"Should we go up to the door?" Dustin glanced nervously over his shoulder at the yellow house that he, Will, Mike and Lucas were currently loitering in front of. Kids of all ages in colorful and scary costumes swarmed the street around them.
"Isn't that what normal people do?" Will tried not to laugh at his friends' nervous faces.
"But this is Mad Max's house." Lucas whispered, his eyes shifting left and right as though he would summon Max just by saying her name.
It's been a long time that any of the boys have had to go up to a house and knock. For years it's just been the four of them and Mike almost never knocks at Dustin, Will or Lucas's houses. They're practically family they're over so much! But this is different. This is the first time any of them have been over to Max's house.
Mikes studied the unassuming two story yellow home. The house is dark save for a light in what he guessed to be either the living or dining room. The porch light was also off and the crowds of children avoided the house since the doorway was not lit, seeking candy elsewhere.
"Well…" He glanced down at his watch. "It's already 7:05. We're technically late. Let's just go knock on the door." Trying to bolster as much confidence as he could, Mike led the way towards the house.
The four get about a half step before a dark figure leapt out of the bushes, growling and waving a knife like a mad person. All Mike sees is a white, faceless mask and he lets out a startled noise of surprise. Lucas shrieked, scrambling back so fast he fell over on the sidewalk while Dustin and Will jumped back.
"Holy shit!" Max gasped, stripping off the white mask. "You should have seen the look on your faces!" She doubled over, clutching her gut as she laughed.
Dustin, Will and Mike groaned, realizing they'd been had.
"And you," Max looked to Lucas, who was sputtering on the ground, "who screams like that? You sound like a little girl."
A giggle from behind startled the four boys once more. Lucas managed not to shriek as they turned around to see another figure standing behind them, holding a bloodied machete and wearing a hockey mask.
"Hi guys." El greeted happily, slipping her mask off. She peered shyly at them, trying to stifle a smile by the looks of it and failing. Mike's heart pounded against his ribcage. Whether it was from being scared or because El was here, he wasn't sure.
"Who are you guys supposed to be?" Dustin complained, gesturing to the two girls. Max rolled her eyes.
"I'm Michael Myers. You know, from Halloween? And El over there is Jason from Friday the 13th." She explained impatiently. "We're watching Friday the 13th tonight, but I'll be happy to show you Halloween anytime." Her smile was wicked as she regarded the four boys.
"No way. Friday the 13th is enough." Lucas shuddered, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment from his high-pitched squeals of fright. He accepted Max's offered hand and she hauled him up easily.
"Who are you guys supposed to be?" El asked curiously. Mike's face became increasingly warm as she gave him a once over. He swallowed thickly, trying to reign in the too-loud beating of his heart.
"Er… We're our characters. From Dungeons and Dragons." He added hastily upon El's confused look.
"Oh!" Her face lit up with realization and suddenly she was pacing around the four of them excitedly, taking in the details of their costumes.
"Paladin, wizard, dwarf and Lucas, you must be a knight of some kind?" El pointed to each of them in turn. Mike's jaw dropped. How did she know?
Wait.
Did El remember that from the first night we met? His heart thudded even louder in his chest.
"That's right!." Will said happily, adjusting his fake beard.
"Your costumes are great." El complimented with an approving nod. She touched Will's hat gently, marvelling at the hand stitched work.
"Thanks." Mike blurted out, his voice cracking traitorously. He flushed when everyone turned to look at him in amusement. His friends seemed to have mercy him though and began to talk about the trick or treating plan of action instead of teasing him.
Could I be anymore of a dweeb? Mike groaned internally and then paused. Yes. Actually I was.
Case and point: the entire last week, when he realized what a huge, fat crush he had on El Hopper and proceeded to avoid her because quite frankly he was a hot mess.
Ever since they'd gone to Benny's for breakfast after El's race, Mike could hardly function around her. In between trying to calm his erratically beating heart and sneaking glances at El, he'd accidentally put his elbow in the butter dish (much to Benny's displeasure).
It didn't get any better come Monday. Every time he tried to talk to her, his tongue felt as though it was made of lead. Did El know that he liked her? Did she feel the same? His thoughts were so distracting and overwhelming it had been an awful week.
Mike did the only thing he could think of to avoid digging himself into an even deeper hole of dweebery: avoid El.
It was a stupid thing to do. Right from the get go Mike could see he was hurting her. He hadn't meant to dismiss himself so abruptly (or obviously) when Max had come asking about Halloween. But he couldn't help it.
He couldn't stop thinking about how amazing El was. Or how she was kind and warm and pretty. All these new feelings were both exhilarating and completely terrifying for someone who had never felt more than a celebrity crush (on Princess Leia of course).
El was… unbelievably wonderful! And Mike… Well, he was… Mike.
He didn't stand a chance. And he especially believed this after his and Lucas's unfortunate run in with Troy and James last Thursday:
.
"What's up with you lately?" Lucas asked, surprising Mike as they biked along the path from Dustin's house. "You've been acting weird all week." It was a serious question, and Mike knew Lucas was not one to be avoided.
Lucas had a zero tolerance policy for bullshit. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind but he also cared deeply about his friends. That was always one of the qualities Mike most admired about him. Clearly Will hadn't been the only one to notice his strange behavior.
They'd just parted ways with Dustin and Will after an impromptu after school homework session. It seemed the teachers were still trying to drown them in homework, so they'd tried to tackle it together with mostly positive results. Mike decided he should just come clean.
"I think I like El." Mike blurted, slowing down his bike to a leisurely pace so he could talk with Lucas easier.
"Yeah? I like El too, we all…" Lucas gave him a confused look before comprehension dawned over his features. "Oh. OH."
"Yeah." Mike sighed. It was embarrassing to say it out loud, but yet he felt better somehow too.
Normally it was good to talk to Will about this kind of thing, but Mike had a feeling with how he'd been avoiding El all week that if he tried to talk to Will about it now, Will might do something drastic. Despite how kind and caring Will was, that guy could be seriously terrifying when he wanted to be.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Lucas prompted.
"What do you mean?" Mike asked, looking over at his friend. Lucas rolled his eyes.
"About El. If you like her why don't you ask her out on a date or something?"
Mike stopped pedaling in surprise. His bike coasted to a smooth stop as he tried to think of how to best explain this to his friend. Lucas stopped his bike and looked back at Mike in bewilderment.
"I like El but... I'm me!" Mike blurted out. It was as though a dam had burst, and the horrible jumble of terrifyingly confusing thoughts tumbled past his lips. "El is amazing Lucas! She's Eleven! The long distance track star of Hawkins High and not to mention the Cross Country! She's so pretty and awesome and funny and I just…"
"Don't have a shot with her." Lucas finished his sentence.
Mike's head whipped towards his friend in shock and irritation. Yes. That's what Mike thought too, but to hear that one of his best friends also thought the same? Lucas seemed to read Mike's mind and he quickly climbed off of his bike and walked it back to where Mike was standing.
"I know that's what you were thinking Mike because I'm the same." It was Mike's turn to be confused, but Lucas continued. "I like Max, Mike. She's the coolest girl I've ever known! I mean, have you seen her play arcade games?" Lucas was momentarily lost in a dreamy smile. "Max is amazing and pretty and it was easy to think that I don't have a shot with her because I'm not good enough. But that's bullshit Mike. Of course we don't have a shot with them when we're too scared to even take a chance. I am enough and so are you." Lucas finished heatedly, glaring at Mike as though daring him to contradict his words.
Mike stared in amazement at Lucas. He was fairly sure his jaw was hanging open, but he didn't care.
All week he had been so unsure of himself. El was good and amazing and wonderful; yes! But he'd placed her on this weirdly perfect pedestal. She was too good for him. He didn't stand a chance so he shouldn't even try. He shouldn't even try because he was Mike Wheeler: nerd extraordinaire. Yes, he liked Dungeons and Dragons, playing arcade games and working with audiovisual equipment… but when had El ever asked more of him than that?
Both El and Max had become their friends and stuck around even after learning about and participating in their nerdy hobbies! If El didn't feel the same way as he did it would suck, yes. But what if she did? He'd never find out if he didn't at least try.
