Hey y'all. I changed things up a bit~ This time, things aren't going badly for El, but rather for Mike...but there's no problem big enough that these two can't face together! Enjoy!

It was April 23, 1985. El had recently gotten back from the trip on the 16th, but it had been precisely a week since she had seen Mike. There was always something that got in the way, whether it was his presidential duties, his homework, his mom, or his best friend Will. She was already very limited as to what she could do, with her dad being as protective of her as he was. This time it wasn't just his mom that was getting in the way, it was both of his parents...and Max's brother.

El knew something was going on with him, but he wouldn't open up to her over the phone, so she took it upon herself to schedule their next date, but letting Mike pick where they wanted to go.

Steve dropped him off at her house that same day, but not without saying "Go get her, Tiger" first. Mike gave him a scrunched look on his face and then walked up the steps. He knocked his special knock to her and she opened up immediately.

"Hey, you! I missed you," she said, pulling him in for a hug.

"I missed you too," he said, hugging her longer than she was expecting.

She pulled away and looked him in the eyes for a split second that felt more like 50. She looked up as he tried to kiss her head. He stopped and she pulled him in for a kiss herself. He flipped her over on her back and they laid on the couch, snuggling for a while until Steve honked his horn outside.

"Oh shit! I forgot about Steve!" said Mike.

"You brought Steve?!" she said, laughing.

"Yeah...How else would I get here?"

"Your bike...?"

"Oh yeah, didn't think of that, but hold on, I gotta talk to Steve for a sec."

He ran out to the car and motioned for Steve to roll down the window. At the same time, El watched him from the house window, wondering what he was up to.

"Let's go, Wheeler! I'm hungry," he whined.

"How 'bout we take El to Waffle House? She's never been before."

"You're just now thinking of this?! Oh man, that does sound good though..."

"Okay great. So, you'll take us there?"

"Yeah, if you let me sit with you."

"What? No way!"

"I'm the one who's driving you little assholes there!"

Mike knew how to speak his language all too well.

"Yeah, but you don't really wanna be a third wheel, do you? I'm only thinking of you, Steve."

"Alright, you got me...But you owe me, little man."

"I think that hot waitress that works there will do the trick."

"Oh man, I almost forgot about her...Okay, yeah, I'm game."

"Great. Be right back," he said, peeling his arms off of the windowsill.

He went back inside and said:

"Okay, let's go."

"Where?"

"Somewhere you're going to love!...Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then, c'mon! You don't wanna see a hangry Steve, it's not pretty!"

"What's hangry?"

"Oh, it's something Dustin made up. It's like when you get angry because you're really hungry."

"*laughs* He's really good at coming up with that stuff, isn't he?" she mentioned as she put on her sweater.

"Yeah, totally," he said as he held the door for her.

"*laughs* You sound like Kelly and Veronica!"

"Oh my god! You're totally right!"

*laughs more*

He came back with El and off they went!

When she wasn't looking, he had grabbed her blindfold. When they sat in the back together, he wrapped it around her head.

"Mike, what are you doing?"

"Making it interesting."

"If you say so..." she said, laughing.

"What kind of music do you like El?" asked Steve.

"Oh hi, Steve! Um...Anything's fine."

"Anything it is!" he said.

*laughs*

He blasted music the whole ride. At a stoplight, El was trying to find Mike's face.

"Wait, I can't feel you...Where are you?"

"Right here," he said, kissing her neck.

When he lifted his head, she trailed her fingers around the different parts of his face that she recognized. When her fingers hit his lips, she froze. He peeled her hands off his face and kissed her.

"Hey! Just because the music's loud, doesn't mean I can't still hear you, ya assholes!"

"*giggles* Sorry, Steve!" said El.

"Jesus, what does it take to get some peace and quiet around here?!"

"Um...Steve, this whole town's quiet. Your music's what's making it loud." Mike stated.

"Yeah, well, you're enjoying it aren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Exactly, then shut up about it, will ya!"

Mike looked at El, as she tried to hold in a laugh.

When they arrived, Mike guided El out of the car, saying:

"Steady, steady-"

"Like a ninja!" Steve finished.

"*cuts eyes* Really, Steve?"

*snickers*

When they got close to the building, enough so that El could clearly read the sign, Mike untied her blindfold.

"So...?"

She smiled and said:

"Bitchin'!"

*Mike and Steve laugh*

She turned around and said:

"Thank you."

"Oh yeah, su-"

She pulled him in for an unexpected hug.

