Chapter Text
Knowing that you are strange and having people tell you the fact, are two different things. They are two different feelings. They are two different facts. When you know you are strange, you embrace the fact that people think the same. It makes you feel less of an oddity because they agree with you. When you believe that you are normal, you become confused when people call you strange. It makes you feel more of an oddity because people are pointing it out.
When Clara was fifteen, she almost died. Like for real. She literally almost died. Blacking out from blood loss, dehydration, and malnutrition, is a real thing and it's not fun to experience. It's a lot to taken in and it's a long story, so here's the short version.
In 1983, after hanging out with Nancy Wheeler, Clara rode her bike with Will Byers to make sure he got home safely. It wasn't unusual for her to do that, she often babysat him when his mother, Joyce, was busy with work. She got him home and something spooked him. Will asked for him to stay until Joyce got there and she went to make a phone call.
The lines were down, and she had been confused, but shrugged it off. Her parents knew she had been with the Wheelers and if they tried to contact her, Mrs. Wheeler would say that Clara took Will home and then they would know that she stayed the night. She was fine with that.
Minutes later, the monster struck.
It was a surprise that she and Will survived. They shouldn't have survived. The monster chased them into a world much like their own, but so much different. Everything was the same, but dark and damp. No day, only night. There were no people, they were stuck alone. Thankfully they were together. But they were alone other than that.
That was until they realized they could communicate with the lights to talk with Joyce. It was working and they were staying safe, until the monster struck again. It took Will, leaving Clara trapped in the hallway closet of the Byer's home… the different home.
A few days later, they were found by Chief Hooper and Joyce, but not without consequences. Clara was never going to be the same.
She tried to be the same. She really did. Then nightmares came and the continuous verbal abuse from her mother and the neglect because she was never going to be as perfect as her twin sister, Chrissy.
That was when she spiraled down. She stopped hanging with her old friends, causing Nancy Wheeler, Steve Harrington, and Jonathan Byers to worry. What worried them most, was the relationship she started to from with Billy Hargrove.
Until he died.
The death of Billy Hargrove was the wakeup call she needed. The wakeup call that just because life sucks, she didn't need to destroy herself. So, she tried her best to fix her life as much as she could. She wasn't the same as she used to be. She would never be the same as she was before November 6th, 1983.
And that leads up to today. Well, not completely, but this is just catchup after all.
Her story is best to pick now. In the year of 1986. It was Clara's last year of high school. Her last year of talking to the guidance counselor that seemed to think that she knew everything that was wrong with Clara. The woman knew nothing and would never know anything.
"Clara, are you even listening this?"
The senior was dragged out of her thoughts as Steve turned his head around to look at her.
"Eyes on the road, Harrington," she muttered. "Yes, I'm listening."
"What have I been saying?"
"That no one returns fast time paused at fifty-three minutes and five seconds."
"Do you see my point?"
"No, I'm not into boobies."
"Oh my God!" Robin screeched. "Stop using that word!"
Laughing quietly, Clara started gathering her bag as Steve pulled into the school parking lot.
"Good luck, Robin," she told her friend.
"Thanks," Robin said.
"Try not to stare too long at Vikki's chest," Clara added, slamming the car door shut before Robin could say anything. She could hear Robin's sputtering and Steve's loud laughter. Robin would pay Clara back for her remarks, but it was worth it.
Heading towards the school, Clara caught sight of Max Mayfield and jogged to catch up with the redhead. Max was Billy's stepsister and the two had grown close over the last few months after he died, sacrificing himself for the two of them.
The girl had her headphones on and gave Clara a tiny nod as they walked together to the gym for the morning assembly that had been called. They got seats near the middle, Clara watching the cheer squad closely. Her sister, Chrissy, was warming up the crowd with the rest of the squad. They made eye-contact and Chrissy gave her twin a timid smile. They hadn't spoken much in three years. Both going opposite directions in life.
When everyone was inside the gym, the basketball team came roaring out, high fiving each other with many of the students going wild.
As the crowd quieted, Jason stepped forward. Clara stiffened. Had she known he would be speaking, she would have never showed up. It wasn't mandatory, she just didn't think it through.
Max leaned over, laying her head on Clara's shoulder.
"Good morning, Hawkins High!" Jason said, causing more cheering. "First off… First off, I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn't be here." Jason looked to the cheer squad, smiling at his girlfriend."Chrissy, I love you babe."
Knowing her sister, Clara knew Chrissy was blushing and shy repeating the words back to him. She tried to be happy for them. She really did. But it still hurt.
"You know," Jason continued. "I think I can speak for all of us when I say it's been a tough year for Hawkins. So much loss… Sometimes I wonder, how much loss can one community take? In dark days like this, we need something to believe in. So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half to Christian Academy, I looked at my team, and I said, "Think of Jack. Think of Melissa. Think of Heather. Think of Billy.""
She didn't hear what else was said. Jason had looked directly at her when he said Billy's name. Max had frozen up beside her. It was a sore spot, a good amount of students looked over at them. She escaped their stares as soon as she could.
At lunch, Clara settled by herself at a table. She could have joined Robin but hanging with the band students didn't seem like fun at the beginning of the year and it didn't seem any better now.
She was alone until a denim jacket stopped in front of her.
"Mind if I join you, beautiful?" She looked up at the smirking face of Eddie Munson and tilted her head to the side.
"Depends. How many times are you going to mention that game you play today?"
"As many times as I can, sweetheart." She rolled her eyes.
"Sit down and shut up, Munson."
For probably the first time in the entire time she knew him, he did as she said. Well, not exactly. He sat down and was quiet until others from his group showed up. That's when he began his spiel.