That Girl Is Crazy (re-write)

20: Billy and the Flayed

"Bee?" Mike asked sitting down next to me and I hummed in response. The two of us had never been close, not that I'm complaining. Mike's cool, and I totally consider him to be my friend. We just never went out of our way to talk or hang out without the others. I have bike rides with Lucas, Movie nights with Dustin, Max an I bake or ride skateboards in the park, and I'm with Will 80% of the time. Mike an I just don't do that kind of thing but I'd like to think we have a mental understanding that we're there for each other.

"Do you think we're gonna be okay? I mean, we've been through this twice before...what if we were just lucky those times?" He asked nervously and I shrugged pulling my eyes away from the floor and fully turning towards him.

"Everything is gonna be fine Mike. Even if we were just lucky before, we can be lucky again. We're gonna go hide out at Murray's like Hopper said and they're going to close the gate. That thing isn't gonna touch her, and if it shows up...I'll burn it to ash." I explained firmly gently squeezing his hand with my left one.

"The uh...the Russian's did that?" He asked gesturing to my other hand and I nodded holding my right arm up as I slowly flexed my fingers.

"Does it...hurt?"

"A bit." I shrugged, putting my hand back down with a short laugh.

"I uh, I tried to tell El that I um...that I, you know...love her? But she didn't get it." He muttered after a minute as we both looked over around. Max was talking to Lucas, Will was talking to mom, El was talking to Hopper, and Nancy an Jonathan were listening to Murray explained how to get into his house.

"What do you mean she didn't get it? What did you say?" I asked confused as I looked over at him and he groaned running his hand through his hair.

"Um, it-it's kind of a blur. I didn't really say it but I said it, you know?"

"Not really." I muttered. I knew he was bad with the whole emotional connection thing but I didn't know it was this bad. Not that he's any better then I am, it's just what happens when you grow up with emotionally unavailable parents.

"Well I wanted to say it. I was going to but I couldn't so I just kept talking." He said leaning his head back against the wall and I laughed.

"I won't lie to you Mike, I don't know a whole lot about love, in any aspect. But I do know it can't be forced. You can't force yourself to be in love just because you think it's the right thing to do." I awkwardly explained, I didn't know if what I was saying was right but it was definitely something that made sense to me. For as long as I could remember love has been a weird concept to me. Anne and Stuart never told me they loved me, or even told me what love was. For a long time I thought it was just something you read about in books, but then I came to Hawkins. I found my family, and sure, I had Nicky. I love him but I didn't know that until I got here. I knew I didn't love the Ellisons, even if I tried, I couldn't. You just can't force something that isn't there.

"So what do I do then?"

"I don't know Mike, I guess you could talk to her. It's your relationship, no one can figure it out but the two of you." I shrugged before getting up when Hopper waved me over.

"Think about it Wheeler, do the right thing." I sighed walking over to him as Will helped El over to Joyce.

"Hey Hop." I smiled sitting next to him.

"I uh, I want you to look after El okay. Make sure she doesn't do anything to over work herself." He instructed and I nodded

"Always. She's my sister."

"An um...look after yourself too. Your mom just got you back Kid. She can't lose you again." He added and I smiled hugging him.

"I promise, look after my mom. And yourself, you hear? You're important to us." I whispered in his ear before letting go.