A/N: Welcome back! As promised, this chapter is entirely in Mike's POV. I hope you all enjoy it. It's a long one! Please remember to review : )
Everlover: Thank you! I'm glad I'm giving you something to do during quarantine lol. Definitely let me know after this chapter if your guess was right!
Ejbeckmann: Thank you! Hopefully you feel more things this chapter!
NoDownSide: Ah, yes. Continue reading below for the POV of our favorite overthinker.
Machambaman: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the little New Years scene. And you will see this chapter if you are correct!
Phieillydinyia: Yes, the six of them are back together! You will find out what happened to make Mike so happy this chapter. And you will also see the answer to your question this chapter : ) I hope you like it!
Guest: You shall see this chapter!
Shrike176: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed El's perspective, and I hope you enjoy Mike's just as much. College admissions will certainly be addressed by the end of the story, and you are absolutely right about Mike's train of thought there. Those other two moments you brought up, I have plans for them : ) I hope you like this chapter!
Afanofstrangerthingsandstuff: Thank you! It absolutely worked out in El's favor. I would need more information before I could help with lengthening a prologue. Feel free to PM me : )
Kennyrogers13: Oh, I know. Mileven is literal television perfection.
Alisea: I'm so glad you enjoyed seeing El's personal growth! She deserves happiness! You will get to see what happens with Mike now!
Guest: Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Caleb: Thank you. I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you enjoy this one too!
Stranger Records: Thank you. Yes, they're certainly in a bit of a time crunch with the end of high school approaching.
Jane Eleanor Wheeler: Thank you! That would be awesome.
Exploding Helmets: Thank you, I'm glad you liked that moment.
OdoMango: Thank you. I'm glad that you like how I'm going about moving the story ahead. And it's good to hear that you think the pace is acceptable. I'm glad you liked the New Years scene! I enjoyed writing it. Here is the follow up to the cliffhanger : )
Song-wei: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing El's growth and self-discovery. At this point, I don't really see her meeting another boy, but I'm glad you appreciate how far she has come!
LabAlley: I completely agree this time apart is good for them to self-reflect. I hope you enjoy Mike's perspective.
Chocoholic121: Thank you! I hope you like this chapter.
Nighting Ryder: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it so much!
Disclaimer: I do not own Stranger Things or any of its original characters.
0-0-0
The two months since El had shown up at his basement door declaring that she wanted to get back together and opening up their long-awaited, much needed discussion had been quite an emotional roller coaster for Mike. By the end of their talk, he really had been glad that she had come over because he felt like they both got the chance to say more to each other than they had in months… things that really needed to be said… things that Mike, in the moment, couldn't believe were actually coming out of his mouth.
Being honest with El was something Mike had always strived to do, but he had never thought he would be feeling some of the things he was feeling about himself and their relationship. Seeing the look on her face when he had admitted his doubt about her love for him, or when he shared his insecurity of knowing he would never look like those bulky, muscular guys like Brad or like guys she may meet in college… She had looked so broken when he admitted how he felt.
But in the end, they had reached an agreement, and Mike knew it was a solid starting point for their long road to recovery. Luckily, El had agreed to the time and space that Mike had requested. Of course, he had encouraged her to come around the party more often again. Mike knew ever since the breakup that El's relationship with most of the party members had changed, and not for the better. Lucas had pretty much cut her out of his life until everything with Brad blew up, and even then, while Lucas was friendly to her, he never really went out of his way to spend time with her. Dustin had that study hall with her every day, and Mike knew the two of them talked and worked on homework together, but to Mike's knowledge, Dustin didn't really make a regular effort outside of school either. Will and Max were the only two who didn't seemingly abandon El, and Mike wanted her to feel welcome around the only friends she had ever known.
How would he feel having El around again, though? Would things be awkward or tense? Should he try to talk to her like normal? Would that confuse her or send her mixed signals? Mike decided that he could be cordial in a group setting and simply not focus too much individual attention on her, and if things began to feel uncomfortable, he could always excuse himself and leave the situation. After all, he had assured El that since he was the one seeking space, he would figure it out for himself. He didn't think it would be fair to ask her to continue separating herself from her friends.
The first day of school after his conversation with El, Mike was nervously bouncing his leg under the lunch table as he sat across from Lucas, waiting for Dustin and Will. When the two boys arrived, Dustin sat next to Mike, and Will walked toward the other side to sit next to Lucas until Mike stopped him.
"Will, could you, uh, sit on this side by Dustin?" he asked awkwardly. He took a deep breath before answering the confused expression on his friend's face. "Max and El are going to be joining us, so…"
Will smiled knowingly and silently agreed to sit next to Dustin, leaving the two seats to Lucas's left unoccupied.
"How do you feel about having her around again?" Lucas asked.
