A/N: Welcome back! Before I dive in to this chapter, I wanted to share to those who have asked that I spent all of Sunday making a detailed outline, chapter by chapter, of the content I have left for this story, and I can now say definitively that there will be 25 chapters. I hope you enjoy this one!

CalvinHobbesGatsby: It's still a bumpy road ahead, but I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Alisea: Brad will certainly be handled. And a Mileven reparation will not be smooth, but I hope you enjoy the journey. About the season 4 teaser, I agree, I suspected all along Hopper was still alive. I'm glad they confirmed it, and it makes me wonder what the big surprises will actually be!

Guest: I think you're the only one who mentioned in the reviews about suspecting more pain to come based on the end of last chapter… Let's see if you're on to something.

NoDownSide: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the character interaction. I was pretty proud of the previous chapter. Nearly all the characters made an appearance, and a lot definitely happened. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And I hope the Duffers allow Max to grow more as well in season 4!

Guest: Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Ishiptoast: Thank you so much. I appreciate all of that.

Not Signed In: Yes, we are moving into the final phase of action, for sure. Though, I can't promise that it will be without any more pain and drama.

LabAlley: Thank you! I try to update as quickly as I can (I try to update weekly, though I never want to go more than 2 weeks) so people remain interested and remember what's going on! I'm glad you enjoyed the beginning of Max's redemption. Mike/El/Lindsey drama, coming up!

Phieillydinyia: Yeah, Brad and Abby are both horrible to our characters. I'm glad you enjoyed Max's growth, and we will see what happens with Mike/El/Lindsey soon!

Guest: Thank you!

Shrike176: I thought Max deserved some redemption. Yes, things are getting difficult for Mike and Lindsey, and like you said, sometimes things just aren't meant to be. Brad payback could very possibly be in the future : )

Guest: I hope you enjoy this one!

UnoPeso22: Exactly. Mike and El haven't actually said "I love you" to each other in months, but recent actions speak louder than those lack of words. I'm really glad this story has kept you interested (I love when authors whose stories I read end up liking mine, and I've enjoyed your Three Inch Minimum story). And while you may be in the minority with wanting more Mike/Lindsey smut, you are definitely not in the minority with wanting Mileven smut haha. I hope you enjoy this one!

Guest: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

OdoMango: Yeah, Mike getting hurt was rough, but I'm glad you enjoyed the Mike/Brad confrontation. I hope you like this chapter too!

Guest: I hope you enjoy this one!

Guest: There was a lot of content in the previous chapter. I'm really proud of that one. I hope you like where it goes from here!

Disclaimer: I do not own Stranger Things or any of its original characters.

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The phone call to Max was quick and urgent, and Max was at the Byers' house just fifteen minutes later to pick El up. El told Joyce in passing that she was going to hang out with Max for a bit, and then she was out the door. The drive was silent until they got to the quarry; El requested they go somewhere private to talk where she could also get some fresh air, so Max drove the familiar route to the top of the cliff.

When they arrived, she turned off the engine and looked at El expectantly, waiting for her to speak. El rolled down the passenger side window and leaned her head back against the seat, breathing in deeply the chilly air that rolled inside. Max shivered and pulled her jacket tighter around her body, her concern growing for her friend whose eyes were now closed as she inhaled and exhaled deeply twice more.

El finally opened her eyes and sat up straight, rolled the window back up, and turned to face Max.

"Did you know Mike got beat up after school today?" she asked.

"What?! No! By who?" Max asked with wide eyes.

"Brad," El replied simply. "I don't know the whole story, but apparently Brad was saying some bad things about me to his friends, and Mike overheard and stood up for me, and Brad and his friends attacked him."

"That's terrible," Max sighed, and El nodded in agreement.

"I need to talk to Mike. I need to apologize," El stated firmly.

"Apologize for…?" Max trailed off, wondering if El was referring to the breakup entirely or something more specific.

"He wouldn't have gotten hurt if it wasn't for me," El explained, her throat tightening. "I want to thank him for defending me and apologize for getting him hurt and… and I have a lot more to apologize to him about… I just need to talk to him."

"I definitely agree that you guys need to talk," Max began. "But, what about Lindsey?"

"Mike and Lindsey are over," El said, taking Max by surprise.

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"Because I… I, um… I went into the void and went to see him," El replied quietly.

"El…" Max sighed.

