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"Last one to the arcade has to jump in the dumpster!"

Mike sat in the living room on the couch, watching TV. He flicked through the channels with the tv remote. He heard the front door open and close.

"Hey Mrs. Wheeler!" He heard Dustin say. Dustin walked into the living room. The front door opened again and Mike heard the voices of Will and Lucas.

"Hey Mike!" Will said as he walked in. Lucas tackled him. Dustin rolled his eyes.

"Hey, you wanna head to the arcade?"Dustin asked, adjusting his hat. Mike shook his head.

"No, I'm waiting for the new Star Wars episode to come on." Mike lied.

"Bull. The new episode doesn't come on til Friday." Lucas said. Mike huffed and turned the tv off.

"Why don't you want to go hang out with them Mike? Usually you're all for going to the arcade." Mike's mom asked. Will crossed his arms.

"I bet I know. He doesn't want to risk seeing Max." Will said.

"Max? Who's Max?" Mike's mom asked. Mike stood up.

"Nobody!" Mike said.

"Mike hates her. Refuses to let her in our party. El doesn't like her either. Even though she helped us with something really important a few months ago. He still won't be her friend." Lucas told Mike's mom. Mike huffed.

"Lucas!"

"Mike! What is so wrong with hanging out with this Max girl? She sounds like a nice person!" Mike's mom said. Mike grabbed his jacket from the couch. He put it on.

"She seems nice, but once you talk to her you find out that she's a bitch." Mike said. He quickly walked out of the house, ignoring his mom's calls for him. He grabbed his bike. He got on it. The door opened.

"Mike!" Dustin yelled. Mike huffed. He looked at Dustin.

"Why are you so against being friends with Max? What has she actually ever done to you?" Dustin asked. Mike thought about it. Dustin was right. She hadn't really done anything. He got off his bike and let it fall to the ground.

"I- I just can't be friends with her. Besides, El doesn't like her, so I can't either." Mike said. Will and Lucas walked out and stood beside Dustin.

"Mike, I think we know why you don't want to be friends with her." Lucas said. Mike rolled his eyes.

"Did you even listen? I just said, I can't." Mike repeated. Will, Lucas, and Dustin looked at each other. Will spoke next.

"Is it really hate that you're feeling Mike?"

- - - - - - - - - - -

-later that day-

Max skated down the road. Her brother was moving out today, which meant him and their parents would probably fight at some point, so Max wanted to stay out of the house as long as possible. She heard a voice as she skated down the sidewalk. The voice was getting closer.

"Get him!" A voice yelled. Max was then knocked off of her skateboard.

"What the hell man?!" She yelled. She looked up and saw Troye Harrington. She saw a familiar face on the ground. Troye's friends grabbed the figure. Max immediately recognized it as Mike.

"What the hell do you want Troye?!" Mike asked.

"You got any money on you?" Troye asked. Max stood up. Sure Mike is an asshole at times but that doesn't mean he deserves getting the shit beat out of him by Troye.

"Leave him alone Troye!" Max warned Troye. Troye looked at her.

"Well look who we have here! It's Max, right? Listen, mind your own business. Go play with some dolls or something, okay dollface?" Troye said with a slight smile. Max glared at Troye.

"Fine, be that way." She said. She grabbed her skateboard. She whacked Troye in the back with it. Troye yelped. His friends immediately let Mike go. They scrambled.

"You crazy bitch!" Troye said. He ran off. Max looked at Mike.

"Why did you help me?" Mike asked. Max chuckled.

"Sure, wheeler, you've been quite an asshole to me, but nobody deserves to be assaulted by Troye." Max replied bluntly. Mike stood up.

"Where's the other boys?" Max asked Mike.

"They all are at the arcade waiting on me." Mike said. He scratched his neck.

"Uh, thanks for saving me from Troye." Mike said. He turned and started walking away. Max stepped onto her skateboard, ready to continue skating down the sidewalk, when Mike spoke again.

"Hey, uh, i- if you're not busy, and you want to hang out with the guys. You can come hang out at the arcade with us. If you want." Mike said. Max raised an eyebrow.

"Are you giving me a pardon, cold-hearted, King Mike? The King Mike is actually giving me a pardon and allowing me to be in his presence?" Max said sarcastically. Mike rolled his eyes. Max laughed.

"I'm just messing with ya Mike! Don't get your boxers in a twist!" Max said. She smirked at Mike's surprised, yet amused reaction. She skated past him. She spoke again.

"Last one to the arcade has to jump in the dumpster!"