November of 85'

It was finally the day Kathryn had been waiting on for the last 3 days, Thanksgiving.

Kathryn was wearing something she had picked out herself the last time she went shopping: a Jean skirt, and a mustard yellow turtle neck with a patterned sweater over it, along with her signature locket. She had also used curlers to achieve soft curls in her waist length hair.

Some of Her family members had made it in earlier then she thought and she showed them around the house welcoming them when they first got there.

By 4:30 Football was playing on the tv downstairs and some of the adults were already drinking.

Kathryn had only three cousins even close to her age that she welcomed into her room. She had her cousins Cady, Greg and Stephen. They were all 4 in high school.

The rest of her family members were either a lot older or a lot younger. Then there were her aunts, uncles and her grandparents from both sides of the families, who all hated each other.

The only reason she was even remotely excited about thanksgiving was the fact that it would be the first time a friend would be coming over for the holiday, usually it was only family. She had to beg her parents to let Eddie come, but once she told them he had no family to celebrate the holiday with they agreed.

With Eddie there she was hoping her family members wouldn't terrorize her over moving in with her grandparents the year before, but it was almost 6 and he wasn't there, as well as a lot of her family.

The teens were in her room listening to music and catching up.

"Cady are you okay?" Kathryn took a seat next to her on the bed while the boys were talking about football, or something else Kathryn had no interest in.

"As good as I can be. I haven't really seen you since Halloween and I'm sorry for that." Cady gave a half smile.

"Hey it's okay don't be sorry. We just all missed you." Cady gave her a hug.

"I missed you all too. I've done some growing on my own and I'm a lot better then I was." Jason already having a new girlfriend didn't help her at all.

"I'm so proud of you Cady." Kathryn said this still hugging her.

"Thanks." Knowing someone was proud of her, especially her cousin, Cady felt a hundred times better than she once did.

"Now it's about time for dinner, you guys want to go help with the food?" Kathryn asked earning a groan from Greg and Stephen.

"I'm guessing that's a no, you guys can stay in here or go downstairs, but if anything's messed up in here both of your asses are grass." She made her point clear. The boys followed behind them to the kitchen.

"Eddie still isn't here?" Mary asked once she saw them. It was 6 now.

"No mother not yet, he'll be here for dinner." Kat doubted it now, especially when she walked down the stairs and saw the rest of her family members who weren't there before.

"I hope he will be. We're always delighted to have other people with us." Her mother smiled, she knew she was lying, she had just gotten done yelling at her hours before over it.

        "Yea of course. Me and Cady are going to help you finish up supper."

      "Okay go grab the aprons from the hat rack and help me with the gravy and setting the tables."

       They had a little hat rack near their front door that  stored their aprons and was also used to hang jackets and purses.

      Both Cady and Kathryn grabbed an apron and got to work. Cady stirred the gravy while Kat set the tables and placed some of the food in the middle of each one.

      Not long after they were finished and everyone was heading to the tables to eat.

        Due to the large family people were sat at multiple tables, Kat, Cady, Stephen and Greg finally left the kid table to sit with some of the adults.

      After saying grace, they all passed plates around and made small talk at their assigned seats.

       Kat was disappointed that Eddie wasn't there yet but left a spot for him in case he actually showed, however after a while it was clear he wasn't going to.

      "Could you pass me more of the green beans sweet heart?" Kat's aunt Becky asked her while she was eating, they were almost finished with their meals.

     "Sure thing." Kat passed them over to her aunt who was sat just across the table from her.

       "How is it being back in Hawkins?" Her Uncle Sam questioned. This was the question she dreaded most. She hated any question that mentioned Hawkins.

      "Um it's great, a little different then it was in Montana." She poked around her plate with her fork.

     "I don't see why you even left for Montana, it's not like you knew that girl died at the time?" An older man, Kat's grandfather on her dads side said.

     That hit a nerve.

      "Dad!" Kathryn's father shout. It took a long time for her to even think about coming back to Hawkins, he didn't want her to be like that again.

      "It's okay, Yea I left because I didn't really have any friends besides her." Kathryn picked at the skin on her fingers.

    "That's bullshit you had friends over all the time." He downed the beer bottle he had in his hand.

       "I-." She was speechless, she didn't know what to say. She did have friends over, but it was the easiest excuse she could give, usually no one questioned it.

       She just got up. She completely left the table and made her way to the kitchen. She heard voices: She heard Cady ask where she was going as she took a wine bottle from the kitchen, she heard her brother tell her to just leave her be, she heard her father yell at his dad, but she ignored them as she walked to the back door.

       Eddie was a no show and right then she felt isolated, two of her best friends were far away from Hawkins and she had no one to go to that wasn't a family member.

       She ran when she got outside, her yard wasn't gated off and there were woods for miles. What she did was run straight into the woods, through trees and birds, and rocks, she kept running straight.

