Always By Your Side *Mileven* // SEQUEL

Decorations

~Dustin's POV~

Things had been strange lately.

And not in a good way.

It was hard to believe that Mike...left us... only about nine months ago. Everyone had been acting differently after the terrible event. The sad tragedy left evident changes in everyone's personalities. 

Nancy had a really hard time talking to any of us. I don't blame her though. It has been really hard for her, especially since Mike was the only one in her family she could really talk to. Her dad and mom always had something on their schedules, and Nancy couldn't really have a sit-down conversation with Holly.

Just when she became close to Mike, he was taken from her.

Eleven was really good at hiding her emotions, unlike Mike, when El had disappeared for a year. Sometimes she would take long walks and not tell us where she was going. If anyone ever said his name, her expression would change instantly, and she would either change the subject or walk away. We tried not to bring Mike up around her though. We knew how hard this was for her to take in.

Lucas and Max are still a couple, except, well...I don't know...maybe it's just me who thinks this way, but I feel like Max kind of liked Mike before El came back. When El returned, she started hanging out with Lucas a lot. Now the two are adorable together! They try to "act like they don't care," like Steve told me, but they are really bad at pretending. No offense to them of course.

Will and Eleven had become closer. They had more of a brother-sister bond. I think the main reason they have been hanging out a lot is because of Hopper and Joyce. Hopper has gone over to Joyce's house several times for dinner, and he brings El with him. Whenever Hopper goes out somewhere with Joyce, all of us go to Will's house. It's kind of the newly designated hangout, you know, ever since...

"Dustin! Hello? Aren't you going to help me put up the rest of these decorations for the dance tonight?" Will asked, waving his hand back and forth in front of my face.

"Oh, uh, yeah, sorry," I said.

"Are you okay? You kind of zoned out," Will told me, rather concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine Will. Thanks for your concern," I replied, but I'm not sure if he heard me. His focus seemed to be somewhere else.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Oh, it's just El. She looks so...I don't know. What's the right word? Oh, uh, lonely," Will mumbled.

I turned to see Eleven fumbling with some streamers, struggling as she tried to put them up. She kept tangling them or dropping them on the gym floor. She looked so frustrated and distraught. She usually didn't act this way.

"What do you think is up with her?" Will asked me.

"I'm not sure. Well, maybe something reminded her of Mike again," I said.

Both of us instantly knew and looked at each other.

"The Snowball," we said simultaneously. 

"Well, this isn't technically the Snowball, because we're in high school now," Will stated.

"I know but still," I said.

Will looked down for a second, then back up nervously.

"Do you think Jennifer Hayes will want to dance with me tonight?" Will asked me.

"Well, didn't you ask her to the dance?" I asked.

"Yeah, but, I don't know, what if she changes her mind about me. What if-"

"Will, it's okay, calm down. I'm sure Jennifer won't change her mind about you. Don't worry so much. Everything will be fine. Tonight will be a night of laughter! We need to lighten the mood and stop dwelling on the past. Tonight should be a night we enjoy together. We need to have some fun in our lives for once and enjoy ourselves!" I told Will.

"I guess you're right. I shouldn't worry so much. What could go wrong? Let's make the most of tonight!" Will exclaimed.