"I know, I know, I promised I wouldn't spy, and I swear I haven't for years," El said quickly. "But when I found out what happened, I just had to see him. I needed to see him and see how bad it was, and it's not like I could just show up at his door."

"I know. It's okay," Max said soothingly. "So, what do you want me to do for you?"

"Take me to Lucas's house and convince Lucas to get Mike to come over," El replied. "I need to talk to him, and I can't go to him, so I need him brought to me."

"Don't you think he'll be pissed when he gets there and realizes it's a trap?" Max asked carefully.

"Maybe. But if Lucas encourages him to listen and hear me out, I think I would have a good shot," El said.

Max nodded, considering El's simple request, and she chuckled lightly. El cocked her head in question at Max's laugh.

"I'm just surprised," Max said. "After hearing what Brad did to Mike, I thought you were about to ask me to help you get some sort of revenge on him."

"Oh, that is definitely coming next," El said quickly, her eyes flashing at the thought of what Brad did. "But my priority is Mike, and I need to talk to him first."

Max nodded her understanding, and she drove the two of them to Lucas's house. Lucas was surprised to see Max and El on his doorstep, but he let them in and brought them downstairs. El had asked Max to explain the majority to Lucas, as she still wasn't entirely sure where she stood with him. She knew that she and Lucas were on better terms ever since the afternoon he had visited her with the rest of the party, but she also knew their friendship hadn't completely been repaired. So, El sat in silence as Max explained to Lucas that Brad beat up Mike after school for defending El, and she watched the boy's face grow from shocked to concerned to confused.

"Call Mike and ask him to come over," El finally spoke, answering Lucas's question of what they wanted him to do. "I need to see him, and I just need the chance to apologize f-for… everything."

Max squeezed El's shoulders as El took a deep breath and blinked back the tears that were stinging her eyes.

"I don't know, El," Lucas sighed. "I care about you, I do. But, Mike has been hurt enough the past few months, and he's with Lindsey. I don't want to risk starting more drama."

"He and Lindsey are done," El said. "I saw… in the void. Please don't lecture me for that; I know I shouldn't have spied on them, but I had to. And Lucas, I know he's been hurting, and it's all been because of me. That's why I want to talk to him. I want to make things right and tell him how sorry I am and how much I love him, and I… I just need him back Lucas. Please."

While El wiped her watery eyes, Lucas and Max shared a look of shock at El's emotional plea. They silently agreed to help her.

"Okay, El, I'll call him," Lucas said gently. He crossed to the phone and dialed Mike's number, and El listened as Lucas asked Mrs. Wheeler if he could speak with Mike.

"Hey, Mike, it's Lucas… Look, do you think you could come over here for a little while? … I know, I j- … Okay, great. I'll see you soon."

Lucas got off the phone and nodded at El to confirm that Mike was on his way over.

"He told me he got his ass kicked today, so his mom has been fussing over him, and coming over will give him an excuse to get away from her for a while," Lucas said and then chuckled.

"Do you know what you're going to say to him?" Max asked El, knowing she only had a few minutes to prepare.

"I'm just going to apologize and hope he forgives me," El said quietly, and Max could read the insecurity in her eyes.

"I'm sure he will," Max assured her, squeezing her shoulders as Lucas nodded his agreement.

A few minutes later, the three of them heard Mrs. Sinclair open the door, and El held her breath at the unmistakable sound of Mike's voice greeting their friend's mother. She heard footsteps crossing the floor until the door at the top of the stairs opened, and Mike started coming downstairs.

Halfway down the stairs, Mike saw Lucas sitting on the arm of the couch, but when he got to the bottom of the stairs, he saw that the two of them were not alone. El was sitting on the middle cushion with Max's arm around her shoulders, and Mike held her gaze long enough to register that she had noticed his black eye and split lip. He turned toward Lucas, feeling slightly embarrassed that El had seen him like that.

"What is this?" Mike asked.

"Mike, she just wants to talk," Lucas said, standing from his place on the arm of the couch and walking toward his friend.

"So this is why you called me over here?" Mike asked, knowing the answer.

"Listen, I really think you should hear her out," Lucas admitted.

Mike sighed, feeling a little betrayed that Lucas had lured him into this situation. On the other hand, he knew Lucas had been the most loyal throughout the past few months, and if he was saying that Mike should listen, maybe he should after all. He looked over at El who hadn't taken her eyes off of him since he arrived, and he could see so many emotions staring back at him, but the one written all over her face was sadness.

