A/N: Welcome back! I hope you're all ready for the drama to pick back up again! This one's kind of lengthy… 7,037 words before my author's notes and shout-outs. Enjoy!
Guest: Welcome to the chapter of Abby's return.
OdoMango: Chapter 16 basically happened because I had a lot of requests from people who wanted to see how El was healing… Truthfully, I was going to give a brief paragraph or two synopsis and then dive right in to the content in this chapter. But, I decided to focus on El's healing a bit. I'm glad you liked it!
Guest: Thank you. I thought it was important for El to hear from Nancy that even if she and Mike weren't together, Nancy would still be a part of her life. And I think El is coming to terms with a lot of things regarding her decisions.
Phieillydinyia: Aww thank you!
Guest: Don't worry. Lucas isn't going to suddenly turn on Mike. As for where Mike was during that chapter, it can just be assumed he was spending the afternoon with Lindsey since it was her last day in town before leaving with her family for Thanksgiving break.
NoDownSide: Yeah, I think El is nearing her breaking point with Max. I hope you like this chapter.
Reader: Thank you for saying that! Nancy doesn't play a huge role in the story, but I think her few scenes are important.
Shrike176: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it, particularly Lucas and El making up. Short, sweet, to the point, but still effective.
Guest: Don't worry, this won't turn in to one of "those stories." I'm not going to have everyone turn on Mike. Each character will be faced with the consequences of any mistakes they've made, but I really hope you end up liking the direction this story goes!
UnoPeso22: I always appreciate honesty. And you're right, I've definitely been leading up to something big. In fact, this chapter as well as at least the next 2 chapters will each have their own big pivotal, dramatic moments. So I really hope the last few slower chapters for buildup pay off!
JayneFawn: Agreed, it is definitely important for El to know who she has that she can rely on in times like this.
Jane Eleanor Wheeler: Thank you! And you may be on to something…
CalvinHobbesGatsby: Glad you can't stop reading it! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!
I Am Conflicted: Lots of good thoughts on what's going on. I hope the events in this chapter make the repetitiveness you mentioned come to an end! And I hope you end up enjoying the direction I take it.
Stranger Records: Thank you. There are definitely plenty of uncertainties for our characters right now.
Disclaimer: I do not own Stranger Things or any of its original characters.
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Saturday evening, Max drove herself and El over to Robin's house. Abby wasn't from Hawkins, but she hadn't wanted to fly home for Thanksgiving when she was just flying home a month later for Christmas anyway, so she accompanied Robin home for the short break. Like Nancy and Jonathan, Robin and Abby only had the last three days of the school week plus the weekend for Thanksgiving break.
Max parked on the street in front of Robin's house and looked over at El. She could tell that El was apprehensive, but she wasn't entirely sure why. El had been easily agitated when they were getting ready to leave the Byers' house; Max had had to say her name multiple times to get her attention, and when she finally did, El snapped at her or was short with her over and over again. Max hadn't pried, but now as they sat in the car in front of the Buckley house, El was staring out the window biting her bottom lip and picking at her thumbnail, a look of concern on her face.
"El," Max began gently. "Is everything okay? Are you doing okay today?"
El turned to face her friend. She knew she had been irritable all day and that she had been harsh with Max when Max hadn't deserved it. But El was uneasy about spending time with the college girls again, and she just couldn't shake the feeling. She was preoccupied with the thought because the last time she had woken up with such a strong anxious feeling that she couldn't explain, Brad had ended up assaulting her that evening. She was worried that something bad was going to happen, whether to her or to Max or even to Abby or Robin. El was also worried about the subject of Mike coming up again. Maybe Abby wouldn't remember the advice she had given back in August, but El doubted that.
"I'm doing fine. I just keep thinking about the last time we hung out with them," El replied softly.
"Oh, the frat party? Well at least now you know what getting drunk feels like, so you'll know to stop when you start feeling it too strongly. And if any guy tries to step out of line, you proved you can defend yourself," Max encouraged her. "Plus, I don't even know what the plan is for tonight, but there are obviously no frat houses around Hawkins, so I don't think you have to worry about any of that."
El nodded, deciding to let Max think that the college party was what she had been concerned about. In reality, El hadn't given that party much thought at all. But it wasn't worth trying to explain the truth to Max; Max was eager to get inside, and El reminded herself that they were only going to be here for one night.
