𝙴𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚗 ~ 𝙴𝚕𝚖𝚊𝚡

《𝟷𝟻》

August 25, 1985
1:05 PM

Max and El were both still at the basketball court, except that now, none of them was upset anymore. They were laying on their backs and decided to shorten their waiting time by playing word soccer, sending Max's skateboard to each other every time it was their turn to speak. Of course, El was completely hopeless. But that didn't stop her from enjoying the game. Every time she messed up, they just laughed it off and started over. They kept playing, enjoying every minute of the last day of summer holidays. The weather was perfect. They could feel the Sun warming their skin as they watched the clear, blue sky above them, occasionally looking in the dorection of each other.

~ "Ummm...Corsica!" Max said after a while of thinking with a smile, sending the skateboard over to El, who caught it and thought about her next word, before looking at Max with a suspicious look.

~ "...Wait- what's Corsica?" She asked the other.

~ "It's an island." Max told her, looking to the side at her too. El chuckled, scrunching her eyebrows at her.

~ "You could say that about any random name you make up!" The brunette complained.

~ "I'm not making up anything! Just because you don't know it, doesn't mean that it's not real Ellie. You can ask Hopper about it later. I'm sure he knows about Corsica too." Max laughed, amused.

~ "Ugh...fine. But if he doesn't, I'm personally taking all of your Halloween candy for cheating Maxie." El said with a little smirk planted across her face.

~ "Alright, deal. I think it's safe to say that my candy's safe and sound." Max laughed again while El just shook her head, trying to think of a word beginning with 'ca' and smiling when she realised that they were talking about one right now.

~ "This is easy. Candy." She said, happy that she came up with something.

~ "Okay, that was easy. Gimme a minute..." Max started thinking, not being able to think of anything. Suddenly, she heard a sound of steps against the asphalt and rolled to her side, her elbow supporting her. She looked behind them and smiled when she saw her friends walking to them. El tensed a bit when she realised who is Max probably smiling at and and turned to them too, sitting with her legs crossed again. She forgot to think about what to say once they're here because of the game they were playing with Max, so she was beginning to feel nervous, the fear of not fitting in coming again. She didn't like the feeling at all...but she couldn't just walk away now.

~ "Hey guys!" Called Max, waving to them and standing up, knowing that El's not best at this and wanting to make it less awkward for her. The brunette stood up too, watching Max walk to the two and hug the boy. She didn't know if she should just walk closer too or wait where she is. She wasn't sure if she should even do this. Would Hopper allow her this? Is it safe for her to befriend people who don't know anything about her and she doesn't know anything about? Is it safe for them? She suddenly started thinking of making up an excuse and going back to the cabin but...too late. When Max finished hugging the two, she turned to her and started walking closer, taking her arm and leading her in their direction while El didn't know if she should be thankful or afraid. Max then stopped with her in front of the two, smile not leaving her face.

~ "So, this is El guys. El, this is Benji and Sam." She pointed at the boy, then at the girl. El tried to calm her heartbeat a little, swallowing the lump in her throat.

~ "Wait...that's- oooh! El. Well, nice to meet you, El." Benji said with a growing smile, ticking with his eyes between Max and the brunette while Max rolled her eyes and crossed her arms on her chest with an almost inaudible sigh. Then Benji extended one of his arms towards El, and she assumed that he wants to shake hands. She didn't really get the whole 'hand shaking' thing but apparently, that's what people do when they meet. So she went to shake his hand, but the second she did so, the boy pulled her closer into a hug. El tensed, not really feeling comfortable with stranger's arms around her. It wasn't like she despised it or anything. She just didn't really have the best experience with people grabbing her out of nowhere. She swallowed the reflex to push away from him and moved her hands up to hug him too before looking at Max with wide eyes, silently asking for help. Max chuckled at the sight of them.

~ "Don't worry E. Benji's just being...friendly. Too much sometimes." She said, the last sentence directed to the boy, who got the hint and pulled away, still smiling.

