you are not alone → stranger things

xxv. moving

GUYS THIS IS AMAZING I HAVE 500 READS! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR READING MY CRAPPY FANFIC!!

Now listen to the song as you read k

***

Thursday night
El's POV

"Eleven, honey?" Mrs. Wheeler called from the living room. "Could you come here for a minute?" I put the book down and made my way upstairs from the basement. She patted the sofa beside her, and I sat down. "Honey, I talked to Chief Hopper, and he said he would take you in until we can find your parents. And I'm so sorry you can't stay here. But it's better than foster care, right?"

I nodded, pretending I understood. Inside, though, I was screaming at the idea of being separated from Mike.

"And he might send you to school, okay, honey? Is that okay?"

"Yes," I said softly. I actually thought going to school would be fun. It always sounded interesting in the books Mike read to me. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

***

"You're leaving?" Mike exclaimed, looking wretched.

"I'll visit," I assured him. "And go to school."

He sighed. "El..."

"I'll be fine."

"I'll miss you. So much. Are you sure about this?"

I nodded.

"And you're leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes."

He thought for a moment, then reached out and took my hand. "Then come on. I was going to wait to show you this, but this is a better time than any."

I smiled, and he led me to his window and opened it. "Where are we going?" I asked.

He climbed out and helped me through. "On the roof," he replied simply. He walked precariously to a flat spot next to the chimney and sat down. I sat beside him, and he put his arm around me. "Look up."

I did, and what I saw made me inhale sharply. Thousands upon thousands of stars winked down at me, little pinpricks set in the pitch-black curtain of the sky. The half-full moon watched over them all, glowing brightly with happiness. "Mike..." I breathed, trying to take all of it in. No book could have prepared me for how beautiful this was.

I realized he had been looking at me instead of the sky and turned to him. "El, I..." He hesitated, then touched my cheek. He seemed at a loss for words, gazing at me like I was the last glass of water during a drought. Like he needed me. I had never felt needed before.

I didn't know who leaned forward first, but one second we were apart and the next kissing like there was no tomorrow. Our noses brushed together slightly, but I barely noticed. His lips were warm and soft, and I felt his hands slide down my back to my waist. My arms instinctively went around his neck, and I could feel his soft breaths on my face. It was like a redo of our first kiss. And the stars twinkled down at us happily all the while, murmuring how sweet, how sweet.

***

Friday morning, January 12, 1984
I got out of the car and looked around at my new home. It was by a lake, and looked nice enough. Anything's better than the room in the lab that I grew up in. The worst part of that was I thought it was normal for other children to grow up that way. How twisted was that?

I shook those thoughts away. That was random.

Mrs. Wheeler walked with me to the door, all smiles. When it opened, there was a man standing there. I recognized him from a few weeks ago. "Hello, Chief," she said. "Thank you so much for taking her in."

He shrugged. "No big deal. Hey," he said to me, smiling slightly. I felt a strong sense of security with this man.

"She doesn't talk very much," Mrs. Wheeler said. "I do wish I knew where she was from," she added, frowning.

I looked up at the man and got the feeling that he knew everything about where I was from. He looked down at me. "You can call me Hopper," he said to me. Hopper backed up a little. "Come on in."