"Clearly calm, cool, and collected," Dustin said sarcastically, glancing down at Mike's anxiously bouncing leg next to him.
"Sorry," Mike muttered and steadied his leg, turning instead to tapping his thumb against his tray.
"You don't have anything to worry about. It's just lunch, so it's less than an hour. If you want to leave early, I'll come with you," Lucas offered.
"You don't have to do that," Mike shook his head.
"I know, but – oh, here they come," Lucas warned.
Mike watched as Max gave Lucas a kiss on the cheek as she and El sat down. He felt an odd sense of normalcy and figured that even though becoming comfortable having lunch in a group setting was a baby step, it was a start.
The rest of the week passed with the six of them eating lunch together every day, El seated the furthest away from him but still with the group. Mike could feel that their bond was still there, even though it was weaker and damaged. He couldn't help sneaking glances her way, and he noticed that she would do the same. One day, after she laughed at something he said, Mike felt a warm smile instinctively cross his face, and he felt himself blush before diverting his eyes. Things were moving slowly, only one hour a day for five consecutive days, but it was progress.
On the fifth day, Friday, Mike knew he would not be seeing El again for a while. They were about to be out of school for three weeks, and ordinarily, Mike knew he would spend every day of those three weeks with her, but not this time. He knew it would be too much. He still had things to figure out, and he needed to take things slowly. Still, the idea of not seeing her at all was unpleasant.
He walked with her to her locker after lunch, and he could tell she was surprised by this.
"I probably won't really be seeing you much for the next three weeks," Mike explained. "So I wanted to make sure to tell you Merry Christmas and I hope you have a good break."
"Thanks, Mike," El smiled, though Mike could tell she forced it for his benefit. She couldn't hide the pain in her eyes from him. "I hope you do too. Tell your family Merry Christmas."
Another strained smile, and then she walked away from him.
The first week of Christmas break was different this year than in years past. Ordinarily, he would have spent every day with El and his friends, but now he found himself actually enjoying quality time with his family… well, at least his mom and his sisters, much to his own surprise. Mike had kept his promise to Nancy to keep in touch better, and the two of them had grown closer even in the short amount of time since Thanksgiving.
With Nancy home from college, Karen kept them busy by sending them on grocery store runs for her upcoming holiday hosting, wrapping Holly's presents late at night when the younger girl was sleeping, baking multiple batches of Christmas cookies and helping Holly decorate them, and helping with cleaning the house. These were all tasks that Mike would have normally tried to avoid, but he found himself doing them all without any complaints. Maybe it was because it gave him and Nancy more time to bond. Maybe it was because it kept his mind off of El and all of his problems. Maybe it was a combination of the two.
The week flew by, and Mike hardly noticed that he had barely seen any of his friends since the last day of school. He went to bed one night, exhausted from his mother's errands and requests all day, and fell into a deep sleep, not even thinking about what day it was.
Mike woke up the next morning with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He groggily wiped the sleep out of his eyes and rolled over, the aroma of eggs, bacon, and French toast sweeping through the crack under his door. Why was his mom up so early making such a big breakfast?
Oh. Mike realized. It's finally Christmas.
He looked at the clock and saw it was almost 7:15 in the morning, and Mike was surprised Holly hadn't bounded into his bedroom yet to demand that he get up for presents.
Speaking of presents, Mike pulled open the drawer of his nightstand to catch a glimpse of the small box that contained what was supposed to have been El's Christmas present this year.
When Mike had first seen it in the middle of July, he knew he had to get it for her. Of course, it was expensive, and Mike didn't have all the money at the time, so he had put down what he could to secure it, and a few weeks later, he was able to stash it in his nightstand with plans to give it to her on Christmas. She would love it; Mike could see her beautiful brown eyes widen and fill with tears before throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. She would kiss him and tell him how much she loved him, and she would probably say something about how she was sorry she didn't get him something better. Mike would assure her that he loved whatever she got him and that the only thing he needed was her, anyway. They would make love, and everything would be perfect.
Mike closed the drawer, knowing none of that would be happening today. When she had broken up with him, Mike thought about taking it back, seeing how much of his money he could get back. But even though he had thought he and El were done, even though he was dating someone new and she was too, Mike couldn't take the gift back. It was El's. So, it had sat in that drawer for months, and it would continue to sit there.
The drawer next to it contained something else Mike had refused to get rid of. He opened it and pulled out the framed photo of him and El that usually sat on his nightstand, so that even when she wasn't with him all night, her smiling face was still the first thing he would see in the morning. That photo had been placed in that drawer the night he had come home in tears after having his heart broken, and before today, he had only looked at it one other time: the morning he had awoken from that dream and reached out for her only to be met with an empty bed.
He placed the photo back in the drawer and closed it, laying back on his pillows and staring up at the ceiling. He was supposed to have stayed the night with her last night because she had stayed the night with him on Christmas Eve last year.
