Halloween drifted by, the air turning colder with each passing night. Things in Hawkins stayed the very same, the Lonsdale family doing their very best to maintain the perfect image of everything pretty and pleasant, all but young Daisy, who had abandoned that ideology a long time ago. The town folk took down the festive decorations, the jack-o-lanterns and the buckets of candies being replaced because soon, Christmas would be on its way. Although things stayed dull and mundane, that was about to change. 

"Aunt Beatrice, would you mind passing me the juice?" Daisy Lonsdale was seated around the family dining table, a crackling of the television set humming through the house. Her mother was folding laundry while her aunt chewed on some bacon, the newspaper set upon her lap. Daisy often wondered if the lady even registered what each page read, her mind full of nonsense since the incident. Another family secret they did not speak about, a few of those ran in the Lonsdale clan.

The clock chimed eight o'clock, Daisy brushing her blonde hair from her eyes while her aunt passed her the plate of eggs instead. "Daisy, there's a town meeting tonight. Therefore, I won't be home to cook dinner on time, but I'll leave some leftovers in the fridge. How's meatloaf sound?" Molly's voice cooed over the background noise.

"Sure, mum. Whatever."

Molly sent her a long glare, "I wish you wouldn't use that word."

Daisy was tilting her head, licking her lips from the sugary pancakes she was scooping into her mouth. A loud beeping sounded from outside, her ride finally here. "What word? Mum or sure?" She really did enjoy pissing her mother off.

Her mother was not impressed though, but Daisy was scurrying to her feet, pushing her sketchbook into her bag and hurrying towards the front door, kissing her aunt on the cheek on the way out. Her darling mother followed, her heels clicking on the flooring. Sunlight poured through the open door, Daisy waving at Dottie Fields who waited in her uncle's old batted truck, a gift she had received in the reading of his will a few months ago. "I really wish you wouldn't travel to school with her, I would gladly drive you."

"Drive me, huh? You mean actually take time out of your busy day of cleaning, cooking and gossiping about every other person in town with that catty book club you've got? Oh, geez, that's so kind of you, dear mother." The sarcasm was thick today, Daisy quite proud of herself as she bounced down the few brick steps, tapping her hand on the letterbox for good luck, something silly she used to do with Marigold whenever they left the house.

Molly was smoothing down her flowery dress, her signature apron tied around her waist as she waited on the front porch. "Daisy!" The mother caught the heavy glance of the next door neighbour, her mouth snapping shut as a smile was plastered to her lips. "Have a good day at school!" The second half of her sentence was overkill, her voice too cheery.

Daisy was rolling her eyes, yanking open the truck's door and slipping inside. Dottie was already waving at Molly, her cheeks bright red from the heater blowing hot air on their faces. "Goodbye, Ms. Lonsdale!" Daisy was yanking the door shut, watching her mother purse her lips as they drove off, the car letting out an angry splatter of exhaust fumes. "Golly, will she ever actually like me?"

That was a rhetorical question, but Daisy answered anyway. Both girls knew Molly Lonsdale was not the kindest woman in town, swayed by the old fashion ideas that people were different based on the tone of their skin. Daisy hated that about her mother. "We've been friends since we were eight. She didn't like you then, and she doesn't like you now."

Dottie shrugged, "At least my ma likes you."

"Trust me, you don't want my mother's attention." Daisy was kicking her boots to the dashboard, her fingertips yanking at the hole in her jeans by her knee, stretching the material in an old habit. "Sometimes, I don't even want her attention. I mean, come on, she's like the leading witch of the we're-better-than-you-book-club-community."

Her friend smiled, "Has she got a cauldron?"

"Yeah, she keeps it right next to the stick up her ass."

That was the ending of their conversation, laughter pushing away the tiny thoughts of racism for the morning, but sadly, those thoughts were always screaming in Dottie Fields's head, even when she didn't want them to. Hawkins was not a town very open minded, not yet. At times, the town was lagging behind the change in the world and sometimes, that really did suck. Especially, for a girl like Dottie Fields.

***

Hawkins High School's carpark was jammed packed with cars when the girls finally arrived, a little late since Dottie Fields had stopped by the gas station to stock up on candy bars that she snacked on during class. The bell was sounding as they pushed through the double doors, students piling books into their arms and scurrying to class. Dottie was shoving a chocolate bar into her jean denim jacket saying something about boredom snacking when a loud, fake laugh filtered through the hallway.

