LVII

Of course, Henry is already waiting for her when she gets home.

"How did it go?" he inquires with his arms crossed and his back leaning against the door frame that leads to the dining room.

Due to their 'agreement,' Eleven had confided in him her intention to put the rest of her plan into motion that very morning. And while Henry hasn't demanded details, he does want to be aware of any possible complications.

"Fine," Eleven smiles at him. "I think… things will work out."

Henry nods and doesn't ask any more questions. Instead, he smiles and offers: "Would you like a cup of hot chocolate? Joyce gave me some cookies when I went shopping for new ornaments for the tree…"

Eleven's smile is radiant.

They are sitting at the table, almost finishing the cookies, when Henry speaks: "You know, Joyce told me about a certain 'Snow Ball' that is usually held at your school…"

Eleven nods. "Yes, every year." She lifts the cup to her lips and sighs as she savors the sweet hot chocolate. "Ah…"

"Yet you never went," Henry says with a frown.

"No… I didn't have anyone to go with," she admits, recalling her disappointment at not being able to attend last year.

"And now you do?" he asks her, throwing his body back on the chair and crossing his arms.

She shrugs and answers truthfully: "Now… there's Max."

"Oh. Are you going to dance with her?"

"No, I… I don't dance," she giggles. "But… we will surely go together."

"I see."

With that, the conversation is over.

The next day, Eleven and her friends are leaving the audiovisual club when Mike places a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Although the boy takes her by surprise, she has no major qualms about agreeing: "Okay."

"Alone," Mike adds under the watchful eye of Max, who has stopped walking to wait for her friend.

The two girls exchange confused glances. Max, respectful of other people's privacy, simply shrugs and walks a few steps behind Lucas, Dustin, and Will. "See you tomorrow!"

"Bye…" Eleven responds before fixing her eyes on Mike again: now, the two of them are alone in the empty corridor of the school. "Yeah…?"

Mike takes a deep breath—his adolescent chest swells noticeably—and blurts out: "Would-you-like-to-go-to-the-dance-with-me?"

Eleven blinks, confused.

"I know it's cheesy," he adds. "That's why I never went before, but, well, if you go, then… Then it wouldn't be so bad…"

"Oh," she murmurs. And then: "Yeah, sure."

This seems to silence Mike. After a pause, he speaks again: "You will?" He sounds extremely surprised, which she finds even stranger.

"Yeah," Eleven repeats, not understanding why Mike is acting like this is such a big deal. "I'll go."

Mike balances on the balls of his feet, restless. "Awesome!" He purses his lips. "Okay, so… so…" He puts a hand behind his head and looks down. "Uhm… I'll go now, but… But I'm happy you said yes. Okay-goodbye…"

Eleven watches silently as the boy bolts for the building's exit. Intrigued, she remains in place for a few more minutes, contemplating.

Why was he so nervous? she wonders.