"El, are you okay?" Mike asks when he busts open the door and sees her standing with Will.
"Yes!" she gives him a squeeze. Mike looks relieved.
"Mike, what was that?" his friend questions him.
"Dustin thinks it was an earthquake," he says shaking his head. He clearly wants nothing more to do with him. "We got to get out of here."
"Where's Lucas and Max?" El asks.
"We'll find them," he says, heading into the hallway. The music hasn't started back up again. So, the laughing follows Mike. He leads the way out a passing out a side door with the two. El and Will look at each other and wonder what the others could be laughing about.
"Why are they laughing?"
"Ask Dustin," he spits not in the mood. They end up in the bushes on the side of the house and have to walk out a narrow stone path to reach the sidewalk. They are crossing the street when they see Troy and his friends by Mike's car. "Oh sh-!"
"Well, well, look who we have here—the geeks!"
"What did you do to my car?!" Mike's eyes widen and his mouth falls open when he sees the giant gash on the side and the dent on the hood.
"Oh, that wasn't me, that was that little shake that just happened. Rotten luck dude!" he hoots like a harpy. His friends all chime in. Mike balls his hands into fists.
Dustin runs from across the street. He'd been taking the brunt of the laughter while Mike got their friends out of the house.
"Start the car!" he now yells running out. The party crowd files after him like a wave. When he gets to the side of the car, he sees Troy and responds the same Mike. "OH SHIT!"
"Get away from my car! We're leaving," Mike steps in front of his friends.
"Where's your friend Luke? I was hoping to talk to him again."
"It doesn't matter. None of this matters! Now will you get off my car."
"I think I'm gonna stay here until he comes out actually. I figure you're his ride and I'm sure he'll need to come save your ass."
"We don't need saving. We have her!" Dustin shouts a little too confidently. El panics and shows Dustin her hands, waving them in a way that says she has nothing.
"Fuck I forgot!"
"Oh potty-mouth, what did you say she was going to do again? Is she your secret weapon?" all his friends laugh. "I don't think so," he takes a step forward.
Mike blocks him with his body. He won't let him get any closer to his friends. Will, not much of a defense, also takes a step forward. Dustin puts up his hands ready to try a move he saw on a boxing game he played in the arcade. If he does it right, he typically gets a KO.
"Hey, leave them alone!" Lucas runs out of the house and races across the street. "What are you doing here Troy? Take your friends and get out of here."
"LUKE! There you are," the two begin to stare each other down. "Where's Max?" he asks him simply. Lucas holds himself very still. Troy catches the slightest twitch. "Where is she?!"
"I'm right here," Max passes through the crowd. She doesn't let her face show anything.
"Are you coming with me or are you staying here with these losers?" They pause. He waits. She walks up to him. She looks back at Mike first and notices his keys bunched up in his fist. She looks at El, Will and Dustin who look worried for her. She looks last at Lucas trying to get him to understand. She takes a step forward and spins around as if to show her side.
"Max…" Dustin sighs betrayed.
"I think I feel much better about this whole thing now. So sorry about your car, terrible accident," he takes several steps away with his friends and Max.
They all stare after their friend. Although they're free to enter the car and leave, they take a second just in case. Mike calls it and opens the front door. Lucas waits the longest. He isn't holding out hope. He thinks he knows something, but he can't be sure until it happens.
"LUCAS!" Dustin yells out the car window.
The rest of them have just about filed in. The party crowd and Troy's gang hang outside the front of the house. Max stands a half inch in front of Troy. Lucas steps into the car last. The car pulls out of the driveway and onto the street. It makes the slowest of turns down the one-way cul-de-sac, still waiting to see. Max makes a movement. Lucas puts a hand on Mike's shoulder to stop the car. Max, meanwhile, stomps on Troy's toes and elbows him in the stomach.
"We're over, asshole," she says and runs to the car. Lucas, sensing her coming, opens the door for her.
"Welcome back!" Will grins approvingly.
"That was brilliant!" Mike smiles hitting his steering wheel excitedly.
"You dumped his ass!" El giggles hysterically.
"Mad Max! Mad Max!" Dustin yells.
By the time Troy regains his breath, their car has completely sped away! They all scream and laugh loudly. Lucas kisses Max happily.
END OF PART 1
STAY TUNED! The party scene is technically over so let's see where this goes and how it expands :) Thanks for reading this far!