found love in music

For you

- Max's pov -

'Hey wait up!' I heard a boys voice shout. I didn't recognize it, but since not one was here I figured he shouted at me. I stopped walking and turned around. The boy run up to me and I gave him a confused look.

'I'm Will, Byers' he smiled.

'I'm Max?'

'Why did you walk out ?'

'None of your business' I say pretty angry. I noticed the boy's embarrassment. He was probably some shy kid. 'Sorry'

'Oh no, it's okay. I'm friends with El' he said.

'Oh that's cool..'

'Are you 2 friends?' he asks. I just give him a small nod. The boy looked as he was waiting for someone.

'Is everything alright' I ask. He just answered a 'yeah'. Okay this is awkward.

'Max! Wait' I hear. I look over and see El walking out the door. I try to run but the boy grabbed my wrist and gave me a 'please' look.

I didn't try to get out of his grip. El slowly approaches us.

'Will?' her eyes widened. 'Hey.. El'

El looked the boy and then at me. 'I'll talk to you later' she says as her head turned to the boy again. The boy nods and walked away.

'So what did you think of my song' she smiles.

'It was good' I awkwardly say. It took her a minute to reply.

'I uh.. it was about you..' El says as she starts looking at the ground. I ofc knew it was about me, why else would she look at me. I honestly didn't know what to say. El looks up at me waiting for me to say something.

'I know..' she gave me a quick smile. 'El I don't.. I don't think I like girls...'

'So the kiss meant nothing to you? You didn't feel anything?' she asks. I couldn't really answer that question.

'Then why did you kiss me back?' she asked.

'I uh- I don't know.. It felt right in some way but I never thought about feelings for a girl. I mean people can love who they want but.. I don't know if I like girls' I look up at the grey clouds formimg. As I look up rain started pouring.

'So if you could, you wouldn't kiss me back then?'

'I didn't say I wouldn't do it. It was.. it was pretty good.' I mean I couldn't lie, it wasn't bad or anything.

'But I d-'

'yea I get, you don't like girls' she weakly smiled. I just gave her a nod. The rain started pouring heavier. I was already soaked wet.

'maybe we should go in-' I tried but El interrupted me.

'So you won't kiss me again?' she sharply asked.

I wanted to nod but I couldn't. Something held me back, I didn't even know what. Her question let me think Why the hell can't I nod. I mean I won't kiss her again. Eleven's mouth was still slightly open as the rain was pouring, it really did gave me goosebumps

All those thoughts in my head. They were giving me a headache. Everything was so busy in my head and a mess. Thought were streaming in my head. But soon all those thoughts were gone. Out of nowhere, and I found myself smashed into El's lips.

She layed her hands on my neck as I put my arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

I didn't know if I did was right, what if she didn't want this. I tried to pull back but El tightened her grip on my neck and pushed me towards her lips. Well there is my answer.

El tried to slit her tongue into my mouth and that's when I pulled away.

'I uh- I..' I say as a took a few step back. El grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

'Don't you dare run away like the last time' she said sharply. I stayed quite for a while. Not knowing if this was okay to do. The kiss felt so right, but she's a girl. But.. I sigh. I really didn't know.

What does it matter if she's a girl. She's awesome and everything. I then gave her a smile and hugger her.

'What are we' she asked still hugging.

'Whatever you want us to be'

'Married. I want us married'

'Not so quick' I giggle. I could feel her smile back.

'Then just be my girlfriend for now'

'Sounds good' I smile.

Me and El go back inside. Ofc we want to know who the winner was. I sit back in my seat and El goes back backstage.

- El's pov -

I meet the other kids backstags. I was one of the last candidate's to go up. There were only a few left around 3/4 people. I'm soaked wet from the rain.

I really need to change my clothes and my dry my hair. I go to my room

(idk what those are calls, but yk those room people have)

Good thing for me there is a hairdryer. I dry my hair, brush it and make it look good again. I looked in the mirror and felt so happy. It finally happend. We kissed! And the best part, we're GIRLFRIENDS!

I put on some new clothes from my dresser and go back to the others. I see them waiting for the last person to come back.

After a while the man on stage called everyone to come. We always walk in a line hand in hand. Normally I would stand next to Melissa and Noelle, but this time I'm standing next to Melissa and Maddie.

We all run op on stage smiling. Maddie squeezed my hand ouf of happiness. I smile at her and she smiled back. I look at the audience to see Max but she wasn't looking. It looked like her and Mike were searching for something.

My thoughts got interrupted by the enthusiastic man.

'Everyone here was amazing tonight. You are all stars! But there can be only one top star tonight. I do believe all of you deserve to be number one but that's not up to me. I will say our top 3 and the other's will pop up on the screen behind me' he said as he pointed at the large screen behind him.

People from backstage set up a podium for the top 3 and someone else brings the medals. They were so pretty this year. Ofc medals weren't the only thing the top 3 get.

'Okay let's start with our number 3 of 2023! And that issss.....Mason McCoy!!'

Mason walked up on the podium with a big smile. I saw Will shouting and supporting. He was always a big fan of Mason. I laugh at his stupidity.

'Our second place goes toooo..... Madison Boughey! Our second place star!!'

I playfully rolled my eyes at Madison. She smiles and gives me a big hug before walking up to the second place. 'Meet you on the podium' she said in my ear before leaving. I gave her a playful push.

'And now.... our number ONE star.... issss... JANE HOPPER!!' I sigh. I didn't really know how to feel about it. Maddie basically jumped on my back being happy for me. I walk up on number one and we get our medals.

We show our medals for some photographs. It was kinda cool, every year I'm in the newspaper. As everyone cheered for us my eyes only fell on one person..Max. The way she smiled at me was everything.

Everyone on stage started to go backstage and some people got the podium out of the way.

James, the dude with the mic came up to me. He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. I always got the chills from this dude. I always found him flirting with some girl's around 13-17 year. But I couldn't care less at this point.