The two of them braved the doors of Hawkin's High together, hand in hand.

There had already been speculations circling around that something was going on between Mike and Elle, but nobody could quite put a label on it. But once the pair was spotted, it wasn't long before strange looks and sneaky whispers began running rampant once again, because this was it, the tangible evidence that everyone had long been waiting for.

Regardless though, the couple seemed unbothered, a new kind of contagious joy resonating from them both.

"Yo, look it's Wheels and he's with the... new girl?" Stacks elbowed the others, motioning over at the two who were halfway down the halls.

T.J. looked over at his former friend, trying to choke down the immediate rage and spite that he felt rising up in him, but it wasn't long before it subsided as confusion slowly took it's place instead.

Wheeler looked happy? Wait no scratch that, Wheeler was happy. In fact, happier than he had ever seen him before. But how? He no longer had any friends and on top of that he'd lost his social status and everything that came with it. What the hell.. this didn't make any sense.

He shook his head, quickly clearing his thoughts. "Whatever, he's history to us now." T.J. shrugged, playing it off cool. "Apparently, he's made his choice."

Choice. That damned word.. How Amanda hated it.

She took one look at the girl who was laughing at something Mike had said, the two of them being all stupidly cute together and the blonde girl had to look away before she broke down right then and there.

It wasn't fair but T.J. was right, Mike had made his choice, and she finally came to the conclusion that well, it wasn't her.


"I believe these belong to you." Mike gently handed over the textbooks he had been carrying around for her.

They had been lingering outside of her calculus class for almost ten minutes now but once the final bell had rung, they knew they were sadly out of time.

"Thank you."

'So, I'll see you after school right?" Mike eagerly asked, glancing between her and inside of the classroom, where the teacher was now staring a hole into him.

"Right." Elle warmly smiled.

"See ya later then." he said, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "By the way, tell old man Stanisky over there to take it easy before he blows a gasket or something." He whispered in her ear, nodding over at the man who was still harshly glaring his way.

Mike couldn't help but smile as Elle giggled, probably because it was one of his most favorite sounds in the world.

He then watched as she walked off into her classroom and contently sighed to himself. Damn, was she perf-

He was abruptly broken from his trance, feeling a rough yank on his jacket that jerked him completely around.

Mike stiffened up, his body immediately going into fight mode but he unclenched his fists when he saw who it was.

"Lucas?"

"Cut the shit, Wheeler." the dark skinned boy spat, straightening himself up, in attempt to match Mike's height.

"Wait, wha-?"

Lucas jabbed his finger roughly into the tall boy's chest. "I don't know what kinda sick joke this is, but you need to leave Elle out of it. Got it?"

Mike took a small step back, his head feeling like a spinning top while struggling to come back from the sudden bombardment. He hadn't spoken to Lucas since their huge fight and now here they were again in ironically, a similar predicament.

He quickly scanned the hallway, relieved that it was empty. "Look, I think you've got the wrong idea man." he held his hands up, in surrender.

Lucas's eyes were hard and cold, yet they held something that Mike had seen once before. The vague traces of betrayal and hurt he had left behind still deeply embedded in them.

"Then what is it then, huh? Let me guess, you lost some type of bet with your friends and they put you up to this?"

Mike shook his head. "No, it's-"

"Wait, no-no I got it." Lucas snorted, a smug smile appearing on his lips. "You pretty much fucked around with all the girls here so you're craving some new meat, is that it?" his face fell back into a scowl.

He winced at that accusation. "It's not like that."

"THEN WHAT IS IT?" Lucas barked, all the unsettled anger that he had buried, suddenly resurfacing.

"You wouldn't understand."

"UNDERSTAND WHAT? HUH? That you just wanna another notch in your belt!"

Mike ground his teeth, desperate to remain calm but slowly losing it. "No! that's no- It's just different with her, alright!"

"DIFFERENT? What the hell do you mean... DIFFERENT?"

"I LOVE HER, OKAY!"

An immediate hush fell over Lucas as his face washed blank with confusion, he widely stared at the boy dumbfounded, eyes blinking slowly .

Mike took notice and gently hung his head, lowering his voice.

"I know I don't deserve her and I know I've fucked up plenty in the past, but please just know that it's different with her." He lifted his head up, and softly smiled. "She makes me feel like I can do anything in the world. It's crazy, but she actually believes in me. She- well, she makes makes me want to be different."

Lucas stood there, his mouth pursed but slightly open and loose, feeling completely blindsided, not knowing what to say.

There was an unwavering expression of honest sincerity present on Mike's face and even his damn voice dripped with such adoration for Elle that it was almost like a certain glow alluded from him.

Mike was serious as hell, and Lucas couldn't deny it this time even if he tried.