~ "Oh, sorry. I just- Max talked to us about you a lot and...sorry." The boy laughed, stepping back next to his sister. Max's eyes widened a bit at what he said. She couldn't believe he really said that while El turned to her, with a surprised, almost frightened look, wondering how much she told them.

~ "Um...it's okay. Don't worry about it." El said, giving Benji a quick smile before seeing the girl step to her.

~ "Interesting name. Is El short for Ellie?" Sam asked.

"Uhm...no...my name is Jane but...everyone calls me El because my middle name is Eleanor and I like it more." El explained, remembering the story they made up with Hopper. Of course, the party knew that El was short for Eleven. But to everyone else, she was the Chief's adopted daughter, Jane Eleanor Hopper.

~ "I see. Um...weird. I don't think I've ever seen you at school." Sam frowned a bit, confused. This question scared El a little. She wasn't supposed to share much information about herself. That's what Hopper told her. It's safer like that. It would be weird if she just didn't answer though.

~ "Yeah...I was homeschooled. I'm going to school for the first time tomorrow." El answered. Max saw that the brunette was uncomfortable, understanding why and trying to change the topic. She took advantage of Benji paying attention to what El was saying and then jumped from behind him with a 'boo', knowing he's easy to scare. The boy had a startle, giving Max a wide-eyed look.

~ "What the hell Max? Why me?!" He complained while Sam chuckled.

~ "Sissy." His sister mocked him, pushing him in the shoulder lightly. Max laughed a little, coming closer to El again and giving the boy a smirk.

~ "Oh, you are laughing now. But how's your face gonna look when I tell you I popped my Shove-it, huh?" Benji crossed his arms with a smirk while Max's jaw dropped in surprise.

~ "What?!...You didn't!" She exclaimed, half complaining and half in disbelief.

~ "Yep...you owe me 5 bucks, Rusty." He said, enjoying his victory while ruffling her hair which Max didn't appreciate at all. She took a step back from him, grumbling inaudible swears she didn't want to say aloud in El's presence while flattening her hair. That made Benji let out a laugh that was followed by El's laugh. The brunette was more relaxed now, since she saw that the two are...not bad. She smiled at the redhead, trying to muffle another laugh while stepping behind her and helping her flatten her hair where the other couldn't see before winding her arms around her for a second or two.

~ "Don't worry Maxie. You'll get it too. Remember what you told me? You just have to try again." El tried to encourage the other girl while Benji and Sam stared, Benji in surprise and Sam in surprise mixed with a bit of annoyance in her eyes. They were both thinking of the same thing. Max was trying not to let the blush show when she felt El's arms around her and heard the soft words. She looked down, letting her hair cover her face. She knew what the twins were thinking now, and was hoping they wouldn't say anything. At least as long as El's here. She could feel her heart thumping loudly against ger ribcage and her palms getting clammy. She didn't want El to think that she doesn't like her hugs again, so once she felt the blush die down a little, she turned to El with a smile. Her words encouraged her more than anything else would.

~ "You bet I will. And I will get those 5 bucks back after I win the next bet." She smirked at Benji, who just chuckled.

~ "Yeah? Let's see then." He walked forward, dropping the board on the asphalt and stepping on it after.

~ "I'll be right back yeah? I have to kick his ass." Max laughed, looking at El with flames burning in her eyes. She wanted to show the boy, and El, that she's no coward. And El wanted to see her do that.

~ "Okay. Good luck then." The brunette said, flashing another smile Max's way. The redhead then walked off, stepping on her board too and riding in Benji's direction. Once she got there, the boy leaned to her ear with a smirk on his face.

~ "So...she's not your girlfriend you say huh?" He whispered teasingly before riding with his skateboard around Max, who's face was now bright red.

~ "Oh shut up!" She whisper-yelled, trying to hide how much she wanted to smile and pushing Benji's arm, making him step off the board.

~ "Hahaha. You're being so obvious." He teased again while Max was trying to calm her blush somehow. She knew that Benji wasn't homophobic or anything. But she knew that she doesn't have to tell him as well. She knew that he knew and he didn't need her to tell him. He just knew.