it was summer of '85 and all of the kids were out of school into high school. every year the boys would all meet up at Hawkins town pool to swim and to just have fun and be kids. only this year two girls would be joining.
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el didn't know what a bathing suit was so mike asked nancy to take her to mall and find one for her. el wanted mike's opinion on the bathing suit so he tagged along. el found a baby blue bikini set with the top off the shoulders and she instantly fell in love.
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it was about 12pm in the afternoon after a game of d&d the boys decided they wanted to hang out at the pool. dustin and will went to the store to get some snacks and lucas went to max's house to see if she wanted to sneak out and go with them. once everyone was gone mike packed some towels, sunscreen and left out the door.
he rode on his bike to el's cabin and knocked on her door calmly. hopper opened the door and welcomed him in.
"what's up kid?" he tells him patting him on the back. "hey hop, uhm i was wondering if el could come swimming with the boys, max, and i today" mike asked slowly and quiet because he was secretly afraid of hopper.
"sure kid, just have her home before dark." hop says walking towards the fridge opening a beer. mike nods and walks towards el's room.
mike stands in the doorway and admires her. she's jumping up and down and pretending her hairbrush is a microphone as she sings to 'time after time'. after a while he can't help but let out a chuckle, el looks behind her and sees mike.
"mike!!" she runs up to him and hugs him as if they had not been together in years. "hi el, i was wondering if you wanted to come swimming with the party and i today."
"of course I'd love to!" el shouts as she runs towards her dresser pulling out her bathing suit. she walks into her bathroom and changes into her bathing suit and walks out.
she stands there in the doorway of the bathroom and mike's jaw drops to the ground. "Do I look okay?" el asks mike looking at herself up and down. mike stutters and stops himself "el, you're gorgeous, wow y-you look great" he tells her while stuttering.
she smiles and walks over to him and gives him a kiss on the cheek. el places some shorts over her bathing suit and a T-shirt and they walk out hand in hand.
"see you kiddo don't be home late" hopper yells from the couch, taking another sip of beer. "I won't, bye !" she says as she shuts the door behind her.
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once mike and el arrive at the pool, everyone is already there and in the pool.
mike places his bag down on a table and looks at el. she's standing on the edge of the pool staring at the water, debating to go in whether or not.
mike walks up behind her and places his arms around her and hugs her, he knows she's afraid of the water especially after what brenner had done to her for years. "hey, it's okay he's gone, he's long gone and you're safe now, there's nothing to be afraid of, but if you're too scared we can sit out on the side just us two can hang out."
"thank you mike" she lets out softly and quietly. el takes off the T-shirt and her shorts and puts them to the side. she slowly walks into the pool and mike follows after her.
the party plays a couple of games and they play chicken fight. mike and el win of course and after a long day of having fun and swimming they go to their local pizza parlor and eat some pizza.
mike drops off el at the cabin but before he leaves el whispers to him "thank you for everything today mike, you're the best, i love you."
mike's stomach overflows with butterflies and he responds back "I love you too el." he places a kiss on her forehead and she walks inside crashing onto her bed falling asleep.