"Thanks Lucas." Mike finally managed, giving his friend a sincere smile. Lucas returned it, relieved.
"Sorry to snap at you Mike, but damn, you needed to hear that." Lucas shook his head.
"You're right. I did need that." Mike agreed sheepishly, before adding, "so… Max?"
Lucas flushed and suddenly looked embarrassed. "Don't tell the others yet, okay? I want to tell Max first."
"I promise." Mike definitely didn't have the heart to tell Lucas that he was pretty sure everyone else already knew. They exchanged equally relieved goofy smiles once more. Mike was just thinking he needed to hurry up and talk to El and apologize for being so lame all week when they were interrupted.
"Well, look what we have here James? It's two out of the four circus freaks!"
Mike's blood ran cold. He and Lucas turned in simultaneous horror to see Troy and James standing only ten feet away on the forest path. They hadn't even heard them approach! How much had they heard of his and Lucas's conversation?
"What good luck Troy, I think it's about time you make good on that promise you made." James said thoughtfully, tapping his chin. "What was that again?"
"I owe Frog Face here for that sucker punch." Troy said darkly, his beady eyes narrowed on Mike. "But I have another bone to pick with Midnight here first." The change of focus took both Lucas and Mike by surprise.
"Stay away from Mayfield. She's mine." Troy sneered. Immediately Mike realized that any chance of getting Lucas to try and run away from the two bullies completely evaporated. Somehow, Mike isn't all that heartbroken if it meant he would get a swing at Troy for saying something like that. Luckily enough, it seemed that Troy and James hadn't heard what they were talking about—thank god. They were just here to pick a fight.
"Shut up Troy. She's not interested." Lucas spat bitterly. Troy and James moved languidly towards them, like sharks circling prey.
"Oh what? And you think someone like Red would be interested in you?" Troy laughed, "like Mayfield would be interested in your kind." Lucas bristled, his hands curled into fists.
"Screw off Troy. Max already turned you down, you're just a prick." Mike snapped.
"Don't worry Wheeler, when I'm done with Red I'll give Midnight here dibs on the seconds—" Lucas's fist connected with Troy's face and suddenly all hell broke loose. James lunged for Mike as Troy and Lucas tumbled down, fists flying.
Mike tried to get in a few hits, but ultimately James was bigger, stronger and more accustomed to throwing punches. James landed a solid punch to Mike's eye, followed by a rapid punch to the jaw. Pain flared in his face. He did his best to protect himself, but when Troy tackled Mike to the ground unexpectedly, crushing the air from his lungs, he was toast.
Lucas? Mike thought dazedly, looking for his friend. He could see Lucas's form unmoving on the forest floor beside him. Shit, shit, shit! He didn't have long to dwell on his friend's injuries when James hauled him up, holding his arms behind his back so Troy could get in a few more solid hits.
"You guys are pathetic." Troy laughed before punching Mike in the gut. He wretched, trying to simultaneously suck in air and not vomit. Another hit to the face. The coppery taste of blood filled Mike's mouth and he sagged in James's grip.
"Come on James. I'm bored of these losers." And just like that, James dropped Mike. He fell to the ground—hard, head swimming.
Troy and James walked away without even a backwards glance, their derisive laughter fading away.
"Lucas." Mike wheezed once he'd gained enough of his breath back, trying to scramble over to his friend. Mike shook his shoulder.
"I-I'm okay." Lucas confirmed dazedly.
Mike swore out loud when he saw Lucas's injuries—his face looked bad, and judging by the growing look of alarm on Lucas's face, Mike knew he couldn't look much better.
"Are you sure?" Mike asked worriedly, doing his best to help haul his friend up.
"Yeah." Lucas spat a bit of the blood from his mouth, much like Mike, his lip was also split.
"Assholes." Mike ground out bitterly; looking after the direction the two bullies had disappeared to.
They continued at a much slower pace home, moving gingerly because of their injuries. The effects of Lucas's heartfelt speech seemed to slip further and further away. Mike couldn't even stand up to Troy or James without getting his ass handed to him.
Wasn't a boyfriend supposed to be able to protect the girl that he liked? How could he hope to do that if he couldn't even protect himself or his friends?
Troy was right. Mike was pathetic.
.
Mike foolishly believed Troy Wilkins right up until the moment he learned that El had single handedly taken the bully out in defense of her best friend. Someone who for at least five years had tormented Mike and his friends, proved too strong, too untouchable… was taken down by this kind, sweet, distance-running girl.
Here Mike had been worried that if he couldn't handle Troy, how would he protect El? It was one of the thoughts that had bogged him down all week. He was pathetic. He was worthless. He was a loser. Mike made the mistake of believing in the wrong person when instead he should have realized that El Hopper could damn well take care of herself.
"Mike? Are you coming?" El's curious voice startled him out of his thoughts. He realized his friends were already half a block ahead of him. Clearly they decided that they could waste no more time when it came to trick or treating.
"Sorry," Mike mumbled, quickly catching up to El. She smiled at him kindly and his heart flew right out of his chest.
"I really like your costume." El commented, her eyes wide as she tried take in all the hustle and bustle of Halloween night. The streets were flooded with kids and teens of all ages at this point, streaming from door to door in a dizzying array of costumes.
"Thanks. I like yours too. It's um… Flattering?" Mike finished lamely, indicating her worker coveralls and bloody plastic machete.
"Thanks. Max lent it to me." El glanced at Max fondly, who was walking ahead between Lucas and Dustin.
"Do you like horror movies as much as Max?" Mike focused on not tripping over his own feet as he walked beside El.
"I don't think anyone loves horror movies as much as Max does," she grinned. "they're not my favorite kind of movie to watch, but Max likes them so I don't mind." Her shoulder kept brushing against his and Mike found himself growing increasingly distracted. They are walking a little closer than necessary, but El didn't seem to mind.
"Are you actually horror movie virgins?" She glanced at him slyly. Mike flushed, both at the question and their proximity.
"Yeah. You've seen Lucas's reaction to horror," Mike stammered, "but I can't say I like them so much either." El nodded thoughtfully as they turned to head up the walk of their first house.
Dustin and Will chattered excitedly ahead of them. Max and Lucas are walking just before Mike and El, heads bowed together as they conversed secretively.
"Sit next to me for the movies. You can hold my hand so you don't get too scared." Mike stumbled on the pavement and his heart puttered to an abrupt stop.
Did I just hear her say?!
He looked to El for confirmation of some sort, there's an adorable pinkness to her cheeks as their eyes meet and Mike is a goner, lost in her gaze.
"Trick or treat!" Dustin, Will, Max and Lucas chimed, startling Mike and El out of their small, intimate moment. He called out something that vaguely sounded like "trick or treat", but his mind is a million miles away.
.
Trick or treating flew by in a blur of the too-hard beating of his heart and the warmth of El by his side.
By the time the group circled Max's block their bags are heavy with candy.
"Get ready for the best movies ever, stalkers." Max led the way confidently up the steps of her home, flicking on the lights in the foyer as the six of them piled into the entry.
It's a typical suburban home, well kept and tidy. There's several family photos hanging on the walls and everything looks like it's been meticulously dusted.
"The living room is just through there. I'll go get some snacks and then we'll get this horror movie marathon started." Max pointed to the room to their left.
"I'll give you a hand." El offered. The two girls headed to the right while Will, Dustin, Lucas and Mike headed to the left.
The living room was just as meticulous as the foyer. Not a throw pillow seemed out of place on the loveseat and matching mustard colored couch.
Dustin immediately zeroed in on a plush looking recliner in the corner and plopped down with an exaggerated sigh of content with his bag of candy between his legs. Will settled down on the side of the couch closest to Dustin.
Mike hesitated, unsure of where to sit. El said she'd hold his hand during the movie…but had she been joking? Or was she being serious?
Lucas ended up making the decision of where Mike would sit. He headed for the loveseat on the other side of the couch, leaving Mike the option of couch with Will. He settled down on the middle cushion, his candy at his feet just as El and Max reappeared, carrying an armload of snacks.
"Have I told you that I love you?" Dustin quipped, watching the two girls distribute the snacks eagerly.
