Chapter 51: Ask El

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Mike's POV

I practically sprinted to the red haired girl, collapsed in Lucas's strong arms.

"HOLY SHIT! What's wrong?!" I screeched at my dark skinned friend, frantically checking if Max was okay.

"She just fell over, I got to her just in time so she didn't hit her head again."

Again?

He made sure that she wasn't too bruised up from the fall, his slip of word not being noticed.

"What do you mean, again?" I questioned, making his eyes widen slightly, obviously feeling like he was caught.

He glanced up at my red face, the sun having burnt me to a crisp for the few short hours we had been at the pool, "She banged her head on the bottom of the pool."

My face was full of confusion, "What? When did that happen?"

Lucas looked sheepish, "When we were playing chicken."

"What? I don't remember her falling!" I shouted at him, the stress coming through my voice.

Max shifted slightly, coming to and opening her eyes slowly.

"What's going on...?" She looked like her head was really hurting from the puzzled look on her freckled face.

"You're okay, I think you have a concussion though. So...I'm gonna take you home okay?" Lucas said gently to her, Max's face seeming to melt at the sound of his voice.

"Mmmhmm."

The dark skinned boy turned to me, glancing back at his crush for a moment.

"You can be so damn oblivious sometimes, you know that?" By the time he said it, Dustin had rushed out of the pool area as well, Lucas instructing him to go grab his and Max's stuff.

"What-I-"

"You know what Mike? Just leave it," he trailed off, the disappointment in his voice leaking through.

"I just wanna know what happened!" I screeched at him, my deep voice somehow cracking under this stress.

He gave me one last glance as Dustin ran up with the multiple things in his hands. Lucas put Max's arm around his shoulder, ready to walk her to the parking lot.

He turned from me, which made my skin itch from the annoyance flooding me, "Sinclair!"

Lucas looked over his shoulder, a sad look painted on his face, "Ask El."

And with that, he continued down the road towards the sidewalk, cooing to Max as he went along. Her delirious smile could be seen as he led her away.

El.

I tried to remember what had happened to Max with much failure.

Turning on my heel, I speed walked to the pool gates, confusion clouding my mind as I got closer to El.

Snagging her hand and the bag we had brought for our towels, I pulled her to back through the pool area's exit much to her disappointment.

"What's wrong? Why are we leaving?" The short haired girl looked utterly puzzled by my abrupt actions.

"Walk with me," I stated, trying to get her out of the middle of the entrance to Hawkins Pool.

The thing I wanted to do least was confront her but I knew it had to be done. I didn't want an image of her in my head that Lucas had known deep down since day 1.

"Max." I stated firmly, watching as her face visibly dropped. She reached for one of her curly locks, twirling it in between her thumb and her index finger; it was a habit she had picked up from who knows where.

"Yea..." El trailed off, an almost guilty expression was painted across her face. Looking like a deer in the headlights, she was caught.

"What happened, El," I hated talking sternly to her but I knew that she wouldn't talk if she felt like I wasn't completely serious.

"I...Mike..."

"El, please just tell me."

The short haired girl in front of me looked at her feet, her knees seemed wobbly.

El took a deep breathe in and nodded slowly, "We were playing that game...chicken...she was winning and I..."

"You used your powers didn't you..."

El's POV

I felt slightly uncomfortable with the question. He didn't seem to be asking, more like telling my story back to me before I even said it.

"I...I dunno..."

"El. Stop," Mike grabbed my shoulders, discomfort  practically jumping out of me. He had never spoken to me in that way, his sternness made me squirm.

What is this feeling?

He continued with a sharp sigh, "I know you think that Max is some sort of evil you have to destroy or some shit, but you need to realize that she is a member of the party, just like you."

I stared up into his eyes when he finished, something like anger forming in his chocolate orbs.

I looked at him doubtfully and hesitantly kept going. I knew he wanted me to finish whether he liked what he heard or not, "I thought that maybe if she...hurt..."

"El, you can't do that! She never did anything wrong!" It was like he couldn't help but boil over.

My stomach churned and my palms started to sweat profusely, the sick feeling in my belly becoming frighteningly strong.

I gritted my teeth at his response, putting my head in my hands, obviously ashamed.

Mike stood, clearly annoyed with a growing cloud over his head as well as mine.

I finally peered up at him, "You...you and Max seem so close...I dunno...I was worried that maybe you..." my usually delicate voice shook from the honesty. With wet eyes I cut myself off and the breath hitched in my throat, "I...I have to go. Goodbye Mike."

I whispered it all, turning on my heel and letting the fountain I had been holding back out.

I could practically feel his eyes watching me go, the gaze felt sad but it was overwhelmed by his state of irritation.

"Hey El...Eleven! El wait," I heard him shout behind me, my feet quickening with the awareness that he would not follow.

Eleven.

Starting to run to avoid more stares right through me, I tripped over my own feet and stumbled along the sidewalk.

Alone.
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Hey guys. Literally I'm terrible at updating so I'm sorry it's been so long. But I'm apparently #1 in Lumax and #5 in mileven 😱🥰🤠

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