And now, back to reality for our favorite Hawkins high schoolers. I can't believe we're here but please enjoy chapter 10!
El's POV
"So what'd you do this weekend El?"
If I were a paranoid person, I'd say there's a suspicious tone in Kali's question. But since I'm not and it's a totally valid question, I had no trouble answering it.
"Nothing really," I replied with a shrug. "Jim was working all weekend so I pretty much had the house to myself. I got some laundry done… cleaned my room…I went grocery shopping on Saturday." Well, I figured I could be honest about at least one thing.
"Sounds really eventful," Max said sarcastically from besides me.
"It sure was." I gave her a small and knowing smile.
While Kali and Max continued their conversation, I unwrapped the plastic from my PB and J sandwich. It was the first Monday back at school since the party on Saturday and, maybe more importantly, getting to see Mike in a different way. Ever since I dropped him off at his house Saturday night, or I guess technically Sunday morning, I can't help but admit that I've been thinking about how he's been.
There weren't any lights on in his house when I dropped him off so I can't say for sure if someone in his family saw him or if he got in any sort of trouble. Once he got past that, there was the matter of his inevitable hangover.
I don't think I've ever seen someone drink so much their first time. Granted, I can't say for sure that he's never had alcohol before, but seeing how wasted he got, it's a pretty good guess. Since I was responsible for him, I didn't want that to end once he stepped through his front door after I dropped him off.
Not only that, but if he got into any sort of trouble, I didn't want it to get back to me and then I would be punished too. His sister sure got a good look at me and with giving her my name, it wouldn't take very much to figure out who I am. I really wasn't in the mood to have Hop get on my case for being a bad influence to my peers or whatever he would say.
So apart from him getting home safe, I wanted to help his recovery along as well. If he listened to my instructions though, and if he used the stuff I got him was something that I had yet to find out.
I'll be seeing him at tutoring later today so my curiosity can finally end.
Just as if the universe knew I was thinking about him, he and his friends entered the cafeteria, lunch trays in each of their hands. Even though it was all the way across the room, I could still spot him, because a guy that looks like Mike can't really go unnoticed. Without realizing I was doing it, my eyes followed them and remained there even after they sat down.
"What are you staring at?" Max asked, likely noticing that my gaze and attention was not on our little group.
"No- nothing," I drew my eyes away, knowing I would have to come up with something on the spot. "Someone just spilled something over there and I want to see if someone slips on it."
With a laugh, she quickly turned and glanced around, thankfully not far enough to see Mike and his friends' table.
"That's funny. Let me know if something happens."
"Hey, do you guys know if that project for Berkowitz is due the class before or after Thanksgiving break?" Kali spoke, unsure.
"Before."
"After." Max and I spoke at the same time. Noticing the problem, we, since we're teamed up for the group project Kali's talking about, all groaned.
"Shit," Kali replied, since neither of us were any help. "Hopefully, someone brings it up in class because I am not letting him know that I have no idea. We don't even have a topic in mind."
"Nothing to fear Kali," Max then turned to me, a small smile on her face. "Maybe El's study buddy can help us."
"He's not really allowed to help with group projects…. Plus he's not in that class so he doesn't really know what's going on." I thought out loud so that I could shoot Max's idea down quickly. There's really no rules in regards to what kind of schoolwork tutors can and cannot help with, at least none that I know of. But the girls don't have to know that.
"You sure he wouldn't be able to help? It doesn't hurt to ask," Kali asked in a way that said she was much more serious about it than Max.
"I mean, I'm sure he'll have ideas but at the end of the day, it's a group project. He's tutoring me, not you guys." As if on cue, the two of the raised their eyebrows. I decided to speak before either of them could get a word in. "Why don't we just get together tomorrow after school and work on it? We can just get it over with."
"Sounds like a plan," Max spoke after a silence I felt was too long. "My place is fine, it that works with you guys."
"Sure," Kali replied with a nod, a much more agreeable reaction than my simple shrug.