Mike thought back to last year. It had taken a bit of convincing to get his parents and Joyce to agree, but eventually they had given in and let El spend the night on Christmas Eve. Mike was sure that his parents and Joyce all assumed that the two of them were being intimate with each other anyway after being together for so long, and Joyce, for one, knew how happy it would make El to be able to wake up Christmas morning with Mike. So, they gave in.
That had been the best Christmas ever. They had stayed up late on Christmas Eve, cuddling on the couch just enjoying each other's silent presence in the glow of the Christmas tree. When they finally went upstairs, Mike had fallen asleep with El in his arms, wrapped up in warm blankets, the only sound being their faint breathing. He had woken up to El surprising him with a special kind of Christmas present before going downstairs to join his family. He had pulled her close to him underneath the mistletoe hanging in the doorway to the living room and kissed her slowly, ignoring the gagging sounds that Holly made as she passed by.
That Christmas had been perfect. And this Christmas was supposed to have been even better.
Mike reluctantly got up and showered and dressed for the day, knowing his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins would be arriving within the next few hours. When he came downstairs and greeted his mom and sisters with barely more than a grunt, Nancy shot him a questioning look and he avoided her eyes.
Ted wandered into the dining room, and the five of them ate the breakfast Karen had prepared. Afterward, they moved into the living room and exchanged presents and watched Holly open her mountain of gifts.
When the doorbell rang and Jonathan entered, Mike felt another pang of sadness as the thought crossed his mind that Christmas morning at the Byers' house was finished, and if things weren't so fucked up, he and El would be walking in with Jonathan right now to spend the rest of the day with his family after having spent the morning with hers.
The family trickled in soon after. Mike's grandparents arrived first, followed by Karen's brother and his wife and two daughters, and lastly by Karen's sister and her husband and daughter. Karen's sister was pregnant, and Mike assumed it would be another girl. He was used to being the only boy in the family, and truthfully, he was rather thankful for it today because none of his female cousins paid him any mind; they would spend the afternoon playing with Holly after eating, and Mike would be able to hopefully sneak off for some privacy.
His plan to acquire some privacy never came to fruition. Every time Mike would move to go upstairs, one of his uncles would grab his attention and bring him into a conversation about his future. Mike grew tired very quickly of answering the same questions. He knew these people didn't really care and probably wouldn't even remember his answers, but this is simply what is done at family gatherings.
Finally, Mike's grandparents came around to hug and kiss everyone goodbye, thanking Karen for hosting, and leaving for the night. Once the first departure was made, Karen's siblings and their families soon followed suit, and the Wheeler house was left with just the immediate family and Jonathan. Mike helped his mom with the dishes as Nancy cleaned up the living room, and as soon as the final dish was put away, Mike hugged his mom good night and quickly made his way upstairs.
He laid down on his bed and looked at the clock on his bedside table. 7:15pm. The day was gone. He never even got the chance to talk to any of his friends. He had thought he heard his supercom crackling with Will's voice earlier in the day, but Mike was never able to get away and answer. Now that he finally had time to himself, Mike called Lucas and Dustin on his supercom and wished them a Merry Christmas. He was about to call Will when he suddenly thought about El. Certainly, he couldn't just call and talk to Will and not speak with El… and he couldn't very well just ask Will to tell El Merry Christmas for him… Plus, hearing her voice would be nice…
"Hey," Nancy's voice interrupted Mike's thoughts from his doorway.
"Hey," Mike responded, sitting up.
"Jonathan and I were just about to relax for the night, but I wanted to see how you're doing," Nancy said, walking in and taking a seat at Mike's desk chair.
"I'm okay," Mike sighed, and Nancy gave him a knowing look.
"It's okay if you're having a hard time today," she assured him.
"So you've known all day?" he asked.
"From the moment you came downstairs," Nancy confirmed. "You're not very subtle."
"This day was a lot harder than I expected," Mike admitted. "I know I'm doing the right thing. Getting back together right away would have only complicated things. But this feeling I've had all day just sucks."
"I know," Nancy said. "But how are things going? Taking time to yourself, rebuilding your foundation with El?"
"I think things are going well," Mike replied. "It's getting easier to hang out as a whole group again. I was actually thinking…"
"What were you thinking?" Nancy prodded.
"I was thinking about calling her and just talking for a few minutes… tell her Merry Christmas, ask her how her day was. We haven't spoken at all in a week," Mike said.
"I think that's a great idea," Nancy nodded.
"You don't think it would send any mixed signals?" Mike asked.
"What type of mixed signals? The reason you two aren't together isn't because you don't love each other. It's because you both need to work on yourselves. You're working on rebuilding your friendship, aren't you? Friends call each other on holidays," Nancy pointed out. "I think she would love to hear from you. I bet it would make her whole evening."
