Binary Star ~MILEVEN AU~

chapter twenty six

'An eye for an eye.'

Slumped on her bed, El replayed her conversation with Mike for the 124th time as she stared at her ceiling in disbelief. She couldn't believe Mike kissed Max, that he doesn't want to get back with her but on top of all that, she couldn't believe she let this boy, that broke her heart twice break it again. She swore to herself after her first heartbreak that she wouldn't let it happen again, but she did. Only this time, the tears didn't fall, they turned into rage, burning flames of anger that enticed to burn down his heart.

Her mind told her to rip his heart into pieces when her own told her to glue it back together. El always followed her heart, but when it's broken it was hard to deduce that's what it truly wanted. When she got herself into situations like these, she went to the person that knew her more than herself, her best friend.

~

"Hey, Joe joe!" Mike babbled, picking up the giggly baby and swinging him in the air.

"You're gonna drop him again," his sister scolded, giving him a stern look as she folded her jeans in half and placed it in her suitcase.

"I won't let my favourite person fall, right Joey?" he said in a squeaky voice, winning a laugh out of Nancy.

"What about Eleanor?"

The curl-headed boy froze at the mention of the name, quickly changing the subject before his sister caught up with his relationship crisis.

"All your stuff are...gone" he trailed off, his eyes scanning the now empty room, a new wave of dismay washing over him.

Nancy signed, zipping her suitcase shut and walking toward her brother. "You should come with us, Mike."

It didn't sound like a request or a suggestion, it sounded like an order from a mother that wanted the best for her son. She'd stepped into the shoes of his mother when their own decided to neglect them. Mile looked up to her as more than just his sister. She was his best friend, his mother. Watching her walk away was more than he could bear. It was a two-way road, either way, he'd end up losing his loved ones. It was his friends and Eleanor or Nancy and Joey but he'd already made the hard choice. No matter how much you love your mother, one day, when you grow up, you have to let go to start your own life.

"I can't," he shook his head, watching Nancy's head fall in defeat yet again.

"It will be a fresh start! It'll be easier to get over Eleanor that way." she pointed.

"Just because I don't wanna be her boyfriend doesn't mean I wanna lose her, Nancy." he snapped. "We still love each other. And the party? I can't lose too many people at once. I'm sorry."

She smiled sadly, pulling him into a hug, squishing Joey in the process. "I'm here if you change your mind."

~

"You look so cute!" Stacy chimped, her eyes glowing with adoration as she stared down at the curly-headed boy.

"I looked cuter before you gave me a makeover," he whined, reaching up to pluck out the elastic bands wrapped around his hair. She squatted he had away, shaking her hand in disagreement.

The door flew open, revealing a hyperventilating Eleanor who was trying to catch her breath desperately. "Stace!" she yelled making the couple jump. "I need you!" she dragged out the uuu and stumbled over to Stacy, clasping her hands together and begging for help with her eyes.