𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 → mike wheeler

iv. the party

...

"my tea's gone cold, i'm wondering why i got out of bed at all."

✰˚━ IT WAS NOTHING short of a party even though it wasn't the typical crazy type. It didn't familiarize itself with the blinding lights and blaring music. Or involving over fifty people who don't even know each other.

It was a party turned 'get together'. The band was back together, along with Erica and Steve who currently sulked in the back of the house, pretending like they don't want in on the nerd club.

Well, after years of maturing, the nerds weren't really nerds anymore.

Will had given up D&D a long time ago. That was evident. Mike automatically assumed it was because of him. It wasn't a proud thought to have but it was the obvious option.

Will was less lighthearted when he spoke now. Not that he was rude but his tone was more confident now, something Mike was secretly admiring. It was clear that nobody could walk over this version of William Byers.

Jane was still soft spoken but she was no longer confused about her identity. Gone were the days of copying everyone's styles and personalities in order to find hers - she was Jane Ives Harrington now. A young woman who loves fashion and squirrels.

Lucas liked to say that Mike was the glue to the party but it was obvious that tonight, he played that role instead. Lucas was the perfect friendly gentleman. A class entertainer. He was great at making conversation, no longer self conscious of himself.

Dustin wore the same joyous smile. His voice and posture was still dorky. But out of everyone he seemed like he was the only one to have finally figured it out: the meaning to life.

Y/n was still weird. That hadn't it changed at all. She was still the black sheep in the crowd but she was hot now. She was no longer dependent on Patrick McKinney to make her feel loved. It was clear that she was finally learning how to make choices for herself.

Choices that involve fucking who she wants.

Mike smirked to himself. And then he saw Maxine.

She looked the same, astonishingly. The most daring shade of red coating her hair, freckles tainted across her complexion, and the faintest shade of blue in her eyes.

Max was never really a nerd. But she loved the party too much to ever leave them. That's why she showed up.

Maybe she was less snappy now? Maybe she was finally happy? Mike wouldn't know until he gathered the courage to talk to her.

He mentally slapped himself as a punishment. We should've made it a fucking rule for our party - don't date or fuck anyone because the result is always messy, he thought.

And somehow he was mostly at fault.

He was the only one out of the crew that had been involved sexually/romantically with not one, but three, three fucking party members.

He gently slammed his head against the edge of the wall, whispering to himself, "Fucking dumbass."

Could it get any worse?

He dated one. Fuck, more than dated, his entire high school life was dedicated to loving her.

He basically led on another because he's a confused idiot about his sexuality.

And currently, yes currently, because he can't pull himself together for shit, he's hooking up with Y/n Harrington.

What a good man.