The Life You Deserve
AN: Hi all! A while ago I asked for any requests of what you might like to see in the story or missing moments you wished you had seen, so I'm working on incorporating them into the story.
There was a request from IVVIX to see how Mileven would deal with a pregnancy scare. This chapter sort of derailed a bit from that, but I hope you enjoy anyway! :-)
Chapter 36: The Road Has Many Turns
May 1988
It was a Friday night and instead of playing a campaign or hanging out at the arcade, the party were all lounging around Mike's basement flicking through college brochures. The only noise was the scratch of pencils on paper and the occasional turn of a glossy page.
Mike was sat on the end of the couch, using the arm of the sofa to flick through a brochure on MIT, which was on top of another shinny book advertising Stanford University. He felt like he was thirteen years old and had blinked, and suddenly he was having to make all of these big decisions.
He knew the party were all being a little hasty looking at their college choices and starting to draft personal essays so soon, but Mike wanted the summer before senior year to be relaxed and fun, not stressful and tense because they were having to make last minute decisions.
Mike absentmindedly stroked El's soft curls from where her head rested in his lap, whilst she looked up at her well used brochure for the University of California, San Francisco. It had shocked Mike that his girlfriend, the one who had lived most of her life in captivity, was the first of the party to decide where she wanted to go to college.
But then again, maybe she was ready to get away from Hawkins and the memories and dark secrets that it held. What scared Mike the most was being parted from her. After spending practically every day together for almost four years, he had no idea how he was meant to go to a different college and not be around her all the time.
Everyone said a bit of distance might be good for the couple, but Mike never agreed with that notion. He remembered clearly what it had felt like to be away from her for 353 days. Could he honestly do it?
Mike's eyes went to the brochure in El's hands and he frowned wondering whether he should just apply for the same college as her. He wanted to do a bachelor's degree in Biology to later become a teacher and had been researching the best colleges for his specialist field.
Whilst University of California, San Francisco was a great school, it didn't have the same appeal to Mike as it did to El for Nursing. But does it matter which college I go to? As long as I'm with her I'll be happy.
Max sighed lazily from the floor and chucked the brochure she had been scanning onto her stomach. "I don't even know why I'm looking at all of these. I've already decided I'm taking a year out from studies." She said to the group who all nodded in understanding.
Max had made it very clear that she couldn't wait to get back to California. She hated living with Neil just as much as the party hated to see her going home to that asshole.
What had surprised them all though was when she explained how she wouldn't go and live with her dad, but with her grandma Dotty in San Francisco instead. "She's old and lonely." Max explained with a shrug. "Plus, she's fucking hilarious."
Lucas who had been talking to Hopper about the process of joining the law enforcement career path was revising for the entrance exam to the Police Academy.
"Isn't it a bit early to be revising?" Will had asked him, his head popping up from the armchair where he had already started his draft personal essay for NYU where he wanted to study Art.
"Hopper said it's never too early to prepare for the entrance exam. And if I wanna get into San Francisco Police Academy then I need to start somewhere." Lucas said solemnly, going through a practice test paper.
Dustin snorted, "hmm, I wonder why you want to go to San Francisco?!" he said dramatically whilst tapping his lip with his finger.
Lucas and Max both rolled their eyes but didn't confirm his very obvious theory. The fact that they were going to be in the same city only reinforced Mike's belief that he shouldn't leave El on her own.
"Where is Maggie wanting to go?" El asked casually from her lying down position.
"Columbia. I've already done the math, and if I get into MIT then that's only like three and a half hours away." Dustin said looking up from his brochure.
"Only three and a half hours?!" Mike squeaked in surprised. The whole party turned to look at him and he suddenly felt embarrassed for his outburst.
"Yeah, three and a half hours. If Jen gets into Brown, she'll be four hours away from Will." Dustin said almost defensively.
"Yep. Four hours." Will nodded as he went back to his draft.
"F-four hours?" Mike choked, rubbing at his suddenly dry throat. He didn't notice El looking up at him in concern.
"What's up with you Mike?" Lucas asked with a frown.
Max snorted, "isn't it obvious? He doesn't want to be away from El. He's got separation anxiety." She confirmed, and whilst Mike was sure she meant to say it in a teasing way, her words actually came out seriously.
Separation anxiety. Whilst Mike would have scoffed and said it wasn't true, he realised how real her words actually were. She had hit the nail on the head and Mike understood that all of the years of suppressed emotions over El's disappearance had caused him to suffer anxiety at the idea of being parted from her again.
The rest of the party went quiet and awkward, unsure what to say when they saw the look of realisation on Mike's face. El dropped her brochure and looked back up at her boyfriend, reaching her hand up to stroke his cheek gently, making his dazed eyes flick to her beautiful hazel orbs that grounded him.
"Um whose up for ice cream?!" Dustin blurted out, clearly seeing that El and Mike needed a minute to talk.
