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mike had enough of it. screw it all, thought he, screw all love. he had been so close to love, so close to believing in love, but, the spark died, as he gave up the boy that made his heart light up with golden embers. but it hadn't even mattered. besides, there was no way william byers, the new, adorable, beautiful, short brown-eyed boy from across the country could ever love the king of the weirdos. it was, in fact, impossible, wasn't it?
it was a saturday evening, at half-past six. mike's parents had no idea that a little brunette girl with a buzzcut was living in their basement-- ignorance. his sister, nancy, knew of it though, but she was all for taking care of the girl, even though she wasn't very fond of mike. eleven was mike's girlfriend now, apparently. mike apparently liked her, eleven apparently liked him. he said he did-- he should be happy to have someone to love, especially at the age of fourteen. mike wheeler crept down to his basement where el dwelled. he saw her playing with a walkie talkie while munching on an eggo waffle. he sighed as he realized he didn't find it cute at all, though he knew he was supposed to.
"hi, el."
"m-mike," she replied, standing up and hugging him.
what mike did was wrong. he hadn't hugged back; he was still, stiff, almost aloof. he'd zoned out as if he was in a world of his own, where it was william byers who had been showering him in hugs and love. and he wasn't a bad person either, he just couldn't bring himself to hug her back, to embrace her with the same love she'd shown him-- it wouldn't be honest.
eleven felt a pang of sadness. she let go almost immediately, her lip trembled as she looked up, and she played with her sweaty fingers. it was as if her heart had dropped into the cracks of her hands, into millions of little shard-like particles, not because of what mike did, but because of what mike didn't do.
"sorry," he felt the need to say, "i just-- i can't."
"w-what's wrong, m-mike?" eleven looked at him with the eyes of a troubled doe-- she wanted to run away.
"I CAN'T EL!" he banged on a nearby table. his dark eyes sparkled with rage and regret.
all of a sudden, eleven felt afraid of him, she was petrified, she wanted nothing more than to get away from him. he morphed into an animal, a beast, a nine-foot monster. she trembled and shivered as if she was cornered, and mike realized how harsh he'd been.
"i'm sorry, el. i'm... really sorry, i... didn't mean to scare you," he lifted her chin with his nimble fingers. the girl barely smiled at the gesture. after looking at him, and seeing no trace of love in his eyes, she spoke.
"tell me what's wrong."
"i don't like you, el," he began, "i know i said i did, and i'm sorry i lied to you, buti panicked and- i really like someone else, and, well, i messed up. el, i like... a guy."
"will?" she said quietly.
he nodded, tucking some of his raven waves behind his ear.
"i see," said eleven sweetly, but her tone was dripping with bitterness. he cocked his head one side, when he noticed her smirking. "i can help you... be with him."
mike's face lit up. "really, el? you'd do that for me?!"
"yes," she said, "i can see him."
eleven sat with her legs crossed on the floor, a blindfold over her eyes. crimson liquid trickled down her little nose. "i see him," said the brunette girl.
"what's he doing?"
eleven saw him sitting next to mike's sister, nancy and his own brother jonathan.jonathan was sleeping, and nancy was saying something to will.
"see, my brother, i think, ever since he's met you, he's... changed. y'know? in a good way, i mean, he's less of an annoying little shit, and he's actually excited to go to school and... i don't know... he talks about you a lot. it's like you brought something out in him that wasn't there before. it's kind of strange, but it's good and... thank you, i guess."
if one word could describe eleven at that point, it would be rage. she was supposed to be with mike. will was ruining it. she hated will with a burning passion.
"el, what's he doing?"
"h-hes talking to your sister. he says he h-he...doesn't like you- and h-he's j-jealous of us. h-he says he h-hates me." she took the blindfold off, her lips blubbering, fake-crying so believable it was scary.
mike gasped. he would've questioned his sister, but he was so hurt by what el said. "he said that? you sure, el?" he said, pulling her into a hug. "i didn't think he was like that."
el nodded and cried into his chest, as he caressed her soft short hair. "you're my friend, el, i'll make sure will never says things like that about you again." mike felt weird saying that. he didn't like saying that at all. but if what el said was true, will isn't the kind of person mike wanted to be around. could he really have said such things?
"im gonna go be alone for a bit el, i need some space." he cupped her cheeks and went up the stairs.
eleven grinned wildly and widely. her plan was successful, and mike didn't suspect a thing.
