You take the man out of the city, not the city out the man

chapter six

I walk home as I think about what happened. No Lucas, no El, and now Mike thinks I'm grossed out by him. Great.

"Mom?" I ask, walking through the front door.
"In here!" My mom yells from the kitchen. I go to the kitchen to see her sitting on the island and I go by her.

"Mom, I think I messed up." I admit as my mom looks at me.
"Why, what happened?" My mom asks.
"Well, Lucas and Mike were arguing and Lucas told Mike that every girl including me thinks he's gross and when Lucas ran off, I tried to make Mike stay because he tried to follow him and he told me to get away. Do you think he thinks he grosses me out?" I explain to my mom.

"Oh honey, I don't think he thinks that, I think he's just mad at Lucas right now. You can try talking to him but you know how guys are with their feelings." My mom says as I agree.

"You think I should talk to him?" I ask my mom, wanting her opinion.
"Well, like I said before, I don't know how he's gonna act with his feelings but you can try." My mom says as I nod. I'll just leave it for now and see how he acts the next time I see him.

—

"Addy!" I hear as someone bangs on my door. Dustin.

I quickly go downstairs and open the door.
"Dustin?" I asked, confused.
"We need to go to Mike's." Dustin says quickly.
"Uh, okay. Mom, can I go to Mike's real quick?" I yell.
"Sure! Be back before dark!"
"I will!" I yell back as I get my skateboard and follow Dustin down my driveway.

"Why are we going to Mike's?" I ask as we go down Mike's street.
"I don't know, to talk I think?"
"To talk?"
"That's what Mike said." Dustin says as we go to Mike's door.

"Hey Addy, Dustin, Mike's downstairs." Mrs. Wheeler says once she opens the door.
"Okay, thank you!" We say as we go downstairs.

"Barber?" Mike asks once he sees me.
"Wheeler?" I say in the same tone.
"Dustin, I just wanted you here!" Mike says as he looks at Dustin.

"My bad, I thought you wanted her to come too!"
"Whatever. I just can't believe El didn't come back." Mike says as we sit down.

"Well, she's gotta be safe." Dustin says.
"She said it wasn't safe. She just messed up the compasses because she wanted to protect us. She didn't betray us, right?"
"Mike, calm down."
"Right, Barber?" Mike asks as he looks at me.

"Uh, I don't really know why she messed up the compasses but I don't wanna say she betrayed us or wanted to protect us." I say, not wanting to side with anyone.

"I shouldn't have yelled at her. I never should've done that."
"Mike, this isn't your fault."
"Yeah, it's Lucas's"

"Don't blame Lucas. He just wants to find Will. We all want to find Will. It wasn't his fault." I say, defending Lucas.
"It wasn't his fault?" Mike asks.
"No."
"So you're saying he wasn't way out of line?"
"He was, but so were you!"
"What?"
"And so was El."
"Oh give me a break! This exactly why I didn't want you to invite her, Dustin!"
"No, Mike, you give me a break! All you do is defend El, and I'm not saying you guys are wrong but think about Lucas! He wants to find Will-"
"And I don't?"
"We all want to find him, Mike! You never let us say our part! This is exactly why Lucas got mad at you, Mike. Because you think your side of the story is right. And even if it is, let us say what we think!" I say as Mike looks at me.

"Mike, you also drew blood first, and you know what that means-" Dustin says.
"No! I'm not shaking his hand!" Mike argues.
"This isn't a discussion. This is a rule of law. Obey or be banished from the party. Do you wanna be banished?"
"No."
"Good." Dustin says as he goes to the sofa and grabs his jacket.

"Where are we going?" Mike asks.
"Where do you think? We're going to get Lucas. And then, we're gonna find Eleven." Dustin says as he grabs a backpack and throws it at Mike.