The others all mumbled and nodded in agreement, and practically raced up the basement stairs before eating the Wheeler's out of house and home.
"Mike," El began seriously, her eyes full of concern and tenderness.
"I'm sorry El." Mike blurted out, embarrassment creeping up his cheeks as he hid his face in his hands. "I'm a shitty boyfriend. I'm anxious and so clingy. I'm really clingy."
He heard El sigh and sit up onto his lap. Her warm hands captured his and she pulled them from his face. Mike kept his eyes shut for a moment, feeling too ashamed to look at her.
"Mike. You're not a shitty boyfriend. You couldn't be a shitty boyfriend if you tried, because you are honestly the best boyfriend in the whole universe." El said seriously, but a warm smile was starting to form on her lips.
Mike slowly opened his eyes and looked at El to see her features filled with a soft and understanding expression that made his heart skip a beat. "But I am clingy…" he mumbled with a cringe.
El chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, "I'm clingy too and I get jealous really easily. I want you to myself all of the time and I hate sharing you." She admitted making Mike's eyes widened with surprise.
"What are we going to do El?" Mike suddenly gasped as the weight of separation hit him.
El exhaled a slow breath and looked at him with a small but reassuring smile. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I thought you were holding yourself back Mike. So, I…I want you to look at the colleges that you want to go to. Even if it's half way across the world, I promise we will always be together. I'm not about to give up on us now." She said softly, stroking his cheek and looking straight into his eyes with beautiful sincerity.
Mike sighed and then nodded solemnly. "You're right. I wouldn't want to hold you back either El, I love you so much."
El beamed and leaned in to press a sweet kiss against Mike's lips. He closed his eyes slowly and kissed her back, their mouths moving together knowing exactly what to do as the feeling of love rushed through Mike's veins at the contact.
El slowly pulled back enough to smile against Mike's lips. "I love you too. I always have, and I always will." She whispered tenderly.
Mike couldn't stop the euphoric joy that swept through him at her words and he pulled her close in a tight embrace, just feeling her in his arms and nestling his head into her curls, breathing in her scent.
"Do either of you nerds want any ice cream before Dustin's engulfs the rest?" Max called from the top of the stairs, her head popping around the door.
"Hey! I would have left them some!" Dustin's shout of indignation could be heard.
Mike and El laughed, untangling their limbs and getting off the sofa. Their hands entwined as El beamed up at her boyfriend, "lead the way Paladin."
He smirked and then pulled her up the stairs, his chest warm and fuzzy and his heart pounding. As they all ate, El got ice cream on her nose and Mike kissed it off whilst she giggled. The sound of her laughter went through him like bird song and as he watched her smile and have fun, he knew that he was always going to love her. If they were minutes or miles apart.
El would have stayed in bed early Saturday morning if she could, but today was different. Mike was going out of state for a few days with his parents to visit colleges and she wanted to see him off.
She showered half asleep and then pulled her wet hair into a French braid that Max had shown her how to do a couple of months ago. El fidgeted with her bra, her breasts feeling annoyingly sore and heavy.
El yawned as she padded into the kitchen and chucked a few Eggos in the toaster before going to wake up Will, who was going to come with her and see Mike off.
"Rise and shine sleeping beauty," She teased him playfully as she pushed his shoulder gently.
Will groaned but woke up, yawning and rubbing at his eyes. "Morning sis," he croaked, his voice still sleepy.
"Good morning. I'm making us Eggos for the road." El smiled at her brother who scoffed.
"It's like a five-minute drive El…"
"So? You know I can eat Eggos quicker than that."
Will sighed and sat up, "true." He admitted with a sluggish shrug before chucking his sister out of his room, so he could get dressed.
"Michael! Put El down now please," Karen scolded her son slightly as she looked over at Mike who had El's legs around his waist whilst he held onto her, giving her kisses that his mom desperately hoped the neighbours wouldn't see.
Mike groaned into El's mouth in annoyance at his mom and El giggled in response. They finally broke away, their lips swollen and wet. He sighed and leaned his forehead against his girlfriend's. "I'm going to miss you." He pouted.
El rubbed her nose against his and smiled softly, "I'm going to miss you too. But have fun okay? And what time do you get back?"
"Late Sunday night." Mike sighed.
"Will you be okay to pick me up on Monday for school? Or do you want me to ask Will?" El said considering her options and not wanting a tired Mike to have to worry about getting her to school.
"No, I want to take you!" He practically whined before adding with a smirk and a whisper, "besides, I'm hoping to see you Sunday night anyway. Maybe you can sneak over? Or I can come over to yours?"
El gave him a knowing grin and nodded eagerly. "Super com me Sunday night and we'll figure it out." She promised as Mike beamed in response.
"Michael!" Karen insisted again and El exhaled sadly, slowly sliding down from Mike's body and letting a very awkward Will who had sadly heard most of Mike and El's conversation, give his best friend a hug.
