Summary: Serena and Steve, both in bad moods, run into each other at the store. Steve accidentally bumps into her, and her drink spills all over him. Anger flares, and they argue. The next day, Dustin says his ‘genius’ sister is finally back. When Dustin brings her to the next meeting/planning of the next crawl, Steve realises that the bitchy girl from the grocery store he’d complained about to Dustin relentlessly was his sister.
All week, Dustin wouldn’t shut up about his sister's return. He said he’d told her about the Upside Down, saying she was a “certified genius” and could help them with planning. Dustin talked Steve’s ear off about it. Steve practically knew everything about Serena, from her appearance to her personality, though he had never met her.
When Steve ran into a girl who met Dustin’s exact description of his sister, Steve, being Steve, didn’t connect the dots. He ended up accidentally bumping into her, and her Diet Coke spilled down his shirt and onto his shoes. Serena, having been driving for over four hours, was exhausted and snappy.
“Watch where you’re going.” She snapped.
“Jeez. I barely touched you.” Steve replied.
“Oh yeah? Then why is my Coke all over you?” She said while gesturing to his soaked shirt.
“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Steve said under his breath.
That sparked an argument that lasted for at least 10 minutes. People walking through the store stared, some even whispered, as Steve and Serena yelled at each other. Eventually, a store employee came over and told them to either leave or stop yelling. To which they both left.
The next day, when Steve picked up Dustin to drop him off at school, Dustin was practically beaming.
“Shes back! My sister moved back in last night!” He exclaimed excitedly. “I’m bringing her to the meeting tonight. She’s going to make all of this planning so much easier.”
“Totally. She'd better leave up to your word, Henderson.” Steve said while he pulled up to the school.
Later that night, when the meeting finally rolled around, everyone was gathered at the Byers' house. Everyone but Dustin and his sister, that was. Minutes after the meeting had started, Dustin barged through the door, Serena trailing behind him.
“Everyone, this is Serena, my absolutely amazing sister!” Dustin practically shouted.
All eyes shifted to Dustin, then to Serena. Serena’s eyes scanned the room until they caught on Steve’s eyes. She immediately recognised him as the guy she had a screaming match with last night in the middle of the store. They held eye contact for a couple of seconds before they broke it when Dustin started introducing everyone. Dustin saved Steve for last. Completely oblivious that she was the ‘bitchy girl from the store’, he listened to Steve complain about.
“Last but not least, this is Steve Harrington, my best friend!” Dustin said excitedly, hoping Serena and Steve would get along.
Serena groaned internally. Of course. Out of everyone who could be Dustin’s best friend, it was Steve. The guy she caused a public scene with. She just nodded in acknowledgement while looking everywhere but in Steve’s eyes.
“She’s a genius! Like Albert Einstein level smart!” Dustin bragged.
The meeting went on, and to everyone’s surprise, Serena was actually really smart, and Dustin wasn’t just talking her up. They came up with a plan and said they’d divide up into teams before they carried the plan out.
Background - Serena grew up in Hawkins and spent her time with her small friend group, reading books, or taking walks alone in the forest. She was very close with her little brother, Dustin but when their parents divorced, Serena went to live with her dad in St. Louis, Missouri. It was a big change to say the least. Hawkins was a small town where everyone knew everyone while St. Louis was much bigger, louder, and much more crowded. She went throughout her high school years in St. Louis. Though, she always felt out of place there. She knew she belonged back in Hawkins, not in St. Louis. She distracted herself from that feeling by throwing herself into her academics and hobbies. She called her little brother every week to stay updated with each other though that was never enough to fill the gap. After graduation, she decided to move back in with her mother.
Personality - Serena is very sharp, quick-witted, and certainly not afraid to speak her mind–sometimes too much so. At first she comes across as intimidating but once you truly get to know her she is warm and kind. Serena is great at reading people. She can immediately tell when someone’s upset, sad, or any micro expression that crosses their face she immediately catches. She is independent and would rather work on her own than in a group, but can still work efficiently in groups.
