absquatulate - will byers (CANCELLED)

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Fᴏᴜʀ

The rest of the night sort of flew by.  Before she knew it, Genie was biking home and wishing her friends a goodnight.

When she arrived home, she parked her bike and threw her coat on the coat hanger beside the door.

"Hey, Genie." Steve said as she walked past his room.  She paused and backpeddled into the doorway.

"Hey, Steve." Said Genie with a small wave.

"How was the arcade?" Steve asked, shifting his position so he was sitting on the edge of his bed.  Genie let herself in and sat down beside him.

"Good, someone beat Dustin on Dig Dug." She mentioned with a grin.

"Dig Dug, I'm assuming that's a game?" Steve raised an eyebrow and Genie laughed.

"No, it's a cooking show." She rolled her eyes and got up from the bed.  Steve laughed.

"Go to bed, kid.  You got school tomorrow." He playfully shoved her out of his room and watched her walk off.  Genie casually flipped him off before shutting the door to her room and collapsing on her bed.

When Genie awoke she mentally prepared herself for a day of hell. All summer she'd been called Zombie Girl. It made her feel better that she wasn't the only zombie in town, though. Will was going through the same thing. Fortunately, their friends had their backs as they had each other's.

Finally, it was science. The quintet's favourite class.

"Meet the human brain." Mr Clarke began, "I know.  I know, it doesn't look like much.  A little gross even, right?  But consider this.  There are a hundred billion cells inside of this miracle of evolution.  All working as one." Around the class, various students ignored Mr Clarke in all different, creative ways.  Nevertheless, he continued to talk, "No, no I did not misspeak.  I did not stutter.  A hundred billion."

Just as Mr Clarke finished his speech the door swung open and the principal came in with a red haired girl.

"Ah, this must be our new student." Mr Clarke greeted.

The girl looked grumpy.  She wore a plain red hoodie and some jeans and tucked under her arm was a skateboard with lots of designs on it.

"Indeed." The principal nodded, "All yours."

The girl went to grab a seat but Mr Clarke held out a hand to stop her.

"All right, hold up there.  You don't get away that easy." 

She rolled her eyes but returned to the front of the classroom.

"Dustin, drum roll." Mr Clarke instructed and Dustin began drumming his textbook with his hands, "Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage...Maxine!"

"It's Max." The girl corrected quietly.

"Sorry?"

"Nobody calls me Maxine.  It's Max." She repeated, her tone sharp as she walked past Mr Clarke.

"Mad Max." The boys in front of Genie glanced at each other with wide eyes.

"Well, all aboard, Max." He continued enthusiastically.  Genie turned and watched the new girl walk to the back and take a seat.  When she turned around she found the boys still watching Max.

"Turn around." Genie hissed at Mike who sat in front of her.  He blinked and twisted around, signalling for the others to do so as well.

The class broke for lunch and Genie walked with the group through the hall.