A Memory

"El?" Mike's eyes widened as he saw the brunette, finally, after two years.

After years of being heartbroken; after years of hating each other; after years of missing the missing part of their heart; here they were, standing in front of each other.

El's eyes widened in shock as she sees him standing right in front of her, towering right in front of her. No, this can't happen. She tried her best to hide from him so how come he found her? Is it all a dream? Well, she used to daydream about him but this... felt real.

Her eyes were stuck on him and she felt a burning sensation in her body. His beauty always made her weak in her knees and this time too, it was working like a magic. She kept her irises focused on him as she sees him covered up in a black t-shirt that had white stripes at the ends and black pants with casual shoes. Diverting her eyes upwards, she felt her breath hitch. The mop of black curls he had, been now colored in purple, which was her favorite color. Did he do it on purpose? She then saw the freckles above his cheeks; they were shining like stars as always. His jawlines were now bolder than the last time she had seen him. Her eyes then moved to his lips; they were chapped and parted.

Finally, her eyes traveled up to meet his gaze and her eyes widened at the sight. He was also staring at her just like her. She gulped and shook her head to the side to see her best friend, secretly signaling her to protect her from this awkward atmosphere around her.

Max immediately got the sign and she nodded her head slowly, turning her eyes to Mike. "Hey, Mike," She replied sweetly before stretching her hand to shake his'. "Long time, no see."

But Mike gave no reply and kept staring at the girl in front of him. He felt like the world has stopped. The only thing that mattered around him was El.

He kept his gaze on her, reading her body like a map. She was looking like a fairy who came from another world. She was wearing a white t-shirt with pink high-waisted khaki pants along with white sneakers. Her honey wavy hair locks were now long and styled in an up-do. And talking about her face? Her ethereal face was glowing like a moon in the day. Her eyes were shining like pearls. Her cheeks, which were his favorite, were not chubby anymore as her jawline was slightly visible and that drove him crazy. And her lips? Oh, her lips. They weren't wearing anything but they looked like rose petals and he swears to god, if he'll be not able to resist himself, he'll kiss-

Just when he could float some more in his fantasy world, he feels someone's elbow poking him from the side.

Oh, god! Who in the hell interrupted him, now? And even if he did, he chose the worst timing. He lands back on the earth as he looks to the side to see Ashlyn with her eyebrows raised.

Ashlyn just shrugs her shoulders and turns her head to the two girls. She stretches her hand out to Max. "Hi! I'm Ashlyn. Mike's girlfriend."

El feels her stomach churn as she hears those words leave past the blonde's lips. Girlfriend? Did he already move on? After ending everything between them, he had the audacity to move on, without even explaining and clearing things between them? How? And what about the promise he made? Did he forget it?

She shakes her head. No, it wasn't the time for being grumpy after knowing that things have gone way too far. It was his choice to end things and restart with another person. Nothing she can do about it.

She sees Ashlyn shake hands with Max before turning her gaze back to her. "Hi, I'm Eleanor." El softly replies before stretching her hand out to the blonde. "Hi," Ashlynn replies quickly with a neutral face and turns her head back to Mike.

El just waits there, standing in the same position and expecting that the girl will shake her hand in a minute or two. But instead, she gets no response from her side. Max puts her hand down with force, eyeing the blonde.

"Hey, baby? Can we get some food? I'm super hungry." Ashlynn's 'angelic' voice comes making El cringe in discomfort. No way, she's doing it on purpose. I want to get out of this shithole as fast as possible. El thinks.

"Yeah. Sure!" Mike quickly responds before taking two chairs from the side to place them at El's table.

El raises a brow. Why can't they sit at another table?

"Finally!" Dustin's voice exclaims before sitting down. Lucas and Will also sat down near Dustin. They were now sitting beside El's table where Max, Mike, and Ashlyn were sitting.

They all ordered pizza as it was the most famous menu there. But Mike didn't order something heavy to eat as he said that a glass of milkshake was okay with him.

"So, Max? What things are you interested in?" Ashlyn asks Max who was not in the mood to chat with that blonde. The redhead fakes a smile before ending the conversation, "Nothing."

Ashlynn scrunches her eyebrows. She was just trying to make a conversation between them and she brushed it off? Rude.

El was silent during the whole conversation as her eyes were stuck only and only on Mike. She didn't want to open her mouth and make the atmosphere awkward around them. So she just sat there staring at nowhere.

"Sir, here's your strawberry milkshake whipped cream." The waiter makes his appearance with the milkshake along with two straws.

"Thanks," Mike replies before turning his head to his girlfriend. "Hey babe, you hungry?" Ashlyn moves her head towards him and sees him offering the milkshake. "Yeah."

"Wanna share?" Ash nods her head and joins him. She grasps the straw while Mike grasps the other and starts sipping on it.

And... that's when El feels a strange feeling occurring inside her. She feels a flame burning inside her eyes as she sees the couple giggling and staring deeply into each other's eyes, sipping on the liquid. Exactly a familiar scenario.

A familiar scenario.

Then she remembers...

"Hey, Mike?" El's voice surrounded Mike's ears as he never tore his eyes from her. "Yeah?" "You ordered the milkshake half an hour ago! Why didn't they serve us yet?" El pouts, making Mike chuckle at her childish behavior. "Don't worry, baby. It'll be here in a minute or two-"

"Sir, here's your strawberry milkshake whipped cream."

Mike lifts a brow, amused. "See? My tongue works like magic." El rolls her eyes dramatically. "Yeah, I've seen that enough."

"I bet you did." He mumbles, pulling the shake towards him and placing it between them. "Wait, why is there only one glass?"

"Because..." His voice trails off before pulling out another straw from his pocket. "we're going to share it." El's eyes sparkle at his words. "Like- like the couples share it in the movies?"

"Mhm. Now, come on." He mumbles, moving the straw towards her with the point of his finger, signaling her to drink it. El nods happily and repeats his actions, sipping the shake with him.

And just like that, the whole glass got empty but they remained in the same position and their eyes kept locked with each other as they wanted to stay like that forever... drowning in each other's eyes.

Ashlyn and Mike were sipping the milkshake with endearment before the blonde feels someone's eyes locked on them. She unlatches her lips from the straw and pulls her head back, turning her head to the side, causing Mike to do the same. She looks at her side and sees the frozen brunette, having a small smile tugged on her lips.

Mike frowns. 'Why is she smiling like an idiot? I planned to make her jealous, not happy.' He stretches his hand out to shake her from her daydreaming but then sees his girlfriend doing the same. The blonde shakes El's shoulder violently causing the group to snap their heads in their direction. "Eleanor?"

No response. "Hey, Eleanor!" She shakes her shoulder one more time and then El's eyes snap up looking at her. "Huh?"

"What happened to you? You looked crazy as fuck!" She laughs at El's face. El moves her head to the side to see Mike who had an unsettled expression on his face and was watching her the entire time.

"N-nothing happened."

Ashlyn chuckles and settles back on her chair, making everyone sigh in relief.

El side-eyed her best friend who was mouthing, "Are you okay?" She just shrugged and bent her head down to remove the embarrassing moment from her mind that happened just a minute ago.

'Great way to embarrass yourself, El.' She sighed, shutting her eyes.


*shitty chapter indeed* Anyways, hope you like this chapter. Even if not, I can't blame you as it is written by me lmao. Stay updated 'cause the birthday party is only a chapter ahead and a lot of stuff gonna happen including the past of El and Mikey's relationship.

- Lilia