"Oh...Okay," he said awkwardly, as he hugged her back and rubbed her back.

She turned to face the building and interlaced her fingers with his. She took a deep breath and walked in with him, not knowing what to expect from a Waffle House. She could only imagine!

They sat down in a booth, facing each other, while Mike laughed as he watched Steve pout and slump in a seat all to himself. He grabbed a toothpick from the counter where the forks and trashcan were, and popped it in his mouth, kicking his feet up on the table, as he anxiously waited for the hot waitress to take his order.

Instead, the hot waitress came to Mike and El's table and the old, ugly waitress came and took his order.

"Welcome to Waffle House! What can I get you today, sir?"

He ignored her as he stared at the lovely waitress, Stephanie.

"Sir?"

"*sighs* I'll have a grilled sausage egg & cheese biscuit with hash browns, and a soda."

"Coming right up...Ah, but get your feet off the table, son. This isn't your house, this is the Waffle House." she said, annoyed.

"Hehe, sorry, ma'am..." he said.

Meanwhile, Stephanie took Mike and El's orders.

"I'll have a waffle bowl of grits and a glass of water please."

"Alright, and you, sir?" Stephanie asked.

"I'll have the same as her."

"Alright. Let me take your menus for ya, there."

*takes menus*

"Thank you," El said with a smile.

She and Mike looked at each other, both of their heads leaning against their fists.

"So, how is Eggo?"

"Oh, she's good."

"I bet she missed you all that time you were gone in D.C.!"

"Of course she did!" she said jokingly.

"*giggles* You know, I love going on dates with you," he said with twinkling eyes, as he held her hand from under the table.

"Oh really, I didn't notice!" she said.

"But you don't know why."

"No, I don't. Why?"

"Because you never looked more alive than when you're out in public. You just glow."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"*giggles* Would you quit looking at me like that?!" she said, playfully hitting him.

"Like what?"

"Like...Like you wanna suck face with me," she said laughing.

He busted out laughing, not expecting her to put it that way.

"I can't help it...You just look so pretty."

"Stop it!" she said, laughing.

"Do you not believe me? Because if you don't, I will stand up on this table and profess my love to you, right here, right now, Jane Hopper."

"No, no! Mike, *grabs sleeve* I believe you," she said, laughing.

"Alright...Your loss," he said as she let go.

She smiled at him, so thankful to have a boyfriend that understood her as well as and loved her as much as he did.

Meanwhile, the hot waitress was on her break by the time Steve had scarfed down his biscuit. He decided to take action.

"Here goes nothing," he said to himself, as he slicked back his luscious hair.

"I'm going in, Wheeler." he said, patting Mike's shoulder as he passed by their booth.

Mike looked at him like he was crazy, the same look that he gave Dustin at the Snow Ball when he asked Stacey if she wanted to dance.

"This is not going to end well..." Mike said as El laughed at the both of them.

He walked over to the waitress' booth and said:

"Sup?"

"Um...Nothing. Do you need something?"

"I think you know what I need..."

She looked at him like he was ridiculous. He then continued on.

"Ketchup. I need ketchup."

"Okay, well, it's right over there."

"Oh, right, right...*pauses* Excuse me," he said, leaving.

"Nice going, dufus," Mike said to Steve as he walked by.

"Yeah, yeah," he said as he grabbed the packet.

He sat back down with the waitress and spread the ketchup on his hash browns. She looked up at him with a weird expression on her face. As he finished them, he said:

"You know, this tastes about as good as you look in that uniform."

"Are you flirting with me, Harrington?"

"You know my name?"

"I hear things..." she said.

"Good things, I hope."

"Some good, some bad...I don't what to think yet though. I like to take my time when analyzing people."

"Oh, I know. I've noticed you."

"Oh really? So, you've been watching me now, have you?"

"Yeah, I have. I mean, no! What? Of course not." he said smiling.

"Haha, it's okay, Steve. Well, I have to say, talking to you has been much more exciting than working in this hellhole, but unfortunately, my break's up."

"Too bad...I was just getting to like you, Steph."

"Well, I get off work at 8. Why don't you pick me up then?"

"Really? *clears throat* I mean, yeah, yeah, totally."

"So, I guess I'll see you then..."

"Guess you will," he said as he smiled, walked away, and plopped back into his booth.

"Wow, he actually pulled that off! I'm surprised," said Mike.

"Me too," said El.

