Hey guys! Please excuse the long authors note, but I wanted to say a few things :) there seems to be a lot of mixed feelings and TONS of misconceptions about this story, which is likely my fault lol. I try to subtly or openly explain the characters behaviors, feelings, etc. As best as I can but Ill just be clear about my feelings about this now :)

I want this story to be drastically different than Its Still You. That way it doesnt feel repetitive or stale for me to write. Tbh im low on ideas and muse for Its Still You, but I have many for this story. Its still new and fresh and Im enjoying it :)

That being said, many aspects of character and plot have to be totally different for the story to keep feeling fresh and new. No, Mike is not perfect in this story. Hes eighteen, and hes desperate to keep Eleven from being taken away again. He just got her back after all. Hes afraid of a lot of things that involve her and losing her and thats why he is acting the way he is. Hes also still kind of a kid. Hes learning.

Dustin and Lucas are also kids XD ive played many games of truth or dare with stupid dares, and thats all it was meant to be. They were drunk and thinking about how Will had never kissed anyone before. Friends tease each other. As I mentioned, they would realize their mistake when they sobered up lol

Also, there is going to be aspects of Will's crush on Eleven. He had never met her before, and is just now meeting her as a woman. However, never fret, its still a Mileven story :) its about Mileven. Its slower paced, as Mike is coming to grips with the fact that Eleven is back, and neither of them are little kids anymore. Its still new to him, and hes trying not to push too far too fast. Ive tried to include scenes with them though.

Basically, I understand if this story isnt your cup of tea :) it is different than the other, and hopefully different from ALL others lol. Im enjoying it, and Im going to stick with my ideas. If ya have faith in me, though, I promise you wont be disappointed ;) anyways. Thanks for reading my long ass AN (if you did) and please do enjoy this update :) i appreciate your feedback, I really do. I hope I dont disappoint too many of you lovely people!


Chapter 12:

Mike was relieved when Dustin and Lucas finally fell asleep in Lucas' roon. Dustin was comedically sprawled out on the floor with barely a blanket thrown over him, while Lucas had somehow just managed to make it to his bed.

It wasnt often that they drank so heavily, but it had been awhile. School was winding down to an end, and the speeches from parents and teachers about college and life plans had everyone a little stressed out. They needed a night to forget and let loose. Mike just wished he hadnt brought Eleven.

Will eventually called Johnathan to come pick him up, and once he was gone, it left Mike and Eleven alone. He didnt know how to bring it up to her, how to ask if she liked or hated Will's kiss. It felt too stupid, too trivial, to bother her with it.

"You okay?" He asked, settling down onto the sofa beside her. She was watching some stupid cartoons that Dustin left on, though she seemed pretty engrossed in them.

"Yes," she answered plainly, looking over at him for a moment. "Are you okay, Mike?" She repeatwd his question back at him, and Mike was surprised to find he didnt know how to answer. He was, but he wasnt. It seemed a little complicated to explain out loud.

"Hey, you know they're just being stupid, right? You dont have to take any of that stuff seriously." His cheeks were flush, eyes cast downward in self-understood shame. How immature he was being concerned him. It was so unlike him, or what he had always been before Eleven.

"Mike," she said his name softly, "you mean Will. Dont take... Will seriously. Thats... what you mean?" She took her bottom lip between her teeth as she tried her best to understand the situation from Mikes point of view though it was difficult for her.

Mike sighed, "Yes. Mostly. He was just upset. He didnt mean it."

"Did you?" She questioned.

"Of course," he frowned a little. "Of course I meant it. I did it because... because I didn't want Will to do it. I hated seeing him kiss you like that." Admitting it to her felt a little stupid, but he had no reason to lie to her. Odds were that she didnt fully understand the situation anyways.

"A kiss," Eleven pondered. "A kiss is serious?"

"Yeah," Mike nodded. "It usually means you really like someone. You... like them more than anyone else. And you want to be with them."

"Be with them?"

