Hawkins High doesn’t like things that don’t fit. And Lauren? Lauren doesn’t fit anywhere they can neatly label. It starts with a joke. At least, that’s what everyone calls it. When Lauren tries out for the football team junior year, people laugh. Not quietly either. Full-on, shoulder-shaking, “this is the funniest thing we’ve seen all week” kind of laughing. Because she’s a girl. Because there’s no girls’ team. Because, in their minds, this isn’t even worth taking seriously.