The two girls walked up the path and knocked on the front door, and they were soon greeted by Robin with a warm smile.
"Hey! It's so great to see you," she welcomed them and pulled Max into a quick hug, then followed by El. "Come in."
Max and El followed Robin into the foyer and then up the stairs. When she pushed open her bedroom door, they saw Abby sitting on Robin's bed, her blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail as she sifted through lipstick colors.
"They're here!" Robin exclaimed, and Abby looked up smiling excitedly.
"Hey! It's good to see you again," she said.
El and Max both returned the gesture, though El found herself wishing she were anywhere else. The apprehensive feeling she'd had all day took a quick turn now that she was in the room with these three again. El understood that Max and Robin had become close friends, and El didn't have a problem with Robin. But why Abby? Why couldn't she have just gone home for Thanksgiving? El took a deep breath and reminded herself again that it was just one night.
Robin was seated on an ottoman next to the bed, and Max bounced onto the bed next to Abby to look through lipstick colors with her. El took a seat on Robin's desk chair, a bit further away from the other girls, and she listened while Robin started catching up with Max.
Max was telling Robin about school, how she was so ready to graduate in the spring and be out of Hawkins High forever. In return, Robin said how excited she was to only have one year left of college before going out and really starting the rest of her life.
"What about you, El? How is everything going?" Robin asked, turning her attention to El who had not spoken.
El sucked in the insides of her cheeks while thinking of how to respond to the question. Since the last time she saw these two, El's life had been a whirlwind of chaos, confusion, and regret. Did she really want to delve into all those details with these girls who she didn't know very well? Not particularly.
"Things have been good," she replied, offering a small smile.
"I bet you're ready to graduate and go off to college with Mike in a few months," Robin said.
El looked down. Robin didn't know that she had broken up with Mike. El thought Max may have told her, and she found herself thankful that that hadn't been the case. If Robin and Abby hadn't known that she had broken up with him, at least they haven't been talking about it over the past few months. El didn't want Abby to have the satisfaction of feeling like she was right. She didn't want Abby talking about Mike at all.
"That… isn't exactly happening anymore," Max said slowly when El didn't respond.
El's gaze quickly shot up toward Max, warning the redhead not to say anymore. It wasn't her place. It wasn't her business.
"What? What do you mean?" Robin asked, looking back and forth between Max and El.
Max stared at El, urging her to explain what happened, but El remained silent. She could feel Abby looking at her expectedly from her place on the bed, but El refused to look her way at all. She wished she were back at home.
"Mike's the one you've been with since you were, like, ten, right?" Abby asked, sending chills throughout El's body at the sound of Mike's name coming out of her mouth.
"Twelve," she corrected the girl shortly.
"Twelve, that's right," Abby nodded. "So, did you take our advice and take a break from him? Explore your options?"
El clenched her fists at her sides and considered Abby's choice of words. Take a break from him… as if Mike was something disposable that she could come and go from as she pleased, rather than a human being with feelings that were not being considered or respected here at all.
"She dumped his ass in the beginning of September," Max finally revealed, shrugging as if it was nothing too important, but with a smile on her face as if she were sharing great news.
"Max!" El said sternly, glaring strongly into her best friend.
El was livid. Max had spent how many weeks being more supportive and actually listening to El's feelings and helping her heal. She really thought Max was being the type of friend El had needed her to be and caring about El throughout the process. But now, here Max was, sharing the news of El's relationship crumbling as if it were simple gossip, and using that stupid 'dump his ass' phrase that El despised. What was it about Abby that made Max act this way?
"Good for you!" Abby beamed from the bed. "Have you been enjoying the freedom?"
El looked down at the ground. If Abby knew anything about El's past, she wouldn't be so loose with the word 'freedom.' Mike was the one who helped ensure El's freedom in the first place… she hated that Abby was using the term 'freedom' to describe being away from Mike. She didn't feel free at all. She felt trapped by the regret of breaking his heart, the sickness of seeing him with another girl, and the pain and confusion of trying to live her life without him being a part of it.
"It's been hard," El decided to answer simply.
"Have you put yourself out there? Gone out with any new guys?" Abby pressed on.
El clenched her teeth. Could this girl really not tell that El didn't want to talk about this?
