𝙴𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚗 ~ 𝙴𝚕𝚖𝚊𝚡

《𝟸𝟽》

August 26, 1985
3: 55 PM

There was mostly silence as the girl's walked towards Hopper's cabin. Max figured that El isn't really in the mood to be in public and suggested to walk her back to her home. She didn't want her to be alone like this. She didn't want her to be alone at all. Now they were entering the forest, Max watching the trees begin to colour from green to yellow and all the shades of autumn. The redhead then let her gaze fall beside her and saw her best friend trying to supress her emotions the best she could. Max thought that maybe it would help if El got to talk about the break-up with someone, also being curious as to what could've happened that made the in-love looking couple so heartbroken to actually split. So she decided to ask.

~ "Ellie?" She started, making the brunette lift her head and look at her with questioning eyes.

~ "You totally don't have to answer and it's okay if you don't want to talk about it but...why did you two...like, break up?" Max asked, noticing a sudden change in the brunette's demeanor. It looked like she was thinking whether she should tell her or not.

~ "But you can't tell anyone." El said, understanding that this information is not something Mike would like anyone else to know.

~ "...Um...okay."

~ "Promise?"

~ "Yeah, I promise. I would never say anything you don't want me to. " Max nodded. She was still looking at El, watching as she bit on her bottom lip. The redhead got a bit lost at that moment and subconsciously did the same, not finding the strength to look away for a while. Her heart suddenly sped up, her mind betraying her as she started picturing her soft looking lips moving against her's. Then she realised what she's thinking about and gulped, looking up at El's eyes before moving her gaze down at her own shoes. Her hands got a bit clammy so she stuck them in her pockets, trying to find some sort of distraction around. Damn. She thought.

~ "He's gay..." El said and Max whipped her head to look at her with her eyes slightly widened.

~ "Wha-...Mike?" She asked with a low voice, her heartbeat quickening again.

~ "Yea." El simply nodded. This information made a whole new bunch of questions and worries appear in Max's head. Mike's gay? Does El hate him now? Would she hate her if she knew that...

~ "He told you that? Or..."

~ "He told me that he's known for a long time. He didn't want to hurt me I guess..." El frowned a bit. It wasn't an angry frown though. She was deep in thoughts.

~ "Are you...angry at him?" Max dared to ask even though she feared the answer more than anything now.

~ "I...he lied to me. He said he loved me. I trusted him. But he lied." El said, her voice wavering again. It all made a better sense to Max now. Why El was so upset. Why Mike seemed so defensive when Max asked him why they broke up at the quarry. Max had to admit that he was a good actor. How could he lie to El like this? She couldn't imagine what that must've been like for her. He had her. She loved him so much. And he hurt her. It was all stirring inside Max. She couldn't stand the fact that she would do anything for El to just look at her the same way she looks at the boy. And Mike? El loved him, she held his hand, whispered sweet things into his ear, was head over heels for him. And he just threw it all away. Like it was all nothing to him. Like it meant nothing. Left her to deal with it all alone. But then she realised...she did the same to Lucas. And it showed her a whole different point of view. Suddenly, she felt...divided. One side of her wanted to be mad at Mike for ditching El like this but...the other one empathised with him. Suddenly, she was impressed by his actions. He didn't want to continue lying to the brunette. While Max, if Lucas didn't come to her and didn't want to talk, she would've continued with her lie until now.

~ "...I'm sorry. It's not fair...but maybe, it's good that he told you. Imagine if he didn't. He trusts you El. You two are so close that he told you even though he knew it might not end well." Max didn't know what made her say that at the moment. Maybe empathy. Maybe a bit of pity. Maybe her own experience.

~ "Yeah. That's what dad told me too..." El nodded her head a little and sniffed, her head hung low as they walked towards the cabin that appeared just few steps in front of them now. Max stopped walking, thinking that El probably wants to be alone right now and stepped closer to the brunette to give her a goodbye hug. El was a little confused at this, but let her do, wrapping her arms around her best friend too.

~ "It's gonna get better Ellie. I promise. If you ever feel lonely or just...anything. I'm here for you, okay?" Max whispered, caring too much to just leave and not say anything. She then felt El's arms tighten around her and felt a tint of blush creeping up to her cheeks. This was probably the longest hug they've shared in weeks. Max didn't mind at all though. She then felt El nod against her shoulder.

~ "Thank you..." Max heard El whisper back before they broke the hug. The brunette harshly wiped a lost tear that trickled down her cheek and gave Max a tight smile that Max reciprocated, the pit of her stomach starting to bubble with anxiety just from looking at the girl.

~ "Well...I guess I should go now." Max said in almost a whisper, stepping back before she felt gentle fingers wrap around her wrist and stopped. El was now looking at her with a calm but confused expression.

~ "Do you have to?" the brunette asked, not moving her gaze away. Max was confused.

~ "I-...no, I mean, I thought you wouldn't want me to- I don't have to." she finally said, her mind mainly focused on the touch of El's palm. It was so soft and gentle she almost shivered. El then suddenly looked unsure.

~ "Um...you can stay. I mean, I have a new comic that you might like and I can make us Eggos for snack again and...we can read...the comic. And- uh..." El rambled as she was trying to come up with more things Max may be interested in. She didn't want to be alone. It felt too much like the prison she lived in the first twelve years of life. She needed company. Now that she could get it, she craved it. And Max was genuinely surprised. El wanted her here. In fact, it seemed like she was desperate for her not to leave. It awoke a strange feeling within the redhead. And she knew that she wouldn't have been able to say no even if she wanted.

~ "...Sure. I'll stay."