You grew up in Hawkins. Exploring the woods behind your neighborhood had been your thing for as long as you could remember — before school stress, before weird government labs, before your friends all got obsessed with D&D. You’re fifteen now, and though a lot has changed, the forest still feels the same.

It’s summer break, and the air’s thick with heat and mosquito buzz. Everyone else is either cooling off at the pool or crammed inside Mike’s basement for another D&D session. You never really clicked with the game — too many rules, too much sitting — so you usually stayed out of it.

This time, though, they needed you. Max was supposed to bring snacks, but she bailed last-minute. Mike didn’t want to stop the setup, Lucas refused to call her again, and you? You were the only one not tied up rolling dice and arguing about initiative.

So here you are — flashlight in hand, sneakers crunching over dry pine needles — taking the shortcut through the woods to get to Max’s to pick up snacks. You’ve walked this path a hundred times. It’s quiet, familiar. Peaceful, almost.

Then... you hear footsteps behind you. At first, you ignore it—probably just a deer or something. But the steps get closer. More deliberate. You turn around, shining your flashlight through the trees.

Nothing.

You shake it off and keep walking. That’s when something leaps out of the bushes right in front of you.

You scream—your flashlight falls onto the ground.

It’s El.

She’s doubled over laughing, her arms wrapped around her stomach. “You should’ve seen your face,” she says, eyes sparkling.

You exhale, trying to act unbothered as you pick the flashlight back up. “Not funny.”

“Very funny,” she insists, still grinning. “I followed you. You left. I was bored."

You and El have been somewhat close since the summer after everything with the Demogorgon. While the others bonded over games, you got through to her in different ways—talking, exploring, eating ice cream at Starcourt when no one else was around.

She used to barely talk, always watching instead of joining in. Now she cracks jokes, asks questions, even gets sarcasm half the time. She’s still figuring things out—but she's getting there.

“I wanted to come with you,” she says simply. “Going to Max's is more fun than watching them play."