bathroom stalls » mileven

dix-huit

will, max, and el walked to mike's house, all lugging sleeping bags and pillows.

"this is going to be fun. sleepovers are great," will enthusiastically said.

"i'm sure it is," el murmured.

"hey? lizzie? you in the moment?"

"lizzie?"

"i'm just trying nicknames."

"love you, max," el chirped, laying her head on max's shoulder. "besides, el is okay."

"i can't decide if i ship this or mileven," will mused, grabbing his sleeping bag tighter.

"mileven is a steamship- steamliner."

"mileven is real."

"almost as real as the demogorgon," will joked. el stiffened. "sorry, too soon?"

"nope," el replied. at max's confused glance, el elaborated. "it's a game they play, and they- they fight the demogorgon."

"hmm, i used to play," max thoughtfully said.

"we should all play sometime," will answered.

mike waved to them, and el ran up to him, pecking him on the cheek. he blushed, grabbing her sleeping bag. they all entered mike's house, walking into the basement.

"hey! what took you all so long?" lucas greeted.

"long walk," max interjected, smiling at el. el rolled her eyes. they had talked about the boys, and el discovered that max liked one of them. max wouldn't say, so this would be el's chance to find out.

"it's 3 pm, what should we do?"

"want to play truth or dare?" el deviously asked, purposely glancing at max.

"of course."

"yes."

"um, is that even a question? yes!"

"okay, do you have cards? we can do like uno truth or dare," dustin said.

"yeah." mike ran upstairs, coming back with a deck of cards. he shuffled them, dealing 7 to each person.

"there are dares here, so we can use these."

"okay, um, i'll start." el placed a card down: a yellow one. dustin was next, then lucas, mike, will, and lastly, max.

will placed a dare card down, and max groaned, placing her cards down.

"okay, dare #6, tell us your most embarrassing story," mike read from the dare list.

"um, okay, i was seven and i ran out of my classroom and bumped into a wall, and my entire class saw," max rambled.

"oh my god, that sucks," dustin murmured.

"at least i moved away," max finished, drawing two cards from the deck and adding to her growing hand of cards.

they continued going through until max placed another dare card.

"dare #16," el said, watching mike's face turn red. lucas leaned over, read the dare, and whistled. "what is it?" el asked.

"switch shirts with the person across from you for the next two rounds."

"well, um, okay, turn around," el stated. she started shimmying out of her shirt. "mike, give me your shirt."

mike gulped, nervously taking off his shirt. el slipped into it.

"soft!" she exclaimed.

"how do you fit into this?" mike questioned, awkwardly putting it on. the sleeves were too tight and put his skinny arms on display.

"oh god, this is great," dustin laughed.

"okay, let's keep going," lucas said, motioning for el to place another card. they continued again until dustin placed three dare cards down.

"dare #3, 7, and 9."

"tell us two people you would date, lick a body part of the person to your left of the group's choosing, and melt ice over your stomach," mike read. everyone gasped.

"well, um," lucas started. "casey and lucy."

"no, not lucy," will burst.

"oh my god."

"lucy??" max asked.

"she's a mean girl."

"not mean, misunderstood," lucas corrected.

"well, she's cute," el answered.

"casey is adorable, she's so awkward. i ship it," dustin tapped his chin in thought.

"um, body part?"

"neck- max's neck," el slyly said.

"i agree."

"seconded," mike answered.

"okay okay." lucas walked over to max.

"whatever happens here, stays here," el reminded; everyone nodded solemnly. max flushed red, brushing her hair away from her neck. lucas quickly licked her. max shuddered, shaking a bit.

"i'm gonna get the ice," mike said, running upstairs.

"oh my god," el laughed. "oh, that was priceless. i'm so sorry." el hugged max, chuckling into her shoulder.

"back!" mike announced, holding a cup of ice.

"okay, everyone take one. lucas, pull your shirt up."

lucas reluctantly pulled his shirt up, allowing everyone to place a piece of ice on his stomach. they waited until it melted. lucas was turning red from embarrassment. mike eventually helped lucas up, handing him a towel to wipe the water off.

"that was hilarious," dustin wheezed.

"one more round," max said. "i want to get food."

they continued another round, when lucas placed a dare card for mike.

"dare #15: kiss someone of the group's choosing."

"elizabeth," max blurted.

"el!"

"elllll," dustin winked.

el laughed, making the first move by leaning in to press her lips against mike's. he leaned against her, grabbing a fistful of her shirt.

"do you know what it does to me? to see you in my shirt? it gives me hope. it makes me want to live," mike whispered, trailing his fingers across her abdomen, across his shirt. el hurriedly shook her head. "i love you, el. don't give up on me. don't believe that you're going to die. live for me."

he placed a somber kiss on her cheek, pulling back. his eyes were bright, bright like the future she hoped she still had.