Ted locked up the house and then got into the car with Karen. Holly was staying at her grandparents because Hopper had refused to let El stay at the Wheeler's and watch the eight-year-old all weekend by herself, no matter how much she had begged.
Mike was heading over to the car before changing his mind and rushing back over to El, engulfing her in a warm hug, kissing her cheeks and whispering, "see you soon. I love you."
"I love you too." El choked, trying not to cry because she knew it was ridiculous as technically she would see her boyfriend tomorrow.
Will put his arm around his sister and they both waved off the Wheeler's, staying in the same position until the car was out of sight.
El sighed, her eyes on the road as she realised how much she already missed Mike. She felt the tears in her eyes and she wiped at them foolishly, wondering why she was so emotional.
"Want to go to the mall with me and Jen?" Will asked his sister in the hopes of cheering her up.
El sniffed and shook her head. "No thanks. Dustin said he'd treat me to ice cream."
"Okay, want me to drop you off at his house?"
El gave her brother a grateful smile, he honestly was so good to her. "Yes please." She said softly, squeezing his hand as they walked back to Will's car.
"What do you mean you have never tried bubble gum ice cream?!" Dustin gasped to El from the other side of the booth they were currently sat at in the ice cream parlour.
El rolled her eyes, "I mean I've never tried it." She repeated feeling on edge. She didn't know if it was missing Mike, exams or the loaming prospect of college that was stressing her out more.
"Well we need to change that right this second." Dustin said eagerly, grabbing a clean spoon, sinking it into his bright blue ice cream that was starting to soften from the heat and then passing the metal spoon over to El.
She eyed up the spoon almost disdainfully, not sure if she wanted to try it or not. Dustin's puppy dog eyes won her over, so with a huff El picked up the spoon and ate the ice cream. She shuddered from the sweetness melting in her mouth and swallowed the dessert.
"Well?" Dustin asked on the edge of his seat, his eyes bright and excited.
El sighed and muttered, "it was okay I suppose," before going back to playing with the long spoon that was sinking into her chocolate ice cream.
"What's wrong El? Are you missing our Paladin?" Dustin asked sympathetically, trying to search her eyes for the answer.
She continued to dip her spoon into the ice cream but nodded slowly and solemnly. "I miss him so much." She admitted before shifting in her seat feeling uncomfortable, her bra was tight, and her body temperature felt too high. Her stomach was queasy, not even the appeal of chocolate ice cream helping. "And I feel…I don't know, like weird."
"Is it that time of the month?" Dustin said so compassionately that El couldn't stop herself from snorting.
"What? Do you keep track of that or something?" She teased back, Dustin having finally pulled a smile out of her.
"Actually, I do." Dustin said eagerly, fishing around in his bag for something whilst El's eyebrows raised dramatically on her forehead.
"Excuse me?!" El asked half scandalised, and half impressed.
"Well not just yours," Dustin reasoned as he grabbed a planner out of his bag and started to rifle through it. "Maggie and Max's too." He added as he found the current week in the book.
"And can I ask why?" El said with an amused grin, her arms crossed as Dustin studied the planner.
He shrugged and smiled kindly, "well mainly to see if you girls need anything, like snacks or whatever. Also…um to make sure I'm not in the firing line when you all go crazy." He added with a teasing wink, making El roll her eyes.
"So anyway," Dustin began tracing the diary with his finger. "You're on day four of your period, so only a couple more days or so and you'll be feeling well again." He said cheerfully before putting his planner away. Dustin continued to eat his ice cream like nothing had happened and talked eagerly about the next D&D campaign.
El however had frozen in horror. She was meant to be four days into her period? It hasn't even arrived yet! Her mind screamed with panic. A sweat was appearing on her forehead and she felt even more queasy. What did this mean? Am I preg –
She refused to even let her brain come up with the theory and instead scoffed down her chocolate ice cream, desperate for a distraction but only making herself feel sick.
When Dustin offered to drive home an hour later she politely declined and said she could do with a walk home to clear her head. Understatement of the century.
El was making her way home in almost a daze, wishing more than anything Mike was with her. He always helped her when she was scared, he always knew what to do or say. She suddenly felt very alone with a thought that was breaking her from the inside out.
She couldn't talk to her parents knowing that her dad would probably have a heart attack if she told him she thought she was pregnant. And Joyce would insist she took a test and El wasn't sure if she was ready for that.
El pulled at her plait nervously and changed her direction at the last minute, heading to the other side of town and not caring how long the walk was.
By the time she arrived at the Mayfield/Hargrove household, she was a sweating and terrified mess. El hammered at the front door desperate to speak to Max.
Mrs Hargrove answered the door and looked surprised by El's appearance. "Hi El, Max is in her room." She said immediately opening the door wider whilst the teenager nodded in thanks and rushed to her best friend's room.
"Max I – " El sobbed the moment she opened the bedroom door, before quickly bringing her hand up to her mouth to supress the squeal of surprise at seeing Max straddling Lucas on the bed, both of them completely naked and only half hidden by the surrounding bed sheets.
