demogorband

the rivalry

Hawkins, Indiana, June of 1985. Hawkins Middle School.

Dustin, Lucas, Mike, and Will walk together in the hallways separating frequently to let passerby through.

"I'm so ready for this year to be over. Middle school has been a real shit show." Dustin remarked as their former bullies passed by, glancing over them for a second before sauntering away.

"Yeah, but we've been through MUCH, MUCH worse this past year, like the Hawkins La-" Lucas began, although Dustin waved his hands like a conductor, cutting him off.

"Did you rock Farrah Faucet hair spray at the snow ball in a smokin' blue suit and still get rejected by girls? NO. You all came in looking like bums compared to me, yet I lose out on the girl. Even Will was asked out, and he was prancing around the Upside Down for weeks! How could they remember him, but not me? No offense Will." Will looked over at Mike, who shook his head.

"Here he goes again," Mike mumbled. This was the third time this week that Dustin was bitching about the Snowball. Couldn't he just let it go?

Dustin sighed heavily at his own strife, while the boys sighed at their own for having to listen to this nonsense again.

"Didn't Nancy dance with you?" Mike looked at Dustin incredulously, although Dustin was unfazed.

"Yes, but it turns out not even your sister was enough to convince this wasteland that I'm a real winner." The boys all go silent for a second, unsure on how to comfort Dustin. He felt so confident after dancing with Nancy, that for the month after the Snowball, he bragged to anybody who'd listen to him that he danced with Steve Harrington's girlfriend. He figured telling them it was Mike's sister would decrease the impact of his statement. He also chose to exclude that she was Steve's EX-girlfriend, but much to everyone's relief (but Dustin's), either no one believed him, or they didn't care.

The boys continue to walk awkwardly through the hallway, sluggish with the effects of Senioritis. They were all admittedly excited to go to high school, except for Dustin, who, of course, had something else to bitch about.

"Why couldn't we be born one year earlier? Then we'd be able to go to school with Steve. THAT would show everyone! Do you think Steve was left behind? Not that I wouldn't know, because we're always talking..." Dustin looked at the boys, although they were all distracted with the room to their right.

The band room. Built for a different breed of nerd, one which the boys did not mingle with for several reasons, one being that they played extra loud "intentionally" (according to the boys), when the A/V Club was in session. The rivalry had been brewing for months - nay, years - and was bound to end in the dirtiest, most grueling fight of all: a game of Dungeons and Dragons.

"Are they really playing..."

"How dare they..."

"THAT'S MY FREAKING SONG!" Will's voice cracked, as he balled his fists and his chest heaved.

"Language, Will." Dustin scolded. Lucas and Mike shook their heads at him, then returned their attention to the matter at hand.

The ultimate battle cry. The moment had come. Hold onto your knickers, because the Hawkins Middle School Band was playing the forbidden tune, sacred to the A/V Club.

Should I Stay or Should I Go.

Mike remained oddly calm, while Lucas "fought" to restrain Will.

"Don't worry guys, I've got this covered." Mike whispered, as he whipped out his backpack, and revealed the ultimate weapon, the crème de la crème of geek battles, the glory of all train tracks and four-eyes across the nation...

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS.

Mike smiled at the boys with much pride, ready to be showered with praise from his underlings (everyone knew Mike was the pack leader, they just were too cowardly to accept his dominance.) Mike could already picture El getting a nose bleed just from hearing about his accomplishments and...

"Wait, you actually carry Dungeons and Dragons around with you?"

"Oh my god, and I thought I was lame for having my mom drop me off everyday after school. Wait until she hears about this!" (Joyce Byers was secretly in on all the tea at Hawkins Middle School thanks to Will.)

"Does El know about this? Because seriously, if she knew-"

"SHUT UP!" Mike was now heaving just like Will, and looked like he was about to go into one of those Mind Flayer exorcisms. The music in the band room ceased, and so did the clamor from the boys. Dustin put a finger to his mouth, motioning everyone to remain quiet, as though a demodog was lurking beyond the door.

A tall boy with a large nose and bony limbs emerged from the room and . His laugh always sounded like he was gurgling Listerine. As a matter of fact, he could probably pass for a malnourished demogorgon.

"Well, well. If it isn't the Hawkins BA-BY Club." He paused for a second to let that one sink in, ready for the burn to scorch the peasants below him. They all looked unamused, and Mike realized that he was actually taller than Gerald. Another second passed by, and it only got more awkward.

"Wait, were we supposed to laugh or something?" Dustin asked, as Gerald stood there frozen like a statue. Gerald laughed for a second before snapping out of it.

"No, you dimwits. That was a grade-a BURN. I hit a high note with that one, huh?" Cue the Listerine laugh again. Jokes like that were yet another reason why they hated the band kids. Yet again, silence ensued, so Gerald finally gave up the topic and searched for something else to make fun of.

There his target lay, by Mike's feet.

Bingo.