After Nancy left his room, Mike went out to use the phone in the hall. He called the Byers' house, and when Will answered, Mike told him Merry Christmas and chatted for a moment before asking to speak with El. He waited while he heard Will call for El, and after some brief shuffling, her voice finally rang through.
"Hello?"
"Hey El," Mike breathed. Something about hearing her voice after a week still caused his mood to naturally brighten. "I just wanted to call and tell you Merry Christmas."
"Umm… thanks, Mike. M-Merry Christmas."
Mike frowned. It sounded like her throat had tightened, straining her words.
"Are you okay?" he asked, unable to conceal his concern.
"Yeah," she laughed. "Yeah, I'm fine… Did you have a good Christmas?"
Mike told her about his Christmas Day with his family and listened to El tell him about her day with the Byers'. Moments later, the line turned silent as Mike's mind flashed back to last Christmas again and then to that little box burning a hole in his nightstand drawer.
"Hey El," he said quickly. "I have to go."
He told her goodbye and hung up the phone, leaning back against the wall with his eyes closed, happy he had decided to call her.
A week later, Mike found himself walking into Steve Harrington's house for New Years. He greeted Dustin and Will as Max bounded off toward the kitchen in search of El. When El emerged with a drink in her hand, Mike couldn't help but immediately realize how beautiful she looked.
Throughout the night, Mike stuck close to Lucas, halfway listening to what his friend had to say while sipping drink after drink and keeping an eye on what El was doing. He couldn't help but beam with pride when she sunk her first shot at beer pong, and she looked so cute when she jumped up in excitement to hug Max.
By the time the girls lost to Dustin and Will, Mike was several beers in and was feeling pretty good. He chuckled along when Max started giving Dustin a hard time about not having a New Years kiss, and he tuned out when Max asked Will about Jessica. Mike glanced over at El and saw a contemplative look on her face. He wondered if she, too, was thinking about her own New Years kiss situation.
A couple hours later, Mike watched from the couch as El stumbled through the living room and disappeared through the doorway into the kitchen. He hoped she wasn't going for more alcohol, and Mike decided to follow her in hopes of offering her a cup of water. He saw her leaning against the counter with her back facing him, and Mike walked quietly up next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"You doing okay?" he asked.
El turned and looked at him, her big beautiful eyes were drooping but still had that sparkle that seemed to show up when she looked at him.
"Are you doing okay?" she asked with a smile and playfully pushed his shoulder.
"I'm not the one stumbling from room to room," Mike chuckled.
"Well you need to get drunker, Mikey, y'only have fifteen minutes," El slurred.
Mike stifled a laugh at her drunken behavior. The only times he had ever heard El call him Mikey were when she was whining his name while teasingly begging for something she knew she was going to get her way with anyway because he always gave in to her.
"I'm drunk enough," he said, observing her swaying back and forth. "Besides, I need to make sure you're okay… Well – you and everyone else, I mean."
Mike watched as El's eyes filled with adoration and never left his face.
"Kiss me at midnight," she requested.
"What?" Mike asked, his eyes widening.
"That's what I want," El said. "You asked me what I want for beating you at Dig Dug. One kiss at midnight. Please."
That damn Dig Dug game. Mike flashed back to a few days prior when she had won fair and square two out of three games. Afterward, the two of them had gotten into a playful exchange about her prize, and Mike had asked what she wanted. He had instantly felt the atmosphere shift and fill with tension, knowing the real answer to that question was much deeper than what needed to be discussed at the arcade. But here, tonight, she drunkenly simplified it to a request for one kiss.
"El, I…"
Just then, Dustin came into the room to call the two of them in to the living room for the countdown to New Years.
Standing in the doorway next to El, Mike felt his hands starting to sweat. His friends were growing louder as the countdown got closer to zero, and Mike heard that El had not chimed in. He stood still, staring straight ahead at the television, his mind racing with what he should do. Out of the corner of his eye, Mike saw El fully turn to face him. He anxiously bit the inside of his bottom lip and snuck a glance her way, quickly returning his full attention straight ahead.
"Happy New Year!"
Everyone in the room hollered in celebration except for Mike and El. Max and Lucas began their kiss, as did Steve and the woman he was with. Dustin and Will ran outside with beers in hand. Mike saw El hang her head in defeat, and he felt his heart crush in his chest. As she turned away from him, Mike's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"El, wait," he said.
El turned and looked up at him, hope glowing in her eyes. He looked down into the same eyes that had mesmerized him for years and began to rub his thumb back and forth along her skin.
Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was because she asked him to. Maybe it was because of the longing he felt to have her soft lips pressed against his just for a moment. Mike knew it was likely a combination of the three.