      Not long had passed before Kat almost ran straight into a bench. She wasn't even far from her house, in truth she wanted to escape, but didn't want to be lost forever.

         The bench looked old like it had been there forever and there were many other benches identical to that one.

     In front of all of the benches was a slight platform that looked like it had been a stage a some point, on the center of that stage was a cross.

     She got to thinking. It must have once been a chapel where they held church services.

      A chapel in the woods. How ironic she thought as she downed wine straight from the bottle on the bench she first found.

      Tears were flowing from her face. She had kept it in for too long.

      Darkness was approaching, but still she drank. The bottle was almost empty when she heard rustling from farther out.

    Fear didn't creep through her. She didn't really feel anything.

     The rustling was coming closer. It was ready to pounce at her. She accepted her fate drunkenly. This was how she thought she was going to die.

      But when an older boy with long hair and tattoos approached her she felt slightly relieved.

      "Eddie?" Kathryn was spread out laying down on the bench.

     "Sit up you've had enough of this." He took the bottle from her hand.

    "Where were you? I needed you in there. I froze." He sat her up and sat down beside her.

    "I know, I know. I was trying to make it earlier. Dustin's moms car broke down and I had to help her." He wiped a tear from her face.

     "I don't want to hear excuses mister." She took his hand in hers "I thought you were a tiger." She frowned.

      "A tiger in Hawkins?" He laughed softly.

    "You were loud."

     "I was worried when your parents told me you ran into the woods with a full bottle of wine, you haven't drank since you got back to Hawkins." He noticed. She was happy he noticed.

     "I'm just glad you're here now with your, very silly hair." She combed her fingers through his hair.

   Suddenly it was like a light had switched.

       Guilt suddenly bit through Kathryn as she remembered the last time she drank.

"Eddie please tell me you'll stay here with me." She pleaded

"I will, I'm staying right beside you."

Eddie didn't know why she wanted him to stay next to her, but he did, he was planning to the whole time they were out in the woods.

The last time the girl had gotten drunk her friend went missing.

It was November 8th 1983. Two days after will Byers disappearance.

     After being begged by Nancy to come to a small party at Steve's house Kathryn and Barb finally agreed.

Barb picked Kathryn up first since it was on her way to Nancy's house.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Barb asked.

    "I mean it could be, sure it's a school night, but we're teenagers. We need to party every once in a while."

    "I'm just worried about Nancy she's changing." Barb kept her on the road.

    "You know I've never been like you guys, I don't dress like you two, or study as much as you both. I mean I go to parties sometimes."

    "Yea, but you've always been there for us through it all, you never changed for anyone."

     Kathryn did change. Her appearance was something she always changed for her band, sure being in band was hurting the way other perceived her but it was where she was happy.

       "Come on Nancy's still the same old Nancy Wheeler she's always been, we have nothing to worry about. She'll always be our best friend." Barb parked in Nancy's driveway.

  Truth be told Nancy was always more of Barbs friend, that was why Kat always offered to sit in the back and did so when Nancy came out of the house.

    "Nancy, I like your outfit." It was different from the outfits she usually wore.

     "Oh this? Thank you."

    "Yea no problem." Kat was fixing her makeup. Instead of the usual lipstick she wore she just had on eyeliner, her clothes were still the same.

     It only took a few minutes before Nancy told Barbara to pull over.

     "What?" She thought she was crazy.

    "Pull over!" The car came to a halt.

   "What are we doing here? His house is three blocks away!" Barb looked at her.

    "We're not seriously walking to his house are we?" Kat screeched.

   "We can't park in the driveway." Nancy spoke .

     "Are you serious?" Barb panics.

    "Yea the neighbors might see."

  "This is so stupid. I'm just gonna drop you off and take Kat home."

   "Calm down barb. Come on. You both promised you would go. You're both coming. We're all gonna have a great time." Nancy was trying to convince her.

  "He just wants to get into your pants."

    "Barb you can just say that!" Kat hissed even though he did.

   "No he doesn't." Nancy chuckles.

     "Nance.. seriously? He invited you to his house." Barb was concerned for her.

     Nancy looked confused.

    "His parents aren't home." She added. "Come on you are not this stupid."

    "Tommy H. and Carol are going to be there." Nancy gulped.

    "Tommy and carol have been having sex since like seventh grade it'll probably be like just a big orgy."

   "Gross" Nancy and Kat said at the same time.

    "I'm serious." Barb argued.

    "Alright well. Both of you can be like my guardians. All right? Make sure I don't get drunk and do anything stupid." Nancy gets out a shirt that was on the floorboard.

     "Both of us? Leave me out of this, I'm getting drunk.

Nancy laughed before she started changing shirts.

       Barb sighed "Is that a new bra?"

     "No." Nancy got out of the car quickly. "Let's get to walking."

     They walked their 3 blocks, knocking on Steve's door when they got there.

    Barb was panicking.