"How are the grits? You said you've never tried them before, right?"

"Yeah, no, they're delicious!"

"I'm glad. I think so too."

"Hey, Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't shake this feeling that's something's going on with you...It's like you're hiding something or keeping a secret from me."

Her intentions were considerate, sweet and innocent, but his feelings were all too real. He dropped his head and cleared his throat, saying:

"I think my parents are going to get a divorce..."

"What? A divorce? Oh my god! Why do you think that?"

"They've been fighting a lot more lately and...I think my mom had an affair."

"What's an affair?

"It's like when you cheat on your spouse or significant other with someone else."

"Oh...Oh wow, Mike. I'm so sorry! You poor thing!" she said, holding his hand that rested on the table.

"Thanks. *tears up* Yeah, it's just been really hard, juggling that and all of this student body stuff. I thought my family was perfect, and then all this shit went down, and now I'm questioning everything I ever knew and-"

"Hey, it's okay. This isn't your fault, Mike. *sighs* Well, do you know who it is? Did she tell you?"

"I'm not sure, but *sighs* I think she cheated on my dad with Billy..."

"Billy...? As in Max's brother, Billy?!"

"Yeah, I-I think so."

"Wow...Wow."

"I know!"

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, he started cutting our hedges awhile ago, which is out of character for him to begin with...Max said that there was a two or three-week period where he was just gone a lot, and now someone else does our hedges. I had caught them flirting once before and I think that maybe they had a fling and then broke things off."

"Gosh, Mike. Are you the only one in your family who knows?"

"No...Nancy knew about it before me, and my Dad's totally clueless, but Holly doesn't know anything except that they're fighting all the time. *sheds tear*"

"Aww, Holly...This isn't fair to her...she shouldn't have to deal with this shit, and you shouldn't have to either."

"Yeah, I know..."

"Oh, Mike. You're shaking!...C'mere," she said, motioning him to her side of the booth.

She wiped his tears and stroked his hair, as his shoulder rested in the crook of her neck.

"Look at me," she said.

*looks*

"Everything's gonna alright, okay? You and I, we're in this together, and I will be with you...every step of the way," she said as she held his face in the palm of her hands.

*nods*

She hugged him as he tightly grabbed ahold of her shirt sleeve. Stephanie walked over to the booth to clear their dishes and mouthed to El:

"Is everything okay over here?"

She gave her a thumbs up and mouthed:

"He's fine."

He slowly pulled away, wiping his eyes.

"You good?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," he said.

"Good," she said, coyly smiling.

"*takes deep breath* Now that that's out of my system, *chuckles* I have something to ask you."

"Yes?"

"You do this often? Make guys open up and cry their eyes out in a Waffle House?" he asked her jokingly.

"*laughs* What can I say, I guess we all need a little emotional poking and prodding every once in a while...Just, not like how I had it."

"Look who's wise!"

"Aww, stop it!" she said, throwing her hand forward.

"What do you say? You wanna arm wrestle?"

"Sure!"

He reached out to grab her hand, but pulled away to point and say:

"No powers."

"Dammit...*sighs* Fine," she said.

They struggled for about 10 seconds before she ultimately pinned his arm down...without her powers.

"Why are you so good at this? Ugh."

"You're better off with someone who keeps you on your toes." she said.

"That I am," he said.

She giggled and they both leaned in for a kiss.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it, you guys are cute! Now, can we get the fuck out of here, so I can come back here and pick up Steph without you two dorks killing my mojo?" said Steve.

"Geez, someone's cranky!" said El.

"Cranky and egotistical..." said Mike.

They each paid for their meals and left. Steve dropped Mike off at home first. El walked out with him and said goodnight.

"I love what you did with your hair by the way. It's cute, it's a good look for you," he said as he brushed his fingers through her wavy hair.

"Oh, thanks so much!" she said, touching it herself.

"No prob," he said, as they came to a stop.

She turned to him and said:

"If things get worse with your family, tell me."

"Okay, I will."

"Promise?" she said, smiling.

"I promise," he said, smiling.

"I love you, you know that?"

"I do, and I do too...love you, I mean," he said.

She leaned her forehead against his, laughing, as her hands slid up his chest and grabbed ahold of his collar. She then said:

"Take care, okay?"

"You too."

She leaned in and kissed him, her hair blowing in the breeze.

"Night, Mike."

"Night, El," he said, waving to her as she walked away.

She drove away with Steve, leaving her heart with Mike, as he left his own with her.