He leaned in and kissed her. It was soft and sweet, and it tasted like liquor. Mike wrapped his arms around her waist, and he felt as El weaved her fingers into his hair. Slowly, he pulled back, opening his eyes before El and looking down to see the cutest pout cross her face when the kiss ended.
"Happy New Year, El," he whispered.
"Happy New Year, Mike."
The final week of break passed quickly for Mike. The guys came over one day and spent nearly fourteen hours playing the D&D campaign that Mike had worked so long on. They hadn't played in ages, and they knew they likely wouldn't play again any time soon. D&D had long ago taken a backseat to the other happenings in their lives, but all four of them agreed it was a breath of fresh air to revert back to their simpler childhood days even if just for one day.
Other than that, Mike spent the week catching up on the schoolwork he had been assigned for over break, watching movies, and even babysitting Holly for a few hours. Sunday night, the day before starting the final semester of his senior year, Mike was laying in bed thinking about how things between he and El would be as of tomorrow.
He couldn't deny that the two of them had made progress in repairing their relationship. But still, Mike knew there was something holding him back from going all in with El again. He knew it was Lindsey. He still hadn't found his closure in that situation. Of course, he wasn't sure that Lindsey would even talk to him. But he had to try. He couldn't let anything cloud his mind if he really wanted things with El to work out. Mike had to find a way to completely clear his conscience and be on good terms with himself again.
Mike closed his eyes as another thought crossed his mind. In less than six short months, they would all be graduating high school. He and El had gone into this phase knowing that they would take as much time as they needed, but Mike was starting to worry. What if he wasn't ready to fully devote himself to his and El's relationship for a few months yet? What if he and El finally get to a good place, and then the huge life change of college happens? He and El had not talked about college admissions at all.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes closed tighter. Mike knew he shouldn't stress himself out even further. He needed to take it one issue at a time, and right now, the primary issue was becoming happy with himself, and that would largely entail trying to mend things with Lindsey, difficult as that may be.
When school started back up again, it wasn't long before Mike started noticing a change in El. The way she carried herself became more confident. She began radiating confidence and a sense of belonging. From listening to her at the lunch table, Mike learned that she had been immersing herself more in school and her personal interests. He smiled and encouraged her, but he couldn't help but wonder if he hadn't encouraged her to explore these sides of herself when they were together. Surely, he hadn't unintentionally been holding her back, had he? Still, Mike was glad to see that some good was coming out of this time for El.
As the days went on, El became more bold toward him as well. Soon, she was sitting across from Mike at lunch, and he was certain that she initiated the smallest contact every now and then when her foot would graze his under the table.
One day, Mike was hanging out with just the guys after school when Dustin blurted out what they had all apparently been thinking.
"When are you and El getting back together already?"
"When the time is right," Mike replied simply.
"And when will that be?" Dustin pressed on.
"She and I both have some things we need to figure out for ourselves. Neither of us want to dive back in to things until we're certain that we're ready," Mike explained.
"You both look pretty ready to me," Dustin muttered.
Mike looked from Lucas to Will and saw from the looks on their faces that they both agreed with Dustin.
"You guys flirt all the time," Lucas added. "There's almost this 'will-they-won't-they' tension between you guys."
"You both have these heart eyes you look at each other with over the lunch table and you hang on each other's every word," Will chimed in.
"It's sickening," Dustin said.
"Wow, thanks," Mike chuckled.
"I mean it's sickening to watch two people so obviously in love with each other just act like two middle schoolers with a crush," Dustin clarified.
"It's complicated," Mike sighed.
"Is it complicated, Mike? Or are you just making it complicated?" Dustin asked. "Is there something else going on?"
"Yeah, what's holding you back?" Lucas inquired.
Mike sighed, deciding to give in and tell his friends the truth.
"Yes, I am in love with her. I always have been-"
"Shocker," Dustin muttered.
"But there's no way I could handle another breakup. So before getting back together, I need to be at a point where I'm confident that she loves me enough to really do this with me… that I won't be putting my heart out there again to risk being broken when she sees some hot guy," Mike explained.
"El's not that shallow," Will interjected.
"I always would've agreed with that… But just look at Brad," Mike pointed out. "It's just, I have to be confident that El knows I'm what she wants, regardless of anyone else's opinions or influences."
Lucas chuckled at Mike's reference.
"No offense," Mike added quickly.
"None taken," Lucas shook his head. "Between us, it drives me crazy that Max doesn't take relationships very seriously."
"Wait… you and Max have a super casual relationship. Isn't that the dream?" Dustin asked.
"At first, sure, it was great. I got to explore a bit, go out with other girls, Max did her thing. We always came back to each other, though," Lucas explained. "To be completely honest, I would much rather have a commitment to each other."
"So why don't you tell her that?" Dustin asked, and Lucas shrugged.
