i didn't mean to say i love you. >> stranger things.

CHAPTER TWO

     paris rode her longboard along the road, trying to clear her thoughts of the day before.
why was she so heartbroken? i mean yeah it was annoying that the two were always together but, why did it hurt her this much? the feeling she's getting is wrong and no matter what people say, this jealously isn't towards liking mike. and shes sure of that.

meanwhile, el planned to make a surpising visit to the last girl you'd expect her to talk to: madmax herself.
the redhead was practicing kickflips, failing each time.
"how does paris make it look so easy?" she moaned to herself in frustration.
she tried one last time, bending her knees back, ready to jump. she accidentally applied too much force from the back, causing the board to slide from underneath her.
"shit!" she exclaimed, going to retrieve her skateboard, before she interlocked eyes with eleven.
the brunnette bent down and picked up the board, and handed it back to her.
"hi."
"hi?"
el looked down at the ground, her face softening up, "can we talk?"

"and then he said he- he missed me," el explained as max paced back and forth, "and then he just hung up."
"he's a piece of shit."
"what?" el was taken aback.
"that asshole has been acting weird ever since you and paris have started hanging out again," she sighed, "mike doesn't have jack shit to do today, and his nana obviously isn't sick!"
"but, why since paris?"
"he sees how she cares for you. it pisses him off. i see it. yesterday, when you got scared and held onto paris? mike was about to go off on her- but i pulled him into the kitchen before he could."
"i don't understand.." el's head was spinning with all of this new information.
"mike thinks that paris has a crush on you, el," max shakes her head.
"but she doesn't"
"how do you know?"
"girls don't like girls," el replied with her tone laced with sadness.
"you're only saying that because mike freaked on me. people can like whatever gender or race they want to, god he's filling your brain with too much negativity," max groaned.
"but friends don't lie. friends don't hurt friends."
"well boyfriends lie, all the time. but even boyfriends shouldn't hurt girlfriends. you should do what you want to do, love who you want to love, don't ever feel pressured by anyone," max bent down to her level.
el sat in silence, confused on her own feelings at this point.
"you're going to stop calling him. you're going to ignore his calls," max sat next to the girl, "as far as you're concerned, he doesn't exist."
"doesn't exist?"
"he treated you like garbage! and now," the redhead grabbed ahold of el's hands, "you're going to treat him like garbage. give him a taste of his own medicine."
"give him the medicine," el repeated.
"mhm- and if he doesn't fix this, if he doesn't explain himself and let you make your own choices, dump his ass."
el nodded, agreeing, just before hearing a knock at max's door.
"i'll get it," max jumped up and walked over to look into the peephole, and see a frusterated paris. immediately she opened the door, and in surprise, she got engulfed into a tight hug.
"p? are you okay?" el came from around the corner and saw paris's hurt expression. 
el's soft voice startled both max and the blonde, letting go of each other quickly.
"i- i'm fine, i just need a mental break."
max smirked, "then i have the perfect plan."