They both snapped their heads towards the noise and jumped at the arrival of El who was now turning her back to them and muttering an embarrassed "sorry!" over and over again.
"El! What the hell?!" Max hissed in embarrassment as her and Lucas quickly dressed.
"I'm sorry," El cringed looking at the wall. "I really needed to talk to you and your mom let me in."
Max sighed, a bit more patiently this time. "That's because my mom doesn't know Lucas is here."
"And she's not going to find out. I'll go through the window babe." Lucas assured Max, giving her a soft kiss. The sound of the embrace made El sniff, holding back tears as she missed Mike ten times more.
"Okay El, we're dressed now." Max said calmly and when El turned around it was to find her best friend smoothing out the bed sheets with a very obvious blush on her cheeks.
Lucas didn't fare any better, he couldn't meet El's eye and was keeping his hands in his pockets, shifting from one foot to the other.
Only a few moments ago El was ready to spill her worries with her best friend, but now she found herself looking down at the floor, not wanting to say anything in front of Lucas. He seemed to get the message and turned to Max.
"I'm gonna go babe. Call me later?" he asked, his arm around his girlfriend who smiled and nodded.
"Of course." She said softly, leaning up to kiss him goodbye.
Once Lucas had successfully escaped out of the window, Max bounced onto the mattress and patted the duvet next to her for El to sit. She reluctantly walked over to the bed that a little while ago was being used for something very different.
"Are you missing Mike?" Max asked immediately with an understanding smile.
El bit her lip trying to hold the tears that were threatening to fall. "Yes." She said in a sharp breath, trying desperately not to cry.
Max exhaled and rubbed El's back supportively. "It's going to be okay. He's back tomorrow night." She assured her in a sweet voice that not many people got to hear from the red head.
El sniffed and could no longer stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks. "I-It's not just that." She admitted with a shuddering breath.
Max frowned but didn't say anything, El had her undivided attention and she waited patiently for her best friend to say more.
"My period is late." El finally blurted out before she began to sob.
Max froze in shock for a moment, her breath caught in her throat and she blinked rapidly to try and refocus. "How late?" she asked seriously, trying to break through El's hysteria.
"F-four days." El said shaking as she wiped at her tears.
"El, it could just be late you know. It might come in a few days" Max reasoned, trying to get the brunette to calm down.
El wanted it to be as simple as that, but now, everything that had been bothering her over the last week seemed to become a symptom. "I've h-had sore boobs and I'm moody and I feel n-nauseous." She sniffled in admittance.
Max pursed her lips deep in thought for a while before asking softly, "have you taken a pregnancy test?"
El shook her head immediately. "N-no. I know I need to take one. But I'm scared Max. I'm so scared! I want Mike to be here. A-And what if it is positive? I've ruined his future." She was sobbing again, and Max brought her straight into a tight embrace.
"Hey! I won't have any of that El. It takes two to tango. This isn't just down to you, it's Wheeler's damn swimmers that have got us in this mess." Max huffed whilst rocking El.
"B-but we always use condoms Max." El gasped, looking up at her best friend from the hug. "I don't understand."
Max shrugged with a sigh of patience. "El they're like 98% effective and I don't know, maybe it broke or something?" She reasoned before shaking her head. "Why are we even talking about this?! We don't even know if you're pregnant yet."
El sniffled as Max took her wet face in between her palms and stared down her best friend. "El we need to get you a pregnancy test. No exceptions."
El sighed, nodding her head solemnly before she grimaced in thought. "We can't go to Melvard's because Joyce is working today." She moaned in defeat.
"What about the mall?" Max reasoned.
"Will and Jen have gone there today. What if they see us?" El said, panic and bile rising up in her throat.
Max stared off into the distance in thought and then smiled slowly, turning to El. "Do you still have those wigs?"
"Don't say I don't do anything for you…" Max muttered to El as she adjusted her long straight black wig in the rear-view mirror of her mustang from where they were parked outside of the mall.
"Thank you Max." El said almost desperately. Max turned to her best friend and frowned, the poor girl was an absolute wreck. The situation wasn't helped by the fact that Mike was out of town. Damn you Wheeler, you sure pick your timing well!
She reached over and squeezed El's quivering hand. "It's going to be okay El. No matter what happens." She tried to assure her with a confident smile because she knew that even if El was pregnant, things would be okay.
Okay, Hopper would definitely lose his shit, but Mike would never let El down, he'd be there for her every step of the way, that was obvious. Well, that was unless Hopper did actually murder him first…
"I love you Max." El sobbed quietly, wiping at her eyes.
Max smiled sadly and gave her best friend a quick cuddle. "I love you too. Right, let's get this show on the road!" She sighed before putting on a pair of dark sunglasses.
"Wish me luck." Max turned to El with a smirk.
"Good luck." El mumbled weakly.