    "Barb chill." Nancy placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

   "I'm chill." She nodded.

      "Yea right." Kat was interrupted by the door opening.

    "Hello ladies." Steve welcomed them into his house. Music was playing as he lead them to the back yard where he had a nice pool.

     Tommy and carol were already sipping beers.

      They all say in chairs and Kat asked for a beer.

     "Here." Tommy winked at her even though his girlfriend was right there.

     "Thanks." She opened it and started drinking away.

     She was still drinking minutes later when she noticed Steve lot a cigarette trying to impress Nancy. She heard her say something not very clear, before she grabbed Steve's pocket knife and a beer can.

    "You gotta make a little whole right in the b-." Steve was interrupted by her.

     "Yea I got it." Nancy started poking a whole in the can.

    "Yea she's smart you douche." Tommy spoke.

      Nancy chugged the beer, and everyone but Barb cheered "chug, chug, chug, chug." As she gulped the bitter liquid down.

     Kat did the same thing shotgunning it a lot faster than her, since she had done it before.

     They all whooped with laughter.

   "Barb you want to try?" Nancy asked after.

   "What? No." Barb denied.

    "Come on."

    "I don't want to nance."

    "It's fun just give it a shot."

  "Nance!"

  "Just give it a shot."

  "Okay." Barb grabbed the knife and beer from Nancy's hand.

   "So you just?" She was struggling to poke a hole and sliced her hand.

    Tommy chuckled and went "gnarly."

    "Are you okay?" Both Nancy and Kat asked. Kat was a lot drunker then Barb.

   "Yea I'm fine." Barb was not fine.

   "Barb you're bleeding.."

   "It's fine. Where's your bathroom?" She directed to Steve.

   He got up from the chair and pointed towards the house.  "Oh it's down past the kitchen and uh to the left."

     "Okay thanks." She headed to the bathroom.

    Kat was concerned but already too drunk to worry about her.

     When Barb was still inside Tommy pushed carol into the pool.

     "What the hell Tommy!" She exclaimed, but then Tommy jumped in.

   With his influence Steve pushed Nancy in before also jumping in himself. Kat jumped in herself and they were all splashing around having fun.

    A little later Steve led them inside. Kathryn still had a beer can in her hand, not thinking she was drunk enough, yet she could barely walk straight.

      He got them all yellow beach towels.

      "I'm freezing." Carol shivers.

"Well I hear his moms room has a fireplace." Tommy smirked and if Kat was sober she would have gagged.

"Are you kidding?" Steve looked in slight disgust as they walked up the stairs "Alright well you are cleaning the sheets."

    "You two alright?"  He turned back at them.

   "Yea" they both replied.

     "Well let's get you both some clean clothes."  him and the girls started to go upstairs.

   "Nance. Nancy, Kat. " Barb stopped them.

   "Where are you two going?"

   "No where just upstairs to change, We fell in the pool." Nancy unwrapped her towel a little to show her wet clothes.

     "Nancy."

   "Why don't you just go home we'll get a ride or something."

   "Nance"

   "We're fine why don't you just go home." She pleaded.

   "This isn't you Nancy." Barb didn't know who she was looking at anymore.

   "Barb just go on home." Nancy broke her heart as she went up.

   When they made it upstairs Steve got Kat clothes first and with Nancy's helped settle her into the guest room.

    "You can stay here for the night, I'll take you home in the morning." She nodded at Steve when he closed the door. She wasn't sure where Barb was. She was too tired to care.

     When she woke in the morning it was like she didn't even know where she was.

    She walked down stairs remembering.

   "Steve?" The girl saw him.

    "Hey your clothes are in the laundry room."he was pouring cereal into a bowl.

    "Are Nancy or Barb still here?" Kat wondered.

    "Nope. Barb left last night and Nancy left sometime early this morning." Kat knew what that meant.

     "Can you just drop me off at my house. I'm gonna get grounded for being hungover, but I can't go to school like this."

    "Sure thing."

     He took her home that day, and it wasn't till the day after that she knew her friend was missing.

    She blamed herself. If she wouldn't have been drunk she could have gone home with Barb and she would have been fine.

    So now she was intent on staying with Eddie while she was drunk, she wasn't going to let him leave her sight , Not even as she passed out and he had to carry her to her room.

    Now the spot, the chapel in the woods she passed out at would be her little spot. One she would go to when she was sad, it felt dear to her heart after that.

      Eddie really cared enough about her to stay. And it made her want to tell him everything.. when she was sober.

A/N: it is currently 2:44 am and I am just now finishing this. I hope you enjoy this unedited chapter. Yes I started and finished three chapters today.

    Next chapter will be a Christmas chapter and I am personally excited for it, because we're just getting closer and closer to the time Volume 1 happened.

    What are some of your predictions you think will happen in this story, especially when volume 1 rolls around?

    love you all thank u for reading  <33