The summer was passing way too fast for Mike's liking. It had already been two weeks since El's birthday party. Mike's feelings for El had magnified... and Max could tell. She's pulled him to the side once or twice to say something about it. He was actually a little bit envious of Lucas and Max's relationship. The two had barely know each other before they started dating, and in a month and a half of knowing El, he could barely work up the nerve to ask her to go get ice cream with him.

For the record, he had asked her. It took forever, but he did it. In all honesty, Mike knows the reason he keeps pushing his feelings for her aside.

He's scared. The last time he dated someone, they dated for 7 months. It was when the band was first becoming popular. Her name was Caroline Monet, and she was an actress. But Mike later learned that she cheated on him twice, and was only using him for the added amount of fame she was getting.

Another thing to think about is- why him? Why Mike? El was amazing. She was gorgeous, brilliant, and really easy to get to know. And there was something.. special about her. She shines brighter than anyone in the room.. Mike just hasn't exactly our the pieces together as to why.

Of course, he was the Mike Wheeler. Who sings and plays the bass in his band, Stranger Things. But El didn't care about any of that. In fact, she had once told him that she didn't ever want to be in the spotlight. She said that that's why she lives so under that radar.

Mike couldn't put her through that, could he? No. He wasn't that selfish. And besides, they were best friends, what if they broke up? Mike couldn't lose her.

Mike looked outside. The sky was dark and cloudy, but El was still skipping up to his front door.

Mike opened it before she had a chance to knock. "Hi." He smiled.

"Wanna walk down to the quarry?"

Mike looked up to the sky again. "Are you sure? It looks like it's about to pour?"

"We'll be fineee," She grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door.

Mike got butterflies as they walked down the road, holding hands. El didn't seem to notice, or care, so he decided he wouldn't pull away this time.

Mike noticed a fallen tree as they were walking. "When did that happen?"

"What?" El looked to where he was pointing. "Oh. Well, every time it storms really bad here in Hawkins, at least one tree falls down. It's like a curse. Normally there's just a little rain, maybe some lightning and thunder. So I doubt we're in for a big one tonight." She laughed.

Mike wasn't as sure as El. Winds were kicking up, and the closer they got to the quarry the more Mike thought about how bad of an idea it was. "Maybe we should turn around?"

"Please, just a little longer?" She turned to him and gave him puppy eyes, which she had learned from Max. "If it starts to rain really bad, I promise we can turn around."

"Fine," Mike chuckled a bit, "But when we're dead in a ditch, don't blame me."

"I'll take all the blame," El laughed quietly.

They had gotten to the quarry faster than Mike expected them too. They walked over to their normal hang out place.

"You think Lucas and Max will last?"

El smiled at the thought. "Yeah, I do. Max really likes Lucas."

"Lucas too. You should hear the way he rambles on and on about her. They have an official date thing soon, right?" Mike was a little envious. Just a bit.

"Yes. I'm happy that she's happy."

Mike watched her as she started talking about the joke Dustin told her last night. When she laughed about it again, her eyes sparkled. He watched as her curly hair lifted and then settled in the wind. God, he was going to hate leaving Hawkins. He knew that as soon as he was gone, another guy would come sweep her off her feet.

"Mike?" El snapped in front of his face. "Mike! It's raining, we've got to go." She stood up and grabbed his hand again.

"Oh. Yes," he stood up. "Let's go."

"Doo do, de doo dooo..." El started skipping, dragging Mike behind her. She hummed.

Mike laughed. He might be cold and wet, but he was with El, and there was no place he'd rather be... and damn, he wanted to kiss her.

El twirled, still holding onto Mike's hand. "I'm singingggg in the rain," she sang, "just singing in the rain!"

"What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again!" Mike continued, "I'm laughing at cloud so dark up above." They were definitely going to catch colds.

El giggled. "The suns in my heart, and," Mike twirled her again, this time bringing her close to him. "I'm ready.. for love." She whispered breathlessly.

"El," suddenly it felt like his blood was electric, tickling him from head to toe. "Can I kiss you?"

He heard he breath catch as she looked up at him with wide golden eyes. There was a loud snap behind him, and her eyes flicked over. "Mike, move!" El shoved him behind her, and raised her arms. He saw what was happening. Winds had knocked a tree over, and it was falling.. but, not?

"El? Why isn't that tree falling.. and why aren't we running?" Mike stammered. Panic had knitted all of his organs up.

He watched as blood trickled out of her nose. "You're bleeding!"

And the tree did come down, but softly. The only noise it had made was when it had snapped. Which was insane.. and not possible. This tree could've killed them. They should be dead.

She turned to him and wiped the blood away. He saw that she was crying, but he couldn't tell if the water on her face was blood or tears or rain, all colored red. "Mike, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I lied, I lied!" She started sobbing.

"Hey, what?" Mike pulled her into a hug. "No, no, don't cry. Please don't cry. You haven't done anything wrong. Let's go home, alright?"

"You're gonna- you're gonna hate me, oh my god!" She choked up.

"I'm not gonna hate you," El wouldn't look at Mike. "El, look at me," He pulled her chin gently, so he would see her eyes. "I promise. Okay?"

"Pr-promise?"

"Yeah."

—————————

Mike and El stumbled into the house, scaring Dustin to near death. "Holy- What the?" Dustin cursed. "You guys went out there? In that weather?"