"Mike, please?" she asked in a small voice that instantly softened him.

He looked at her pleading puppy dog eyes staring up at him, and he felt the same urge that he had a couple weeks ago in her room when she had asked him to spend the night with her. He wanted to cross the room, pull her into his arms, and not let her go until all her pain was gone. But just like that night, he resisted. He did, however, decide that he could at least hear what she had to say.

"Okay," Mike relented with a nod.

Max stood from her spot next to El and gave her best friend's hand a squeeze to encourage her and wish her good luck. She offered Mike a small smile as she walked by him to join Lucas, and then Max and Lucas were heading upstairs, leaving Mike and El alone in the basement.

El cleared her throat and patted the spot next to her on the couch.

"Do you, uh, want to sit down?" she asked.

"Oh, sure," Mike replied.

He crossed the room and sat next to her on the couch, careful not to look at her too long, especially because she seemed to refuse to look away from him. Mike rested his elbows on his legs and linked his hands together, staring at them, but he could feel El's eyes burning into the side of his face. Of course, it was the side that had withstood the damage from this afternoon.

"Mike, I don't know where to start," El finally said.

She hesitantly raised her hand and reached out to him, her fingertips grazing his discolored cheekbone, and Mike inhaled sharply, his whole body instantly tensing up at her touch.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked.

"It's not too bad anymore," Mike replied, leaning away from her touch.

El felt a pang in her chest as he moved away from her fingers, but she knew it had been bold of her to try and touch him in the first place. She lowered her hand back to her lap and subtly scooted a fraction of an inch closer, aching to close the gap between them even just a little bit.

"I am so sorry that Brad did this to you," El said. "I had no idea this would ever happen."

"It's no big deal," Mike shrugged, still refusing to meet her gaze.

"Yes, it is a big deal," El countered, scooting just another inch his way. "You got hurt because you defended me, and I'm sorry. And I also wanted to say… thank you… for defending me. After everything I've done, you… Thank you."

She sniffled and blinked back the tears that were threatening to seep out. She couldn't start crying just yet, not before she said everything she wanted to say.

"El, you don't have to thank me for anything," Mike said. "I would do it all again."

El let the magnitude of Mike's words sink in. He would willingly take another beating if it meant sticking up for her. She clenched her teeth, the anger suddenly returning as she stared at Mike's blackened eye.

"We're gonna get back at him for this," she said firmly, causing Mike to finally look at her in shock.

"What?!" he asked.

"He can't just get away with doing this to you," El stated.

"El, no. Nobody is going to do anything to get back at Brad. What he did to me is nothing compared to what he did to you, and no one else needs to be hurt by that guy," Mike said.

"Then we can go to the principal's office first thing tomorrow morning. The principal, the basketball coach… They'll see firsthand what he did to you, and Brad and those other guys can get removed from the team, or suspended, or both!" El suggested.

"That's not how it works, El," Mike said, shaking his head.

"Why not?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"They're jocks. They'll automatically be believed over me," Mike explained. "Plus, there are four of them, and all four of them would tell the same story which is that I threw the first punch… which I did."

"You did what?!" El exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"Brad shoved me against a locker, and then I hit him. Once. Then they all ganged up on me," Mike recalled the day's earlier events, and shock was written all over El's face at the admission that Mike actually punched Brad first. "But trust me, the point is, there is no way Brad and his friends will get in trouble for this. This is how it works. It's best to just let it go."

El nodded, filled with sadness from the realization that Mike was right and that he knew this from past experience. She decided to drop this issue with Mike, but El knew that she and Max would find another way to get back at Brad for what he had done.

"You may be right," she said softly. "But this never should've happened. And I'm just so sorry."

El slowly reached over and put her hand on his, and while she still felt him tense up, he did not pull away this time.

"You never should've gotten hurt, Mike. And I don't just mean with Brad today," she said. "I know I hurt you so badly, and I am so sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you; I'm sorry for listening to Max and Abby. I'm just sorry for everything."

Mike silently studied her face. He saw the tears brimming her lower lids, and he saw her forehead scrunched in concern. Her eyes were overflowing with regret and sincerity, and Mike instantly believed that she was sorry.

But he still just had to know.

"Why did you listen to Max and Abby?" he asked. El inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath before answering.

