-Chapter One-
-Shade-
"So..." Mike said awkwardly hitting his feet together.
"So..." El repeated.
"I missed you." Mike said nervously hoping El would say the same thing back to him.
"I missed you too Mike." Mike smiled at her. "I talked to you every night."
"Yeah..." Mike said smiling. El looked down and mover her hand closer to his. He saw what she was doing and he slowly took her hand in his. The two then looked at each other, slowly lifting their heads.
Mike was leaning in and El had her eyes closed when Lucas and Dustin barged through the double doors, the sound of music being heard for a second before the doors closed loudly behind them.
"Dude!" Mike exclaimed, looking at the two panting boys in an expression that read 'Dude!' all over it.
"Sorry! But you have to see this! Will and that girl kissed and everyone was watching!" Dustin said breathless before he ran back into the gym, Lucas following behind him.
"I suppose we should follow him-" Mike said but was cut off wen El leant forward quickly and kissed him. It only lasted for a second but when they pulled apart they both felt butterflies. Mike got up and helped El up, the two walking back hand in hand to the party.
Around 10:00pm the gang were all back at Mike's place for a sleepover. Joyce was sceptical to leave at first but after Jonathan had finally convinced her to leave the kids were able to spend the next five hours in the basement eating sweets and talking. Hopper was also anxious to leave El with a bunch of boys but he was easier to convince. All the kids rushed downstairs, their arms filled with the contents of Mike's kitchen, El just had eggos.
They all sat in a circle munching down on candy, El eating a full box of eggos.
After they had had their feast they started to talk about the night. They got so loud Karen, Ted, or Nancy had to come down once or twice to tell them to keep the noise down.
"You know what I want to hear! I want to hear about what El's bee up too!" Lucas said rubbing his hands together, excited for a good story. El who had been sitting quietly suddenly felt very pressured and the memories came flooding back. The loneliness, the quiet, the snow.
"El you don't have to." Mike whispered to El who he was sitting next to. Hopper had told him exactly what El had been through and he didn't want her to feel pressured to talk just yet.
"It's ok Mike." El whispered. She breathed in deeply, and turned to face the others who were now transfixed.
"Snow. It was snowing. Then- then I found Hopper. I lived in his cabin. It was nice, but quiet. Then I ran away. I found mama, and sister. Now I'm here." El said. Max looked at her in confusion.
"That's it!" Max asked angrily. El looked up quite suddenly, taken back at Max's outburst. She wasn't used to El's short descriptions.
"Max El doesn't-" Dustin started but Max cut him off.
"No! You go missing for a year! We want details! Give us the facts!" Max demanded. She didn't think she was being to unreasonable, but the others did.
Max waited for a second, then gave up and stood up sighing with annoyance.
"I'm out. I have homework to finish." Max said jumping up and walking out the back door. She had her skateboard under her arm and was away before anyone could comment.
"Someone has a temper!" Dustin said after a few moments of silence. "Good luck mate."
He patted Lucas on the back and turned back to the sweets and Lucas stared at the door in shock.
El and Mike turned slowly back to the sweets too, their elbows touching but neither wanting to say anything. Will was the one to break the silence.
"Sooooo, who's up for some dungeons and dragons!" Will said with a fake smile. Everyone jumped up noisily, trying to break the awkward silence.
