never surrender I Mileven one shots

Happy Birthday

For a reference part El's turning 16 and Mike has been 16 for 6 months (idk when their actual birthdays are but this works so it's what I'm doing)

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"So, Jane. What's going on between you and Mike? You never gave a definite answer last time we asked." Jenny asks with a giggle. El's face turns red as she looks down. She can see Max smirk at her from the corner of her eye.
"We're uh-" Max coughs. El continues, "we're dating?" El mumbles out.
"Is that a question or a statement?" Melissa laughs as she talks.
"Statement. We've been dating since the summer before freshman year." El answers a little bit more comfortably this time. Jenny and Melissa gasp and look at each other while Max tries not to laugh.
"You two been dating since before I met you! I can't believe that neither of you have told me, or called each other a pet name or anything in front of me! I know Mike and I aren't that close and you only hang out with me in school but you guys have been together for over a year! A year, Jane! No wonder he's the only one who calls you El!" Jenny rants.
"Yeah and plus I thought you guys met in school? Where did you guys meet? You're Dad barely lets you go anywhere by yourself and I doubt that he would let you get friendly with a guy while he's around." Melissa starts.
"See what you've done, Jane. You gave the two girls a heart attack!" Max jokes but Jenny gasps over-dramatically.
"YOU KNEW!" Jenny yells. Max shrugs.
"Oh, yeah. I remember when they first held hands around the party, but that was before they were actually dating." Max responds, in an almost bored but amused way.
"How come you didn't tell us?" Melissa asks.
"I thought you two knew. I think most people do. I mean have you seen the two? If I didn't know better I would think that they are combined at the hip!" Max states.
"I knew you two were close but I never saw you kiss or hug or anything. The only thing I saw you two do is hold hands!" Jenny states.
"Wait! Does that mean he drives you around in his car? Honestly it's such a nice car I wonder why his parents got it for him. I heard that his older sister didn't get one for her 16th birthday." Melissa says. El just nods and stays silent, knowing the real reason why Mike got a car was because of his parents fighting and his Dad's push for Mike to be a "real man."
"Anyways, what's going on between you and Thomas Baker, Melissa?" Max questioned, seeing how uncomfortable her best friend was getting. Melissa shrugs and kind of looks away then whispers, "I saw him with another girl. I thought we were together but I guess he never said so. Let's talk about something else." Jenny turns to Max.
"How's Lucas?" Jenny asks Max.
"If you're indirectly asking if we got back together after our fight the answer is yes. I think it might be the last time though, I saw he had eyes for that new girl, plus we just keep fighting and breaking up. I think the only reason we're still together is because we don't want to make it awkward for some of our friends." Max shrugs.
"This is so depressing let's-" Jenny gets cut off by the teal phone on El's nightstand. "Hey! I thought that phone is just for decoration." Max looks at El surprised and the two girls think the same thing 'only one person has the phone number to that phone.' Max ushers Melissa and Jenny out of the room while El goes over to pick up the phone.

"Hey, Mike." El says and is met with sniffling.
"They're getting a divorce, El. They're giving up." Mike's sniffling voice lets out a sob. Everyone in the party was expecting this, but somehow it was still a shock to El.
"It's ok, Mike. This just means that you don't have to deal with their fighting anymore. It's almost a good thing, you already know that I'm going to tell you that divorce is breaking up a bad marriage not a happy marriage." El hears more sobs.
"You don't get it, El. She-she left."
"Who left?"
"Mom. She packed up her things. Dad said he would stay no matter what divorce agreement she tried so she left. She left me, El." To say El's shocked is an understatement.
"A-and she uh, she cheated." He said in a whisper. El felt tears pouring down her face as she felt the pain of her boyfriend.
"Mike" El says breathlessly, "I'll be there in 30 minutes."
"No, El, you're birthday party's tonight. It's your first sleepover with someone other than Max. You have to stay." Mike answers.
"You've slept over." El tries back.
"But this is different. Hopper knows about this one." El sighs.
"I might not be there in 30 minutes but I'll be there even if I have to sneak out once all of them are asleep."
"Ok, El, be careful." Mike doesn't argue with her, knowing that she would be coming over whether he liked it or not.