"I don't know," she sighed. "Somehow, they just got all these doubts in my head, and I didn't want either of us to wonder if we missed out on anything else."

"Did you ever feel like you were missing out on something else when we were together?" Mike asked.

"No," El whispered as the first few tears spilled onto her cheeks.

"Then why did you listen to them?" Mike repeated.

"I d-don't know," El whimpered as more tears fell down her face. "I wish I knew, b-but I don't, and I'm s-sorry. But I know I n-never should've l-listened to them, and I n-never should've broken up with you. And I w-wish I could go b-back and change everything, Mike, but I c-can't, and I'm sorry."

Mike sighed, instantly feeling like an ass for pushing her that far. He knew he was justified, but that didn't soften the blow of watching El break down in front of him. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and lifted his other hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Hey, hey, shh, don't cry," Mike soothed her.

He gently wiped the rest of the tears from her face and waited patiently while she calmed down. Her hiccups and shudders came to an end after a few moments, and Mike slowly pulled his arm back from around her shoulders.

"I just wish that once these doubts got in, for whatever reason, you would've just talked to me about it instead of hiding it from me for two weeks and then breaking up with me," Mike explained.

"I'm sorry," El whispered. "I wish I would've too."

Mike noticed her eyes glistening and wondered if it was from the tears or from the light reflecting off of them. He looked away from her again, and El immediately moved her hand back to his.

"Mike, you… you mean the world to me, and I am so sorry that I hurt you. You didn't deserve it, and I didn't deserve your kindness when you came over that night… It was amazing of you to come over when Brad did what he did to me," El said, squeezing his hand. "And I'm sorry for cornering you with those questions about Lindsey. It wasn't my business… It's just that I never thought you could be happy with a girl who wasn't me."

She finished that thought timidly, and after a moment, Mike chuckled.

"To be honest, I never thought I could be either," he admitted. "And I never really answered those questions."

Mike shifted slightly to face her better, and El moved another inch closer. He watched the anticipation in her big brown eyes as she waited for him to speak. The moon shining through the window mixed with the light from the lamp in the room was creating a sort of glow around El's brunette hair that fell loosely over her shoulders, and her lips were parted ever so slightly while she watched him. God, did she look beautiful.

"So, uh, to answer them," Mike continued lowly. "No, I'm not in love with her. And no, I haven't had sex with her."

She couldn't help the corners of her mouthing tugging into a warm smile at his admissions.

Mike sat, staring deep into her eyes, telling himself to look away, but being completely unable. He hadn't felt this close to her in months, and all he felt was a desperate longing to crash his lips into hers, feel her tongue meshing with his own, grasp her soft skin while she grinded her hips into his. Mike wanted her, even though he knew he shouldn't. And he could see in her brown eyes looking back at him that she wanted him too.

El scooted even closer to him on the couch, inadvertently hiking her skirt up her thighs, and she gently raised one hand to the side of his head and let her fingertips toy with the ends of his hair.

"El…" Mike whispered. He knew he needed to look away from her and break the trance that she had over him, but no matter how hard he tried, he was lost in her familiarity. Her scent, her big brown eyes staring at him in adoration, the feel of her hand in his hair. Mike wanted nothing more than to give in to his desires, wrong as they may be.

"Shh," El answered, almost as if she were trying to quiet the battle in his head.

She placed her hand on the back of his neck, and before Mike knew it, the space between their mouths disappeared. He placed a hand just above El's bare knee and began rubbing her soft skin while she wrapped both her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer. El parted her lips and let Mike's tongue hungrily explore her mouth. She moaned into his open mouth, and Mike's grip on El's leg tightened.

In an instant, Mike was leaning forward against her to lay El back onto the couch, positioning himself on top of her. El moved her hands down from his neck until she found the hem of his shirt and slipped underneath, her hands against his bare back soothing the ache she had to simply feel his skin against hers.

Mike traced his hand up El's inner thigh which was completely exposed since her skirt had ridden up when Mike laid her down. His fingertips reached her panties, and he groaned into her mouth when he realized he was touching lace instead of the simple cotton he had been expecting. El couldn't help but smirk against his lips and buck her hips up to meet his.

