𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐂𝐓, elmax

ch. 3 ✧ the beginning

"El? El!"
Eleven heard her name being called from a little down the school hallway. She turned around, seeing her redheaded best friend approaching her. The girl had an excited look on her face, yet she still seemed to anxiously scan the halls around them. Probably checking if Lucas were anywhere to be seen. She had been avoiding at all costs, since they split.

El was glad seeing her smiling, though. It had only been 4 days since the breakup, was Max already over him? El grinned softly at her friend.
"Yeah? What's going on?"

"AV room. I have a plan," Max smirked.
A plan? El frowned confused, but decided not to question it. She nodded and Max took her hand, dragging her towards the AV room.

The party wasn't a part of the AV club anymore, yet they still had access to the room. Every now and then they would go hang out there, if they wanted somewhere a little more quiet and private, throughout the school day.

Max reached the door of the room. She tried turning the doorknob, but to her dissatisfaction it was locked. She groaned as she tried opening it again, even though she knew it wouldn't help.

"I don't have my keys," she mumbled grumpily. She turned to the brunette girl, still standing behind her.
"You have yours?"

El shook her head. The redhead's excitement from before, had completely vanished from her face.
The two girls were clearly thinking the same thing: Mike had a key he always carried around.

But Max couldn't go ask him for the key, taking the risk that Mike would be with Lucas.
"I'll go find Mike," El said quickly.
Max nodded awkwardly, knowing that El knew exactly what she'd been thinking.

Eleven spun around and started walking down the hallway, only just realizing she had no idea where to look for him.
She decided to go to his locker, only to find out he wasn't there.

As she stood by Mike's locker she remembered him saying something along the lines of "I need to study for my geography test, but I don't know how to get started."
El had then suggested the school library.

The girl turned around and headed to the library, really hoping the boy was there for two reasons:

First of all, she needed to get back to Max with he keys, obviously.

Secondly, El honestly hoped her and Mike could have a little chat.
She might have had a little crush on Mike Wheeler. Ever since they first met, the two had been very close, but over the past few months, there had been a little more tension between the two - they were always blushing and stuttering around each other.
Just the thought of the boy made El smile.

She got to the library and immediately noticed Mike shuffling through the natural science section.
He looked adorable in El's eyes, she already felt her cheeks heat up.

She slowly approached him, but he didn't notice her before she went up at tapped his shoulder.

"Oh," the dark-haired boy turned around looking down at his shorter friend, "hi El!"

The girl looked down, trying to hide her smile.
"Hi Mike."

"Uh... what's up? How are you I haven't seen you in a few days."

El giggled, honestly wanting to stay with Mike, when she remembered Max waiting for her, in the other end of the school. She pushed her own desires to the side and looked back up.

"I'm pretty good, thank you. But I'm actually kind of in a rush right now, and I was wondering if I could borrow your key for the AV room?" she innocently tucked a curly strand of hair behind her ear.

Mike's expression turned slightly disappointed, but he was quick to sent her a weak smile, digging for the key in his pocket.
"Oh. Yeah, sure."

He pointed to a specific key of his keychain, before putting them into El's open palm.
"It's this one."

"Thank you, Mike! You're the best," El closed her hand, causing the two teenager's fingers to lightly brush against each other.
El spun around as fast as possible, not wanting Mike to see her blushed up face.

Just as she was about to leave, she turned her head back at Mike, who was still looking in her direction.
"Um... let's catch up sometime?"

Mike snapped out of his stare.
"Oh. Yeah, I'd love tha- I mean, that'd be great..." the awkward boy scratched the back of his neck, "are you... free tomorrow?"

El looked at her feet, biting her lip, smiling.
"I am. See you, Mike."

✧ ✧ ✧

"What the hell took you so long? Lunch break is almost over."
El was met by the look of Max, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't find him... at first, I mean," El held up the keychain.

"Whatever," Max snatched the keys out of the other girl's hand, "get in."

When they got inside, Max closing the door behind them, she finally seemed to notice Eleven's distantness.
"What are you thinking about?"

El blinked, feeling her face getting warm again.
"Uh, what do you mean? Nothing."

"Sure," Max rolled her eyes, but her excited spirit was now kicking back in.
"Okay, so... I know you're gonna think this is stupid, but I've got an idea."

"Yes?" El gestured for Max to continue.

The red-haired girl breathed out, before finally going:
"Can we pretend to be in a relationship?"

✧ ✧ ✧

a/n
i'm very tired right now, there might be a few typos by the end of the chapter, sorry.