𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 ➵ stranger things

vii

➵

THE LONELY BOY SAT IN his quiet room, fidgeting with the walkie talkie that laid in his hand out of pure boredom. It had been a couple of hours after hearing Claudia from the school and he wished that she would want to talk to him again.

Although, he knew that talking to him was the last thing she would want to do, considering what she said to him not only hurt her.

But it hurt him too.

Mike obviously wasn't going to let her slip out of his hands that easily, he had to do something. To help him stay companied and sane, Mike needed to talk to Claudia.

"Eleven? Claudia? Anyone, answer me!"

"..."

"H-Hello?"

"..."

"Claudia?"

"...Mike. Over."

And it was like a wave of relief washed over his face, finally feeling some of his worries running away.

"Claudia! Oh thank goodness you picked up! Where are you? Over."

"Erm..."

"Claudia, you better tell me right now where you and El are! Over."

"Hey! Don't go all bossy at me, I've been gone for three years now! That's three years of freedom! Over."

Mike rolled his eyes at her comment, knowing very well that he wasn't going to put up with her attitude. Especially with what happened at the school and how she wouldn't even let him speak and explain her everything.

"Yeah, that's also three years of never seeing me. Over."

"...You got me there. Over."

But he took a deep breath before continuing.

"What I'm trying to say is that I want you back, Clauds. More than anything. But if you're not going to tell me anything, then I guess I'll have to find you myself. If it means taking risks. Over."

For a couple of seconds, the only sound that could be heard was the walkie talkie cackling and then a sigh coming from Claudia.

"Mike, shut up I'm fine. And don't even bother trying to find me. I'm a runaway, I run and I hide. Hence, me now being a hideaway. Over."

And he couldn't have felt more broken when hearing that she didn't want him to at least try to find her. She didn't want to see him and it was all of his fault.

"Sweetie?" Mike heard his mother knock on his bedroom door, and with a quick wipe of his tears, he shouted for her to come in. "Hey, how are you going?" She asked as she walked in and took a seat next to her son, rubbing his back softly. It was like this everyday, Karen seemed to be the only parent that saw how depressed Mike got by the minute and she knew that talking to him would somehow held - which it did.

Mike let out a disappointed sigh, "I...I messed up, Mum. I messed up," He answered as he looked up at her with teary eyes. "She was there and I was too stupid helping Max that I couldn't even see her. And she was right there! And...And I hurt her, I hurt her so much that she hates me!"

Karen wrapped her arms around Mike gently, letting him lay his head in her chest. She could hear the sniffles that came from her son and she didn't know how long she could last having to hear him like this.

"She would never hate you, never. Even in a million years, even if someone made her hate you, she wouldn't. Mike, you have to understand that Claudia is upset. Okay? She hasn't seen anyone in three years and god knows where she is now." Karen explained, running her hands through his soft and curly dark brown hair and the sad boy nodded his head in agreement, "We know that she's in Hawkins so she is somewhere. But, she will come back to you when she is ready. And I have a feeling that will be soon, so don't give up on her."

By now, Mike had pulled away from his mother as he continued to look down at the walkie talkie that he held, "Thanks mum." He murmured quietly and Karen smiled, planting a kiss to her son's head before walking out of his room.

And it was back to just Mike and his strong emotions.

He had been feeling many different emotions each day that he longed to see from his best friend. He missed her so much, more than she expected. He missed her company, he missed her amazing personality, he missed her beautiful looks, he missed her laugh, he missed her hugs, he missed her smile.

Everything.

He missed everything about her.

But why couldn't she understand that? Why couldn't she understand that yes, he may have kissed Eleven, but it didn't mean as much as it would mean to kiss Claudia.

He always wondered what his runaway would look like now, had she grown a lot? Or would she still have that young and big eyes she always had? Would she had changed by personality? Would she still be childish and energised, or a more mature and calm sense to her?

Whatever she looked like, whatever she acted, whatever she did.

The brunette would never stop caring about Claudia, like caring for her was his first priority and it came before anyone and anything.

And then, as he was sitting on his bed deep in thought about only one girl, it was at that moment that Mike finally understood love a bit more better than he had before. The words that Eleven told Mike after they had both kissed,

"Don't like me. Like...Like Claudia."

It was like the confused and ongoing gear that ran through his mind had finally stopped when he realised what all of these feelings meant. It finally made sense as to why he thought about his missing best friend like this. Why his thoughts never stopped growing when he always pleaded for them to go away.

Mike Wheeler liked Claudia Parker.

But, he was lovesick.

Lovesick for her.

/////

LEUHFJENIODHWIOFH

I GAVE YOU GUYS SOME CLIKE

OKAY BUT LIKE I'M EVEN GETTING EMOTIONAL FROM WRITING THIS BOOK.

IT'S TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE NFJENDWNFIWFJW

BYEEEEEEEEEE!

-Indiana