"I guess this is," Mike said, teary eyed, watching the Byers' U-Haul pull away from the house. "Will and El are gone. The party is no more."
"Woah woah woah," Lucas interrupted. "They moved, they're not dead. And we all know that we're all lucky to be able to say that." At this last comment, Max pulled away from holding Lucas close and elbowed him in the ribs, hard, and turned the other way. Lucas yelped, and looked at Max with a pained expression. "I always find it so funny that you manage to make me bruise," he said jokingly. Max didn't even face him. She had her back to him, her shoulders shaking, a muffled sound escaping her body. Either laughing or crying.
"What? Do you have a problem admitting I'm funny? Go ahead Max, laugh it up." This remark prompted an attack from Mike. He punched him in the shoulder.
"Dude," he whispered, "what's your problem? She's crying for Christ sake!" He shoved Lucas out of the way as he walked over to Max. "Max," he sweet talked, "it's okay. Lucas is just a douche bag." He held her quavering body close, one hand around her waist and the other situated on her head, stroking her hair. "Shhh," he cooed. "I'm here." Max pulled away.
"You don't understand. None of you do," she cried, wiping tears out of her eyes. "Billy is gone. He's gone. None of you know what that's like." Regardless of what she was saying, she went back into Mike's embrace, her breathing slowing. Over the last three months since her brother Billy died in the Battle of Starcourt, Mike was the only one she could go to like this. Even Lucas thought it was a joke that she still broke down on the daily. He rolled his eyes in the background. With a stifled sigh, Max pulled away, finally at peace with her demons again. She pulled away from Mike quickly.
"Thanks Mike," she said hastily. She walked over to Lucas, trying not to look or feel awkward as she made her way back into his arms. Lucas sneered at Mike, who ignored him. He was only trying to help Max, because obviously Lucas wasn't up for it. Lucas leaned in to whisper in Max's ear.
"I don't appreciate the way you interact with Mike lately."
"And I don't appreciate the way you antagonize the only person that actually wants to help me. You only care about me when I'm happy or when I do what you want to." Lucas pulls in a breath.
"I just don't like the way he puts the moves on you. You melt like putty around him."
"Yeah, it's this sensation called SERENITY. Ever heard of it Lucas? Because my only emotion isn't angry. And Mike has a girlfriend." At this point she was still whispering, but slowly picking up volume. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" she screamed. She grabbed her bike and rode away from the Byers' at full speed. Mike grabbed his bike too.
"Way to go," he scoffed, pedaling away. "MAX! Wait up!" Lucas could see Max stop in the distance, and start again when Mike caught up. They started heading in the direction of Mike's house together.
"Shit," Lucas muttered under his breath. If Will and Eleven leaving wasn't enough, he still managed to make things worse. Maybe this really was the end of an era. Dustin walked out of the Byers' old house, realizing Lucas was the only one there.
"What the hell happened to Max and Mike?"
"They left."
"Isn't that bad?"
"Yeah."
"This party is screwed."
"Yeah."