His lips were moving but I couldn't hear anything. I was paying attention, just not in the way one would think.
Instead of listening to him babble on about calculus or the first World War or whatever he was going over at the moment, I watched as he used a finger to adjust his glasses every once in a while. Usually it happened right after his eyes would go wide with excitement from what he was talking about. He was talking with his hands too, which normally I would find annoying, but it was fitting for him since he was talking so passionately.
I decided that he needs a haircut. Nothing big. Just a trim. His curls kept falling into his eyes nearly at the same rate his glasses slipped. I didn't understand why he wasn't pushing his hair back or away from his face at the same time he fixed his glasses. I kept telling myself that although it might not be a good idea, the next time he neglects it, I'll reach out and do it for him. But I never did.
I don't know how much time had passed before he was waving his hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention, even though he already has it.
"You okay?"
His voice broke me from the trance and I lifted my head from my hand to show him that I was alert.
What are the chances that he knew I was staring at him?
"Yeah, fine," and I knew I had to come up with a quick excuse. "This is just so incredibly boring." If I said something like that during the first couple of weeks we met, he would have been so hurt by it that he would have immediately shut up and timidly look away.
Based on his smile, I don't think the same can be said now.
"Sorry that I'm not able to entertain you."
"It's okay," I smiled back. "If I found this entertaining at all, I wouldn't be here to begin with." We both laughed at that, since nothing about it was incorrect. Now that we were slightly off topic, or at least not directly talking about school, I asked the question I've had on my mind all day. "Was everything okay at your house after I dropped you off? I didn't, like, get you in trouble or anything right?"
"No, actually. Nancy and Holly were asleep by the time I went into the house and my mom was working overnight so she wasn't even there. I thought I was being kind of loud as I was going up to my room but neither of them woke up so I guess I wasn't." He ended with a shrug.
"And how about the next day? Like in the morning?"
"Oh," his face changed, probably because he was remembering. "Yeah, that was…rough. Good thing it was Sunday because I just played it off as sleeping in because I was up late doing homework and studying. My mom didn't suspect anything, I think. I used pretty much all the stuff you gave me too so thanks again for that. I have some of the Advil left if you want it, since you paid for it and all. Or I could just pay you back if you want."
Again with the hair.
"No, that's okay," I answered before the silence got too long. Thankfully I was able to catch his last few words. "Consider it an extension of your birthday gift from me."
"Heh, thanks."
"You're welcome," and then, another question occurred to me, and it was probably the most important one of all. "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah," he nodded, quickly agreeing. "It was different and I don't think I would have ever gone on my own, but yeah. I would," he hesitated, either unsure of what to say or unsure if he should say what he is thinking. "I would do it again. Given the chance."
That's what he said that froze me. What does that mean?
I glanced to the side, like that would give me that answer. I noticed someone standing up, backpack on their shoulder, and saying goodbye to their study partner. A look at the clock confirmed that it was time to leave.
"It's time to go," I told Mike, who likely didn't notice the time either.
"Uh, yeah," he spoke as he looked at the clock too.
Deciding I didn't want to think about what he said any longer, I grabbed my stuff as fast as I could so that I wouldn't have to walk with him out of the building like we usually do. I barely closed my backpack while he just got around to closing his textbook.
"I'll see you Wednesday." I quickly walked away, not giving him a chance to say anything.
Mike's POV
I knew I shouldn't have said that.
I should have just left it at, "yeah, I had fun." That's what she asked anyway.
She packed her stuff and left too quickly for me to say anything, not that I could think of something anyway. She left in such a rush, you'd think there was a fire.
Noticing that the library was clearing out anyway, I gathered my things, trying to not think about El any longer.
"Well, she couldn't have left any faster."
"Huh, what?" Lucas came up and surprised me.
"Elizabeth," he gestured towards the door of the library. "I don't think I've ever seen someone leave the library so fast."
"Heh, yeah," I laughed. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who noticed El's haste. "She's uh, she's running late to meet with someone." I defended her, even though I didn't know why I felt the need to.