"Yes, like a couple." He was never very good at explaining things. He stumbled on his words and was usually too afraid or awkward to be as blunt as he needed to be. "How I like you... is serious. I want you, El, and I want you to be only mine. Do you understand?"

"A couple. You want me to be a couple?"

"Yes, well, I want us to be a couple. Just me and you. What i always wanted and... never thought Id get to have... with you." Mike sucked in a deep breath, then lifted his gaze to meet hers. "It's a feeling. In your chest. You get it when you like someone."

"In here." Eleven laid her hand over the center of her chest. "I feel it sometimes. Its heavy." She looked a little unhappy with the heavy feeling she was describing. "But it's good. I get happy when I feel it. Is that it?"

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling a little in response. "That's it."

"I feel it because of you. Do you feel it because of me?" She asked curiously, closing her fist with a handful of her shirt inside of it. Mike nodded again, inching a little closer to her. "Is that what it means to... like someone?"

"Yes," he chuckled. "I like you. That feeling means you like me, too." He gently lifted her hand into his, turning it over to brush his thumb over her palm. "I missed you so bad for so long, El. Now that you're here... it feels like a dream. I feel so... happy. You have to forgive me when Im afraid or anxious. I just dont want to lose you again."

Mike turned her hand back over and brought it up to his lips. He kissed it softly, eyes closed, hair tickling her wrist. Eleven took her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Mike."

"Hm?"

"Can you... kiss me again?" She asked him, her cheeks flush. Mike lifted his eyes to hers, brow furrowed in confusion. He hadnt expected her to outright ask for such a thing. He was surprised, but pleasantly so.

"Im more than happy to," he told her, leaning in with his hand on her cheek as leverage. He pressed his lips to hers, tenderly at first, then a little harder. She was intoxicating, her taste, her natural perfume, all of it was so incredible to Mike. She was a forbidden fruit, now and always, but now she was there, in his arms, and he was tempted more than ever to take a bite.

Mike was in the process of laying her back when Lucas' phone rang. He let out a disappointed sigh, then pushed himself upright and headed to the kitchen. If it was Lucas' parents, he'd tell them their son was asleep upstairs with Dustin. Surely, they expected Mike and the other boys to be there while they were gone.

"Mrs. Sinclair?" Mike asked when he picked up the phone. He wished it had been such a simple thing. Instead, Will answered.

"Mike, keep Eleven there. Dont bring her here tomorrow," Will said frantically. "Hopper came by looking for her. He told Mom that the doctor is looking for her. You have to hide her. They cant take her back."

"Slow down," Mike said as calmly as he possibly could. "Just lie. Dont tell them we know anything. We'll take her somewhere secret tomorrow. Okay?"

"Mom said we didnt know anything, but I dont think Hopper believes us. I wouldnt. Whatever happens, we cant let them take her."

Mike had to admit that Will's desperation and panic mirrored his own, even if he didnt like it. It was becoming clearer and clearer to Mike that Will's feelings towards El may not be so platonic. He shouldve known. Eleven and Will had just met recently, and El was a beautiful girl. And she gave Will the time of day. Asking Will not to look at her like a woman was too much, and Mike knew it.

"We wont," he finally answered. "She's not going anywhere, Will. Just keep lying. Well figure it out in the morning. They cant prove anything."

"Be careful. Theyre looking all over. Turning over every stone."

"I know," Mike glanced back at the living room and lowered his voice. "We cant let Eleven know theyre after her. She may panic and run, or worse, try to do something about them. Hopper wont cover up a massacre, not even for El. If she panics, were in even worse trouble."

"I wont say anything."

"Good," Mike breathed. "We'll take care of it. If we all work together."

"Goodnight, Mike. Keep an eye out."

"Alright. You, too."

Mike hung up the phone, then lingered in the kitchen for a bit as he tried to find an easy, quick solution. He wouldnt let her go again. As a kid, he was useless, helpless, when it to save her. This time, he would do something. Or die trying.