"No, but it's nice to hear." El chuckled, handing him two bags of chips. She handed a few more snacks to Will before dumping the rest on the coffee table and shyly settled into the remaining space beside Mike.
"Catch stalker!" Max didn't give Lucas any time to react before she tossed the snack at him, nailing him in the face with a bag of popcorn. "Shit, sorry." Max didn't look sorry in the slightest. Lucas glared at her. She grinned and turned to fiddle with the television before Lucas could scold her anymore.
Meanwhile, Mike was trying not to panic.
Do I start holding her hand now? Do I wait until she holds mine?
"Get ready stalkers! One of the best movies ever is about to start." Max boisterously jumped up from the floor and ran into the other room. Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin stared after her in confusion before the lights in the hall flick off and Max reappeared back into the living room. The rest of the house is eerily pitch black behind her.
"Can't we leave this light on?" Lucas asked hopefully, staring at the living room light.
"Not a chance." Max smirked before flicking the remaining light off and settling down on the loveseat next to Lucas without another word.
Soon, the only sounds in the house were the movie and the soft crinkle of candy wrappers.
Camp Crystal Lake 1958 flashes up on the screen and then the scene changes from singing campers to the interior of a cabin and the music takes on a decidedly sinister turn. Mike jumped as a strange, harsh breathing sound begins as the camera peered around the interior cabin at the sleeping people inside.
He snuck a glance at Will and Dustin, who looked totally absorbed by the movie but not really uncomfortable. He glanced towards El, Max and Lucas. Lucas already looked completely petrified, sunken down into his seat beside Max like the couch would swallow him whole if he tried hard enough.
Max, in stark contrast looks as though she's having the time of her life.
And El… her face is carefully blank as she returned his gaze amusedly, catching him red handed sneaking a look at her.
Flustered, Mike quickly turned back to the movie, where some teens are currently sneaking away into a barn to have a little fun. As much as Mike tries to focus on the movie, all he can think about is the girl beside him. He's not sure if his heart can take much more of this. How can El affect him like this when all she's doing is sitting right beside him?
That's why he's taken completely off guard when the movie takes a murderous turn.
Lucas let out a startled squeal and Max laughed loudly as the guy on screen slumped over, dead. Mike blanched. Lucas's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, they are both unable to tear their gaze from the screen as the girl begins pleading and screaming, but is quickly silenced.
"Shit!" Dustin swore when the loud, sinister introduction of the title comes onto the screen.
Mike knows he's not nearly as bad as Lucas when it comes to being horror, but he still can't help but feel uneasy, especially when something unexpectedly soft touched his hand, causing him to nearly jump right out of his skin. He glanced down, heart in his throat, only to see El's hand touching his own. Eyes wide, Mike looked at El. Even in the dim light of the living room, her cheeks are pink in the glow of the television. She tentatively held her hand out for his, seeking his permission.
Mike swallowed thickly, heart beating rapidly for reasons other than the horror film playing in front of them and in a split second he knew his decision. He nodded shyly and El gently slipped her hand into his.
Suddenly everything becomes perfect in the world of Mike Wheeler. El's hand fit perfectly in his and as she interlaces their fingers together he tried not to melt.
Holding hands wasn't typically done with someone that considered you just a friend… right? Maybe El felt the same way he did?
Hope blossomed in his chest and tingled all the way down to his fingers and his toes. Lucas was right. Mike had been too busy worrying about not being good enough for someone like El. But here she was, holding his hand as they watched a horror movie on Halloween.
Even as the carnage of Friday the 13th continued Mike felt as though he was floating, only El's hand in his to anchored him to the ground.
.
By the end of the third movie it was late and Lucas was in a dazed, horrified stupor on the loveseat beside a grinning Max.
Dustin and Will became relatively immune to the gore and violence by the second movie and instead seemed to take great fun in betting on whom would be getting massacred next. Lucas meanwhile, seemed to lose the ability to scream by the second movie and instead merely groaned in horror by the end of the third movie.
"So what did you guys think?" Max asked happily when the third movie ended, ignoring the slumped form of Lucas on the couch beside her.
"It was actually awesome." Dustin admitted, surrounded by a pile of candy and snack wrappers.
"It was nice to finally see some of the special effects put to use that Mr. Clarke talked about in middle school science." Will nodded. Max's gaze moved to El and Mike, and belatedly he realized their hands were still clasped together. Max's eyebrows shot up; she grinned at El, who looked flustered but happy.
"Oh I see you really enjoyed the movies Wheeler." Max teased. Mike's cheeks grew warm, but he was glad that El didn't pull her hand away from his.
"Yeah, good movies." It was clear to Max and Mike who he'd really been focused on.
"What about you, stalker?" Max asked cheerily, nudging a stupefied Lucas. He let out a long groan.
"It's finally over." Lucas moaned.
"That was only the first three. There are three more. We should watch them another time." Max watched in satisfaction as Lucas visibly wilted.
They were all taken by surprise when light flashed through the window followed by the sound of a horn honking in the driveway.
"Whoa," Will glanced down at his watch, "it's already 12:30. That's probably my mom." He and Dustin quickly jumped up.
The time took them all by surprise, but that was the cue for everyone to get moving. El released his hand and stood up. Immediately Mike missed the feeling of her fingers entwined with his. Will and Dustin gathered their things and hurriedly headed to the foyer.
"Are you catching a ride with Will's mom?" Max asked Lucas and Mike, who didn't seem to be in a hurry.
"No, my mom is coming to get us pretty soon though." Lucas explained. Max, El, Lucas and Mike followed Dustin and Will to the door to see them out.
"Thanks for coming stalkers." Max grinned happily.
"I had a blast Mad Max. Let's watch the rest of them some time." Dustin nodded.
"See you later." Will called before he and Dustin disappeared out the door.
"We can help you clean up before we have to go." Mike offered after a moment, remembering his manners that his mother had so aptly drilled into him. Max nodded gratefully.
"Sure, that would be great."
The four of them headed back into the living room to gather any stray candy wrappers and chip bags that had escaped.
Mike got to his knees and peered under the couch, sure enough a few stray wrappers had evaded them. He gathered the garbage in his fist and put his other hand on the coffee table to balance himself as he stood up. There was a sharp pinching sensation and Mike hissed in pain, drawing his hand up for inspection.
"What happened?" Lucas asked worriedly as Mike studied his hand. Max and El peered over in concern.
"Just a splinter." He winced at the sight of a rather large piece of wood sticking out from his finger. A spot of blood seeped from the small wound, but otherwise it looked okay.
"Oh shit, sorry Wheeler. That coffee table is older than I am." Max apologized. "There's a first aid kit in the bathroom, El can you help him? We'll finish up here." El nodded and grasped Mike's arm, guiding him back towards the foyer.
They headed around the staircase and through another door at the end of the foyer into what looked like the laundry area. El flicked on the light in a door to their immediate left, the small half-bath coming into light.
"Have a seat." She indicated the closed toilet and Mike dutifully sat down. It was a little squishy in the half-bath with the two of them, but neither of them minded. El kneeled down and rummaged through the cupboard under the sink.
"Here it is." She pulled out a first aid kit, popping it open and produced a small set of tweezers. Clearly this wasn't the first time she'd had to use the first aid kit at Max's house.
"I can do it." Mike offered halfheartedly as El took his hand once more. Abruptly his protests died, captivated by the feel of El's soft hand touching his again.
"I don't mind. Using tweezers to remove a splinter is easier with a friend." El smiled, before her gaze dropped to the splinter in his hand. Her eyelashes are dark against her cheeks as she studied the splinter seriously and oh god she's biting her lip. Suddenly Mike is overcome with the strangest urge to lean forward and close the distance between them.
"This might hurt a little." El warned before she carefully grasped the head of the splinter with the tweezers. He's so focused on her lips, Mike didn't even notice if there was pain. They're pink and soft looking and so kissable.
Do I have to ask to kiss her? He wondered dazedly, watching her determined face as she cautiously pulled the splinter out. It seemed like it would be bad manners to randomly kiss El, but Mike had never felt anything like this before.
