A/N:Chapter 4 is here :) A little Max and El bonding! This chapter sets up the next Chapter!
Chapter 4 El finally meets Max
The next morning El felt so down she had taken to her bed. With the holiday not living up to her expectations and Mike's cruel words still playing on her mind she was feeling rather low. Her dwelling behavior didn't go unnoticed by Will. As he woke for breakfast, he was shocked to find that El was still in bed, the covers pulled right over her head.
"El." He whispered softly as he gently patted the blanket. "Why aren't you up. Mom and Hopper are getting ready for breakfast."
"I don't feel well." El groaned from underneath the blanket. "I've got a headache."
At that moment they could hear their father's booming yell causing Will to roll his eyes.
"What am I doing here El?"
El suddenly jumped up from under the covers, revealing a pale face and eyes that were red raw from crying.
"Jeez. You look like shit!" Will said with a grimace.
"Thanks I know. I barely slept last night." El told him as she buried her head in her hands. "Please just tell them I've got a headache and I'll be up later."
Will smiled at her sympathetically before giving her a quick hug. "Don't worry I'll tell them."
El flung her head back down on the pillow as she heard the shut of the door and the sounds of their voices fade away into the distance until there was silence. For the next hour she tried to get back to sleep uninterrupted but found that the sun shining through the crack in the blinds and the sounds of holiday goers enjoying themselves outside made it almost impossible. Eventually she gave up and rose from her bed,showered and dressed putting very little effort into her outfit choices as she chose a pair of denim overalls and striped top. Presuming no one was in, El grabbed her bag and ventured out onto the veranda, only to stop in her tracks when she saw Joyce stretched out on a lounger a paper rested over her bump.
"Morning! Someone's feeling better?" Joyce said brightly as she motioned to the sun lounger beside her.
"Yeah I feel better." El lied as she wandered over to sit on the lounger next to her. "Why are you not out with Daddy?"
"Well Will went to see Jennifer" They both shared an eye roll at this. "And your Dad is playing golf with Oscar Harrington. So I thought we could spend some time together and maybe you could tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothings wrong I just had a headache." El insisted.
"El. I'm a Mother we're not stupid. I heard you come in late last night and I heard you crying. As for the whole I've got a headache trick, teenage girls have been using that excuse for years. What's wrong sweetie?"
El remained silent as she looked down at her shoes instead of at her mother.
"Is it the baby? Are you worried because this baby is going to be biologically mine and your Dad's? Because I know I'm not your real mother and Hopper isn't Will's real dad. But we love you both in the same way we'll love this baby. We're all one family regardless of DNA."
El smiled at Joyce sweetly as she shook her head. "It isn't that Mom. I'm excited for a little brother or sister and I know Daddy is. Of course you love us all the same I know that."
"Then what is it El?"
"I don't know. It's just this holiday isn't what I thought it would be. Last night was terrible. Will was with Jen. I was on my own. Apart from when Steve found me and I hung out with him for a while. Please don't tell Dad. He'll only have a go at Will and then he'll continue to try and set me and Steve up.. And then there's…" El stopped as she realized that she could't tell anyone about Mike because he would be in trouble for spending time with her.
"And…" Joyce urged.
"And everything's just changing. It's just a lot." El lied timidly.
"Oh sweetie. Trust me your not the only one who's life is changing. Will's going to college and your about to be a senior in high school and now me and your Dad are about to start all over again with a newborn. Don't get me wrong I'm excited and I am happy and so is your Dad. But I thought my days of sleepless nights and dirty diapers were done. I had Johnathan at 18, then I had Will at 22 and then you came along with your Dad when you were 8 so I thought I was done raising my kids. But well life has a funny way of surprising you. Here I am 40 and having another baby."
El looked at her mother with concern. "But you're happy right Mom?"
Joyce chuckled to herself as she pulled El in for a hug. "Oh sweetheart I'm very happy."
As they pulled away Joyce gave her a knowing smile. "So what was this about hanging out with Steve Harrington?"
El groaned as her Mum laughed. "Mom please can you and Dad not set me up with Steve. It's so embarrassing. We told each other last night that we aren't interested in each other so that is not happening."
"Well that's fine. He's a nice guy but if he's not for you then he's not for you. Besides I'm not sure about you hanging around with older guys. You're only 17."
El laughed nervously as her thought turned back to a much older Mike she had been speaking to.
There was a sudden knocking sound behind them, causing them to look up. Max stood on the steps of their veranda gently tapping the wood to get their attention. El noticed once again how effortlessly pretty she looked, her flaming red hair piled on top of her head in a ponytail and dressed in a red summer dress and over sized denim jacket giving her an edgy look.
"Hi. " She said timidly her voice very softly spoken. "I'm here to see El." She gestured towards her as Joyce looked at Max in confusion.
"I'm sorry we haven't met. Who are you?" El and Max shared a knowing look.
"This is Max. She's a dancer. Here. With the entertainment staff, I asked her about some lessons and she's here to discuss it." El said thinking quickly.
"Oh wow! How great. Maybe me and your Dad should have some of those. I hope you know some slow moves for a rapidly growing pregnant woman Max."
Max simply laughed in response whilst Joyce continued to chirp away unbeknownst to all of El's lies. Eventually Max stepped in and broke Joyce from her discussion.
"Would you mind if I had a quiet word with El please?" Max asked politely as she edged closer to the veranda.
"Sure." Joyce remarked as she eased herself up off the lounger and made her way into the cabin. Once they were alone, El got up to come stand opposite Max.
"How did you know who I was?"