"Just one. It didn't end well," she replied curtly.
"Not all of them do," Abby said with the wave of her hand. "But there are plenty out there. In fact, you may be able to find one or two tonight."
El furrowed her brow and looked at Max whose eyes were widened in excitement at Abby's words.
"What are we doing tonight?" the redhead asked, nearly bouncing up on her knees on the bed.
"We're going out," Abby replied vaguely.
"In… Hawkins?" Max asked confused. She knew there was no 'going out' scene in this town.
"Where would we go out in Hawkins?" Robin scoffed at Max, voicing the confusion that the younger girl had been thinking. "Of course not in Hawkins."
"Then where?" Max asked, turning back to Abby.
El was sickened by how Max was staring at this girl in some weird adoration, ready to hang off of every word she says.
"A guy in my econ class actually lives in a town about an hour from here, and he's a bouncer at a bar," Abby replied.
Both Max and El could see where Abby was heading with this information. El had to stifle a groan while Max squealed and clapped her hands together.
"We're not old enough to get in," El stated, mainly to Max who snapped her head in El's direction with a frown.
"He owes me a favor, and I'm collecting tonight. He's gonna let you two in, you just can't go up to the bar. Robin and I will get drinks for you," Abby explained.
"He could lose his job for that. And we could all get in a lot of trouble if any of us get caught," El said.
El was put off by the frown she was receiving from Max. Hadn't Max been the one to chastise Dustin for drinking alcohol outside the homecoming dance? She thought Max was responsible enough to know that the two of them being snuck into a bar at seventeen years old and being served alcohol by their college friends was a recipe for disaster. El cursed Abby again for the effect she seemingly had on Max.
"Nobody's going to get caught," Abby said dismissively.
"El, you don't have to go if you don't want to. I can drive you home," Robin offered gently.
El met Robin's eyes and knew she was being genuine. Going home would definitely be safer; she had no chance of being caught doing anything illegal, and she could spend a relaxing Saturday night with her family. She didn't care if Abby would think any less of her… but El knew that Max was firm in her decision to go along with Abby's plan. Max was probably going to get drunk, and El didn't trust her best friend in the care of just Abby and Robin. Sure, her friendship with Max had been feeling shaky off and on for the past couple months, but El still didn't want anything to happen to her.
"Thanks Robin," El sighed. "But I'll go with you guys."
Max squealed in excitement and clapped her hands together before lunging off the bed to wrap her arms around El's neck in a tight hug. Abby crossed the room to her suitcase which was laying unzipped against the wall. El could see that Abby had clearly been living out of it for the past several days, as several pieces of clothing were strewn about the floor next to it and on top of the luggage. Abby dug through the contents of the suitcase and pulled out a few options.
"I brought some more clothes for you two to wear since I'm sure you didn't bring anything to suit going out," she said, casually tossing the garments on the bed before digging through the shoes that she brought.
After sifting through the options that Abby laid out for them, Max decided on a tight black miniskirt and a white off-the-shoulder top for herself and a lowcut blue dress for El. El accepted the dress and heels that Max sent her way, and she excused herself to get dressed in the bathroom at the end of the hallway.
When the four girls were all dressed, Abby sat Max in front of the mirror to go to work on her hair and makeup. She then did the same for El. After nearly an hour of teasing, a bottle of hairspray, and even more lipstick color debates, all four girls were ready to go.
"You are really good at this," Max complimented Abby as she admired her makeover from the college girl in the mirror.
"I get a lot of practice. I pretty much do everyone's makeup at the sorority house every weekend before we go out," Abby replied.
The four of them left the Buckley house and piled into Robin's car to head out of town. Max and El were sitting in the backseat, Max singing along to every song that blasted through the front speakers, and El staring out the window at the passing scenery while picking at her fingernails and trying to calm her stomach which had been doing somersaults since leaving the house.
Why couldn't they just stay at Robin's house? They could've watched girly movies, done makeovers without having to go to a bar, eaten pizza, or any other sleepover activity. But no, the girls wanted to party. El was biting her lip as she thought about the severity of what she was participating in. She was breaking the law, and even though nobody else thought they would get caught, El knew it was a real possibility. What would Hopper say if he were here to see her dressed up as if she were twenty-five about to be snuck into a bar an hour away to get drunk with people she barely knows? El blinked away the sting in her eyes as she imagined his look of disappointment.
