AUTHORS NOTE:

Okay, so usually I do this at the end of the chapter, but I just wanted to say a few things to you guys about this story.

Yes, we all love mike and eleven together as a couple! And who knows, that could potentially happen within this story, but it may not as well. Some of you guys have your opinions about it being too angsty and that's so fine but at the same time imagine if you had gotten cheated on by the only person you've ever had in your life. So please try and see it through El's eyes, even in the show their love is heaps dramatic. What I'm saying is of course its sad and depressing right now otherwise if she just took Mike back then the story would be stupid.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter and have a merry Christmas!

L xo

Just breathe.

Eleven shut her eyes briefly and let out a strangled sigh as she skimmed her way through the busy streets of Hawkins. During Christmas season it always got awfully busy, everything became too loud and even the people became too pushy for El. As she quickly made her way through the chirpy crowds, her gaze landed on the tall-legged blonde behind the glass window of what was once her and Mike's old hangout spot.

It was a Café. It wasn't much, simple yet starting to get a little run down due to it being there for so long. She remembered their shared summer moments that consisted of cherry sundaes and secret kisses they had behind the booth in the corner of the seating area. Over the course of the last few weeks, El's emotions became stronger and she felt herself wanting to understand they reason behind why he'd cheat. Or in other terms, wanted to see what Emily had that she didn't.

She almost bolted right then and there, she truly did. She felt anger crawling at the back of her throat, it's claws trying to wedge itself out of her body. With a violent shake of her head, she continued making her way towards the café. Every step closer was adding even more dread to her veins, as she pushed the creaky door open a small bell rung above her as she entered the cluttered space.

Eleven then bit down on her tongue so roughly that she could taste the blood filling her mouth. How could she describe the way Emily looked in this moment? A wave of insecurity clogged El's mind as she crossed her arms over her chest, her daisy patterned dress now brushing against the apex of her thighs. Her gaze drifted back to Emily. She was crouched down, handing a banana cream pie to a little girl who looked around five or so. They were both smiling, giggling even and she couldn't help but not hate this girl, or at least not yet. She was dressed in a reindeer costume, El couldn't even imagine what it would look like on her. She could picture the ridiculous looks and frowns she'd get off everyone in the town, not to mention the fact that to others she could still be considered a fourteen-year-old wearing that. But on Emily, she managed to pull of the look entirely. Like it was made for her in a way. In other words, Emily was the most beautiful girl this town had ever laid eyes on.

"Hi, can I help you –"Emily flashed her an apologetic smile as she realised who she had been serving next. "I'm sorry, El. Please forgive me, it's just that I hardly recognised you for a second. Gosh, it's been ages, right? How have you been?"

El didn't like the fact that Emily had called her El, that's what her loved ones called her, and Emily was nowhere near her list of friendships anytime soon. Did she already know about her and Mike's separation? Did the two of them laugh in bed together at her pain? Of how utterly clueless she was of Mike's cheating?

Just breathe.

"El? Are you okay? Maybe you should take a seat and I'll get you a glass of water, your looking unwell." Emily asked, her soft voice dragging her back to the present. Eleven looked at the waitress and gave her a fake smile. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. She reminded herself over and over before she jammed herself onto a stool directly opposite to were Emily was standing.

"I'll take that water if you don't mind." she said in a quiet voice.

Emily clapped a hand on Eleven's shoulder, almost in a comforting gesture before her hand was now replaced with a glass of water for El. In all seriousness, El in fact didn't want the beverage at all. What she wanted was to be further and further away from this girl, but she accepted the drink anyway, taking a small sip but never unlocking her eyes from Emily's.

Emily leaned towards her even further, the guilt in her eyes was beginning to cause Eleven to tremble in her seat. "So, what brings you by? Can't say I've seen you on this side of town for a long time." She said, refilling El's empty glass that she managed to chug down from nervousness.

She exhaled and dropped both her arms onto the counter, her fingers playing against the edge of her wedding ring. El could still picture her wedding day, every emotion was weighing down heavily on her heart that she decided enough was enough. She needed answers and she needed them now.

"Unfinished business is why I'm here, I need some answers and I need them fast. Would you care to help me?" Her voice was void of all emotion. Instantly a guilty blush spread over Emily's cheeks, that it took everything in her being to not use her powers against her and break her neck.

