Look After You ➳ Mileven

Snowball 1985

Snowball at Hawkin's High School - December 16th, 1985

It was El's first year of high school and second time going to the snowball.  Snowball had become one of her favorite words now besides promise.  It made her think of the dance before thinking of crushed ice packed together.

She did a small twirl in her red dress around the living room.

"What do you think?" She asked Hopper and Joyce with a smile.

"Absolutely gorgeous!" Joyce said with a clap of her hands.

"Pretty." Hopper smiled, knowing it was one of his daughter's most treasured words.

El ran forward and hugged the two of them tightly.

"We're gonna be late!"

They turned to see Will running from his room as he attempted to tie a bowtie.  Johnathan followed behind with his camera strapped around his neck.

"Will, honey, it's not even 6 o'clock." Joyce said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"You know Johnathan is going to take a million pictures before we even leave though." El giggled.

She walked over to where Will stood as Johnathan got his camera ready.

"I like it." She grinned, gesturing to his dark blue suit.

"Thanks." Will said before mumbling, "Mom insisted I wear it.  It was Johnathan's when he was our age."

El held in a laugh at that before Johnathan began taking pictures.

A silly one.

A normal one.

An entire family one.

El couldn't wait to put these on her wall with her collection of pictures over the year.

"Mike's jaw is gonna drop when he sees you." Will said, playfully nudging his sister's shoulder and laughing at her blushing face.

"Alright you two." Hopper said, "Let's get you kids to that snowball."

El practically skipped to the car.

.

The decorations for the Snowball looked just like they had years before.  Blue streamers draped on the walls and an archway of balloons leading into the gym.  Small snowflakes now hung on strings from the ceiling and more balloons covered the floor.

Will walked right over to the group but El stared around in amazement.  Everything seemed to glitter and glow.  Her eyes fell upon the boy with messy black hair and freckles.  His eyes locked with hers and a goofy grin had spread across his face as he walked over.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen." Mike said in almost a whispered voice.

"Pretty?"

"Gorgeous."

El grinned at him. 

Mike had a growth spurt that summer and was a few inches taller than El.  She still only came up to his shoulder.  He had to lean down slightly each time he'd kiss her or she'd stand on her toes slightly.

The two walked over to the table their friends stood around and began talking about everything from how El had convinced Max to wear a dress to this event to Lucas making sure Dustin didn't have a redo of the hair spray nightmare his hair had become last year.

Inevitably, Every Breathe You Take came on and all of the party gave Mike and El knowing looks before she quickly grabbed his hand and took them to the dance floor.  Lucas and Max joined a few seconds later and even Nancy and Johnathan (who had been taking pictures) found themselves dancing with the group.  El's smile could have lit up the room better as she rest her forehead against Mike's.