"We're going to have a blast. You two need to come stay another weekend, for real!" Abby exclaimed as the song on the radio began to fade out.
"Absolutely! And just think how much fun we'll have every weekend next year when we're all at Indiana State!" Max gushed.
"You got in?!" Abby shrieked, turning her body in the passenger seat to look at Max.
"I haven't heard back yet, but I'm sure I will. And I know El will too," Max replied.
El turned to look at Max and scrunched her brow in confusion. Max had asked her about considering applying to Indiana State, but they hadn't talked about it in weeks.
"I haven't applied," El admitted.
"What?! I told you the application deadline is December first. That's just a little over a week away!" Max said with widened eyes.
"You never brought the subject up again, so I didn't know how serious you were," El replied.
Max rolled her eyes, and El was taken aback by her friend's reaction.
"Just get the application in, El. I don't want you to be all alone," Max said.
El clenched her teeth and decided not to respond. She turned her head to look out the window again as Robin continued down the highway. The lights from the approaching city were shining brightly in contrast to the dark sky, and El reminded herself again that she only had to make it through this one night.
Robin parked in a lot a couple blocks from the bar that Abby's classmate worked at, and the four girls started walking down the street. Abby had prepped Max and El by reminding them to act as if they belonged and not as if this was their first time in a bar. She told them that once they were all inside, the floor would be so packed and the room would be dark so nobody would suspect that the two of them were underage. They walked the two blocks, and soon the bar came into Abby's line of vision.
"There it is," she said, pointing down the block to a bright sign that read Kamikaze hanging over a door that was propped open. "And there's Nick!"
There was a man standing at the open doorway to the bar, whom the other girls assumed to be Nick from Abby's economics class. He was definitely in shape, but he was only about half the size that a stereotypical bouncer would be. His buzzcut and bicep tattoos that were visible under the sleeves of his t-shirt did add to the tough persona he probably maintained for work. Abby called out his name as they got closer, and he nodded in their direction.
Max and El stood a few steps behind Abby and Robin as Abby greeted Nick with a hug. They briefly exchanged 'hellos' and asked about each other's Thanksgivings before Abby nodded briefly toward each Robin, El, and Max, silently reminding Nick of their agreement.
"Have a good time, ladies," Nick nodded politely and gestured toward the open door next to him.
Once inside, El's eyes were immediately accosted by the flashing lights that filled the otherwise darkened room. Her eyes glanced over the sea of people dancing to the music that blared through the speakers, reverberating off each wall. She must have stood too long in the doorway because a moment later, she was knocked into by another group of women hurrying into the bar.
"You two go grab us that table! We'll be back with drinks!" Abby hollered over the deafening sounds of the bar and pointed at a circular booth against the opposite wall.
Max nodded and grabbed El's hand, pulling her toward the table that Abby had pointed at while Abby and Robin shoved their way through the hoards of fellow patrons on their way to the bar. El allowed herself to be yanked through the crowd, apologizing to the people she bumped in to but knowing it was pointless, as they most definitely couldn't hear her if she couldn't even hear herself. They arrived at the empty table, and Max nudged El into the booth first before scooting in after her.
"This is so fucking sick!" Max exclaimed, her face lit with excitement.
El didn't say anything back but just smiled and nodded, hoping to put on a convincing enough face for her friend. Truthfully, El's only goal for the night was for all four of them to make it through this chaos alive and out of jail. She wasn't wanting to get drunk in a strange place so far from home, and she certainly wasn't wanting to find any new guys to experiment with as Abby had suggested at Robin's house.
A moment later, Robin and Abby appeared at the table, each with full hands as they each carried two glasses filled with dark-colored liquids. Robin placed one drink in front of El while Abby placed one in front of Max, and Robin slid into the booth, letting Abby slide in last.
"What's this?" Max asked, taking her first sip through the straw in her drink and her eyes widening at how strong it was.
"Long island," Abby replied. "Top shelf."
"Don't get used to it," Robin added. "Shit's expensive. You're getting vodka sodas the rest of the night."
"Vodka cranberry," Max interjected, and Robin rolled her eyes but nodded.