If Max could pride herself on anything, it was that she could be pretty stealthy when she wanted to be, and she hoped that skill would come into play today.
She walked slowly into the entrance of the mall and lowered her glasses slightly, her blue eyes darting around the large shopping centre, trying to look out for anyone she might know.
Almost immediately she spotted Will and Jen, laughing and kissing as they ate fries at the Burger King that was centred in the mall. Damn I could go for some fries right about now…focus Max!
With a suspicious look towards Will and Jen who looked pretty much wrapped up with each other, Max practically sprang towards the pharmacy shop, her head aching from how quickly she was looking around the lobby to make sure no one was following her or had noticed her.
Max exhaled a sigh of relief, walking into the pharmacy, getting a few odd looks for her sunglasses. Maybe they'll think I'm a celebrity. She reasoned with herself.
She looked around the vast shelving aisles and her eyes zoned in on the aisle named 'Family Planning'. Max tightened her fists in determination and walked with purpose to the merchandise.
Her eyes roamed over all the weird products on ovulation and then finally she came across a large display of pregnancy tests. Max turned to look around the shop once more, thankful that it was pretty much empty, except for an older woman in the corner looking at antifungal nail cream and the bored looking shop attendant.
Max wanted El to be sure, so picked up three different brands of pregnancy tests and then went to check El's purse to see if she had enough cash on her. Max snorted when she opened the wallet to see a photo of Mileven.
Her eyes glared at the smiling image of Mike. "I swear to god if anyone sees me buying these Wheeler, Hopper will have to get in line to kill you." She whispered threateningly to the photograph of her friend.
She counted the dollars, then with the three tests in hand, went to go towards the check out. It was then that Max's eyes widened in horror as Maggie and Dustin walked into the pharmacy, giggling and holding hands.
"Shit!" Max gasped quietly, immediately ducking down and doing an almost crab crawl to leave the aisle which Dustin and Maggie seemed to be heading towards.
She just rounded the corner when she heard their voices, they were whispering and snickering. Curiosity got the better of Max and she slowly leaned her head over the edge of the aisle to see what they were up to.
Max immediately regretted snooping when she realised that they were looking at condoms. She had to stop herself from gagging in disgust and quickly crab crawled over to the back of the store where the old lady was still debating her antifungal cream options.
She looked down at Max in confusion and then disgust when she noticed the three pregnancy tests in her hand.
"Can I help you?" The red head, well currently dark-haired teenager snapped from her squatting position. The woman looked disgruntled, her chin in the air as she walked off.
Max waited five minutes before peeping another look up over the shelves. Thankfully Dustin and Maggie were at the check-out with ribbed and glow in the dark condoms in hand.
It took everything to not cackle with laughter at their purchases as Max went back to her hiding position and wiped at her mirthful tears. I'm never going to be able to look at them the same way ever again.
It was another five minutes before Max made a mad dash to the check out and handed over the tests to be scanned, whilst she gazed outside of the shop window and took a look around the mall lobby to check for any other unwanted visitors.
Max handed the cash over to the shop attendant and thanked them when they handed the products over in a white paper bag.
She left the shop, getting closer to the exit and finally allowing a big smug grin of success to take over her face. I fucking made it!
"Max?"
Shit.
Max came to an abrupt halt at the sound of her boyfriend's confused voice. She sighed internally and slowly turned around to look at him. He was staring at her with a slightly gaping mouth, looking over her wig and sunglasses with amusement and confusion.
"H-how did you know it was me?" Max blurted out nervously, unconsciously tightening her grip on the pharmacy bag.
Lucas smirked, "I'd know that fine ass anywhere." He joked making Max roll her eyes behind her glasses. "And I did think I saw your car outside too. I think El was in there but when I glanced again she was gone." He said with a slight far off look as he recounted the memory.
"Well that's um cool. I've gotta go stalker. Talk to you later." Max said in a hurry, already turning away.
"Wait!" Lucas called and annoyingly walked into step with her because his damn tall legs carried him further.
"Look stalker, this isn't the time. I've got places to be." Max mumbled, keeping her eyes on the exit.
Lucas frowned and looked at her wig again. He reached for her wrist bringing them both to a stop. "Max what the hell is going on?"
"Nothing." Max said quickly, too quickly.
Lucas's suspicious glance lowered down to the bag. "What's in the pharmacy bag?"
"Nothing for your concern!" Max shouted, feeling a sweat appear on her brow. She knew that if Lucas looked in the bag then he'd immediately think that the pregnancy tests belonged to her.
Lucas laughed and made a grab for the bag which Max quickly swiped away before turning a glare on her boyfriend, who immediately stopped chuckling.
"Lucas Lesley Sinclair if you look in that bag so help me god I will never have sex with you again!"
Just as she suspected Lucas's hand immediately snapped away from the bag and he put his hands up in surrender. "Woah, okay I won't look! Also, you know my middle name isn't Lesley, right?"
