Eleven was very groggy when she heard kncking at her door. In fact, she didn't be,uve there actually was knocking at her bedroom door until it opened. A very familiar redhead walked through the door. "If you're not up in- oh! You're awake!"

"Max!" Eleven jumped out of her bed to throw her arms around the girl.

"I got back in last night. Happy early birthday!" It was two days before Elevens birthday. Max smiled at her. "Now get dressed loser, we're going shopping!"

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"So this boy Mike," Max pursed her lips. "What happens if I don't approve?" She gasped. "Has Hopper even approved? And does he know?"

"Oh trust me, you'll approve. And..." Eleven twisted one of her curls around her finger. "I haven't exactly told Hopper yet. I'm waiting to tell Hopper before I can tell Mike about me."

Max interrupted her. "Ohmygod El! You have feelings for a boy, and you haven't told Hopper? Wow, I thought there wasn't anything you didn't tell him. "

Max giggled. El sighed dramatically. "It's not like that! I don't feel for him... but I do not know how Hopper will react if I tell him that I have a friend who is a boy. He will think the exact same thing!"

El scoffed. "Feel for Mike? No way."

Max pulled her into the Gap. She pulled out some silly shirts for her and El to try on."El, darling, the way you were talking about Mike? There's something there."

El giggled as max handed her a tube top. "Max, this isn't my style."

"Alright then, let's leave. There's a skate shop that I wanna check out!"

They walked out of the store arm in arm, down to the skate shop. All El could think about was how much she had missed her best friend.

Max got so close to to window of the skate shop that El could see her breath on the window. "Man," She said, "I can't wait to get home and pull out my skateboard. Canada was very boring without you and my skateboard. I wish could've text you."

El agreed with her. But almost as soon as they had reached the Skate Shop, they had left. On their way out, they passed a magazine stand. Crowded around it were a bunch of girls.

El stood on her tip toes, but she still couldn't see what they were looking at. Max elbowed her. "Wanna go see what they're looking at?" She smirked.

The two girls walked over and slowly made their way into the crowd of girls. They were crowding around a Seventeen magazine... that had Mike Wheeler??? On the cover? "What the hell?" El slapped ten dollars on the counter and ran out of the mall.

"El?" Max panted. "What's wrong?"

El surveyed the magazine. This couldn't possibly be her Mike Wheeler. But somehow, he had the same corkscrew hair, the same freckles, and damn, his cheekbones. The magazine company noted on his cheekbones in the article. They were "cheekbones to die for." El pointed back to the front cover. "Mike."

"You're kidding."

"No, that's Mike!"

Max closed her eyes. "Let me get this straight. For over a month now, you've been friends with the Mike Wheeler? And you didn't know? Is the rest of his band here?"

"Yes!" El was pissed. She remembered when she first met him, when he asked if she knew who he was. He could've just told her right then and there! But he didn't. He lied. "Max, let's go to his house."

"I'm down. We're gonna yell at the Mike Wheeler."

"Stop calling him that!"

"Okay, okay."

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Mike was awoken by pounding on his front door. He looked at his clock. It was almost 11:30 am. Who would be at his house pounding on his door?

He and El had plans today at 2. So he was surprised when he opened his door to a very pissed off El, who marched into his house followed by an unfamiliar redhead.

"What is this?" El threw a magazine at Mike, and he cursed when he saw the front cover.

"Ah, uh.." Mike was panicking. Why on earth couldn't he form a sentence?

"You. Lied." El stabbed her finger into Mike's chest. She was so angry at the fact that he lied to her. But why?

Lucas walked into the room. "What is going on here?"

"God, yknow what, Mike?" The redhead spit his named out with such venom it even made Lucas wince. "Don't bother. We're out of here. C'mon El." She turned and marched out the door, El hot on her heels.

The only thing Mike felt was fear. Was he going to lose El? He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Eleven," Mike pleaded, "Please stay. I can explain, I promise."

El stunned towards him slowly. When she saw the look on his face, she almost felt bad. He looked so panicked! "Promise?"

He nodded. "I swear. Just please, come upstairs."

"Max, can you stay down here?"

"Sure." But Max still looked at Mike warily.

Mike led her upstairs to his room. They both sat down on the bed. "Do you want me to start from the beginning?"

"Yes."

"So, about two years ago Lucas, Will, Dustin, and I started a band. We just posted covers and some originals on our YouTube channel, and we definitely didn't expect it to go anywhere. But one day we got an offer from j talent agent. He said that he could help us get our work out there, so we decided to work with him."

He started getting us gigs and we became more and more comfortable playing in front of live audiences. One day, he got us a really important gig. He told us that someone from a big record label was going to be watching us perform to see if we were any good."

And we got the deal with him. But he told us he needed us to be less alternative, and more pop. Alternative pop. Think Panic! at the Disco. I guess that's really when we got our claim to fame. We've had two albums and two tours. We also do covers and such."

But when you're in the spotlight, you rarely meet people who want to be your friend. Most of the time, they just want something from you. And I guess that's why I didn't tell you. El, you became one of my closest friends. Like as close as the rest of the guys and I are, if not closer. And you never wanted something from me. You never wanted a shout out on instagram, or money, or an autograph."

But I am really sorry that I didn't tell you. I should've, and I realize my mistake. I'll do anything to make it up to you," Mike sighed, "And if you do end up walking out the door, I will chase after you until you come back. And I'll bring eggos." Mike cracked a small smile.

"I'm sorry for yelling."

"No, don't apologize. You had every right to yell. I lied to you." Mike truly did feel horrible for lying to her. "No more secrets?"

El felt guilty as she said it. "No more secrets." She was keeping a huge one from him. Once he hears it, she thought he might not want to be her friend anymore. But he was Mike. He was.. different. But El did have a lot of baggage.

Mike smiled. He realized they were holding hands. He knew he should pull away, so he stood up. "Let's go downstairs." A little part of Mike almost wished that he could've still held her hand. He shouldn't be feeling like that though. He was just going to have to leave El when summer was over. But Mike didn't want to think about it.

"I need to use the restroom. I will meet you downstairs." El walked in the opposite direction down the hallway.

"Okay, you guys." Mike rushed downstairs to where Dustin, Max, and Lucas were deep in conversation. He interrupted them. "Sorry, but this is important! I think we should throw El a surprise party. Here. On her birthday."

"That's actually a great idea," Max stood up and stuck out her hand for a handshake. "I'm Max. Sorry, about earlier. But El is my best friend and I will protect her at all costs." She narrowed her eyes at Mike. "If you hurt her, I will hurt you."

"What?"

Lucas put his hand up. "Anyways.. a surprise party sounds great. But who's gonna talk to her dad?"

"I will." Mike said, "I'll go down to the police station tomorrow."

"Okay, and I'll be the one to bring her to the house." Max smirked. "I'll just drag her down to the Skate Shop, and I'll make sure she eats something party appropriate. Just- no one tell her. Obviously. But if she brings up her birthday, then just brush it off."

"You skate?"

Mike went down into the basement, leaving Max and Lucas in their own little world. This was going to be the best birthday Mike had ever planned.