"Or," Lucas started as we both turned to leave, "she just ran out because she was embarrassed."
What?
"Embarrassed about what?"
"Dude," he spoke, facing me. "You- you seriously didn't see the way she was looking at you?"
"Wha-when?"
"Like just before she ran out the door. From what I could see, you kind of had to snap her out of it."
"Wha- what do you mean?"
Lucas, never one for being so patient, looked at me like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I don't know when exactly it started but when looked over at you guys, she was just… staring at you like, like you were the only thing she could focus on. I can't tell what she was thinking obviously but it was something good because whatever it was, she didn't want it to stop. She, I can't believe I'm saying this, but she looked at you like you were the only person in the world."
By now we were halfway to the school's exit, but what Lucas said made me stop in my tracks. It took longer than I would have liked to think of something to say, and when I did, I wasn't sure if it was even the right thing.
"How- how can you tell?"
"You just can. If you were paying attention, you probably would have too. But I guess whatever happened after that is what really set her off. What did you say to her?" He asked it in a suspicious tone, which made sense, since he was most likely correct.
"I uhh, I just," Here's where I had to make a decision.
I hadn't planned to tell any of the guys about my Saturday night with El. I just didn't think it was something that could be easily brought up without it launching into a whole conversation. There's also the fact that, as bad as it might sound, it wasn't really any of their business.
If I could help it, I probably wouldn't end up telling them until several years down the line, when high school, and El Hopper, became a thing of the past.
But something told me that telling Lucas wouldn't be a bad idea. In a couple of ways, he's the one I trust the most. He's not as silly as Dustin and he's able to see things in a more grown up way than Will. It could have something to do with him being the oldest out of all of us but there have been other things over the time we've known each other that Lucas was better at handling.
This would probably be no different.
Of course, I could always make something up and avoid mentioning that I was out on Saturday night with El altogether, but I've never been really good at improvisation.
"So- on Saturday," I started as we pushed through the double doors, leading to the exit. "I was trying to do the physics homework and Nancy comes to my room and tells me there's someone here to see me. At first, I thought it was you guys so I didn't think anything of it. But, uhh, it was her." With my thumb, I pointed back to the building, letting him know I was talking about El without having to say her name. I wasn't entire sure how I should address her around him.
"Okay…." Lucas trailed off and allowed me to continue.
"She was on her way to this… party. And she stopped by to see if I wanted to… go with her."
"Wait, what? You were out together? Like, out out?"
"Not like that…." Or is that how he meant it? "Or maybe like that. I don't know," I spoke quickly. "But," and here came the hardest part of the whole story, "there were drinks and stuff and I had more than I probably should have." With wide eyes and all, his facial expression looked just how I pictured. "Anyway, long story short: before she ran out she asked if I had fun. I said I did and," I knew I had to be honest. Simply saying yes wouldn't have made her leave the way she did. "And I said that if I had the chance, I'd do it again."
"Damn," Lucas spoke after a moment, like he was thinking it over.
"What?!" I asked, far more alert to his reaction than before. "What is it?"
"You pretty much implied you want to go out with her again."
"Wha- no! That's not what I said."
"That's probably what she thinks you meant," Lucas clarified. "Why else would she run away like that?"
"N-no." We reached his car and I walked to the passenger side. "I don't think…. No, I mean, I. No." I reached to fix my glasses again.
"Based on that reaction, she doesn't seem the type to take comments like that lightly. You should be more careful with what you say around a girl like Elizabeth Hopper."
"El."
"What?"
"She likes to be called 'El'," I decided to tell him. Noticing the look he gave me, I knew I had to elaborate. "It's not just me. She wants everyone to call her that."
"Sure Mike," I heard his tone change slightly from how it had been before, as he unlocked and opened his car door. "Whatever you say."
Next is a chapter that I haven't been working on, but yet am very much looking forward to. Don't forget that you can follow me on Twitter for behind the scenes facts about the chapter and sneak peeks for later ones. I am at D13Tribute. Please review!
