Wherever We Go- stranger things book

chapter 27

TW: mentions of sexual assault

Mike had finally made his way out of the water, but when he reached her she was standing staring out at something. It was almost like she was frozen. "El?" he asked. She wrapped her arms around herself and her breathing seemed to speed up. Her breathing became rapid and she lifted a hand and pointed it towards a clearing. Mike knew what she was going to do. Before she could release any bit of her powers he gently took her hand in his.

Her chest was burning. She felt like the world was about to cave in on her. Her vision blurred and her hearing kept fading in and out. She had to do something, she wouldn't let this man do this again. She lifted her hand preparing to use her powers but someone grabbed her hand before she could get any further. Thoughts ran throughout her head. "Is it him? how did he get over here so quickly? I'm too late." the thoughts swarmed her brain. "What if it's gonna happen again-" the thought was cut off. "Eleven." she knew that voice. It was Mike's voice.

Max was watching from the water and she could tell something was off. "Something is wrong with El," she said causing Lucas to look where she was. El had just lifted her hand as if she were going to use a large amount of her power. She and Lucas shared a look before going back to the shore.

Mike watched as Els's breathing became so uneven she was gasping for air. Tears were running down her cheeks as she kept mouthing the word "no" over and over again. "Eleven," he said. "El I need you to breathe okay?" she didn't answer. Mike rested his hands on her cheeks until her eyes slowly shifted from the clearing over to meet his eyes. "Breathe El."

Max and Lucas stood a fair distance away not wanting to cause any more fear for El. Max had never seen her like this and it was tearing her apart. Max was so focused on her friend she hadn't noticed everyone else trail her and Lucas back. "Is she okay? what's going on?" Alayia asked. "I think she and Mike just need a minute," Lucas said. The group went a little ways back into the water giving the couple some space.

She could hear Mike, then her burning cheeks seemed to cool a little, and she lifted her eyes from the man. Her eyes met his. Suddenly the world seemed a lot clearer. "Breathe El," he said. She tries to listen through her fogged hearing. "Breathe with me okay?" he asked and she managed a nod. "In......out.....in......out" El continued to try and follow his breathing, her vision cleared fully and her hearing had fully returned. "Mike" she managed through the tears. She hadn't even realized that she had been crying until now.

"He is here, he is gonna get me again." She said still working to control her breathing. She looked over and pointed to where she had seen the man. "He was over there. He looked at me. He was gonna touch me again. Where did he go?! I didn't see where he went!" El said raising her voice. causing the rest of the party and their friends to look their way. "El look at me," Mike said and she did. "The man is not here. He hasn't been here before. No one was there." Mike said. More tears ran down her cheeks and she looked around frantically there were people across the beach in the water and on towels. "El don't look at them. Look at me." Mike said. El once again looked to Mike. "Mike I don't know why this is happening," she said. "It's okay El let's sit down for a minute okay? Have some water." El nodded and she and Mike both lowered themselves to the ground.

"Here," Mike said before passing her the water bottle that she had only just put away. She took a sip before looking around again. "El, I promise that man isn't here." He said as she set the water bottle down. El continued to try and control her breathing. "in and out." Mike said again, breathing with her and doing anything he could think of to get her breathing to be normal again.

"Are you sure she is okay?" Destiny asked Max. Max watched as Mike and El sat down on the towel. El was speaking now which was an improvement from what she could tell. "I-" Max didn't know what to say. She didn't think it was her place to tell their new friends about what El was going through. "I think she just- El has been through a lot. Let's just leave it at that." Max said. Destiny nodded and walked back over to Oliver.  Will was standing next to Max now. "Do you think we should go up and see if we can help?" He asked. "Let's give them a few more minutes.

"Mike, I don't know what's wrong with me. I was gonna use my powers on a person who wasn't even real," she said through her breathing. "It's okay El." "No it's not though Mike!" she said. "What if you hadn't stopped me? I- We- Our life. Our future together would have been ruined." She said raising her voice higher again. A tear fell down Mike's cheek. "But I was here. Everything is gonna be okay." He said, "But what if it's not gonna be okay?" El said and Mike's heart ached. Mike pulled her into his embrace and she cried onto his chest. Mike looked away from her just for a second to see Max and Will standing close by in the water while the others were further out. "Let's go back okay?" He said. "Oh, now I've ruined everyone's fun," El said. "El you haven't ruined anything. They are still having fun they are just worried."

El just continued to cry as all of the emotions that she had been bottling up came flowing out. Mike gestured for Will and Max. They came out of the water and over to them. "El isn't feeling very well, we are gonna head back to the hotel," he told them. "Of course. We will come to see how you are feeling when we get back. okay, El?" Will said. El lifted her face from Mike's chest and nodded. Max made her way over to the beach bag and grabbed Els's sundress. "Come on El, You gotta put this on," Max said as Mike and El stood up. Max helped El put on her dress and then embraced her in a hug while Mike talked to Will.

"Is she okay?" Will asked. "If I'm being honest I don't think so, but I'm gonna try my best to help her okay?" Mike replied while putting his shirt back on. Will nodded. Max pulled away from El and Mike wrapped his arms around El again. "We will come to visit you later okay El?" Max said. El nodded.

The couple made their way off the beach and managed to get a cab back to the hotel.

Okay here is this weeks chapter!
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