Stories From Summer; Stranger Tales From The Summer of '85

27. Game Night at the Byers'

27. Game Night at the Byers'

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When the boys were growing up, they always use to play games at the Byers' house every week. For years, they went to the Byers' once a week for different board games. It then turned into Dungeons and Dragons over at the Wheeler's, after this, it transformed to spending their quarters at the arcade.

Dustin decided that for old times sake, that they would go back to the Byers' and play the old board games that they use to play (and they decided to bring Max and El as well).

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Hopper dropped El off at the Byers' house (it may have been out of his way on the way to the station, but it was worth it seeing Joyce open the door for his daughter and gave him a smile and a wave).

Joyce shut the door behind El and watched from the living room window as Hopper drove away to start yet another day at work - and she was thankful that she had been given the day off.

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Mike was the last one to arrive, and when he did turn up, he spotted Max and El were reading a magazine each. Will, Lucas and Dustin set up the board game that they would be using.

"Mike's here," Joyce called, walking into the kitchen to get the snacks that they will require for the board games that they will be needing whilst they placed the games.

El looked up from the magazine in her hands, the page stopped on a photo of Ralph Macchio, and went up to greet her boyfriend - not wanting to embarrass him in front of their friends (and only wrapped her arms around him in a hug, rather than pressing a kiss to his lips - how she would usually greet him.

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Once the remaining boys had set up the board game, Max had set the abandoned magazine out and they all focused on the board game that they had set out. 

El sat at Max's side, but Mike was sat next to her and had one of his hands intertwined with hers. Lucas was sat on the floor close to Max, and then Dustin and Will were sat at the little table, with the game ready to go.

"Team up or single players?" Dustin asked, making the boys look between themselves, then at Max and El (the latter was looking between the boys she calls her friends and the one she calls her boyfriend).

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They decided to play as single players, but Mike and El teamed up as the girl didn't understand the rules to the game. Mike and El were winning, with Dustin coming at a close second and the rest of the Party™ trailing behind in joint third place.

Mike smiled as he reached over for the dice, and placed it in El's hand. "If you can get a 4, we win," Mike said, hoping that she will be able to roll a four, but there is a one in six chance of that happening.

And that's what she did. She rolled a 4, as Mike and El won the game.