A number of boys on the school football team, the Tigers, were howling like wolves with gelled back hair and matching varsity jackets. Daisy Lonsdale was already turning her head to spot Tommy H., Carol and Steve Harrington gawking at them too. Actually, the hallway full of students all stopped and stared, waiting for the footballers to pick their victims this morning. "How are they the very top of the food chain?" Daisy asked as she fiddled with her locker door, never quite remembering the lock combination.

Dottie shrugged, "Jocks."

The school hierarchy was pretty simple at Hawkins High; jocks, rich kids (which included Steve Harrington and his crappy friends), middle rung kids that flew under the radar but weren't considered total losers or poor (Nancy Wheeler and Barbara Holland) geeks, losers and lastly, weirdos. Unfortunately, most of the children in Hawkins did not fall far from the tree, following blindly in their parents' footsteps, meaning each child was pretty much a carbon copy. Naturally, there were a few exceptions and Daisy was included in that tiny margin.

"Meatheads."

"Townies."

The girls grinned across at each other, playing the game they always rounded back to when the jocks strolled through the hallways with their big egos and looking for anybody to bully that didn't fit into the Hawkins outdated idea of picture perfect. Today, it seemed Daisy and Dottie were on the hit list which happened every now and then.

"Ah, look who we have here boys." The leader of the pack stepped towards Daisy, arms raised high and a stupid smug look in his dark eyes. Asher Baker, just another townie that would one day work at his father's hardware store and become another poor soul that Hawkins would suck the life out of. "The girl who cried wolf," Asher barked out. "And her little chocolate sidekick."

Daisy cocked her eyebrow. "That's the best you've got today?"

The football boys stood tall, shoulders pushed back and their face scrunched with anger. Asher Baker tilted his fat face to the side, something dangerous sparking in his eyes. The older boy, the captain of the Tigers, stepped closer, his tongue wetting his lips. Daisy didn't move away. "Come on, Asher, search that pea size brain you've got in that meathead and insult me with something that actually hurts." she said, baiting him.

Dottie was sending her friend an alarmed look. "Daisy—"

"Keep your little mouth shut, negro." Asher boomed across at Dottie, who kept her face blank with the word, not letting one stupid, oversized white boy with no respect get her down today. She had been through her fair share of name calling and bullying because of the colour of her skin and today, she would not retaliate and give these boys what they were searching for, a reaction. Too bad Daisy had other plans.

The blonde pushed back, "Did daddy teach you that word, Asher? Oh, wait. Your dad didn't want you." Daisy watched as pure rage painted the boy's face. The town hadn't been rocked with the Baker scandal yet, a father's affair, a second secret family in another town. Daisy had overheard her mother gossiping about it last week and today, she was starting the rumours. "Goodbye, Baker and Sons Hardware now, huh?"

Whispers were already echoing in the hallway, Dottie staring across at her friend, horror filling her veins with how cruel she was being, something the girl had never been. Daisy knew letting this boy's family secret free was a stupid move, but she was beyond caring. "Shut up, Daisy. At least my father isn't dead, not like Marigold. A runaway. You know, she's probably lying dead in a gutter somewhere right now."

That was the final straw, Daisy shrugging off her bag and listening as it hit the floor with a thump. Kids were circling around now, the football boys howling again. "Say that again, Asher." Daisy warned him. "Go on, see what happens."

Finally, a teacher was stepping out of a classroom to see what was happening. Students were scattering naturally, not wanting to get into trouble. Asher Baker was running a hand across his lips, his eye twitching with familiar hues of anger. One of his friends was tugging on his arm. "Come on, Ash. Let's go. Hawkins is just riddled with weirdos now."

Asher was backing away, following his friends. Dottie was bending down and retrieving Daisy's fallen bag, making sure her sketchbook hadn't slipped out. Her friend could see the shine of fiery rage in Daisy's eyes still. "Alright, let's retract those claws, class has started."

"They're the stupid weirdos." Daisy was fuming, her bones feeling overly large in her skin right now, not having a suitable way to let out her frustration. As she was yanking her bag up her shoulder, she caught the eye of Jonathan Byers, who had seen the whole thing, now just lowering his camera. The boy, who was also considered a weirdo, was turning on his heels without a second glance, leaving two girls alone in the hallway.