"Mike told me. Also I saw you with Steve last night in the kitchen." She said pausing to pull a red leather bound book from the inside packet of her denim jacket. It was her copy of Romeo and Juliet she had been reading last night. El took it as Max passed it to her. "You left it in there so I brought it back for you. Mike likes those kinds of books."
El smiled at this little snippet of information before bringing her mind back to the matter at hand.
"Look I don't know how much Mike told you but I'm sorry I went to get them but you were upset and I wasn't sure…"
Max held her hand out to hush her. "Relax. I know he told you everything. I also know that he spoke to you like shit so I apologise for that too. I mostly came here to say thank you for looking out for me and to make sure that you would please keep my secret. I really need this job to get me through to Autumn. Now I know you don't know me so you don't owe me shit but…"
"Max I promise I won't tell anyone about the baby or Lucas or any of it." El insisted.
Max smiled at her before quickly muttering her thanks and started to made to leave before El stopped her.
"Max. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Max shrugged.
"What are you going to do about the baby?"
Without warning Max suddenly began to cry. Not a hysterical mess. It was more silent tears of frustration that she hastily tried to wipe away with her fists. Worried that her mother would see her crying through the window, El quickly motioned her over to the loungers where Max lent on the side of one of them trying to compose herself.
"I'm so sorry El. You shouldn't be involved in any of this."
"It's fine Max. Honestly don't worry." El told her as she patted her on the shoulder.
"It's just hard. Because I've been with Lucas since like last year. He's the first guy I've ever loved. I really love him. He really wants to keep the baby but he's about to finish his last year of college, I work for very little money apart from this place in the summer. We're only 21. His parents don't approve of me because I come from this poor background and my parents are insanely racist so they wouldn't approve. Keeping this baby would make no sense! But then Lucas will be so upset if I had the abortion we've been fighting about it non-stop."
"Well what do you want Max? This is your choice. It's your body you decide." El told her.
Max looked her in the eye a smile spread across her face. "You know you're the first person who actually asked me what I wanted instead of telling me what I wanted. Mike's my best friend and I know he cares but hes just telling me that I would be stupid to have this baby but then I've got Lucas saying that he wants to keep the baby and get married and start a life together. And I've just got no clue what to do."
"Well have you got time to think about it Max?"
Max looked at her knowing what she was referring to.
"Yeah. I'm only a few weeks along. So there's some time."
"Well think about it then." El told her. "But if it helps Lucas sounds like he would look after you if you did decide to keep the baby. I think you would be OK."
Max smiled at her. "God. I wish I had your optimism. Anyway I best get going tell your Mom I said bye."
Max got up to leave but stopped as she got to the steps and turned quickly to El.
"If you're not doing anything tonight then pop along to the staff quarters. We're off tonight and I don't really have any girlfriends so it would be nice to have some female company besides the boys. If anyone asks who you are just say your friends with me."
El simply nodded in response as she watched Max wander off down the steps. Joyce came out just as she was leaving asking El if she wanted to go take a dip in the lake. After a hard discussion with Max, El decided that time with her family was just what she needed.
That evening the Hopper family were very unwillingly roped into a dinner with Jennifer Hayes, despite the families dislike towards her, after much persuasion from Will they had begrudgingly agreed. After they had sat through a half hour discussion of Jennifer complaining about every aspect of the resort, from the terrible cutlery to the rude waiting staff they had swiftly moved on to their main courses without anyone having to mutter anything more substantial than 'pass the salt', 'thank you' and 'yes I agree Jen." Hopper who had been stooped over in his chair and tapping his foot incessantly was close to losing his patience and whilst Will and El simply sat there staring vacantly, Joyce could sense another Hopper outburst. Coming to his rescue she abruptly changed the subject.
"How about your parents Jen! How are Edward and Brenda?"
As Jen came to a brief pause, Hopper who sat across from Joyce, mouthed thank you to her.
"Mother and Father are fine." Jen said simply. "Father's law firm are doing well. Mother's busy with the Country Club."
"Great." Hopper murmured. "So Jen. What college are you going to?"
"Well Yale. Just like my Father.
"Oh. So are you two going to be going be doing long distance? Will's going to Brown. So how is that going to work?"
Jen looked at Will cautiously before he took a grasp of her hand and shifted nervously in his chair.
"Well actually. I may decide on Yale."
"We plan on being together!" Jen added with a sweet smile.
"Excuse me!" Joyce said loudly. " Will you already have your place."
"Well I checked at Yale. I was put on a waiting list and someone dropped out so its it's happening!"
Jen let out an exciting squeal.
"But Brown is less than a two hour drive. You could visit each other on weekends." El pointed out.
At that very moment Jen had a smug look across her face which irritated El.
"But Will. You can't go to Yale. Brown is your dream and your giving it up for…"
Hopper being the voice of reason for once instantly interjected.
"What your Mother means Will. Is that this is quite a shock and well Brown's been your dream for like two years."
El sighed in annoyance. Everyone was skirting around the real issue here. Not only was everyone unhappy with Will dating Jen, but the thought that he would throw away something he had been working towards for so long for someone as inconsistent as Jennifer Hayes was horrifying. Reaching her limit, El hastily rose from her chair and grabbed her bag from under her feet.
"Sorry but I can't stay here and listen to this crap."
Without a second glance back El marched off ignoring the sounds of her parents calling her back to the table. She was only mildly aware of people's eyes on her as she left the dining hall but El didn't care. There was only one place that she was going to and she was determined to get there.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed Chapter 5! The next chapter has great El and Mike moments I promise!