Abby removed the straw from her own drink and flicked it to the side before downing half of her own drink in two large gulps. El looked down at the table and took a small sip of the long island that had been placed in front of her. It was definitely different from whatever was served at the frat party and what was served at Tyler's party after homecoming, but El secretly admitted that she kind of liked it. Still, wanting to remain cautious, she sipped the drink slowly while the other three appeared to be in an unspoken race to finish theirs.
"I'm gonna get us some shots. When I get back, that better be gone!" Abby hollered, pointing directly at El's glass, as she was the only one at the table who wasn't down to her final sip.
Robin scooted out of the booth and followed Abby back to the bar to help her carry the next round of drinks.
"You doing okay?" Max asked, nearly resting her head on El's shoulder to get close enough for El to hear without her having to scream. El nodded and took another sip of her long island.
"Just pacing myself," she replied and offered Max a reassuring smile.
"Fuck pacing yourself," Max said, waving her hand. "You need to let loose, El! Have a good time! You're my best friend, and I hate seeing you so down all the time."
El smiled bitterly as she took another drink from her glass.
"Sorry I've been such a burden," she muttered.
"Huh?" Max asked, moving her ear closer to El.
Luckily, Abby and Robin reappeared at the table, though this time Abby was actually carrying a small tray full of glasses. She set it down in the middle of the table, and Max's mouth dropped open at the eight drinks in front of her… four more mixed drinks and four shots. Robin and Abby scooted into the booth again before passing out one mixed drink and one shot to each of them.
"Fantastic!" Abby exclaimed as the last drop of El's long island was sucked up through her straw and El set the empty glass on the edge of their table.
"Okay girls, shots first," Robin ordered.
El reached her fingers out for the small glass in front of her and waved it under her nose, breathing in a smell she had never experienced. Abby giggled as El wrinkled her nose and refused to tell Max what the shot was until after they'd all taken it.
"All right, ladies, on the count of three!" Abby said, raising her shot glass and waiting for the others to do the same. "One… two… three!"
There was a brief clank as the four girls' shot glasses mimicked a toast, and they each tossed their heads backward to let the alcohol slide down their throats. El couldn't help but cough once she swallowed down her shot, and next to her, Max was squeezing her eyes closed and pinching the bridge of her nose. Abby and Robin were nearly cackling at the younger girls' reactions to the shots, and a few moments later, El was able to regain control of her coughs and wipe her watery eyes.
"What was that?" El croaked, shoving her empty shot glass away from herself.
"Jameson," Abby replied with a laugh. "It's whiskey."
"That's a vodka cranberry," Robin said, gesturing toward the mixed drink in front of her.
El nodded and took a sip through the straw protruding from the red-colored liquid. Finally, she sighed as the taste of cranberry filled her mouth in an effort to mask the lingering taste of the whiskey. She briefly wondered if it was good for her to be mixing all these types of liquor… the vodka, the whiskey, and whatever the hell was mixed together to make the long island. She could feel her head already started to become a bit foggy, and her arms seemingly started to feel separate from the rest of her body. El decided to slow down and go back to slowly sipping her drink. A look over at Max proved that her best friend had different ideas, as her vodka cranberry was nearly empty.
"I'll go get the next round," Abby said as she stood from the table.
"Wait," Robin called after her, grabbing the blonde girl's wrist to stop her. "Maybe we should slow down. They're only seventeen. They're not used to drinking like this."
"Just get them up and keep them moving. They'll be fine," Abby said dismissively, pulling out of Robin's grasp and walking to the bar for the third time. Robin sighed and looked at El and Max, deciding it wasn't a bad suggestion.
"Come on, let's go dance!" she suggested, sliding out of the booth.
Max started to stand up and instantly stumbled. Luckily, Robin was able to catch her before she landed on the floor, and she pulled Max to her feet. Robin waited for Max to steady herself before letting go of her arms and letting Max step to the side so El could scoot out too.
Robin, Max, and El staggered onto the dancefloor and began moving their hips to the beat that surrounded them. Abby soon rejoined them, this time only carrying three glasses: one for herself, one for Robin, and one for Max, as El was still nursing her current vodka cranberry.
The girls danced together while sipping their drinks, and El couldn't help but feel a smile tug at the corners of her lips. She was having fun, and she was too drunk to be disappointed in herself any longer.