Max ignored his sentence, too relieved that he hadn't caught sight of the stupid colourful boxes. Mileven owe me their first-born child for this.
"But can you tell me why you have a wig and sunglasses on then? And remember friends don't lie Max." He told her, promptly making her guilty with their damn party rules. Yeah friends don't lie, but girlfriends fucking do.
"It's antifungal cream okay?! For um…for El's feet. You know what track team is like!" Max laughed nervously before continuing with her lie. "El was too embarrassed to get it herself and I said I'd go in for her, as long as I was in costume. Because who seriously wants to be caught buying antifungal cream?!" She finished with another fake chuckle.
Lucas still looked suspicious but nodded in defeat, clearly not wanting to start an argument over something so stupid.
"Well anyway, I best get back to El. She's probably hiding in the footwell of the car by the sounds of it." Max said briskly and almost business like.
Lucas laughed and nodded. "I'll see you later babe" he said in amusement, leaning forward to play with her wig before giving her a kiss. Max clung onto him for a moment, appreciating him and relieved that he was going to pry any further.
"I love you stalker." Max sighed happily, giving him a smirk.
"And I love you Mad Max, and all your crazy ways to be an amazing friend." He said with a warm grin that made Max blush.
When she got back to the car it was indeed to find El crouched in the footwell with her knees up to her chest and looking around shiftily. She only seemed to relax when she saw Max.
"You have no idea what I've just been through to get these for you." Max shuddered as she put her seat belt on.
El climbed back into the seat and then reached for Max, bringing her into a tight hug. "Thank you Max. Thank you so much." She exhaled some of her anxiety.
"You're welcome." Max said pulling off her wig and starting the car. She didn't talk again until she was pulling away from the mall.
"But before you even consider taking those tests, I need to tell you some gossip about Dustin and Maggie and then you need to know that the next time you see Lucas, he um might ask you how your fungal infection is doing…"
El had wanted to take the pregnancy tests the moment she got home with Max, but fate seemed to intervene. She tried the first one, locked in the bathroom with her best friend. She was so nervous that she peed on the stick for a lot longer than the five seconds and ended up ruining the test.
"That's impressive breaking a pregnancy test." Max said looking down at the completely blank screen.
After that first test, El couldn't pee at all for three hours, despite Max fuelling her with water and juice. And when she was finally able to take it, her dad arrived home.
El realised in that moment that she was only meant to take this test with Mike, so hid them in her room and had an afternoon of moping around with Max, watching Dirty Dancing and eating out of a pint of Ben and Jerry's.
She cried some more, her best friend cuddling her while she wailed about ruining her future, having had it all planned out and now having to change everything.
"M-Mike's looking at colleges right n-now and I'm going to hold him back!" El sobbed whilst Max patiently tried to reassure her that wasn't the case.
Max rang Lucas to tell him she was staying over at El's and the two girls fell asleep together. And whilst it wasn't Mike's hold, having a snuggle with Max was still nice. She loved her best friend who had clearly proved her loyalty and friendship a million times over.
El finally managed to get some sleep, a little relieved smile on her face knowing she always had Max. More than her best friend, her sister.
The next day the nerves were back with a vengeance. Her mind ripe with images of Mike's horrified face when she told him she was pregnant. She imagined him getting acceptance letters to the most prestigious colleges and having to decline because he was going to be a father instead. And then she imagined the look of disgust on Karen and Ted's faces, them shouting at her for ruining their son's future.
She pictured her dad chasing after Mike in outrage and what would happen if Mike decided that El and a baby was too much, and he'd prefer to leave them and go to college.
El wiped at her tears whilst the warm waters of the shower got rid of the evidence of her worries and anxieties. She couldn't let her dad and mom see her like this, they'd know instantly something was wrong and El didn't know how long she'd be able to keep this a secret.
There was a very small part of her brain that whispered to her, telling her that there was a chance the pregnancy test could be negative. But the more nauseous she got, the more her hope started to die.
Max tried to distract her for most of the day, the girls taking a walk to the quarry, re-organising El's closet and having a girly movie marathon.
At 9pm Max sighed saying she had to get home or her mom and Neil would get mad. El understood and couldn't explain to her best friend how much her support meant to her. She hugged Max, trying to hold back the tears of gratitude and once again told her how much she loved her.
Just after 10pm El was sat on her bed, super com next to her and biting the skin around her thumb in a nervous trance.
"El? El are you there?" Mike's voice called through the super com and El almost collapsed into tears at the relief of hearing her boyfriend's soothing voice.
El grabbed at the super com. "Mike? Mike I've missed you so much!" she immediately gasped, her heart pounding as adrenaline rushed through her veins.
"I've missed you too babe. It's been horrible without you, not hearing your voice or seeing you. Do you want me to come over? Or I can bring you to mine?" He asked in a static rush.
"Come over here, if that's okay? Dad's working the night shift so he's not around." El assured him, knowing that the absence of her father would help Mike make a decision.
