THEY THINK MY LOVER IS STRANGE ; MILEVEN ONESHOTS.

polaroids.

I found so many cute fanarts and it took me forever to pick one for the chapter ughugh

Eleven
I guess good dreams do exist after all.

I rub my eyes, which are still heavy from sleep. This is the first night I haven't had a nightmare in years, It feels good to have dreams that matter.

I roll onto my back, and state at the dark blue ceiling in Mike's room. Only a couple minutes ago, I was dreaming, dreaming of good days to come. Dreaming of long walks in the chilly Autumn air with Mike, going dress shopping with Nancy, and listening to mixtapes with Jonathan.

They would seem like simple dreams to most people, but to me, they're extraordinary.

I feel around in the bed, and notice that Mike isn't next to me.

I start to panic. Mike is always next to me when I wake up!

I get out of Mike's bed and rush to the door, but I stop in my tracks.

I can smell breakfast.

I start to calm down. Mike is down there eating breakfast, he's not hurt, he's okay.

I walk out of Mike's room, turn down the hallway, and walk down the stairs.

"Everyone hide, she's coming!"

I turn around to see who was talking. No one was there. It must have come from downstairs.

I come to the edge of the stairs and jump off the last step. I look around, but I don't see anyone.

Then, all of a sudden, everyone pops up.

"Happy birthday, El!" they all yell in unison.

I draw back, confused. Everyone has smiles on their faces and they're all directed at me.

Mike laughs and walks towards me. He gives me a bear hug, and I bury my head into his shoulder, my face red from confusion.

"You're probably a little stunned right now," Mike says, still chuckling. "Hawkins lab gave us your birth info, and while my parents were looking through it, they saw that today was the day you were born. So we decided to throw you a birthday party!"

My cheeks flush. I've never had a birthday party before. All of the kids at school talk about them all the time, but Papa never threw me a birthday party in the lab.

"I've never had a birthday party before," I say, embarrassed.

"We know," Nancy chimes in. "That's why we're determined to make this the best birthday you'll ever have."

Mike beamed. I smile at my family.

"So, what do we do first?" I ask, still smiling.

"Well, I made you some Eggos, and after we eat, you can open your presents," Mike says.

"Presents?" I say, confused.

"Presents are little gifts you get on your birthday. You know, like, a new comic book, or, a new D&D binder," Mike explains.

I nod my head in understanding.

Mike takes my hand and leads me to the breakfast table where I eat Eggos, bacon, and eggs with syrup (something I picked up from Mike). Nancy gets mad at Mike for teaching me this, and throws a piece of bacon at him. Mike catches it and eats it, making me burst out laughing.

After breakfast we head into the living room so I can open my "presents", as Mike calls them.

I sit on the couch, Mike and Nancy sit on either side of me, Karen and Ted stand by the presents, and Holly crawls around the floor.