"Got it!" She exclaimed happily, holding up the sizeable splinter. She dropped it into the trashcan beside the toilet before putting the tweezers and the first aid kit away.
"Did it hurt?" El asked, her eyes finally meeting Mike's. Surprise flashed across her features when she realized how close they were, but she didn't move away.
"No." Mike whispered, not really knowing why he was whispering.
El's eyes dropped to his lips and Mike realized that El had leaned a little closer, mirroring his own movements as he leaned towards her. She's so close and Mike has never wanted anything more than to kiss El Hopper in that moment. Her eyes fluttered shut and their lips are only a breath apart when a noise startled both of them.
In a flurry of surprised movement they accidentally bonk foreheads, blushing furiously.
"What was that?" El asked, her eyes wide.
"I don't know." Mike answered, wondering if it's possible to spontaneously combust from how hot he's currently feeling.
I almost kissed El Hopper! His mind repeated over and over again. It's hard to focus on anything else.
El stood up reluctantly and peered out into the laundry area. Mike followed her, still partially lost in his thoughts but also increasingly aware that there had been a strange noise… he and El had almost kissed… and they had just finished watching several horror movies where the ones who went to "check out the strange sound" or made out were brutally murdered by a crazy machete wielding madman.
Thump. There was the noise again! It wasn't coming from the laundry area. It sounded more like it was coming from the foyer.
El and Mike glanced at each other before opening the laundry room door open just a crack. If it was Max and Lucas trying to scare them they weren't going to make it easy!
They both peered through the doorway, the lights in the foyer were still out, and there were two dark forms pressed against the wall by the entrance to the living room. Mike realized it was Max and Lucas, but it soon became clear that they hadn't been trying to scare their friends—because they were too busy kissing.
Both of them froze, crouched at the slightly ajar door to the laundry room, unsure of what to do.
"Max wait." They both jumped, but Lucas wasn't talking to them. Max made a noise that sounded like a whine, but she pulled away from Lucas and waited.
"What is it?" She asked breathlessly, though her voice was tinged with nervousness.
"I just wanted you to know that I think you're cool and different and super smart." Lucas blurted out breathlessly, blushing at Max's stunned features. "And I think you're just… totally tubular."
"No one actually says that you know." Max chuckled, finally recovering from her shock.
"Well I do now." Lucas grinned.
"And it makes you seem really cool." She snorted, leaning closer to Lucas once more. "I like you too, stalker." Max admitted shyly, before tentatively closing the distance between them.
Mike finally shook off his shock. Shame coursed through him, he hadn't meant to accidentally eavesdropped on such an intimate moment. At the same time, he felt like cheering his best friend on for having finally made his move on Max! Instead of doing that however, he very gently closed the door. El was still caught up in her shock, but once he grasped her arm and quietly pulled her up he could see the same guilt mirrored on her features. They moved wordlessly back to the bathroom and closed the door as quietly as they could.
"Wow." El breathed, leaning against the sink.
"Yeah." Mike agreed. Clearly Lucas had really meant it that he'd wanted to tell Max about how he felt, but Mike had to wonder… "Who do you think kissed who first?" He blurted, coloring a deep red when it dawned on him how juvenile his question sounded.
"Probably Max." El said thoughtfully. "She's liked Lucas for over six…" She gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth; her eyes wide in horror. "I shouldn't have said that!" She groaned, dropping her head into her hands.
"Max has liked Lucas for over six weeks?" Mike asked curiously. El groaned again and shook her head. After a moment she looked up at him with a sharply determined look in her eyes. She stood and suddenly he was a little worried.
"You can't tell Max I let that slip. She will murder me." El glanced nervously towards the door as if Max would already be waiting for her outside with a butcher's knife in hand.
"I promise." Mike assured her quickly. She sighed, some of the tension melting out of her shoulders.
"I know I can trust you not to get me murdered… it's not weeks that Max has had a crush on Lucas."
There was a beat of silence as Mike processed what El had said. His jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Six months?"
She nodded.
"Wow." It was his turn to lean heavily against something.
Mad Max, zoomer of the Hawkins High track team had a crush on Lucas for over six months? How? When? They hadn't known each other for that long… so that meant that Max had liked Lucas even before becoming friends!
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
El shrieked in surprise, jumping a foot into the air and crashing into Mike, taking them both down in the confusion. Moments later, the door opened sharply, revealing their friends.
"Oops sorry." Max grinned.
"Max!" El gasped, glaring up from the ground at her friend.
"I said I was sorry!" Max held up her hands as though she were surrendering.
El and Mike untangled their limbs as best as they could. All the while Mike was very aware of Max's eyes burning into them. She grinned that strange, secretive grin that her and Will often wore as of late.
"My mom's here Mike." Lucas explained, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Okay, let me just grab my stuff." Mike could scarcely look at his friend, still a little ashamed that he and El had accidentally witnessed such an intimate moment.
The four friends headed back towards the front foyer. Mike ducked into the living room to collect the meager remains of his candy stash before meeting Lucas, Max and El by the front door.
"Do you need a ride, El?" Lucas asked.
"I'm sleeping over at Max's tonight." El explained, "it's our Friday night tradition. But thank you." The light from Mrs. Sinclair's car flooded the foyer, and though Lucas and Mike knew she was waiting, both of them were reluctant to move.
"Thanks for having us Mad Max." Lucas finally said, giving Max a look that Mike can only describe as 'heart eyes'. Max blushed and threw her arms around Lucas in a brief, but warm hug, surprising both of them.
"It was nice having you over, stalkers." Max said happily, nodding at Mike. Lucas, who looked as though he were swooning, said a quick goodnight to El and stumbled dazedly out of Max's home.
"See you tomorrow?" Mike asked hopefully, turning to El.
"Definitely." She agreed with a sincere smile. His heart couldn't possibly take what El did to him. Something as simple as a smile and he was putty in her hands.
"Later stalker." Max called, breaking the small spell El had woven over him once more. Mike bid Max and El goodbye before heading outside and climbing into Mrs. Sinclair's car.
"Good evening Michael," Mrs. Sinclair greeted cheerily, "did you boys have fun tonight?" He pulled the car door shut behind him, settling down in the back seat of the vehicle.
"Yes Mrs. Sinclair." Mike managed to say, though he had clearly left his mind in that foyer with a certain distance runner.
I almost kissed El Hopper.
The thought strung him through like a lightning bolt as he peered out the window, watching a darkened Hawkins speed by. They had been so close. It had been completely unplanned and Mike had no idea what he was doing, but the way El had looked at him… It was breathtaking.
His stomach flipped giddily at the thought of how El's eyes had fluttered shut and she… wait a second. El Hopper almost kissed me. He almost repeated the thought out loud because it sounded so unbelievable!
Not only had Mike almost kissed El… She had almost kissed him too! He'd been so busy wondering if he had a chance with El. But she had leaned towards him too.
It had to mean something. And Mike Wheeler was determined to find out!
...
Saturday morning, when Mike floated down the stairs at exactly 8:00AM, his mother dropped the telephone handset in surprise. It clattered against the wall noisily and swung on its cord. Karen stared in mute shock at her son.
"Michael?" Karen asked in disbelief, looking back to the clock on the kitchen wall and then again at her son incredulously.
"Good morning mom." Mike greeted cheerily, "who's on the phone?"
"Oh!" Karen fumbled in a less than graceful manner for the handset, her eyes wide.
"Nancy! Sorry. Your brother just walked down the stairs and said good morning."
Mike ignored his mother's shell-shocked tone and headed into the kitchen. As he peered into the fridge he could hear his mother laugh, Nancy had probably said something sarcastic about him being up so early.
He got out the eggs and some potatoes, intent on having a good breakfast before a morning at the arcade.
Saturday nights at the arcade we a thing of the past, but Mike could hardly say he minded. No one else seemed to mind either. Once his friends realized that being at the arcade for opening had an added perk of no lines, he knew they were sold.
Spreading the ingredients out on the counter and pulling out a cutting board, Mike glanced over at his mother who was still on the phone with Nancy. He knew he wasn't supposed to interrupt her when she was on the phone, but it was just Nancy.
"Mom?" Mike called.
