the real world | mileven

Birthday

El sat in her room, laughing with Maddie.

She loved hanging out with her, but she really missed Mike. It had been a month, and he was avoiding her.

He had seen her with Maddie. He knew.

He had glared at her, his eyes filled with hurt.

She didn't know why, but when she had followed him he had rushed away. She wanted to make up with him, but she didn't know how.

"So, when's your birthday?" Maddie was asking her.

El frowned. "Birthday?"

Maddie's eyes widened. "Do you not know what that is?"

El tilted her head. "I've heard of it."

Maddie shrugged. "Let's ask your dad."

They rushed downstairs. Hopper looked up at them. "Oh, hey Maddie."

He was used to her being over by now, so he didn't say that much.

"Hey, Dad... when's my birthday?" El asked quickly.

Hoppers eyes widened. "Oh. Um.. actually, I was looking at your file the other day. Your birthday is actually coming up really soon. In like, a week."

Maddie squealed with excitement. "oh yay! We can throw a party and everything!"

El smiled softly, but all she was thinking about was how much she wanted Mike to be there.

Over the next few days, Maddie planned her party and helped her make invites. Despite El's protests, Maddie started handing out invites to every freshman, and every cute sophomore, in the school.

El grabbed some during lunch, her mind racing. As she hurried away so Maddie wouldn't see her, she approached her old table wearily. Mike wasn't there, but her other friends were.

"Hey El!" Max chirped.

They were all still on good terms, they didn't really care that El was hanging out with Maddie, in fact, they thought it was good she was making friends.

Even though they didn't hang out as much, El had hung out with the group several times since her and Mike had their fight.

She smiled and pulled out the invites. She gave one to each of them. "My birthdays in a few days..." El trailed off, looking at them hopefully.

Will grinned. "Of course we will come!"

El sighed with relief as they all hugged her.

"How old will you be?" Lucas asked.

"15," El said happily.

They all nodded. They were all 15, except for Will, who wouldn't be for a couple more months.

"Do you, um, know where Mike is?" El asked.

They shook their heads.

"I can give it to him for you," Lucas offered. "...if you want."

El nodded. "Yeah..."

"EL! There you are!" Maddie raced over.

She hadn't met the group yet, and she smiled. "Did you give them invites?"

El nodded slowly, afraid she would be mad.

Maddie grinned. "Thank goodness you got to invite some people to your own party!"

They all laughed, and Maddie introduced herself to El's friends.

El grinned. Maddie was so wonderful. Why had she had any doubts about this?

She glanced over and her heart sank as she saw Mike watching from across the lunchroom, sadness in his eyes.

They locked eyes for a second, then Mike turned and left.

El's birthday finally came. She woke up, tingling with excitement all over. It was a Friday.

She got up and dressed in a brown knee length dress, and tied a plaid shirt around her waist to complete the look.

She added some makeup and brushed her teeth. She smiled.

Joyce entered her room. "Happy Birthday!" She exclaimed. She helped curl El's hair so it sat on her shoulders perfectly. El smiled at it.

She was pretty.

She raced down the stairs and was greeted by many "Happy Birthday!"'s from Will, Hopper, and Jonathan. She smiled and thanked them.

They ate breakfast, and then Joyce led her to the living room where some presents were.

Jonathan got her a camera, which El was in love with. She had always wanted one!

Will got her a bracelet, with little charms to represent all of her friends. El was deeply touched by this, and hugged him tightly.

Joyce and Hopper got her a bunch of new clothes and makeup, and some things for her room.

El was really happy.

She thanked them all, and then headed off to school with Will.

Her locker was decorated, and had balloons tied to it, with Maddie waiting for her.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" She squealed, crushing her in a hug. El hugged her back.

"I'll give you my present at the party," Maddie said.

El nodded, and they walked to class, tons of kids that she didn't know congratulating her.

Maddie sat down next to El in math breathlessly.

The teacher turned around. "We have new assigned seats," she announced.

All the kids groaned, El and Maddie included.

The teacher named the kids, Maddie getting sent to the front row.

Then at the back row, the teacher named, "El Hopper," and then in the last seat next to her, "Mike Wheeler."

El's heart lurched. She hadn't talked to Mike in forever. He hated her for hanging out with Maddie.

She tried to make up with him, but he always avoided her.

He sat down next to her. El softly said thank you to someone telling her happy birthday, and she wished deep in her heart that Mike would tell her that too.

Mike's heart fell as the teacher put him next to El. He couldn't look at her without tears coming to his eyes.

He let her go the day of the fight with tears in his eyes, but the next day when he spotted her with Maddie, his heart broke. If anyone, why did it have to be her?

He shouldn't hate her as much as he did. She was just a horrible person. She acted nice, but El was forgetting everything that she did.

El tried to talk to him, but Mike couldn't look at her without wanting to cry, so he avoided her.

He missed her so much.

He missed holding her in his arms, and kissing her, and talking to her, and snuggling her, and sneaking to her window.

He missed his El.

It was her birthday today. He glanced over at her. People he didn't even know, and he was sure she didn't, had been telling her happy birthday.

He remembered the invite Lucas had given him. Why did El invite him? Should he even go?

He glanced over at her. Her soft curly hair fell in her eyes as she wrote, and she pushed it behind her ear.

He couldn't help but smile at her determined face.

El glanced over at him, and he immediately looked away. There was no chance of him crying about her here.

That's what he did in his bedroom at night.