"I guess it's just easier to let her keep running things the way she wants them for now than to tell her what I want and risk losing her," he said.
"Interesting," Dustin muttered. "Incredibly stupid, and obviously self-torture… but interesting."
"Yeah, well, love makes you do stupid things sometimes," Lucas said.
"That actually brings me to the other thing holding me back from getting back together with El," Mike said, redirecting the conversation.
"What's that?" Will asked.
"I cheated on Lindsey with El," Mike reminded them.
"Yes, and that was a shitty thing to do," Dustin said. "But you're not a shitty person."
"Lindsey doesn't see it that way," Mike said.
He saw as realization struck his friends.
"I still feel horrible about hurting Lindsey the way I did, and I don't want to bring that guilt into my relationship with El. How can we start fresh if I'm still carrying guilt from something we did in the past?" Mike continued.
"So… you need Lindsey to forgive you before you can be happy with El?" Dustin asked.
"I don't know if that will ever happen," Will said gently.
"I have to try," Mike said.
"Why haven't you?" Lucas asked.
"I didn't know when would be a good time," Mike shrugged. "My last interaction with her wasn't exactly a good one."
"I would say now is as good a time as any," Lucas said.
Mike decided that night that Lucas was right. He had waited long enough, and it was time to try and get the closure he wanted.
It still took a few days for Mike to gather the courage, knowing that there was a good chance that Lindsey would either refuse to listen to him or that she would cause a scene and this whole thing would backfire on him. But one morning, Mike decided that today was the day, and he was leaning against Lindsey's locker when she arrived at school for the day.
He saw her about halfway down the hallway, and he noticed the moment that she saw him at her locker. She hesitated, her forehead scrunched in confusion, but she continued walking toward him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, and Mike sensed more confusion than anger, so he took that as a good sign.
"There's something I wanted to say to you, and you don't have to say anything back if you don't want to. I just need you to hear me out, and then I'll never talk to you again, if that's what you want," Mike started.
Lindsey did not say anything, but she crossed her arms and nodded for him to continue.
"I want to apologize for everything. I was hurt, and I didn't know what to do or how I was going to survive. And then you were there for me, and you listened to me, and you just made me feel so much better," he said. "You took my mind off of everything, and it felt good to forget about… what happened with El."
Mike tried to read Lindsey's face, but she continued to study him, emotionless.
"But that was selfish of me. You were always so amazing, and you never did anything but care for me, and I took advantage of that because you made me feel better," he continued. "But I swear I didn't mean to use you, Linds. I didn't even realize that's what I was doing until… well until recently. I've had some time to reflect on things, and… God, you didn't deserve anything that I put you through."
He saw her expression soften ever so slightly.
"I was never over El. I was lying to myself and trying to convince myself that I was getting over her, but that just wasn't true. You were right to call me out on that. I wish I could go back and change how I handled some things, but I just want you to know that I am sorry, from the bottom of my heart, for getting you involved in this mess… for stringing you along, for what I did and the way things ended… I'm sorry," Mike finished and waited for the response he hoped would come.
He was starting to lose hope and was prepared to walk away when Lindsey shifted her feet, uncrossed her arms, and opened her mouth to speak.
"You know, Mike, I was really angry… so angry, and hurt, after everything ended," she began softly. "But I've had time to think about things too, and looking back from how things started with us to how things ended… the signs really were there. The way you spoke about her, the things you did for her even when you were with me."
Lindsey looked down for a moment and raised her eyes back to meet his.
"I guess that's what sparked that ultimatum," she admitted. "I couldn't handle the uncertainty anymore, and it was kind of a last-ditch effort to get you to commit to our relationship and leave El in the past. But looking back on it now, that should've been the most obvious warning sign to me that this relationship was dead… Of course you were going to choose El. You never stopped choosing her."
Mike couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she actually understanding where he was coming from?
"I can be mad about you cheating on me, and believe me, I was," Lindsey said. "But I can't be mad at you for feeling the way you feel about someone. That isn't something you can control. So, I appreciate your apology, and I accept it. Everyone deserves to be with someone who wants to be with them, too. I genuinely hope you and El are happy together."
Mike smiled, the weight of the world feeling as if it were lifted from his shoulders.
"You really are amazing, you know that?" he asked, and Lindsey grinned in response. "Thank you for everything."
The rest of the week passed quickly, as Mike felt like a whole new person. He had gotten the forgiveness that he never thought he deserved, and he couldn't believe the impact it had on him immediately. He was feeling happier, not quite like his old self, but somehow a better version. Mike felt like he had accomplished what he set out to do with the time apart he had requested from El, but he still wasn't quite ready to discuss getting back together with her.