"Just a second Nancy," Karen said before covering the handset and peering at her son curiously.
"Do you want some breakfast too?" Mike gestured to the eggs and potatoes on the counter.
For the second time that morning Karen Wheeler dropped the phone. If Mike hadn't been in such a good mood he might have been a little insulted by the way her eyes widened and she gaped at him. It was a look that one did not often see on someone as composed as his mom.
"Good morning? And now breakfast?" Karen repeated.
"Mom. Nancy." Mike chided, pointing to the handset that was once more dangling against the wall. His mom picked up the phone in a daze and Mike turned his attention back to making breakfast. He'd take his mother's stunned silence as a yes.
"Nancy, Mike just offered to make me breakfast." Karen not so subtly hissed into the phone.
Mike rolled his eyes and continued washing the potatoes. There was a stretch of silence before:
"Michael. Your sister wants to talk to you."
Mike paused in surprise. Normally when his sister called it was a very short phone call where she primarily talked to their mom. He found his feet moving automatically across the kitchen, and Mike accepted the phone from his mom with morbid curiosity.
"Hello?"
"Morning Mike. Who's the girl?" Nancy greeted cheerily.
Mike's cheeks immediately grew hot and he was more than aware of how their mom was watching him on the phone, her expression curious.
"What are you talking about?" Mike tried to sound casual, but his voice came out a little higher than he would have liked.
"Cut the crap Mike." Nancy said with all the interrogation power that older siblings possessed, "Or I'll tell mom that you have a girlfriend. You saw what happened last Thanksgiving when I told her about Jonathan."
He shuddered. It was a very real threat and Mike knew that his sister had no qualms about exercising it, especially because he had seen what happened last Thanksgiving. Nancy made the fatal mistake of mentioning that she was dating Jonathan Byers and Karen immediately soared into excited mother mode. Before anyone could stop her, she began her questions.
How long had then been dating? Were they serious? Jonathan was such a nice boy and Karen had always thought so. Was he coming round for Christmas? Invite the whole Byers family for Christmas dinner! When is the wedding? That would make Michael and Will real brothers! Grandbabies in the future?
With each question Nancy had sunk a little lower in her seat, her eyes wide in horror. At the time Mike thought it was hilarious. But now, with the same potential fate awaiting him, Mike realized he needed to give into Nancy's demands or suffer a fate that was worse than death.
"It's El Hopper." Mike mumbled, trying to angle his body away from his mom casually in hopes that she wouldn't hear.
"El Hopper?" Nancy repeated, curiously. "Is she related to the Chief?"
"Yes." Mike nodded even though Nancy couldn't see him.
"Wow Mike, you're dating the Chief of Police's daughter? It was nice knowing you little brother." She laughed. Embarrassment crawled over his skin.
"Not dating." Mike huffed. There was a long pause.
"What? Why not? You like her don't you?" Nancy's tone wasn't helping his embarrassment. He didn't answer.
"Mike." Nancy sighed. "Look. Girls aren't mind readers. If you like her, you need to tell her. Otherwise someone else will snap her up."
Mike was fairly certain his sister was alluding to her own experiences with Steve Harrington and Jonathan.
Steve had been nice to his sister when they'd briefly dated, but he seemed to have the unfortunate mindset that in order to keep a girl interested you should act like you don't care. Jonathan however had no such delusions.
"I'm trying Nancy." Mike grumbled into the phone. He could hear something move around in the background.
"I need to get going Mike, but I'll see you soon. I hope it goes well for you and El Hopper. Make sure to be safe if it does." With that Nancy hung up and Mike just about combusted in embarrassment.
Be safe? REALLY? Mike slammed the handset down. He was so mortified by what Nancy had just said he completely forgot about his mom.
"What was that all about?" Karen asked curiously. Mike jumped as though his mom had caught him with his hand in the cookie jar and twenty cookies stuffed into his mouth.
"Nothing." He said far too quickly for it to be convincing. Karen eyed him exasperatedly, but didn't press it. Mike made a run for the cutting board and eggs he left on the counter.
"Breakfast will be done in twenty minutes mom." Karen sighed and gave up her pointed gaze, moving on into the living room.
Dammit Nancy. Mike cursed inwardly as finished cutting the potatoes and threw them into the frying pan. It was difficult enough thinking about even kissing El—let alone what Nancy was suggesting!
Worse yet, she made it sound so easy to tell El his feelings.
But what could he say? "Hey baby, wanna go steady?" And then proceed to give El some kind of high school ring because it's that what you did when you wanted to date someone? Or was there a difference between dating and going steady? And that was assuming El liked him enough to want to do either!
What if I'm wrong? Mike frowned as he resumed cutting up breakfast. Maybe El was just being kind. Maybe he was crazy and had been imagining that El could possibly return his feelings.
"Michael, the potatoes are burning." His mom's voice startled him right out of his negative thoughts.
"Oh shit!" Mike swore, turning to the stove and seeing that the potatoes were nice and brown. He'd been moving on autopilot—something that wasn't exactly great when you had to pay attention.
"Language!" Karen scolded automatically.
Breakfast was ready forty minutes later thanks to the potato mishap.
.
Will and Dustin were already waiting at the front door of the arcade when Lucas and Mike arrived just a few minutes before ten.
"Hey guys!" Will greeted happily as Lucas and Mike pulled their bikes into the rack.
"Hey Will! Hey Dustin!" Mike returned the greeting. Lucas didn't appear to notice, the same dopey, wide smile that he often wore around Max seemed as though it was permanently fixed to his face this morning. Mike couldn't blame him though. He was pretty sure he'd be the same if El kissed him like that. Will nor Dustin seemed to notice the lack of greeting.
"Jonathan called this morning!" Will burst out excitedly, "he's coming home for Thanksgiving!"
"That's great Will." Mike smiled, while inwardly cursing his sister.
So that's what she'd meant by "I'll see you soon." If Jonathan was driving back, of course Nancy would too. He'd been so embarrassed by her other comment he hadn't even thought about it.
"He said he's got so many cool photos to show me! And more music." Will rambled excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"You should tell him to pick up some cool snacks since he's coming home." Dustin's comment drew a strange look from Will and Mike. Lucas still had his head in the clouds and didn't react.
"What? I bet there's loads of unique, super awesome snacks in New York." Dustin said irritably, wondering why his friends were looking at him like he'd grown a second head. "All I'm saying is it would be really cool if your brother bought some… And was willing to share with me."
"I don't think you'd share Dustin, so why should Jonathan?" Will teased.
"I'll have you know I'm a great snack sharer!" Dustin protested, outraged. This time even Lucas leveled Dustin with a disbelieving stare.
"Okay, okay so I'm not the best at sharing snacks or anything but wait—El! Vouch for me here! I gave you one of my beloved pudding cups one time right?" Mike and Lucas turned around so fast they nearly conked heads. The two girls appeared to have skated today, but must have picked up their boards at the other end of the parking lot. They'd snuck up on Lucas and Mike, whose backs were turned in that direction but Dustin had seen them coming.
"That's right." El agreed her curls bobbing with a serious nod at Dustin. "You gave me your beloved pudding cup in my hour of need."
"And I'd do it again Hopper." Dustin held his hand up for a high five, which El seamlessly accepted.
"Hey stalkers." Max greeted happily, cozying up a little to Lucas. Will and Dustin exchanged a surprised glance when Max didn't move away and instead stayed quite firmly beside their friend, whose ears were rapidly turning red at the tips.
"H-hey! Mad Max! I mean Max." Lucas's voice cracked.
Oh my god. Mike thought with a dawning horror, is this what I'm like around El all the time?
"Hi Mike." El greeted softly. His stomach fluttered when their eyes met.
"Hi El." He said just as softly.
She looked so pretty today. Her curls were mussed from the helmet tucked under her arm and her cheeks were flushed from the exertion of skateboarding. She wore a simple grey sweater under some overalls and yet Mike had never seen someone so cute.
Will and Dustin shared yet another look at the two interactions going on before them. There was as soft click! as the front door of the arcade was unlocked, not that Max, Lucas, Mike or El seemed to notice.