Sure enough, after another song or two played, El saw a man come up behind each Robin, Max, and Abby, placing their hands on the girls' hips and inviting themselves to dance along with them. It wasn't long before El felt a pair of hands on her own waist, and she continued to move along to the song that was playing. Throughout the song, El sipped the rest of her vodka cranberry, and by the end of it, her eyes were drooping and she was leaning back against this guy for support. She suddenly spun around on her heel to face the man she had been dancing with, and she started laughing at the shocked look on his face at her sudden movement.
"Hi, there!" he laughed as El calmed down and placed her hands on his chest.
"Hello," El smiled in return.
She tried her best to focus her eyes on his tan face. His striking blue eyes were set on her, and his arms were holding her in place while she swayed back and forth.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"El."
"Nice to meet you, El. I'm Josh," the guy replied.
"Nice to meet you, Josh. I'm El," El slurred, leaning a bit too far to the right and losing her balance.
"Whoa!" Josh exclaimed as he caught her and steadied her on her feet again. "Hey, what do you say we get you some water?"
El nodded and wrapped one arm around Josh's waist, allowing him to walk her up to the bar where he requested a large glass of water. With another look at the girl he was holding up, he quickly asked the bartender for a second glass of water. Carefully balancing both waters in one hand, Josh kept a firm grip on El's shoulders while he walked her over to a smaller table than the one she and the girls had started the night at. He helped her in to one side of the booth, and then he took a seat opposite her.
"Here," Josh said, pushing the first glass of water her way.
El reached out for the glass and carefully lifted it with both hands, tipping it against her mouth and guzzling the water out of it. After gulping down over half of the glass of water, she set it back down on the table and stared at Josh, slightly swaying in her seat.
"Better?" he asked.
"Good," she nodded. El couldn't remember a time in her life when water had tasted so heavenly.
"You'll probably need more than just these two glasses," Josh laughed. "You drink a lot tonight?"
"Long island… shot of whiskey… vodka cranberry," El counted off slowly on her fingers. "That's all."
"Two mixed drinks and a shot? Sounds like someone's a bit of a lightweight," Josh teased "Are you out celebrating anything?"
"No… just a girls night," El slurred, taking another large gulp of water.
"Ah… left the boyfriends at home to go out with the ladies?" Josh questioned, and El shook her head.
"No boyfriends… Well, Max kinda has a boyfriend. But he doesn't really count all the time," she shrugged. "And Robin… well, Robin doesn't exactly like boys… if you know what I mean. And Abby… I don't even know where to start with that one."
"And what about you?" Josh asked. He waited while El took another long drink of water, finishing the first glass.
"Nope," she said quietly, shaking her head.
Josh moved the empty water glass to the edge of the table and placed the second glass of water in front of El.
"I'll get you a third one when this is half gone," he said, gesturing toward the full glass of water.
"My stomach's gonna pop if you keep forcing me to drink," El sighed, rubbing her bloated stomach, and Josh couldn't help but laugh.
"You'll be thanking me tomorrow for hydrating you back up," he smiled.
"Hmm," El hummed. She lifted the second glass of water to her lips and took a couple sips, eyeing the guy across from her with narrowing eyes.
"What's that look for?" Josh asked, running a hand through his blonde hair.
"You're different," El stated.
"How so?" Josh furrowed his brow.
El sighed, thinking about everything she had seen about men in bars on television and in movies. How they always seem to want the alcohol to keep flowing in the hopes of getting laid.
"Most guys force girls to keep drinking to get them drunk. You're forcing me to drink to get me sober," she explained with a chuckle.
"Well I figured sober would be the best way to get to know you," Josh smiled. "It's hard to hold a conversation with a girl who can't stand up or keep her eyes open."
"Hmm. Well, thank you," El said.
"So, are you from here?" Josh asked casually.
El explained that she lived about an hour away and that she and her friends had made the drive over for a night out. She said that the four of them would be spending the night in a hotel close by. Nobody had ever confirmed that was the plan, but El was certain that it must be, considering none of the four of them would be in the condition to drive home.
El learned that Josh, much like Robin and Abby, was a junior in college and was home for Thanksgiving break. He was studying photography, and El's face brightened when she explained that her older brother Jonathan was also studying photography. They discussed Josh's favorite scenes to photograph, and El shared how both of her brothers were gifted artistically, but she herself was more interested in literature than their type of art.