"I'll be ten minutes." He said quickly and El's quivering heart swooned as she heard the smile in his voice. He sounded so happy and she was about to ruin everything.
El ran a shaky hand through her hair and got off her bed, pacing her bedroom for a moment whilst her thoughts once again took over her being. After a while, she took a deep breath and tip toed outside, so she was sat on the porch and ready to welcome Mike.
She saw his car coming down the drive and as usual he parked it a small distance from the house, so the sound of the engine couldn't be heard. El tried to control her breathing, torn between utter panic and utter relief that he was here.
Mike's silhouette appeared and El stood up, walking down the rest of the steps, impatiently ready to see him. The moment he got closer and the moonlight hit his face, basking in his beautiful features, El began sobbing.
"Babe what's wrong?" Mike called with worry, rushing to her just as she ran to him. She crumbled in his waiting arms, crying into his warm chest, inhaling his familiar scent that made her feel safe and at home.
She couldn't speak for a while and Mike just held her, his arms like the softest blankets and his heart beat under her ear lulling her into a sense of security and peace. His cheek was laying on her curls and he would occasionally lean down to kiss her forehead and murmur words of love that brought her strength and courage.
Slowly, El pulled away from Mike's chest and looked up at him. She became momentarily distracted by his beauty, the slope of his nose, the sharp cheekbones, the red lips and the dazzling starry eyes.
"W-we need to talk." El tried to say calmly but her shaking voice was giving her away.
Mike frowned, looking nervous and anxious but nodded his head all the same. He took her hand and let El lead him quietly into the house and to her bedroom where they both sat down on the edge of the bed.
El knew Mike was looking at her expectantly but all she could do was look down at her hands that she was wringing together in her lap. Eventually he put his hands over hers, stopping their movement before his thumbs stroked the back of her hands.
"Whatever it is El, you can talk to me. Always." He whispered softly, causing El to look up at his face and see the love and strength in his eyes that gave her the ability to talk.
"Mike I'm…I think I might be…" El was trembling, Mike's hands on hers the only thing keeping her from falling over. She gulped and took a deep breath, "I think I might be pregnant."
There was complete silence for a moment, not even a breath could be heard as El's eyes beseeched Mike's for his reaction. His dark eyes had widened, and his mouth had fallen open slightly but otherwise he looked frozen.
His shock only made El cry more, she looked down at their joined hands and shuddered with her tears.
"P-Pregnant?" Mike asked in a hoarse voice as his breath finally came out of his frozen lungs.
El sniffled and nodded her head in shame. One of Mike's hands released from her grip and he lifted it to her chin, gently moving her face up to look at him.
His eyes were imploring her, he looked lost and confused and it broke El. "Are you sure?" he finally whispered.
El shook her head, "n-no. I have the symptoms and my p-period is late. But I've not taken a test yet." She sobbed.
Mike nodded, his eyes wide. "Do you have a test?" he choked out, gulping.
El looked at him and nodded, "I've got two. Well there was three, but I messed one up…" she rambled foolishly.
"What? How?" Mike asked confused.
"It doesn't matter. Just…do you think we should do the others now?" She said sniffing and gasping as she tried to control the flood of tears.
Mike raised his hand to her face and slowly wiped away the tear tracks with the utmost care and affectionate. "If you're ready to." He said in a soft whisper.
El leaned into his hand, closing her eyes and soaking in his affectionate before nodding her head in agreement.
She grabbed the tests which were hidden at the bottom of her underwear draw and then took Mike's hand, both of them tip toeing to the bathroom.
Whilst El tried to pee and not ruin the tests this time, Mike leaned against the sink staring at his reflection in the mirror, his skin even more pale than usual.
"Okay," El said exhaling a heavy breath as she laid the two sticks onto the bathroom counter and washed her hands.
"How long?" Mike whispered, picking up the box to look for himself.
"Three minutes." El said answering anyway, drying her hands on a fluffy white towel.
Mike nodded, his jaw tight and his leg bouncing in nerves whilst he set a timer on his watch. He caught sight of El looking forlorn and he sighed.
"Come here babe," He said softly, his arms open and welcoming. El sank immediately into them and tucked up as close to Mike as humanly possible. A fresh round of tears sprang from her eyes whilst her boyfriend slowly rocked her in comfort.
Mike's chin rested on top of her head and she could feel his heart pounding. El bit her lip in guilt and couldn't help the words that spilled out of her. "Do you…do you hate me?" she asked in a weak voice.
Mike's body practically jolted at her question. "What?! Of course I don't hate you! I could never hate you El!"
El felt herself being pulled out of the embrace by Mike, whose hands had moved to her shoulders as he looked down at her firmly. "I love you El. Fuck, I'm so in love with you. If that test is positive it won't ever change that. How could it? You could be…you could be carrying my, our baby." He said in a choked voice and El was stunned to see he wasn't mad at all.