"Well, I'm going to go ahead and play some games while you guys stay out here and make googly eyes at each other." Dustin said loudly, heading into the arcade. Will chuckled and followed him, leaving the two pairs outside. Mike sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and held the door open for El.
The six friends fell into an easy, Saturday morning routine. Lucas was on a temporary break from Dragon's Lair, claiming "game fatigue" and was currently trying his luck in beating Max's score on Galaga. Max stayed to both coach and make fun of Lucas as he played.
Dustin went to take on the high scores in Centipede with Will, Mike and El calling out encouragement. After four times of utter failure, Dustin was depressed.
"I'll never beat Mad Max's score." Dustin wailed, resting his face against the glass of the screen.
Will patted his friend on the back as if to say "there, there".
"Don't give up," El cheered, "I'll go win you some candy. That will get your spirits back up." Dustin perked up immediately.
"Win me some pocket rockets?" He asked, eyes shining with hope.
"Sure." She giggled.
"You're the best El." Dustin sighed happily. She waved him off and began to head towards the claw crane.
"Er… I'm just going to… go. With El." Mike said lamely. Will gave him a knowing look before he slipped off to follow her.
"I've come to cheer you on." Mike explained when El caught sight of him. "Not that you need it." He added.
"I appreciate the moral support." El smiled and deposited her coin into the slot of the claw crane.
Mike casually stood beside El, watching her maneuver the claw over the well-stocked prize bin. Her eyes never once left the sizeable bag of Pocket Rockets wedged in the middle of the prize area and as soon as the claw was lined up to El's satisfaction, she hammered the drop button.
She's beautiful, Mike sighed mentally, and I almost kissed her last night. The image of El's eyes fluttering closed as she leaned closer flitted across his thoughts. His cheeks burned as they watched the claw effortlessly grab the Pocket Rockets and drop them into the chute.
Should I bring up last night?
Before Mike could make up his mind, El fished out the bag of candy with a pleased smile.
"Do you want anything?" El asked, motioning to the prizes.
Just for you to hold my hand again. Mike thought mentally, lost in the dazed admiration of El's amazingly cool abilities at the claw crane machine. That's why he was taken completely off guard when El gently laced her fingers through his, her face an impressive shade of pink.
Holy shit did I just say that out loud?
"Holy shit did I just say that out loud?" Mike asked, looking down at their entwined hands with comically wide eyes. El could only nod, shyly avoiding his gaze. She gave his hand a little squeeze that made him feel warm all over, pulling him in the direction of their friends.
"Mike, I've been meaning to ask you." El didn't stop walking but she slowed down a little to give them more time.
"Yeah?" Mike managed hoarsely, hoping that his hand wasn't sweaty or clammy or too uncomfortable. Anything for her to keep holding his hand.
"Could Max and I join your next Dungeons and Dragons game?" Mike snapped out of his dazed stupor so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. His voice failed him and he simply stared at her in astonishment.
"Um… It was just a thought. You mentioned it back when we first met and I've been curious about it ever since. I wasn't sure if anyone could join but Max said she'd give it a try too and I remember you mentioned you were the Dungeon Master so if it were possible to join you'd know. And then your costumes on Halloween got me thinking again, but that's okay if you don't want to show us the game. I'd be happy just watching at first if it's too much trouble." El rambled nervously.
Mike thought he'd wanted to kiss El Hopper before, but the surge of sheer affection that coursed through him right now was nothing compared to last night.
El was asking him if she could join Dungeons and Dragons? The same game Mike had loved for years and yet as soon as he talked about it outside of his friends he either got a glazed look, a sneer or a derisive "nerd" thrown his way? His own family dismissed his hobbies, but here was El—wonderful, caring and just amazing, asking about playing with them? His heart thrummed with happiness, affection and whispers of something even deeper inside his heart.
"Sorry, I just thought I'd ask and…" Seeing El wilt in uncertainty rebooted his brain. He squeezed her hand, sweeping his thumb over her knuckles. She trailed off, her eyes wide.
"El. I'd love it if you played Dungeons and Dragons with us. I'll let you know when we're playing next." Mike said seriously.
"Oh." El mumbled, her cheeks flushing. "Okay." She beamed brightly, relieved and happy all in one.
They resumed their walk back to Dustin and Will. El didn't drop his hand when they reached the other two and Mike felt as though he would burst into tiny heart shaped confetti all at once.
When Will caught sight of their clasped hands he smiled broadly, but didn't say a word. Dustin either didn't notice, or didn't care when he saw El and Mike, immediately zeroing in on his candy.
"You rock El!" Dustin said happily, accepting the candy with a toothy smile. "Now watch me defeat your tyrant of a best friend once and for al!"
"I heard that, Henderson!" Max shouted threateningly from a few aisles over. Will, Mike and El laughed as Dustin flinched.
The rest of the morning at the arcade flew by. Mike was beginning to think his sister wasn't so crazy in her advice. Girls were not mind readers. El didn't know how much Mike liked her. She didn't know that she was often the first thing he thought of in the morning or how seeing her just made his day instantaneously better. She didn't know how she made his heart race with something as simple as a kind smile, or how beautiful she was when she had her game face on.
Nancy said if he wasn't careful, someone else would snap El up. He already had a close call of what that would feel like when he'd mistakenly thought Will and El liked one another.
El had almost kissed him, and here she was holding his hand at the arcade the next day! That had to mean she liked him a little too.
I need to tell her.
Not now. But soon.
For now, Mike enjoyed the feeling of El's fingers laced with his own and the company of his friends for the rest of Saturday morning.
.
Something was different.
Much like the shift in weather as October gave way to November; something had shifted once more between Mike and El.
The arcade during the weekend was like a dream. Mike and El had stayed close together all morning; their fingers laced together and shoulders brushing. Mike had never felt so assured of his movements. Something about the way that El looked at him now… it was mesmerizing.
For the first time since realizing how he felt about El, Mike wanted to tell her. Even if she ended up rejecting him, at least then she would know how awesome Mike thought she was. There would be no more what ifs or uncertainty because it would be all out in the open for the better, or worse. It was just finding the right moment that Mike was currently struggling with. He didn't want to just blurt it out and instead resolved to try and tell her next weekend.
So when Monday morning rolled in with the announcement of a group presentation with a partner of your choice for American History, Mike knew exactly who to look to.
As soon as Ms. Hotchkiss finished briefing the class on the presentation Mike looked towards the back of the classroom.
El smiled shyly, she was already halfway to his seat.
"Partners?" She asked hopefully, coming to a stop just in front of his desk.
"Partners!" Mike agreed happily. El smiled in relief and grabbed a vacated chair, sitting down in front of him.
"What topic do you want to cover?" El asked, glancing towards the chalkboard. Mike peered around El (which was harder than it sounded because she looked so pretty today) and skimmed over the list of history topics. Each topic was broken into a chapter from their textbook.
"The American Revolution is always a good one to write about." Mike suggested tentatively. El looked thoughtful.
"I'm good with that one if you are. There's plenty of material in the library for that topic." She agreed happily.
"Great." Mike smiled, getting up from his seat. "I'll go let Ms. Hotchkiss know before it's taken."
Heading up to the front of the classroom, Mike couldn't help but think how he used to dread any class without one of his friends in it. Getting homework if he was ill was always an issue, but secondly and even worse: group projects. Time after time Mike was always the last picked partner, out of necessity, not because it was the other person's choice. More often than not he would be tagged on to a group of two as the odd one out, an arrangement that neither he nor they were ever happy about.
At the beginning of the year when Ms. Hotchkiss had told them there would be a group presentation with a partner of your choice, his stomach had sank. But now, as Mike informed Ms. Hotchkiss of their topic choice, his heart soared. This presentation actually couldn't have come at a better time! Mike needed an excuse to see El alone, and this would give him a chance.
Mike shot El thumbs up as soon as he finished talking to Ms. Hotchkiss. She smiled happily, her slightly crooked toothed grin sending a warm, tingling sensation through his chest.
"We got it." He confirmed as he sat down.
"We could work on it at my place this weekend." El offered, glancing down at her notebook excitedly.
"After the arcade?" Mike countered. The presentation wasn't due until just before Christmas break, so they had plenty of time before then.
