"Yeah," he says, adjusting Beverly's backpack. "Yeah, of course, kid. Not gonna keep you away from your friend."

As much as he wants to keep all boys away from Beverly, he knows that's messed up and he knows just because someone is a boy doesn't mean they're interested in being more than friends with her. It's taken Hopper a long time to accept that as reality, but it's the truth, he knows it now, and he knows Beverly's friends mean the world to her. There's no way in hell he would keep them apart.

"You're gonna keep an eye on the other ones?" he asks. "The ones stuck at the Home?"