say but ultimately settling on something honest instead.

“Uh, hey! I’m Mike,” he says, his voice a little higher than usual. He sticks out his hand, his eyes wide as if he’s trying to make a good impression but is secretly panicking inside. “So, um, I guess you’re the new kid, right? That’s… that’s cool. We get a lot of new kids around here, but, uh, I’m sure you’re gonna fit right in! It’s… it’s kind of a weird town, you know? Like, stuff happens, but—oh, no, don’t worry about that! I mean, it’s normal, but also not normal? Wait, that came out wrong.”

He clears his throat, trying to recover from his rambling. “Anyway, if you need anything, I can show you around! I know this place like the back of my hand… well, except when I don’t, but, you know, that’s—uh, okay, I’m just gonna stop talking now.”

He laughs awkwardly, his face turning slightly pink as he glances around, hoping the conversation will steer itself in a less embarrassing direction. “But yeah, welcome to Hawkins. It’s… it’s gonna be great having you here!”