Rogue - Stranger Things

chapter seventeen

CHAPTER NINE: THE GATE

November 5th, 1984
Hawkins, Indiana

The whole world seemed to slow down and almost stop to Charlotte Forrester as she realised who was standing in front of all of them - completely fine. It was her first real girl friend, someone she had treasured despite only knowing her for a few days. The girl that had been missing for almost a year. 

Mike pushed his way to the front of the group before wrapping Eleven in a tight hug.

"Mike" She spoke softly, a smile on her lips as she hugged him.

Max gently approached Charlie, muttering softly,
"Is that..."

"Yeah" Charlie nodded as she glanced back at Max,
"That's El"

Eleven let go of Mike and allowed her eyes to scan the group before landing on the blue-eyed girl she was looking for. A smile overtook her face causing Charlie to grin back. Eleven lifted her hand to wave at Charlie awkwardly prompting Charlie to return the gesture with a slight laugh.

The moment only lasted seconds before arms wrapped around Eleven's neck as a body slammed into the girl, the body was roughly the same size as Eleven's own stature, although the arms had more muscle and the hair was flowing down the back in natural waves.

"Charlie"

"You're home" Charlie whispered softly before she pulled back from the hug,
"Are you okay? Where have you been? And when did you start dressing like you belong on MTV?"

Eleven frowned slightly at her before smiling again,
"Bitchin'"

"That didn't answer any of my questions" Charlie shook her head slightly,
"But hey, yeah, bitchin... as long as you were safe"

"Yeah" Mike agreed with a nod,
"I can't believe it... I called you for-"

"Three-hundred and fifty three days" Eleven finished,
"I know"

"You heard?" Mike questioned,
"Why didn't you answer?"

"Because I wouldn't let her" Hopper stepped forwards, although he didn't give the teenagers long to process what he had just said before turning to El,
"Where have you been?"

"Where have you been?" El shot back before quickly wrapping him in a hug.

"You've been hiding her?" Mike demanded before lunging at the man causing him to grab Mike and drag him out of the room,
"You've been hiding her this whole time"

"Hey, hey! Let's talk. Alone"

While Hopper dragged Mike off, Eleven was pulled into a hug by Dustin and Lucas.

"We missed you" Lucas informed her as they pulled away from the hug.

"I missed you, too" Eleven told the pair with a smile.

"We talked about you pretty much every day" Dustin said with a grin, showing off his teeth.

"Teeth" Eleven said as she poked Dustin in the mouth.

"What?" Dustin asked as he recoiled slightly.

"You have teeth"

"Oh" Dustin grinned as he realised,
"You like these pearls?"

He then made a purring noise that made Charlie and Lucas shake their heads while Eleven frowned and shook her head slightly.

"Don't... No, Dusty" Charlie let out before shaking her head again and falling silent,
"Just no"