"Well technically, we got stuck." Mike looked at El. "And some crazy things happened."

God, El felt terrible. And to think that she had yelled at Mike for his secret? How would he react to hers? El could feel her throat closing up and her eyes start to water.

"We'll be upstairs!" Mike quickly pulled her up before she burst out crying again. He pulled her into a hug. "Hey, hey.. it's okay."

"You're gonna hate me!" Her voice was wobbly. "You'll want to yell at me, I'm so sorry."

"No, I won't yell, I promise."

That made El cry harder. She knew it was supposed to be comforting, but it made her feel terrible. Because Mike kept a big secret, just like she had, and she yelled. She remembered how miffed she was, and how scared Mike looked.

Mike hugged El until her sobs turned to sniffles. He ran and grabbed some towels. "You ready to talk now?" He asked her.

She nodded. El took a shaky breath. "My real name is Jane Ives. When I was a baby, I was kidnapped. My mother was told that I was stillborn. Instead of being with her, I was raised in Hawkins National Labratory." She swallowed. "There was a man who took me. Dr Martin Brenner. He raised me as 011, and he was the only father I ever knew."

Papa- Dr. Brenner- took me because I'm special." Mike's brow furrowed. "He took ten other kids as well. Because we can do... things. Things that other people can't do." El grabbed his hand. "I don't know where the others are now. I wish I did. The things that he had us do—" El choked up. "God, Mike. It was horrible."

She told Mike about everything. How she didn't get out until she was fourteen. How Hopper found her in the woods, and soon after, adopted her. One time, she ran away to find her mom.. and then again to find Kali, a girl who was with her in the lab.

She told him about the gruesome things too. How if she didn't do what she was told, she was forced to sleep in a closet-sized room. And about how she now has terrible claustrophobia from it. She has nightmares still, that wake Hop up. She told him about the.. things that she had to do just to please Papa. And how worst of all, he's still out there. The lab might be shut down, but he is not.

"So," Mike laid down. "You caught the tree? With your mind?"

"Yes."

Mike rubbed his forehead, and then wiped at his eyes. "God, El, I'm so sorry. I know it doesn't help, but I am. No one deserves that."

El laid down right next to him. "I have this, too." She pulled down her damp sleeve to show her tattoo.

Mike raised his arm up. El thought he was going to touch the 011, but instead he clasped their hands together. El almost smiled, if it weren't for the heavy air that was surrounding them.

"He's still out there?"

El gulped. "Yes."

"He can still hurt you?"

He voice quickened. "I suppose."

They were silent.

"You don't hate me?"

Mike leaned on his arm. "Of course I don't hate you, El."

She smiled. He shook his head like a dog, sending water everywhere.

"Mike!" El screeched. She sat up and playfully shoved him.

He laughed at her. El rolled her eyes and laid back down. Though, she couldn't fake annoyance for long. The butterflies in her stomach caused her to smile.

"Whatcha smiling about?" Mike smirked.

El turned red. "I just- I thought of a funny joke! That Max told me.. yesterday."

"Do tell."

"I— uh— why did the chicken cross the road?"

"To get to the other side?" Mike laughed. "That's pretty common."

"No, no," El wade her hand in the air. "To go to the idiots house."

"Okay?"

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?" Mike shook his head again.

"The chicken!" El stifled her giggles.

I don't— oh El," Mike hit her with a pillow. "You're so mean to me!"

El burst out laughing. "Okay, what do you call a fake noodle?"

Mike shrugged.

"An impasta!"

He rolled his eyes, but smiled. "You're so stupid."

"Why did the scarecrow win an award?" El asked.

"I don't know El," Mike hit her with a pillow again, be he was also laughing.

She batted it away. "Because he was out-standing in his field!" El laughed harder at this joke.

"Oh my god— El, shut— up," Mike said in between fits of laughter.

"Make me," El sat up and put her hands on her hips confidently.

Mike stopped laughing. He grabbed one of her hands a pulled over, her so they were inches apart. "Happily."

And then he kissed her.

The butterflies had turned into fireworks that were exploding in El's belly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled into the kiss. It was her first kiss, and damn, was she glad about that. She wouldn't rather have it with anyone else.

Dustin knocked on the door. "Alright lovebirds, it's time to part. Hopper is here for El." Did Dustin know they were kissing?

El broke away, still smiling. "Thank you."

Mike grabbed her hand when she stood up. He walked her to the door, and when she was about to leave, he pulled her close again. "Text me when you get home?" He whispered.

"Of course." El looked into his eyes once more. There was a sparkle that wasn't there before, and it twinkled at her before she walked away to her dad's truck. As soon as she was inside it, she caged all the butterflies and cooled her hot cheeks.

"El," Hopper sighed. "You left your phone in your room again. Now I know that you're perfectly safe with these boys, for God's sake they have a million body guards, but please start taking it with you. I need a way to contact you in case anything happens."

"I'm sorry, I forgot." El smiled. "I promise that I'll remember it tomorrow— and the day after that, and the day after that."

"That's more like it," Hopper laughed and then turned up the radio.

—————————

As soon as El had gotten home and eaten dinner, she rushed into her room. She picked up her phone and called Max.

"Oh Max," She sighed giddily. "You'll never believe what happened today!"