"Y-You…you don't mind if the test is positive?" El gasped in shock, her eyes wide as she looked up at her boyfriend.
"Well, I mean I was hoping this wouldn't happen until we were married and had good jobs. And yeah it would change things like college and stuff. But I love you and I would love our baby." Mike said gently stroking El's wet cheek.
"I'd be holding you back Mike. Everyone would hate me." She blurted out, shuddering from the overwhelming emotions.
Mike shook his head and smiled slightly, "that's bullshit El. No one would hate you. Hopper would probably hate me." He said before adding in contemplation, "shit, he'd kill me actually…"
His words broke through El's panic and she found herself chuckling softly at his words which caused a warm grin to erupt on Mike's soft lips that she was finally calming down.
He leaned forward, their foreheads resting together. "Whatever that test says El, you're always my number one priority. If it's positive, then we'll make a few changes and we'll figure it out okay? And if it's negative, we'll carry on as we are…and maybe get better protection." Mike said, smirking slightly at his last remark.
El couldn't help but smile because it was Mike making her smile, Mike making her happy and Mike telling her that they would figure it all out and everything was going to be okay.
"Michael Edward Wheeler I love you so much." She gasped out in love, leaning up on her tip toes to press a longing kiss to her soul mate's lips. Mike smiled against her mouth and then wrapped his arms around her once more, protecting her from the worries of the outside world.
Mike's watch timer went off and he quickly dismissed the ringing by turning a button and looking down at El nervously. "You ready?" He choked.
El took a deep breath and slowly nodded, "yes." And she was ready, because she knew Mike was by her side no matter what.
She grasped his hand and they hesitantly walked towards the bathroom counter, slowly peering at the two tests.
El's eyes didn't immediately go to the test with the one line, her gaze drawn to the more expensive one that boldly stated 'negative'.
The relief washed over El like a wave and her breath came out in one hoarse gasp of elation. She heard Mike let out a similar noise and then they stared at each other, beaming.
"I'm not pregnant." El exhaled out in relief.
"You're not pregnant." Mike smiled before pulling her abruptly into a passionate kiss.
Things could have easily turned steamier, but Mike slowly pulled away, chuckling that they didn't want to cause a positive test result after all of the stress El had been under.
El wholeheartedly agreed but still asked Mike to go to bed with her, wanting him to hold her, because after all, she had missed him so much the past two days. He told her all about his trip to the different colleges and seemed to be beaming, desperate to tell her something.
"What is it?" She asked him with a chuckle, finally feeling as if a million weights had dropped off her shoulders.
"Well I think I've found the college I want to go to. Stanford University." Mike said bracingly before quickly adding, "I know it's like really hard to get in, but my GPA is pretty good, and I just loved it there El." He sighed, a far off look on his face that made El smile and stroke his cheek.
"If anyone can get in Mike, it's you. You are so smart." She whispered in a loving caress that earned her an affectionate kiss.
"You wanna know another great thing about Stanford?" Mike said smirking slightly in boyish amusement.
"What?" El asked playfully, nuzzling his nose with hers.
"It's like forty-five minutes away from the University of California, San Francisco." He said teasingly, making El chuckle.
"Hmm, I think we could live with that." She said beaming, looking at his starry eyes and just knowing that this amazing and beautiful man had her whole heart.
Two days later, with the worry of Mike being gone out of the way and the relief of knowing she wasn't pregnant, her period of course arrived. The nauseous caused because of the anxiety and the soreness of her boobs just a normal part of that time of the month.
Dustin was not so happy when he learned of her late period, mumbling that it had messed up his planner as he scrambled to update El's menstrual cycle days.
Max had been over the moon that her best friend wasn't expecting the Wheeler spawn and took great pleasure in attacking Mike with her shoe, exclaiming that he had no idea what she had subjected to having to get those pregnancy tests and he owed her fries.
Just as Max had suspected, Lucas with a grimace on his face had asked El how her feet were doing and if the fungal infection had cleared up. She had only just kept a straight face, assuring him she was doing just fine now.
Three weeks later El, Mike and Joyce went to the clinic and saw a doctor who explained different protection methods to Mike and El. In the end, El decided to go for the pill, feeling like she had made the best decision for her body.
As they approached the summer with a confidence of knowing where they wanted to go to college, the anxiety over being separated was slowly leaving Mike and El as they tried to gain some independence.
Mike used his job at Radio Shack as his alone time and El got a job at Benny's for her own alone time, though of course that didn't stop the party coming in to eat and her dad appearing at any given moment for coffee and contemplation.
El felt like she was finally getting the balance right and started to day dream of the memories her and Mike could make in California, both individually and together. She couldn't help but smile as she thought, only a year to go!
AN: I hope you enjoyed that! It's been a few chapters now since some smut and next chapter is the group's first high school party, so expect some smut!
Someone has requested Mileven's first time without using a condom, so just to assure you that will be one of the chapters in the missing moments series.
Guys we are in the single digits now. 9 chapters left!