El nodded solemnly. "I take my position as Max's good luck charm very seriously."
Mike snorted and El's serious façade caved with a grin.
"We could stop at the library to get some reference and then bike to your home?"
"My place is pretty far out, do you mind biking?" She hesitated.
"No, I don't mind at all. As long as you're okay riding with me that long?" Mike asked nervously. Maybe El wasn't comfortable being that close to him for so long… he shouldn't have assumed—
"I like riding with you." El's words stopped his self-doubt cold. His throat was suddenly dry and Mike was glad for the lunch bell ringing only a moment later.
"Lunch time!" Mike said hoarsely, standing up abruptly. El giggled and followed Mike's lead, standing and gathering her supplies before the two of them began their usual route to El and Max's locker.
"Max is going to meet us in the AV Club room today." El explained, grabbing her lunch from her locker and switching out the books she'd need for the afternoon. Once that was done, the two of them headed towards the clubroom and immediately walked into a rather strange looking situation.
"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD." Dustin blathered over and over again; he and Will were shrunk into the right corner of the room. Will's face was beet red, his eyes wide in horror.
Max and a dazed looking Lucas were on the other side of the room.
"What is going on?" Mike asked. He was a little alarmed that none of his friends seemed to notice their arrival at first. Dustin jumped at Mike like a drowning person clutching at a life preserver.
"Mike! President Mike! Lucas and Max were making out in here!" Max rolled her eyes so hard that Mike was genuinely surprised they didn't roll right out of her skull.
"Making… Making out in here?" Mike asked, certain he hadn't heard Dustin correctly.
"Yes! We were making out in here. Won't happen again." Max snapped irritably.
"It shouldn't have happened at all!" Dustin held an embarrassed looking Will around the shoulders, "my poor baby just had his innocence taken from walking in on you making out."
Lucas finally seemed to snap out of his daze, only to blurt: "Max is my girlfriend! I asked her and she said yes!"
At this, everyone turned to Max and Lucas.
"Really?" El gasped happily, her eyes widening.
"Yeah." Max was currently trying to nonchalantly play off the fact that she was as red as a tomato. The mood of the room immediately shifted.
"That's great! I'm happy for you two." El threw her arms around Max, who buried her face in her shoulder, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Mad Max and Lucas? Together? I'm doomed in the arcade aren't I?" Dustin clapped Lucas on the back happily, congratulating him. Even Will had forgotten his embarrassment in walking in on Max and Lucas making out and congratulated the two of them.
Lunch took on the jovial atmosphere of a party. Max and Lucas were noticeably red the entire lunch hour, but flustered and happy.
Dustin and Will quickly discovered that the joy of walking in on two friends making out would supply them with endless amounts of teasing material for years to come.
...
Just like that, Saturday afternoon was upon him.
"Are you sure you don't want to come to Benny's?" Dustin asked as the group loitered outside of the arcade. The six of friends had spent a fun morning wasting numerous quarters at the arcade.
"We need to work on our presentation." El shrugged apologetically. "But next time for sure."
"Good luck!" Will bid them cheerily. Lucas, Max, Dustin and Will headed towards Benny's while Mike and El watched them go.
"Are you good to go?" Mike asked shyly. All day his heart felt as though it would flop out of his chest at any moment. He was looking for the right moment to talk to El and it was making him dizzy with nerves.
"Yes." El climbed onto the bike behind him without further ado. He kicked off once he was sure she was balanced and pedaled hard towards the library.
Their stop was quick; they'd done research during the week at the school library in order to know what books to ask the librarian for. They checked out five each and were soon back on the bike.
With the added weight of the textbooks it was a noticeably harder bike ride, but Mike really didn't mind. El tucked her chin on his shoulder so they could talk as they biked and by the time they reached Hopper Cabin, Mike was breathless from talking and biking.
"We should walk from here." El explained.
They'd pulled off to the side of a highway where there was a small break in the trees. Most of the leaves had drifted to the ground, leaving the trees naked. They fell into a comfortable step with one another as El led the way into the forest, Mike walking his bike carefully between them.
A little less than ten minutes later a small cabin came into view.
"Watch your step!" She said suddenly, startling Mike. He stopped mid step and looked down.
"It's a tripwire" El explained, kneeling down and pointing to a thin wire suspended about six inches from the forest floor. "Hopper took some extra precautions since we live so far out."
"I'll just park my bike here then." Mike said, pulling his bike back a few steps and leaning it against a tree. El waited patiently for him before they carefully stepped over the wire together and continued on towards the cabin.
El undid the three locks on the front door and pushed it open, stepping in from the chilly November air and into the warmth of the cabin.
"Welcome to Hopper Cabin!" She said happily, gesturing in a sweeping motion with her arm as though she were unveiling a brand new sports car.
Mike took in the small, cozy interior. There was a living area with a couch and a chair, a small kitchen with an even tiny dining table and a few doors off the main room. There was a woodstove in the corner, casting a warm glow.
"It's nice." Mike meant it. It was warm and lived in. Though everything was old and very vintage looking, evidence of Hopper and El was everywhere.
El took off her coat, prompting Mike to do the same.
"I need to stoke the woodstove, but make yourself comfortable. It's probably easier to work in the living room right now. Hop has some files on the kitchen table and he gets grumpy when I move them." El talked about Hopper as though he were a cuddly teddy bear instead of the scowling, gruff Chief of Police that could make Mike freeze with just a stern glance.
"Do you like living with Hopper?" The question slipped past his lips before he could help it. El appeared thoughtful as she reached for a log in a small, neat stack near the woodstove.
"Yes." El began, opening the stove and poking around at the coals inside. "It wasn't so great at first I'll admit, when I didn't know anyone but Hopper and we weren't always on the best terms." Mike kicked off his shoes, distractedly watching in the orange light cast by the woodstove.
"But now, I am happy. Hopper is… great. More than great. He makes time for me and feeds me Eggos." She smiled over at Mike and he couldn't help but return the action.
"Did you know Hopper before he adopted you?" Mike cringed as soon as the question left his mouth.
Wow. That was insensitive—I shouldn't pry. Even if he wanted to know more about El, it didn't mean she was comfortable sharing such private details. He'd really put his foot in his mouth.
"Sorry—I shouldn't have—"
"It's okay Mike." She closed the woodstove and stood up. "I trust you." The sincerity in her eyes left him breathless. She led him to the couch and they both sat down.
"Hopper adopted me after he caught me stealing Eggos from a grocery store." She took a deep breath. "My mom died when I was eleven. For a whole year I ran away from the social workers and whatever home they tried to put me into. Eventually I tried to leave the state… That's when Hopper caught me at the grocery store trying to steal Eggos for the trip." El smiled wistfully, her eyes cast downwards.
"About a month after, Hopper asked me if I wanted to try living with him as a foster home instead. I said yes. We fought a lot at first, but after that… well, Hopper asked me on my thirteenth birthday if I wanted to be adopted by him officially. I said yes, and now I'm El Hopper."
Mike's sat there, completely dumbfounded. He had never realized. El had a hard life so far but yet she was so kind. Shame raced over his skin, how had he known so little about her past? He'd never wanted to pry, because adoption seemed like such a private matter. Then again, El seemed to be a very private person and Mike respected that. That she trusted him enough to tell him… well, the gravity of that trust was not lost on him.
"I'm glad you're here now." Mike did the only thing he could think in that moment. He carefully wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a gentle hug. Mike could feel her melt against him and he tightened his hug just a little. Her wild mop of curls tickled his chin as they stayed like that. He didn't let go until she was ready to pull away.
"Thanks for listening." El mustered a smile and they both chuckled. She reached down and laced their fingers together, looking contemplative as she studied their hands.
Mike's heart was beating so loudly it felt as thought it were throwing itself like a battering ram against his ribcage.
"I guess we should get started on our presentation." El said reluctantly after a short pause, her cinnamon eyes were dark as she looked at him with something that even Mike could not name in their depth.
The seriousness of the moment slipped away as the two teenagers brought out their study materials, their hands remained together even as they began their work.
