𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫. ►

CHAPTER ONE: MADMAX

1984 Fall

River stared into the mirror, furrowing her eyebrows as she thought deeply. You could really use the extra lip gloss.

She looked different from how she looked last year, her hair was no longer short, with a side part, it had grown, and she decided to give herself a faint middle part. Her features had advanced as well, and she'd grown taller. She was just growing up, and she had mixed feelings about the term.

With a shrug, the young girl reached for her brush before hearing her door open abruptly, and she jumped, before turning to see her older brother stumble into her room, holding up her walkie talkie.

"Don't leave this in the kitchen. Your friends won't shut up." Steve shook his head, blowing some hair out of his face before tossing the device to his sister, who sent him a firm nod.

"Alright, thanks." She spoke dropping the brush in her hand to catch it, and soon she heard a familiar voice.

"River? River Do you copy?" It was Dustin, and the girl who listened to him felt herself smile as she heard him.

"Yeah, Yeah I copy." She had quickly responded, grabbing her shoes with her free hand.

"Okay, Lucas and I got six bucks together. What do you got?" He asked as she froze, glancing up at the jar that she stored her money in, and it was completely empty.

"Shit, I-I didn't get anything." She admit, with a cringe as Dustin groaned on the other end.

"You too?"

"Just call Will, please." She shrugged before running out, and stopping at her stairs to slide her shoes on. They were the same ones she always wore, they still fit her, thankfully.

"Hey, Steve. I need some money." River had called out as she quickly rushed down the stairs, throwing her jacket on, as Steve glanced up from his stance, giving her a scoff.

"Yeah, like that's happening." He muttered, before looking back down at the watch he fiddled with.

Rivers eyes traveled to see his wallet on the stand beside her, and she stayed quiet, too quiet of course, causing Steve to look up and glance at his wallet.

"I'm sorry." She uttered, as Steve tilted his head with a serious expression, before shaking his head.

"River, no-" He pleaded, yet she grabbed the wallet anyways, before running towards the front door and rushing out, closing the door in his face.

He chased her after opening it back up, shortly behind, while she grabbed her bike and got on, biking away with a smile.

"River, this isn't funny!" Steve called out, still chasing his sister before stopping, and resting his hands on his knees while River had glanced back slightly.

"I am not trying to make anyone laugh." She retorted, with a small smile plastered on her face.

"Yo-You're, paying me back!." Steve shook his head, kicking a rock as he placed his hands on his hips, and headed back inside.

Pulling up to the palace arcade at night always gave River serotonin, she couldn't hold in her smile when she'd look up at the sign and see her friends under it, all of them.

Will had made it at the same time she did, and she parked her bike after greeting her friends, while he walked over.

Rushing inside, the five kids knew exactly where they were headed to, which was Dragon's Lair.