Subaru71077: Short chapter because I lost the file and had to rewrite everything again :(
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Leaving his bike locked in the rack, Steven paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the vibrant movement in front of the school. Boys and girls arrived in groups, stepping down from noisy yellow buses or getting out of cars pulling into the parking lot. Clusters gathered in circles, laughing and chatting excitedly, while others hurried toward the entrance.
Steven closed his eyes, feeling the emotions flow in a chaotic mix of joy, nervousness, boredom, anxiety, excitement, and even anger. Despite months of trying, he hadn't managed to create the mental barrier to block them. Maybe his powers weren't capable of it, or maybe he still lacked the necessary control, but whatever the reason, that time hadn't been wasted.
Steven had learned to navigate his powers better, like a sailor beginning to understand the currents of the sea. He not only felt more resistant to the emotions of others, but had also discovered new "tricks." And now, standing in front of the school and focused on his goal of becoming famous, he knew exactly what to do.
Taking a deep breath, he dove into the emotional storm around him, searching for the brightest ones — happy, lively, confident, and vibrant emotions. Once he found them, he pulled them toward himself. The difference was instant.
It was hard to describe the feeling of being flooded with positive emotions. If Steven had to guess, he'd say it was like being under the effect of some drug — no, a thousand times better than a drug. It was a euphoria that danced through his whole body, making him feel light and invincible. Part of him feared becoming addicted to it, but for now, it was exactly what he needed.
He adjusted the straps of his backpack and, with a wide smile on his face, walked confidently into Hawkins Middle School. As he crossed the doors, he was swallowed by the chaos of the hallways. Blue metal lockers slammed shut, groups of students crowded together between laughter and shouts, and the scent of floor wax mixed with the sweet perfume of the girls. Colorful posters covered the walls, announcing a fall dance, basketball games, and other events.
Steven kept a steady pace and followed the hallway to a half-filled classroom. A few desks were occupied, some students resting their heads on their arms or scribbling in notebooks, while others leaned against the walls chatting. Steven chose a desk in the center, where he could observe the room's dynamics, and let his backpack slide to the floor before sitting down. He crossed his arms, feeling some eyes on him with curiosity, and others with caution.
He memorized the faces of those who seemed curiosity and turned to the boy on his left, who radiated boredom and disinterest. Steven decided to take a chance. "Hi, I'm Steven Harrington, but my friends just call me Steve," he said, offering his hand with a friendly smile.
The boy looked up, first at the extended hand, then at Steven's face. For a few seconds, nothing happened — and just as Steven thought he might be left hanging, the boy shook his hand. "You're new here, right?"
Steven laughed, letting go of his hand. "It's that obvious, huh?"
"Kind of," the boy said with a shrug. "I'm Tommy. Tommy Hagan." He straightened up a bit in his chair, boredom giving way to curiosity. "Where are you from?"
"Los Angeles."
Tommy widened his eyes a bit. "Ohh, that's far. What brought you to this middle of nowhere?"
"I was adopted."
"Oh..." Tommy looked away, scratching the back of his neck, visibly awkward. "Man, that's... like, cool, right? I mean, Hawkins isn't LA, but... uh... do you like basketball?"
Steven smiled inwardly, enjoying the conversation. "Of course I do. What about you?"
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After a few minutes, the sound of the bell echoed through the school, and a mustached man entered the room, closing the door behind him. Steven paused his conversation with Tommy and turned his attention to the newcomer, who was practically screaming excitement and enthusiasm.
"Hello, class! First of all, a very warm welcome to Hawkins Middle School!" the man said with a wide smile. "I'm Scott Clarke, your science teacher." He lifted a stack of papers. "I've got your schedules here. So, I'm going to ask each of you to stand up one by one, say your name, share a few hobbies, and come pick them up."
Steven felt the nervousness sweep through the room.
"So, who wants to start?" Clarke asked, his eyes scanning the class "Come on, folks! No need to be shy. We'll be spending a lot of years together, so we might as well start getting to know each other!"
The students glanced at each other, each one waiting for someone else to take the lead.
'...I guess this is the moment,' Steven raised his hand.
"There he is," Clarke pointed at him.
Steven stood up, feeling everyone's eyes on him. "My name is Steven Harrington, but my friends just call me Steve. I'm new in town, so I hope I can get to know all of you. As for my hobbies, I like basketball, hanging out with friends, and lately I've been trying to learn how to play the guitar—though I have to admit my fingers aren't exactly cooperating."
A few students chuckled, and Steven felt their nervousness ease up.
"Well, Steve, let me also welcome you to Hawkins," Clarke said, smiling at him as he extended him one of the sheets. "I'm sure you'll be very happy here."
Steven walked over to him and took the sheet. "Thank you, sir." He returned to his seat and sat down, pleased to see that everyone's interest in him had grown.
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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.