"Hm, what about Sarah Lawrence? I've heard really great things about their arts programs and they're not too iffy about test scores."

"What about we drop the college talk? It's giving me a total headache." Marigold Lonsdale groaned while rubbing at her temples while three Hawkins teens waited out the cool morning in Dottie Fields's truck. The morning bell would ring any second, but they wanted a few more peaceful moments before the beginning of the day. Already students were grabbing their books from their backseats and heading towards the far building but Daisy, Dottie and Mari didn't rush since homeroom was mostly a joke anyway.

Daisy was stuffing her sketchbook into her bag, her gaze swiftly jumping to her sister that sat in the middle, her eyes closed tightly with thought. Marigold had been home long enough now that things had fallen back into a steady pace. Although she had missed about a year of schooling, her grades were still maintained and the school board felt she could stay in her senior year, which meant college applications were something currently being forced down her throat.

"There's always Brown University." Daisy noted with a causal suggestion.

Dottie flashed a huge grin. "Ooh, I like that."

Marigold hung her head. "Maybe college isn't really for me."

A chorus of mild shock followed. "What?"

Even Daisy was confused, her eye brows knitted together. "You've always wanted the college experience. You know, dorm parties and rowdy hookups and drugs and that phase where you kiss a few girls for experimental reasonings. You even said you would join a sorority, remember?" Personally, Daisy almost felt riddled with displeasure with the news because she had always been the daughter who claimed she was not cookie-cutter perfect. She liked being different and rebelling against social norms. Daisy Lonsdale had been the girl to never consider college and now Marigold was taking her place in a way.

"Well maybe the whole college dream is overrated." Marigold blew out her cheeks, her blonde curls bopping around her shoulders as she reached forward to snatch up her lipgloss from the dashboard, along with her school binder. "I mean sure, the overwhelming boy to girl ratio would be a blessing but then I would be away from home. Mum would love me staying and Duncan needs me."

Dottie was scurrying out of her car, the door slamming shut. "Duncan is old enough to look after himself. Let's cross that off the pros column."

"Duncan does need me, he's..." Marigold searched for a word that would maybe help her friend understand that Duncan wasn't like most young adults and that he was burdened with something nobody could understand. In all honestly, Marigold did crave adventure and freedom, but she couldn't just leave her cousin, not when she had found him and brought him home. Not when she was the only person that could reach him some days. "He's sensitive. He's still adjusting to being in Hawkins and he needs a familiar face around."

The three girls huddled around the truck, the air a little nippy. Dottie was pursing her lips with the suggestion that Marigold needed to stay home because somebody that was almost twenty-one needed her support, while Daisy was mulling over the fact her sister would give up her dream of getting the hell out of Hawkins up so quickly. "What about freedom? What about how much you hate small town life?"

Marigold gave a weak smile. "Maybe it's not so bad now."

"If I remember correctly, you promised you would never settle for a dead-end town destiny. What about those big city dreams? What about your crazy adventures?" Dottie questioned, yanking her jacket around her chest to shield off the wind.

With the very mention of adventure, a car revved its engine in the distance. The three girls had gotten out of the way, the carpark growing emptier by the second. Daisy spotted Nancy and Steve at his car, both watching as a blue Chevrolet Camaro drove through the student carpark. A few girls had stopped dead in their tracks to spy the mystery kid. Every teenager that had paused to watch took a quick intake of air when a boy emerged from the car like a hurricane. He was wearing denim on denim, somehow making it work, and had this cool demeanour and fuck the world attitude to match. A second kid followed his exit, her skateboard hitting the asphalt without a goodbye to him, her red hair flying behind her in waves.

Marigold was already smirking, "You were saying something about adventure, Dottie." Her voice was dripping with cat-like curiosity, her eyes pinned to the boy's backside where the thick blue material hung to his ass like silk. "Because I think I just found my next one."

***

Gossip had filled the high school corridors all morning, everyone a little too interested in the new boy in school. Marigold Lonsdale had gotten the few details floating around about Billy Hargrove without even trying. Although Marigold had been away, girls still adored her like she was ruler of the hive just like before and most boys still trash talked her in the locker rooms, imagining what a night with her could be like. The curly haired blonde didn't mind so much since it felt nice being loved, even if that meant nothing once high school ended. She figured she'd use her popularity to her advantage and find out every little detail about the new boy before she would even plan their first encounter. While the rest of the student body were pining over the news, Daisy was still reeling with what had happened this morning before the bell even rang.

"She doesn't want to go to college," Her voice was pinched with something she hadn't felt in a really long time towards her older sister. "She was saying something about it being overrated. Does that even remotely sound like Marigold Lonsdale to you?"

Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers exchanged a long glance. "No?"

The trio moved through the crowded corridors, students bumping into them from all sides. Somewhere along the way somebody had pushed an orange flyer into their hands detailing a Halloween party that was happening soon. "Right? Since when has she gone all let's rebel against society because it's the new trend? That's total...shit."

Jonathan sent her a quick smile. "You mean when did she become more like you?"

"Come on, maybe she's just trying something new." Nancy tried, trying to remain positive. She wasn't quite sure why Daisy was getting all worked up over it but then she never had an older sister she had to compete with. Maybe the competition to be so different was tougher on the Lonsdale girls. "Changing the subject; we're going to this."

Daisy groaned. "A Hawkins Halloween party? I think I'll skip that."

Nancy was already pouting with Daisy's quick rejection, her eyes falling towards Jonathan and hoping he would be more willing to jump into something so high school. "I agree with Daisy, that sounds like a nightmare."

The pretty girl rolled her eyes. "Come on guys, where's your sense of adventure? I can't just let you both stay home and be completely alone on Halloween. That's just not acceptable." Nancy went on, trying to convince them both that it was a good idea.

Daisy was already considering the idea, knowing Marigold would be thrilled about the party, when Steve Harrington came up behind them. He playfully tackled Nancy, her delightful screams bouncing off the walls. There was tightness forming in Daisy's stomach with watching the two of them. Thankfully, before she could drown in self-pity watching the make-out session, Jonathan was tugging on her sleeve. Reluctantly, she followed him down the corridor, throwing a glance over her shoulder, hoping Steve would be watching her, but he wasn't.

Jonathan handed her the flyer. "I suppose your sister will drag you along."

"You know, Mari. It's all about adventure. She's probably already got her costume planned out in her head which will dazzle even the likes of Carol." Daisy started, her eyes rereading the outline of the party. She hadn't been to many parties and maybe she was missing out on something because she thought she was above such things. "Why don't we just go? It could be fun. Trashy music, watered down beer and a night to forget about our worries."

"Fun?" Jonathan laughed, his eyebrows rising with the very suggestion. "Says the girl who will most likely spend the night nursing her beer like a wallflower, while watching Steve Harrington like a hawk. The very girl who would be waiting for him to take his eyes off his girlfriend just once, to send her a grin that will make her heart leap. All the while wondering, if only things could be different."

"That was very detailed and possibly somewhat correct." Daisy shrugged. "But all this coming from the boy who has been pinning over Nancy Wheeler for...well forever, and missed his shot with her last year and will be nothing but a loner too, waiting to swoop in and save her."

"Fine, let's go. Do you want matching costumes?" Jonathan grumbled.

"Boy, do I ever." Daisy winked across at her like minded and soul matching friend, weaving her arm through his while they blended back into the sea of students that waited for Halloween to come just for one stupid night of careless fun.