El's hands were suddenly working to unfasten Mike's jeans, and she was quickly shoving his pants and underwear down his legs, freeing his hard dick which El felt warmly against her leg. With a low growl, Mike looped two fingers through El's panties, causing her to gasp when his knuckles brushed against her aching pussy, and pulled them roughly to the side. Then, without hesitation, Mike buried his entire length inside of her in one swift thrust, succumbing to the overwhelming longing to be inside her.

"Fuck," he breathed against El's lips, squeezing his eyes closed in ecstasy as his cock was welcomed warmly back by El's tight walls.

She wrapped both of her legs around Mike's hips, tightly holding his body against hers, and angled her hips upward to accept him in as deep as he could go. Her hold on him did not loosen, and Mike was barely able to pull back as he thrusted between her legs. He nuzzled his face into the crook of El's neck and latched on to a spot an inch above her collar bone. His hand slid up her shirt, over El's flat stomach, and squeezed her breast hard while he continued to suck her neck and pound into her tight pussy.

Beneath him, El was writhing. Her back was arched, and her legs remained wrapped tightly around Mike's hips, forcing him deep inside her hole. She dug her nails deeper into the skin on Mike's back with each punishing thrust that he pounded into her. With her arms and legs all wrapped around his body, she wanted nothing more than to keep him this close to her. Underneath his weight, wedged between him and the couch cushions, she felt at peace. She was safe and warm and full. El never wanted this to end.

"You feel so amazing," Mike moaned against her shoulder, his face still buried in the crook of her neck while his thrusts picked up speed.

"Yes," El whimpered, closing her eyes. "Oh god… faster, baby, please."

Mike did what El requested and fucked her even faster into the couch cushions. His eyes were closed, and he was completely lost in the feel of her tight wet pussy, her hot breath on his neck, the sting of her fingernails on his back. He felt the explosion coming, and he squeezed El's tit so hard she squealed. Mike latched back on to that spot on her neck and dug his teeth in as his cum erupted inside of El. As his ears began to ring, all he heard was El crying out his name over and over again.

Right as Mike began to unload inside of her, El's pussy clenched around his dick, and her body clenched tightly around his while her vision went white. She squeezed him so tightly against her, it was like she was actually trying to become one with him while she rode out her own orgasm as he was filling her with his.

El started coming back to her senses, and sadness slowly crept in, eclipsing the euphoria, when she realized it was coming to an end. She didn't want to release the tight hold she had on Mike, but she knew she had to when he started pushing himself up on his elbows.

He looked down at her, and El could feel him trembling as he took heavy breath after heavy breath. She reached up and ran her hand through his thick dark hair. Suddenly, El saw the expression on Mike's face quickly change to guilt as he realized what he had just done. His breaths became shallow and rapid, and El furrowed her brow in concern.

"Mike," she said, running her fingers down his cheek.

"Shit," Mike whispered, and El could hear the guilt even in that one simple syllable.

He quickly pushed himself off of her and pulled his underwear and jeans back up, fastening them with shaky hands while El sat up quickly on the couch.

"Mike, wait," she said, reaching out for him.

"El, I'm sorry, I…" he shook his head and pulled away from her touch. "I've got to go."

El watched as he hurried back up the stairs, not looking back at her once, and waited until she heard the door close before covering her face with her hands and letting the tears fall once again. She heard the door open and looked up, briefly thinking that maybe Mike changed his mind and decided to come back, but when she saw two pairs of feet descending, she knew it was only Lucas and Max.

"El, what happened?" Max asked immediately, rushing to sit next to El on the couch.

"Yeah, Mike bolted out of here," Lucas added.

"We… messed up," El said quietly through her tears.

Max furrowed her brow and looked quickly between El and Lucas.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I didn't mean to, I just… we got carried away, and I swear I only planned on talking to him, but," El sniffled. "We ended up having sex… I started it, and I shouldn't have."

"You had sex on my couch?" Lucas asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Well, I mean, you did talk some, right? Before…?" Max asked gently, ignoring Lucas who was listening with a grimace on his face.

"Y-yeah," El whispered.

"And you got to apologize for everything?" Max continued, and El nodded. "Then what's the matter? Why are you crying, and why did he leave like that?"

"Because we shouldn't have… because of Lindsey," El admitted softly.

"Wait. You said Mike and Lindsey were over. You said you saw it in the void," Max reminded her, confused.

"They… they're pretty much over," El hesitantly said.

"What does that mean?" Max asked slowly. "El, what exactly did you see?"

