Broken Hearts ~ Stranger Things s4 fanfic (DISCONTINUED)

Rekindling

~Max~

I woke up instantly, panting. I sat up quickly before noticing El sitting in a chair beside me, her head resting on my bed.  "Max..?" She asked groggily as she started to wake up. She slowly raised her head to look at me. "I thought I told you to go home." I said, chuckling. She gave a small smile, sitting up. "I care about you. You're my best friend." She said. I felt a bit hurt at that but at least I'm her friend. "How long have I been asleep?" I asked, stretching upwards. "Just through the night and a few hours. She said. I felt like I hadn't slept at all. I tried to sit up straighter before I felt the pain in my abdomen again. I winced before slumping back down. "So have you been here since yesterday?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "Pretty much. I left for food and stuff but I've mostly been here." She said, now standing up. She lightly pushed my head forward as she started fixing my pillows. "Why..?" I asked. "Well I love you." She said. I instantly went red, my eyes widening. "What?" I asked. Is she confessing to me?

"You're my best friend! Of course I love you dummy." She said. I could hear the smile in her voice. I felt like I had been hit in the heart there. She loves me as a friend. Of course she does. "Uh.. I love you too, El." I said, trying to put on my best smile. When she finally finished fixing my pillows, I leaned my head back, feeling completely drained. "So.. Care to explain what happened?" She asked sincerely. "Uh.." I thought about what happened but I couldn't remember. The dream I had last night was just a dream but.. it felt too real. Even if it was changed a bit in my mind, it was too real to just be a dream. "Well.. I think I was stabbed by somebody." I  said. I now explained my dream to her. 

After I was done explaining, I looked over to her. She seemed really worried, like I'd gone insane. "Who would want to stab you?" She asked. She clearly didn't believe me. "Well I don't know I just.." I stated saying before faltering. I dug my face into my hands, groaning. "Maybe I am going insane." I said out loud without realising. "Hey, hey, hey!" El began. "That is not true!" "What if it is?" I said, now tearing up. I slowly raised my head to look at the wall ahead of me. She put a hand under my chin, lightly moving my head to look at her. "That is not  true, Max. You are not going insane. Okay?" She said earnestly. I was too emotional to really comprehend how close our faces were. "Max, you're not going insane." She said again, more quietly. "..Okay." I said at last, feeling relieved. We stared at each other for a few seconds. She slowly leaned in closer to me. 

Are we going to  kiss? Just as our faces were a few centimetres away from each other, the door crashed open. We both looked to the door in surprise. At the door was the rest of the party. They actually came? They all surrounded me, asking millions of questions. I started getting a headache with all their talking. "Can you guys relax?" I asked. They all went quiet before Dustin spoke up. "Are you okay now?" "Yep, totally fine. I just can't stand without feeling like I'm being stabbed again." I glanced over to Will as  I said this. I don't know why but I felt a bit scared around him. He looked different in my eyes but I couldn't explain it. Beside him stood Mike. "What do you want?" I asked flatly. He jumped up in surprise like he'd been zoned out. "Huh?"

"Last time we talked, you told me to die."  He went a bright colour red, visibly embarassed. "Well I-" He started saying before I cut him off. "Don't bother. If you didn't give me a chance to explain then I won't give you one."  He  looked down sadly and I felt a bit guilty. I shouldn't be like him, I should be the bigger person here. I sighed before saying. "Nevermind. Just, maybe don't tell me to die again." I now got out of bed before stumbling slightly. Lucas reached out to help me stand. I looked at him in surprise. Doesn't he hate me? He smiled at me as I straightened up. I looked over his shoulder to see Dustin looking sad. They must have done something together. I always knew he was at least a little gay. I pulled his hand off me, not saying anything.  He seemed to understand, turning to Dustin. That's his secret to tell. Will replaced Lucas, putting an arm around my back. "C'mon. I need to talk to you." He said, helping me walk out. The others watched me and Will walk out of the room, talking to themselves quietly. 

Will lead me to some random meeting room, setting me down in a seat. "So what's up?" I asked, a bit confused why this had to be so private. "Uh.. so.." He tried saying. He clearly wasn't confident in what he was saying.. Oh my god is he going to confess to me? I hope not.. "Well." He said at last. "Have you looked at your stab wounds?" He asked. "Uh, no. Why?" I furrowed me brows in confusion. "Where are you going with this?" "Just trust me." He said. I shrugged, lifting my hospital dress up. The doctor's had given me shorts to wear so I didn't really mind him seeing my stomach. I looked to Will who seemed visibly scared. I frowned before looking down to my stomach. I nearly threw up at the sight. The stab wounds themselves were normal but the things around them were clearly not.

Coming out of the wounds but still inside my skin were long, black, vine-like veins or lines. It was hard to describe. I instantly felt confused. "What could have done this?" I asked, quietly although I knew the answer. Only one thing, even if seemed impossible, could have done this. 

The Mind Flayer.