"I uh.. I didn't know." was all he could manage to utter, still trying to wrap his mind around it all.

Mike simply shrugged. "It's okay man, I didn't expect you to."

He stared longingly at the ground almost as if he was waiting for it to give him the right answers, then hesitantly looked up, eyes softer than before.

"This might seem weird, but Elle.. she's become like a sister to us, to Will, Dustin, and me, ya know? and I swear that girl has the purest heart of anyone I've ever known."

He then paused for a moment before letting out a small sigh.

"So just make sure you're there for her alright? That you take care of her, she really needs that."

"I will." Mike reassured him.

Lucas gave him a faint smile, in effort to let him know that he finally had his approval.

But as he started to walk away. Mike stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Wait."

Lucas instantly turned around, his brows knitted together in curiosity.

Mike looked reluctant at first, anxiously shifting on the balls of his feet but he soon stopped himself, taking in a deep breath instead.

"I know it's kinda late, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry man.. I'm sorry for what went down between us when we were kids. It never should've happened, I was a complete-

"Asshole." Lucas finished.

"Yeah, an asshole and I've been an asshole for awhile.." Mike nodded, regretfully. "I didn't know how to handle things and I allowed it to push us apart. It wasn't right man because we all had made that promise to always have each others backs no matter what, and I broke that.." He cast his gaze downwards, feeling immediate shame. "I let the whole party down and I swear.. Lucas, I swear, If I could go back in time, I would change things."

He didn't know what was more surprising, the apology or the fact that Mike had remembered the old D&D term that had once upon a time been their coined childhood phrase.

But Mike began to bandage the old wounds he had left behind, a new peace pushing out the resentment that had been harbored away for so long.

Never in a million years did he think he'd be able to have the power to forgive, but it was as if the grudge he was so tightly bound by, was suddenly releasing its grip. And it was almost like Lucas could see a glimpse of that twelve year old boy who had once been his closest friend, standing there right in front of him.

Lucas didn't know what to say, or more so how to really say it, so he stood there, frozen in silence.

But suddenly he thought of something. He then fumbled around in both of his pockets, until he finally found what he was searching for, hoping it would convey the message that he couldn't.

Mike grew puzzled, watching as the boy took out a closed fist, placing whatever it was that he had right into his hand.

Cautiously, he opened it up, his palm facing upwards, it looked to be a trinket of some kind? What the hell? Why would Lucas give him this?

He then studied it, slowly holding it up closer to the light above him while he twirled it around slowly between his fingers.

No, this wasn't just some trinket, It was his old paladin figure. The worn off paint and chipped exterior making the piece nearly unrecognizable.

"Welcome back, nerd." Lucas said with a small smirk flicked across his face. But before Mike could say anything back, he had already disappeared down the hallway.

So Mike just stood there in the empty hall, clutching the figure so tightly in his hand that the tops of his knuckles were starting to turn white. He didn't care though, as the corners of his mouth twitched upwards into a smile.

To anyone else this was just an old piece to some child's board game, but to Mike it was much more than that.

It was a symbol of forgiveness, redemption, and maybe even the start of a new beginning.


Elle sat at her familiar spot in the library, tackling yet another extensive reading, while she playfully stacked her Eggos together.

She steadily glanced between the clock and "How to Kill a Mockingbird" patiently waiting for a certain dark haired boy to show up at any moment.

However, It was like she could barely focus on the story, still relishing in their date last night which she had replayed in her mind for about the thousandth time today. But It still made her feel all giddy inside, butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the very thought.

It wasn't too much longer before she heard the sound of light footsteps approaching.

A bright smile instantly grew on her face. "Well hmm, looks like someone's late." She teased, placing the book down.

But it wasn't who she was expecting..

"Um, hey…? What are you doing here?" Elle curiously asked, wrinkles creasing in her forehead. "Not to be rude, but I thought you and Dustin said you guys wouldn't be caught dead here, well not since they banned that one series you both liked..?" she trailed, unsure of the title.

"Lord of the Rings." Lucas corrected. "And I still don't know what those idiots were thinking.." he huffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"But forget that okay." He immediately refocused the convo, urgency and concern taking over his tone. "Elle, you need to tell him.." he adamantly flung his hands.

She sat up in her chair, face clueless. "What are you talking about?"

Lucas's face fell slack, brows furrowed with eyes darting about in concern as if he were searching for a place to hide.

"You need to tell Mike the truth.."


Sorry for the short chapter, but I felt like this was kinda mandatory! Thanks for the awesome reviews though guys, I read them all! and for those concerned about if the plot is solely based on the original "Walk To Remember", no worries Elle's situation will be completely different! but still in a way.. yes, worries because- well, you'll find out soon I promise!