The Dark Side

Chapter 3: No Control

One little kiss can turn into a thousand

One little touch and I'm gone

Got no self-control

And I don't mean cigarettes and alcohol

Because when it comes to you I can't say no

I don't want a taste, I want it all

It was one of those moments in Mike's life when he wondered how he had got there. It was Thursday night, two days before he was due to return to Hawkins for fall break and here he was, out in Chicago on a date.

"So..." Mike coughed awkwardly, sitting across from Alice Jones who was playing with her napkin in a way that kind of gritted on him. "Where are you from?"

"Boston. You?"

"Hawkins Indiana"

There was a long silence, Mike using the time to gulp down his beer, wishing he was anywhere but here and wishing that this girl was someone else. Someone with captivating hazel red eyes and an enticing smile.

It had been four months since the night Mike had met El. Four long months of thinking about her, dreaming about her and wishing he had been able to find her. For the whole summer had spent his days searching Mirkwood for this mysterious cabin to no avail.

When Mike tried to casually ask Will about El he was surprising tight lipped, finally blurting out that she had gone away for the summer. Mike had never before felt like he couldn't believe his best friend until that moment. It was just something about the way in which Will had averted his eyes and practically grimaced at the lie. All Mike could think was that El didn't want to see him.

He had returned to college, feeling as gloomy and miserable as he was when he left the campus for summer break. He didn't get enjoyment out of his classes, constantly wondering why the hell he was there. Because mom and dad wanted you to do engineering.

And now he found himself on a date, of course not his own doing, something that had been arranged by Will who was sick of him moping around. Will had a friend in Chicago called Alice who was a year younger than Mike and also went to the college. She was blonde, blue eyed and mainstream attractive. She was a science major, and according to Will she was smart, witty and sweet.

But she wasn't El.

All Mike could do was think about El, how she made him feel; how his heart felt like it might burst out of his chest when he looked at her, how a shiver would run down his spine when those eyes stared at him, as if staring straight into his soul. He never wanted to look away.

"Mike?" Alice was asking, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Hmm?" he answered quickly, blinking and clearing his throat before sitting more upright in his chair, not even realising he had been slouching and looking into the distance with a glazed look.

Alice looked frustrated with him and Mike could hardly blame her, it wasn't exactly like he was into this date. She exhaled sharply, "I was saying that Will told me you're on the engineering program?"

"Oh," Mike replied with lack of enthusiasm. "Yeah I am..."

Alice smiled and nodded her head, "that's good. Daddy is an engineer, he said only the smartest and most focused of men can become engineers."

Mike couldn't help but frown, trying to bite his tongue as he realised how much Alice's father sounded like his own. He coughed awkwardly, "yeah...it's okay I guess," he said noncommittally as he shrugged his shoulders.