"I don't see how I could help you but I'm willing to try. What's the-"

El cut her off quick and fast, "How well do you know my husband?" El's tone remained calm and collected but it's what was swirling in her eyes that had Emily push herself off the counter and further away from her.

You've got this. Don't back down now.

"What do you mean? I'm friends with him but-" She stopped suddenly and looked around nervously, almost as though she needed help. Help in getting rid of El perhaps. She licked her lower lip but avoided all eye contact with her, deciding that the floor was a hell of a lot more interesting than Eleven. "What is this really about?"

All that could be heard was the scrape of the stool's legs being pulled back harshly as her body left the seat. El's hand slammed down on the marble counter so hard that the room went entirely quiet all together. "What I'm saying is, when did you think it would be okay to fuck my husband?"

Emily shook in fear, her eye's widening as the look of horror edged its way on her face. At first, all that could be heard was endless apologies coming from her mouth, then the tears began to fall drastically, and then the sobs left her throat quicker than Eleven expected. Her hand flashed out before she'd thought about it, the slap vibrating against her palm even once it was over. Emily held her cheek, El was expecting to be kicked out or perhaps awaiting a hit back from her. Emily did none of those things, she stood their tear-stained and frozen before Eleven noticed acceptance was filling Emily's eyes. She watched as her shoulders dropped, and she tore off the reindeer ears swiftly off her head. "I deserve that."

All Eleven could do was nod, noticing she had gained more attention than she anticipated. She decided sitting across from Emily once again would be a lot better than being the centre of attention. People talk in Hawkins, nothing interesting ever happened in this remote town that she knew if she kept this up, Mike would find out all about her little visit. After a few silencing beats played out within the Café, she returned to the empty stool and sipped her water contently.

"You did." Eleven agreed softly, brushing a piece of hair that fell out from her braid, she continued on, "Let me ask you this one thing. Who came onto who? Who was the one that started everything." She marvelled at the emotions that were springing up inside of her. She was so scared, scared couldn't even describe the unbearable pain of finding out what really had happened between those two. She felt herself quickly wiping away the tears that spilled out from the corners of her eyes before her gaze locked back with Emily's.

"It was me," Emily bowed her head, almost ashamed, her once chirpy voice had changed to mousy. "I saw the way he looked at you, no other guy has ever looked at me with such love the way Mike did to you. I was jealous, insanely jealous, I couldn't stop thinking about how happy you both looked together." She threw her face into her palms, her voice now muffled but luckily enough for Eleven her powers helped her hear.

"At first, I tried to let it go. Believe me, Eleven I honestly tried. But you got everything I've always wanted, and you didn't even have to try. You had a boy who worshipped the ground you walked on, and I wanted that, I wanted the love you both had for each other and, so I did what I've always been best at doing. I used my body in what I thought was a good idea, it only got so far, and in the end, we both broke down and cried." Emily pushed herself away from her soaked hands and brushed them brutally against her green dress before she shakily murmured, "I cried for being so stupid into thinking what I did was right, I had felt so guilty after it that I showered myself straight after. Mike though? He cried for what felt like hours, I heard every scream and plea he let out. He didn't mean any of it El, he loves you so much-"

El scrambled to get her belongings, she had heard quite enough, she needed to leave. She felt the walls of the Café closing in on her greedily, all her breath was knocked out of her that if she didn't get fresh air she was worried what she would do next. "Eleven, please, wait!"

Her braid whipped around the back of her head so fast as her face was flushed with red and her teeth almost bared. "I suggest you get away from me, otherwise I don't know if I'll be able to hold myself back the next time you speak."

Emily's eyes flew wide. She searched El's face for lies but once she realised that she was being serious, she threw both her hands up almost in a surrendering stance before mutely nodding.

"When a man loves a woman, he certainly doesn't fall for some pathetic girl who throws herself at any guy willing to give her attention. Most importantly, the Mike I once knew wouldn't have even turned his head to look at you. So, congratulations, whatever you did must've worked. But for your sake, I'd be very scared." She was trembling now. She wrapped both arms around herself to fight the emotion that was consuming her heavily.

"If you go near Mike again or even remotely breath in his direction. I will not hesitate to kill you, do you understand?" Her voice was low but carried malice, "If I find out from anyone that you've told him about our little meeting, I'll show you what it really feel's like to be a worthless little girl in this world. Trust me on that."

She was done. She was done being the timid girl, she was over the endless heart ache Mike made her consume every day. Payback was a bitch and it was now time Mike really knew how much he fucked up.