Summer 1985 - Mileven/Jopper/Lumax

Chapter 4: Confessions and Kayaking

 It's nine thirty a.m. when Max and El's tent unzips, the two giggling girls stepping out with messy bed-hair. "About time you ladies joined us" Hopper says jokingly while placing the second plate of bacon down, "maybe you can actually get a strip before these animals finish it in three-seconds." Running over and grabbing four pieces of the fried food, one being right from Dustin's hands, Max plops down on the picnic table next to Joyce who was cutting up an apple.

"Morning El, how'd you sleep?" Mike asks sweetly, scooting over enough for her to fit in between him and Lucas. Grabbing a slice of a peeled apple from his plate, she looks over and innocently smiles at him, "Good! Me and Max had a lot of fun." Turning her head to the side to whisper quietly she continues "matcher-maker plan is still a go." Letting out a laugh, he throws his arm around her shoulder and pulls her into him affectionately, "good El, let me know if you need help."

Rolling his eyes, Lucas pushes his plate and stands in front of the picnic table. "Now that everyone's here and done with heartfelt good mornings, I demand new sleeping arrangements!" proclaims Lucas. "Mike and Dustin are the worst people to sleep with ever! His..." throwing an accusatory finger at Mike, "awkwardly long arms were all over the damn place and don't even get me started on the horrific noises coming from that one!" the angry boy exclaimed, pointing at a smiling Dustin.

"Lies! These are outright lies!" Dustin shoots back, defending himself. "I slept soundly, you must have me mistaken." Bickering back and forth for fifteen minutes, Will, Max, Mike, and Eleven chat about what to do for the afternoon.

"Oh, you guys! Let's go kayaking!" Will announces happily, already running over to grab the two big kayaks they were able to put on top of the car. With help from his mom, they got the kayaks unwrapped and placed them by the water. Running up to tell the group to get ready, he was pleased to see them already in their bathing suits but still bickering about the sleeping arrangements. "Guys," Will interrupts softly, "let's just have fun right now, okay? We'll fix the tent situation when night comes." Lucas and Dustin were pleased with that and raced Max and El down to the water, leaving Will and Mike shaking their heads with small smiles while holding six towels.

"So we can only fit four at a time," Joyce announces, feeling a bit safer if their supervised while in the water, "so you guys just have to take turns." Running off towards the kayaks, the group determines, via rock-paper-scissors, that Dustin and El will sit out leaving the first group to be Will and Mike and Max and Lucas. Mike may or may not have called Will as a partner immediately, sending a big grin towards a smirking Eleven when she noticed the pairing.

Dustin and El played knee-deep in the lake while the boys were out further racing each other. Joyce looked out on the river, enjoying the hot sun and relaxing river. Two minutes later, Hopper sat down next to her with an unopened beer, looking at the single mom whose eyes were currently closed as she basked in the sun.

"You havin' a good time Joyce?" he asked, making her jump slightly causing him to let out a short laugh. Smacking him in the arm, she smiles up at him and nods, "I am, it feels normal. Better than normal." The response made Hopper smile, moving closer to her and cracking open his beer.

Not being able to help himself, he blurts out "so what ever happened to that guy you were dating? Bart was it?" Letting out a laugh and rolling her eyes playfully, she has no problem calling him out. "Oh stop it Hopper, you know damn well his name wasn't Bart. Me and Bob are just better off as friends. Not everyone can deal with the town loony, ya know" she adds on sarcastically.

Looking over at her with softened eyes, and involuntarily placing his hand over hers, he makes a noise of disapproval and slickly responds, "well definitely not a Radio Shack employee, how 'bout the unattainable sheriff?" Throwing her head back in laughter, she shakes her head "always been a flirt Hop, how 'bout we start to prepare lunch for those crazies?" she says, changing the subject as quickly as possible. Joyce has always felt something for Hopper, and vice versa, but she's almost 100% sure that's something she's not prepared for.

While Dustin and El were in the middle of a playful splash war, the four boys paddle over after forty-five minutes of racing. "El! El! Let's go!" Max says eagerly, "it's your turn!" Just about pushing Lucas off the boat, El hopped on behind Max and took off with her giggling.

"Take my place Dustin" Mike says, already off the kayak. Always the feisty one, Lucas laughs at his friend. "Yeah, he looked like he was about to puke the entire time." Rolling his eyes, Mike protests "shut up, I was not!" Deciding to get even for the years of harassing him about El, he continues "besides, how would you even know? You were staring at Max the whole time." Sensing they were about to get into it, Dustin hopped on and paddled off with Will.

"What are you talking about?" Lucas asks, already defensive. Smirking, Mike gives him a knowing look. The boy just blankly stared at him for five-seconds, "what is that stupid look for? I don't like Max!" Letting out a cackle, Mike simply says,"I didn't say you did."

Narrowing his eyes at his taller, freckle-faced friend he scoffs and lightly pushes him. "But really" Mike continues, "we think she likes you too. And I know you do. So I don't see the problem you're having."

"Who's we?" Lucas exclaims, "why are you talking to someone else about....wait a second, it's you and El isn't it?" Rolling his eyes, he lets out a sigh of annoyance, "just because you and her are grossly in love doesn't mean other people have to be!"

Having enough of his defensive friend, Mike gives in. "Okay Lucas calm down! El was just trying to help, don't be a dick." Looking out to where El and Max were currently winning the race against Dustin and Will, Mike quietly mumbles "she just wants everyone to be happy."

Whether it was because of how he first treated El when they met or how, after everything she's been through, she's still so kind and pure, that resonated with him and, despite himself, he felt something shifting his chest. Biting his lip, he let out a sigh of defeat.

After a few silent minutes, Mike heard "okay fine, I do like her." Smiling towards his friend, he nods "wow I never thought I'd hear you admit to liking a girl. Even though I already knew you did." Before Lucas could come back with a snarky reply, they hear footsteps behind them.

"Hey boys, time for lunch!" Joyce says happily, "try to get those crazy kids in, those boys need a break from getting beat!" Laughing at the valid statement, Lucas and Mike flail their arms to get their attention only to be met by Will, Dustin, Max, and El a minute later after putting the kayaks to the side.

Sitting at the picnic table, the kids ate two plates of hamburgers and hotdogs while laughing at how terrible Dustin controlled the kayak. "Oh c'mon guys! It's hard!" Dustin exclaims, "I bet El was using her powers." El, who just took a big bite of a hot dog, shook her head with a big close-mouthed smile causing everyone to laugh while they enjoyed Joyce's slightly burnt barbecued food.