SOUR CANDY KISSES ➭ MAX M.

viii: PRETTY

🗒 ❛ y / n ༉‧₊˚✧

"WE KEEP LOSING the signal, but you heard it, right?" mike asks after we heard whimpering come from the radio.

"yeah, i heard a baby," lucas says as bev points to him in agreement.

"what?" mike asks, not believing his friends didn't believe him.

"mike, you probably tapped into a baby monitor," i suggest, shrugging. i wanted to hold onto the fact that will is alive, but i can't.

"well if you're so smart-"

"just play the damn thing again!" dustin cuts mike off as the raven haired boy nods.

"listen, it might not sound like him, but he spoke last night. he was singing that weird song he loves!"

"should i stay or should i go," i mutter to the tune of the music as mike glares at me. i just did it back.

"are you sure that you're on the right channel?" dustin asks mike, unsure of the situation.

"i don't think it's about that," mike starts, looking towards eleven. "i think, somehow, she's channeling him."

"like professor x," dustin jokes.

"but if we wanna know for sure, we need to get her a stronger radio," beverly pipes in as all of us nod.

-

WE WERE IN nancy's room, dressing el up.

"you like pink?" beverly asks el as she nods.

"what about this?" i ask, pulling out a light blonde wig as el nods.

we fix her up before walking out and dustin drops what he was holding.

"wow," he starts, looking at el in awe.

"she looks-"

"pretty," mike interrupts as i felt a pang in my chest.

"pretty good, pretty good," he corrects himself quickly.

"pretty," el says into the mirror, admiring herself.

"good."

-

"remember, if anyone sees us, look sad," mike whispers as we all make our way to the A.V club room.

the P.A announces they're having a memorial assembly for will as we run down the hallways. mike tries to open the door but-

"it's locked," mike groans frustratedly.

"el, can you open it?" bev asks the, now blonde, girl who replies with a nod.

el prepped herself before mr. clark rounded the corner.

"kids?" he asks confusedly.

"yeah?" mike hesitantly replies, freezing in his tracks.

"hey," lucas says awkwardly.

"assembly's about to start," mr. clarke informs us.

"we know," beverly starts.

"we're just," dustin continues.

"you know," i try, not getting anywhere in our explanation.

"upset," lucas deadpans.

"yeah, yeah. upset," dustin confirms, nodding.

"yeah, listen i get it, i do. i know how hard this is, but let's just be there for will, huh? and then," mr. clarke then tosses mike the keys to the A.V room.

he took a glance at el and furrowed his brows.

"i don't believe we've met. what's your name?"

"eleve-"

"eleanor!" bev shouts, interrupting eleven.

"yeah, she's my uh-"

"his cousin!" lucas butts in, cutting off mike.

"well, welcome to hawkins middle, eleanor," mr. clarke greets her with a smile.