For the next several hours Mike and El worked hard, trudging through the books they had borrowed from the library and writing down important notes to refer back to later. Both were taken by surprise when the click of the lock disrupted the quiet of the cabin. El glanced up at the clock hanging on the kitchen wall, her eyes widening.
"Hey kid, who's bike is out…" Hopper trailed off as he came in and saw El and Mike sitting on the floor in front of the couch together. Perhaps sitting a little too close to be considered friendly. They'd had to let go of each other's hands as the afternoon progressed, working on their notes.
"Hi Hop." El greeted happily, unperturbed by her adopted father's stern gaze on the two of them. Mike on the other hand, was faring far differently.
"Hi Chief! Uh sir. Uh. Sir Chief." Mike was wondering if he should move from his spot beside El and start saluting? Or if he moved did that make him look guilty? What was there even to be guilty about? It's not like they'd been making out or anything. They were just studying.
"Just Hopper, kid." Hopper sighed, hanging his hat on the hook at the door.
"I didn't realize what time it was." El got up from the floor and stretched, a few of her joints cracking.
"I should probably get going." Mike followed El's lead, stretching his stiff limbs as he stood up from the floor. Their notes and books were scattered all over the living room floor.
"We could work on our presentation tomorrow afternoon again you want?" El asked hopefully. Mike didn't hear Hopper protest this and he nodded.
"I'll just have to clear it with my mom tonight, but I'll call you and let you know?" Mike went to clean the papers off the floor.
"Leave it kid, if you're working on it tomorrow then it can stay for now. It gets dark out here fast, so you should get a move on." Hopper's voice was suddenly much closer than Mike anticipated.
"Okay." Mike agreed, grabbing his coat from the armchair and heading towards the door.
"I'll walk you to the road. Things look different out here when it gets darker." El offered, grabbing her coat too. Mike tried not to feel too intimidated by Hopper's stare as the two teens put their shoes on.
"Back in a minute Hop." El chimed, opening the door.
"Goodnight er… Hopper." Mike bid the Chief a quick goodbye. Hopper returned it with what sounded like a grunt before the two teens slipped outside.
November had definitely graduated from chilly to cold when nighttime fell. The sun was starting to dip below the trees and their breath came out in puffy white clouds. He was glad for the warmth of his jacket as they walked towards his bike.
"Watch your step." El reminded him once more, pointing out the tripwire.
Once over the tripwire, Mike titled his bike upright and the two continued walking towards the highway. He was glad El had walked him out, because she was definitely right, the forest looked much different in the dying light and he could have easily gotten lost.
A few minutes later they were standing at the road. Mike was halfway onto his bike, but not really wanting to leave El just yet.
"Thanks for having me over this afternoon."
"We got a lot done." El said happily, before shyly adding, "maybe next time you could come over just for fun."
Yes, yes, yes. Mike's heart beat erratically. Was now the moment? Should he tell her how he felt about her? Should he ask her on a date?
"That would be great." Mike agreed as calmly as he could. Before he could make up his mind about whether or not this was the moment—El did something that completely fried his brain.
"Goodnight Mike." El pressed her lips to his cheek softly.
When Mike finally realized what had just happened, El was long gone and he was sitting there like a frozen human Popsicle.
The whole ride home his cheek was warm where El kissed him.
…
The next day, El was waiting for him on the side of the highway, her hands tucked into the sleeves of her mustard yellow sweater, a bright smile on her face. His cheek still tingled where she'd kissed him and he couldn't help but hope for another goodbye kiss later today.
They exchanged happy, somewhat breathless greetings before they headed into the forest towards Hopper Cabin.
The sunlight warmed their backs at they walked, leaves crunching beneath their feet. Soon, they are wrapped up in the warmth of Hopper Cabin, shaking off the remnants of the chilly November day.
"I'm glad you could make it." El plopped down onto the floor in front of the couch, where their nest of books and written notes awaited.
"Me too." Mike agreed happily, settling down beside her. They shared a brief smile before Mike began rummaging around in his bag.
"Maybe after this we could get Benny's?"
The question catches Mike on the hop. He stopped rummaging and turned to look at El. She peered back at him; her warm brown eyes alight with hope and nervousness.
Is she asking me on a date? Mike wondered dazedly, but he can feel his head nodding itself exuberantly to her question.
"Great." El breathed, looking down back to their notes with a relieved smile.
Mike resumed rummaging through his backpack, searching for his notebook. He couldn't seem to find it. Was it in the other pockets? Frowning, he zipped open the other two compartments and found nothing.
Shit.
"I'm such a dweeb." Mike groaned into his backpack. "I forgot my notebook."
"There's one on the kitchen counter you could borrow." She offered helpfully. Mike shot El a grateful smile, getting up from the ground and heading towards the small kitchen. Sure enough, there was a notebook lying on the counter beside some breakfast dishes. He snagged it and flipped randomly to a page towards the back of the notebook, that way he wouldn't interrupt the flow of any of El's previous notes.
It opened to page towards the back, but much to his surprise, there was already El's neat handwriting scrawled across the page. He went to switch pages, but something caught his eye. With growing curiosity, he scanned the first sentence:
(1) Befriend Party
Before he could stop himself Mike read the next sentence too:
(2) Introduce Max to Lucas. Maybe they'll get to know each other!
What… What was this? Introduce Max to Lucas?
The words blurred as Mike stared at the notebook unseeingly. Suddenly things began to make sense. El's rather sudden introduction into the Party's lives had given her an opportunity to introduce Max to the boy she liked. After all, El admitted herself how Max had a crush on Lucas for six months. Had this all been a cruel joke? Had becoming friends just been a way for El to get Max close enough to Lucas? And now that they were dating would it all be over? Had El used the Party… had she used him?
Humiliation scorched across his skin as he stared at the list in front of him.
How could I be so stupid? Mike dropped the notebook back onto the counter. He felt hot and sick and humiliated all at once.
How could I think El would ever want to get to know us? That she'd want to get to know me? She's a jock! A track star! Why would she ever like a dweeb like me?
Tears stung at his eyes but he ignored them, setting the notebook down as calmly as he could manage.
"I have to go."
El's head whipped towards him, staring uncomprehendingly as he reached for his jacket and began to gather his things without another word.
"What? Is everything okay?" El asked hesitantly.
Mike couldn't look at her.
"Yes." He said firmly, not noticing how El flinched away at his cold tone.
"Did you want me to walk you out?" She asked hopefully, but shied back when finally Mike turned to her.
"I don't know. Is that all part of your plan?" Mike bit out, tone dripping with sarcasm. El stared at him, completely at a loss.
He gathered the last of his school stuff and moved to the front door.
"Mike? Please don't leave. What's wrong?" El asked in a small voice.
"Why don't you just check your notebook to refresh your memory? See you later El." Mike muttered.
With that, he stepped out of the cabin, closing the door behind him with a sense of finality and tried to banish the devastated look on El's face from his mind.
In the cool autumn air Mike gasped sharply, trying not to let his heart crumble in his chest.
How could I be so stupid? El would never like someone like me.
…
The sound of the closing door was deafening in the suddenly empty cabin.
El couldn't understand what just happened. She'd been so excited for another day with Mike. Especially because she was going to tell him everything: how he made her heart feel like she'd just run a marathon whenever he smiled at her, or how much she loved to spend time with him and hold his hand, how kind and pretty and good she thought he was…
What went wrong? Why did he look so hurt?
With wobbly legs El stood and headed to the kitchen, where her notebook lay on the counter. She picked it up; a growing knot of dread twisted in her chest. She flipped it over and her heart dropped.
It was the list she'd made over a month ago.
(1) Befriend Party.
(2) Introduce Max to Lucas. Maybe they'll get to know each other!
(3) All of us –
All of us… nothing. A single drop of wetness smudged the last two words beyond repair.
A/N: Sorry not sorry.
Speaking of sorry, I apologize for taking so long to respond to reviews this last week! My ambitious ass decided to try bouldering for the first time... and immediately ripped skin off each of my fingers in multiple places. I was informed by my lovely friend that these flaps of skin are lovingly nicknamed "flappers" by boulderers. I really could have done without knowing that.
My hands are almost healed so reviews will be answered in a much more timely manner this week.