"She accused him of not being over me, and she told him he said he was ready to move on," El recapped. "And Mike said he knows he told her that, but that maybe he was wrong. Then Lindsey stormed out of the house."

"El," Max groaned. "That doesn't mean they broke up."

"Maybe not officially," El said indignantly.

"So why did you tell us they did?" Max asked.

"Because I swear I wasn't planning on doing anything with him. I just wanted to talk to him, and Lucas almost said no to bringing Mike over here because he didn't want to start drama with Lindsey-"

"Look how that turned out," Lucas sighed.

"I'm sorry. I just thought if I could talk to him, I could apologize for everything, and…" El trailed off.

"And he would break up with Lindsey, officially, since they just had that big fight? He would realize she's right that he's not over you?" Max asked gently.

El didn't respond, but a sob shook her body as more tears escaped. Max sighed and draped her arm around her friend's shoulders, hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I should've told you guys the whole truth from the beginning," El said.

"Yeah, you should've," Max agreed before continuing hesitantly. "But, if Mike and Lindsey's fight was really that bad, they were probably close to breaking up… especially if Lindsey really believes he isn't over you. No girl would want to feel like they're in second place in their own relationship."

"Even so, you still should've waited until the breakup was official," Lucas pointed out. "Because now, even though Mike and Lindsey were on bad terms, and even if they may have broken up tomorrow, they were still technically together today. And that means Mike cheated on her. And you know that's unlike him, and he's going to do nothing but beat himself up over this for god knows how long."

El groaned and buried her face in her hands again, knowing Lucas was right, and feeling horrible for initiating something that is only going to result in even more pain for Mike.

"I really messed up… again," she mumbled.

"Yeah, you did. But Mike did too. You can't blame only yourself for this one," Lucas said.

El nodded and stood from the couch.

"Thanks, guys. I really am sorry I wasn't completely honest with you," she said. "I just want to go home and shower and go to sleep."

Max agreed. She gave Lucas a hug and kiss goodbye, and then she and El left for the night.

Meanwhile, Mike had returned to his house several minutes ago, but instead of going inside, he chose to stay outside and breathe in the fresh cold air. How could he have let things get so fucked up? He could've looked away, he could've moved, he could've gotten up and walked out of her reach. But he didn't, and Mike knew in that moment he hadn't wanted to either.

He knew he still loved El. He had admitted that to himself and to Nancy, but not to Lindsey or to El. But that doesn't excuse what he did. Mike had let his hormones and his yearning for El make the decisions tonight, and he did something that he never thought he was capable of doing. Mike never imagined he could be unfaithful in a relationship, even if that relationship was rocky at the moment.

A wave of nausea set in as Mike realized he had to tell Lindsey what happened. There was no way around it. He fucked up worse than he ever thought he would, but he had a responsibility to be honest with her. She would probably hate him and scream at him and tell him she was right. This would be proof in Lindsey's eyes that Mike was never getting over El. This would be proof to Nancy and Will and whoever else had ever called Lindsey a rebound.

Not knowing what else to do, Mike walked inside and started upstairs. He hung his head in annoyance when his mom called his name from the living room.

"Yeah?" he asked, stepping off the staircase and peaking around into the living room.

"Lindsey called for you. She wants you to call her back," Karen said.

"Thanks, Mom," Mike mumbled before turning back to the stairs.

Shit. Of course Lindsey called for him. She probably wanted to apologize for accusing him of not trying and offer to talk things out. Mike laid down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, dreading school the next day when he would have to see the look on her face when he tells her what he did. He knew he couldn't call her back tonight. He couldn't discuss their fight and listen to her apologize to him and ask how he was feeling and all the other sweet things she would say. So he closed his eyes and let his mind run wild, trying to find the words to say to her tomorrow, until eventually he fell asleep.

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A/N: A few things. I hope those who have requested Mileven smut are mildly satisfied. And I did not do this to make you dislike Mike or start painting him as the bad guy, I promise. I'm not romanticizing cheating or anything. This was something I've had in mind for the direction of this story all along, and while his bad choices will certainly be handled, they will not take away from the consequences of El's bad choices. I'm excited for you guys to get the rest of this story and for all the loose ends to be tied up and all the resolutions that will be coming! Even if you didn't like Mike and El's actions in this chapter, I hope you enjoyed the chapter overall, and please remember to leave me a review! See you in a week or so!