She was glowing, it was obvious. Mike was certainly proud of her and happy for the changes and discoveries she had made about herself. He was pleased with the progress the two of them had made, and he knew he was madly in love with her. Sometimes he almost slipped up and held her hand when she was next to him or kissed her goodbye when they would part ways, but he always caught himself. Mike just felt like there was still something he needed to resolve before he could officially reignite his relationship with El. He just wasn't sure what that was.
One evening, the entire party was over at Mike's house. The six of them got together to hang out weekly. Mike and the boys hung out more often, and Max showed up on extra occasions here and there, but El really only came over once a week. If Mike were being honest, he kind of missed the six of them hanging out daily, but he was happy because he knew it meant El was taking the necessary time for herself.
That night, the ending credits of Raiders of the Lost Ark rolled while Lucas, Dustin, Will, Max, and El pulled on their shoes and gathered their things. Mike told the five of them goodbye, offering El a warm smile that made her blush slightly, and then they were out the door.
He shoved the pizza box and empty soda cans into a trash bag and turned off the VCR and television before turning to head upstairs.
Mike was on the second stair on his way up when he heard the back door open again. He turned to see Max closing the door behind her.
"Hey. Can we talk?" she asked.
Mike didn't try to hide the confusion on his face as he descended the two stairs and stood by the coffee table.
"What do you want to talk about?" he asked.
"I wanted to talk to you about you and El," Max replied. Mike immediately felt his guard go up.
"I don't know, Max-"
"I've never apologized… or I guess, really, acknowledged… my role in your breakup," Max continued. Mike was stunned.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Max had always been so adamant that she didn't tell El what to do.
"I mean, yes, El made her own decision," she began. "But she made that decision based on doubts that most likely would never have been in her head if it weren't for the things that Abby and I said. So, I'm sorry."
Mike was taken aback. Never in a million years had he expected Max to claim responsibility for any part in El breaking up with him. Nor did he think Max would care enough about him and his feelings to apologize for it.
"Umm, thanks," he said cautiously. "I appreciate that."
He could see on Max's face that she had more to say, but truthfully, Mike felt quite awkward talking to Max alone about this. He was civil with her for the rest of the party's sake, but Mike never really considered his and Max's (could he even call it a friendship?) acquaintanceship healed.
"I know that you think I don't like you," Max said. "That night when you confronted me at Lucas's, I told you I don't hate you, and I meant it. I want you to know that."
Mike furrowed his brow before giving in. He sat on one end of the couch, and Max sat on the other.
"If you don't hate me, then why do you treat me the way you do when it comes to El?" he asked.
"I don't know, I guess…" Max sighed. "I guess it's just that all I've ever known, all I've grown up around, have been toxic relationships. My mom and dad, my mom and Neil, Billy and any girl he was ever with-"
"Did I ever treat El even remotely close to that?" Mike interrupted, slightly offended that Max would use these men's actions to justify causing El to doubt him. Mike knew he was nothing like them.
"No, of course not," Max replied. "You always seemed to treat her with respect. I guess I just feared that things with you and El could turn harmful in a different way."
"Such as?" Mike asked.
"Well, you remember a few years ago, my biggest issue was that you were trying to keep El all to herself and not let her spend time with the rest of us?" Max began.
"That's how you interpreted it," Mike said through clenched teeth. Sure, he had wanted El to himself, but it's not like he didn't let her see the others… he didn't control her, and he didn't appreciate Max's word choice.
"Well, when El moved away with the Byers', things were obviously way different because none of us could really see her. I talked to her on the phone once in a while, but not often because Neil would freak out about the long distance charges. And it's not like I could really use Cerebro… So, El and I kept in contact a lot by writing letters back and forth."
Mike nodded. El had told him that she and Max wrote to each other, but he hadn't thought anything of it.
"When she and Will would come visit over breaks from school, the six of us would hang out together, and everything felt great. She would even spend one of her nights in town at my house," Max recalled. "But when she and the Byers' actually moved back here permanently, I was starting to feel that way again… like you were keeping her all to yourself. When she was away, it was different because none of us really saw her. But it was like, once she was back, you started keeping her away from everyone else again. I just got really annoyed by it."
"You got annoyed with me spending time with my girlfriend?" Mike asked in a tone he hoped didn't sound too condescending.
"I wanted to intervene so El could have different experiences during her senior year of high school," Max continued, ignoring Mike's question. "I wanted to make sure you weren't just keeping her all to yourself again… But since then, I've realized that you weren't trying to keep her away from anyone. She wanted to spend her time with you just as much as you wanted to spend your time with her."
"What made you realize that?" Mike asked.
"When you guys broke up, El was really hesitant about seeing another guy," Max admitted. "I really pushed her hard toward Brad. All El kept asking everyone about was how you were doing."
Mike couldn't help but smile at learning that.