"I mean, I don't know if stuff like that's genetic, but it would make sense why Jonathan and Will are both so artsy, and I can literally only do stick figures," she laughed. "They're blood; I'm adopted."
"Oh you're adopted?" Josh asked, sounding interested.
El nodded her head and explained that both of her parents had passed away, so the woman she calls her mom took her in several years ago. When El fell silent, Josh was unsure of what to say, so he politely excused himself to grab her another glass of water from the bar.
"So, El, what's that short for?" he asked as he sat down opposite her again.
"Huh?" El asked, taking a sip of water.
"Your name. El. What's it short for?" Josh repeated. "Ellen? Elizabeth? Eleanor?"
Maybe we could call you El… short for Eleven.
"Uh… Eleanor," she replied quietly.
Josh scrunched his eyebrows in confusion at El's sudden change in demeanor and waited patiently while she took another few gulps of water.
"Are you sobered up yet?" he asked gently.
"A lot more than before, that's for sure," El replied.
"Great," Josh smiled, reaching across the table and placing his hand on El's. "So, do you want to dance?"
I don't know how.
I don't either… Do you want to figure it out?
"El?" Josh asked, squeezing her hand to get her attention.
El suddenly jerked her hand out of his grasp and linked her hands together in her lap.
"Um… is everything okay? Did I say something wrong?" Josh asked.
"No… no, you didn't," El replied, shaking her head.
"If you don't want to dance, we could just stay here and talk some more," Josh suggested. "Or we could get out of here and go somewhere quieter. Hit up Waffle House or something."
El looked up and met Josh's eyes. In them, she saw he was being genuine. She had only spoken with him for an hour or two, but El sensed nothing but good things about him. He wasn't like Brad who made her uncomfortable off and on for the months that they went out. El was certain that Josh was a good guy who could be very capable of making her happy if she gave him the chance. After all, it's not like good guys didn't exist. El knew plenty of genuinely good guys… Will, Jonathan, Dustin, Lucas… Sure, she never viewed any of them romantically, but logically El knew that plenty of guys out there were probably nice and genuine and wouldn't try to harm her the way Brad did.
She offered Josh a small smile which he returned, his blue eyes sparkling under the lights from the bar that shone over his face to highlight his freshly-shaven, freckle-free cheeks and jaw. El would be lying if she tried to say she didn't find Josh attractive. He was cute, he was studying something that she found interesting and that related to her brothers, he seemed really interested in getting to know her, and he even helped sober her up instead of taking advantage of the drunken state he had met her in. El knew she could take him up on his offer. She could keep getting to know him and really enjoy herself.
But she didn't want to. Because as great as everything about Josh seemed, the one thing that was screaming loud and clear in her mind was that he wasn't Mike.
"What do you say?" Josh asked again.
"I'm sorry, but no," El said simply. "It was nice meeting you, but I've got to go."
El stood from the table and walked away, not turning to see the confused young man she had left behind. She pushed past a few groups of dancing people until she rejoined Robin, Max, and Abby who were also no longer drinking but were dancing their hearts out. El grabbed Max by the elbow and got close to her ear to tell her that she was leaving, and then El walked away, heading briskly toward the exit.
When El stepped outside, she took a moment to breathe in the brisk, late November air, stretching her lungs inside her chest. She opened her eyes and started walking down the block with her mind focused on a bus station she had noticed out of the corner of her eye as she and the girls had walked to the bar from the car earlier in the evening. El had managed to walk half a block before the distant sound of Max's voice calling her name reached her ears.
"El! EL!" Max yelled, and soon she caught up. "El, wait!"
Max grabbed El by the elbow and turned her around so they were facing each other. El noticed Max was holding her heels in one hand, which explained why the redhead was able to catch up with her so quickly. Looking over Max's shoulder, El spotted Robin and Abby making their way down the sidewalk at a much slower pace.
"El, what's wrong? What happened?" Max asked urgently. "I saw you talking to that guy for a while… Did he try to hurt you?"
"No," El replied immediately, shaking her head. "He was really sweet. A perfect gentleman, actually."
"That's great!" Max exclaimed. "Are you planning to see him again?"
"No," El repeated simply.
"Why not?" Max asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.
"Because I don't want to," El said, and it felt freeing to voice something that she actually wanted or didn't want instead of what she thought she should want or not want. "I don't want to get to know him or anybody else."
"I get it, you don't want to meet someone at a bar-"
"No, Max, you don't get it. You aren't listening," El said firmly. "I don't want to meet someone at a bar. I don't want to meet someone anywhere."
"Then how… wait," Max trailed off. "Oh my god. Seriously?! El, you cannot spend the rest of your life hung up on one boy you met when you were twelve. I mean, I'm sorry the first guy you went out with after Mike was shitty, but they won't all be like that."
"You're still not listening!" El exclaimed. "There won't be any others. I know there are plenty of guys out there who aren't like Brad and who won't do what he did to me. But they're not what I want."
"But how do you know that if you don't give them a chance?" Max argued.
"I don't need to give them a chance! I don't care about playing the field or seeing what else is out there or whatever else you want to call it," El cried, her face turning red in anger as Max wasn't listening to what she was saying. "I want Mike. I love Mike."
"Going back now before you've really enjoyed your freedom is a horrible idea," Abby piped up from behind Max. "Don't be stupid."
"Stupid?" El repeated, glaring at the blonde over Max's shoulder. "The only stupid thing I've done is take relationship advice from two girls who don't know the first thing about a healthy relationship."
"You think what you and Mike had was healthy?!" Max bellowed. "You were joined at the fucking hip! It was so rare for you to be able to go out somewhere without him. If you had never left Mike, what would you be doing right now? Sitting in his basement? Doing homework? Watching a movie? Sleeping?"
"Literally all of that sounds better than being here right now," El retorted and Max recoiled with an offended look on her face. "I would take a movie night cuddled up with Mike over getting drunk in some stupid bar with a bunch of strangers any night! The fact that you don't know that shows how little you really know about me."
"You don't mean that. I'm your best friend!" Max exclaimed.
"Then as my best friend, you should know this isn't me! Going out dressed up like this? Drinking so much alcohol I can't stand up straight? Breaking the law to be snuck into a bar?" El listed. "This is not me! And frankly, I didn't think it was you, either."
"What the fuck does that mean?" Max demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I thought you cared about me more than this, Max," El shouted, swallowing down the lump rising in her throat. "I thought you were trying to be a better friend and be more supportive of me. You know how to be so smart and responsible. But the second this girl who you barely know shows up, it's like you turn into a completely different person."
"That's not true," Max insisted.
"Yes it is! You act so different. I don't know if it's because you want to impress her or you want to be like her when you get out of Hawkins or whatever other reason. And honestly, I don't care what the reason is. The point is, when Abby's around, you're a different person," El spat, staring Max straight in the eyes.
"I don't understand why it's such a bad thing for me to try and break you two out of your shells a little bit," Abby said, and El's eyes shot over Max's shoulder to the blonde who was speaking. "I was only trying to help you."
"Help me?!" El repeated incredulously. "I lost the love of my life. I went out with some douchebag who would've raped me if I didn't have my p… if I didn't have enough strength to push him off. I'm out at a bar breaking the law and drinking underage when my father was a cop!"
"Wait, someone tried to rape you?!" Robin interjected, but El ignored her, still fuming at Max and Abby.
"If this is the life you want, Max, then more power to you," El said as calmly as she could. "But this isn't what I want. None of this was ever what I wanted."
She turned around to cross the street.
"El, where are you going?" Max called after her.
"I'm going home. I'm taking the bus," El called over her shoulder.
She ignored the cries of protest from Max behind her, and eventually they either stopped altogether or El walked far enough away that she was out of earshot. When she finally reached the bus station, El climbed on board and took a seat to herself near the back of the bus, leaning her head against the window. Her fight with Max replayed over and over in her mind, and El was surprised at everything she was feeling simultaneously. Angry, lost, confused… happy, relieved, free… The bus rumbled and pulled away from the curb, and El sighed and closed her eyes. She was going home. She knew what she wanted, but could she ever fix what she had done? She was ready to try.
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A/N: So, El finally snapped on Max and finally admitted aloud her love for Mike. Don't worry, though, we still have plenty of story left, and this is not the beginning of a quick fix. Still a lot more conflict between a lot of characters. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave me a review to let me know what you're thinking!