"And after things with Brad ended, you were still all she wanted," Max said. "She made that clear over Thanksgiving break when she and I snuck into a bar with Robin and Abby-"
"You did what?!"
"She met this guy and talked to him all night," Max continued, ignoring Mike's interruption. "She was drunk, but she said he treated her like a perfect gentleman. Even so, she left the bar because it wasn't what she wanted. She said all she wanted… was you."
Mike was silent as he let this new information sink in.
"That's why she had Lucas and I help her get you alone to talk," Max said. "She called me for my help after you and Lindsey had that fight-"
"Wait a minute," Mike interjected firmly. "How did she know about that fight before talking to me at Lucas's?"
Mike watched as Max's eyes widened at what she had let slip out, and it dawned on Mike.
"She spied on me?" he asked.
"Only because she heard Will tell his mom about how badly you were hurt," Max explained quickly. "Mike, she wanted to see that you were okay, and she knew she couldn't actually go to your house. So, yeah, she spied on you and ended up seeing that argument with Lindsey. But she spied on you because she was concerned because she loves you. That's also why she insisted on me coming up with a plan to get back at Brad."
Mike nodded; El had told him about the payback on Brad.
"I really thought that some time apart would be healthy. I thought I was helping her gain some independence and explore her options," Max said. "But seeing all the pain that so many people went through over the last few months… I really want you to know that I'm sorry."
"Thank you," Mike said after a moment. "I truly appreciate that."
The two of them sat in silence while Mike molded over Max's words. Learning all of this from Max made him feel foolish for doubting El's love for him. He felt a lump starting to rise in his throat, so he cleared his throat, jogging Max out of her own thoughts.
"I'll tell you something I've never said out loud to anyone before, even El. But you can't repeat it, Wheeler," Max said firmly, and Mike nodded. "I think one reason I might have always gotten so annoyed by you and El constantly being together is that, on some level, I'm kind of… jealous… of what you two have because I feel like I will never get that type of commitment… from Lucas."
Mike gaped at her, dumbfounded by this revelation. Max looked down at the floor, looking almost immediately ashamed of what she had just admitted.
"Max," Mike chuckled, and Max looked up, confused at the smile on Mike's face. "Lucas hates this casual dating arrangement. He literally just told me a couple weeks ago."
"R-really?" Max asked skeptically.
"Yeah," Mike nodded. "I bet if you had a real talk with him about it, he would tell you the same thing."
Max nodded and leaned back against the couch smiling.
"Thank you," she said. "And I promise, the second you and El get back together, you both have my complete support. No more meddling or putting ideas in her head."
"Thanks, that's good to know," Mike chuckled.
"But seriously, I hope it's the right time for you two soon," Max added, and Mike frowned.
"I do too," he said. "It's just nerve-wracking to jump back in. She seems like she's gotten a lot happier, which is great. I just wish I had some sort of sign that she had figured out everything she needed to figure out and that she is ready to be all in with me again."
"Well, from what I see, you and El have both grown substantially over the past couple of months," Max said. "El is in such a great place right now mentally. I've never seen her so happy with herself. And she is still hopeful about your relationship and is madly in love with you… I was actually really impressed the last time she and I talked about you. She has gone from 'I just want him back' to 'I just want him to be happy.' That's growth, Wheeler."
"Thanks," Mike said before glancing at his watch. His eyes widened. "Shit, I didn't realize how late it was."
"Well, I'll go get a ride home from Lucas," Max said, standing up.
"I can drive you," Mike offered.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Of course," he replied. "That's what friends are for."
The next morning, Mike was on his way to El's locker. He had rehearsed in his head what he wanted to ask her, but he was still feeling a swarm of butterflies in his stomach as he saw her leaned into her locker in the distance.
She turned and met his eyes, and Mike felt nervousness shoot down his spine as he anxiously clenched his fists at his side.
He took a deep breath before reaching her locker and told himself he had nothing to worry about. This was El, after all. Mike looked down at her doe eyes staring up at him, and the words he had replayed in his head flew away.
"Do you have a minute?" he asked.
"Of course," El smiled. "What's up?"
"Would you like to get dinner with me Tuesday night?" Mike asked and held his breath waiting for her answer.
"Yeah, I'd love to," El grinned enthusiastically, and Mike sighed in relief. Then, he saw as her brow suddenly creased in confusion. "Wait… isn't Tuesday… Valentine's Day?"
Mike smiled at the look of surprise on her face as she figured it out.
"Yes it is," he replied. "El, would you like to get dinner with me Tuesday night for Valentine's Day?"
"Yes," she confirmed, nodding and grinning from ear to ear.
"Great," Mike smiled. "It's a date."
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A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter will be the final chapter of this story, but I'll also give you some information on what I'll be coming out with next. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope to have the finale of this story out soon. As always, thank you for reading, and please remember to review!