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*
"no. we. a team." mike said.
"what's that supposed to mean?" said el, "well what do you think it means? i think we'd make a good team, you know?"
el stared at mike, their eyes locked. "i-"
"hey! what are you kids doing out of class?!" their gaze broke when a voice down the hall called them out. principal smith was speeding down the hallway, coming straight at them. "shit,"
"aren't you two supposed to be in class?" principal smith asked, crossing his arms. "ah, sorry. we don't have any excuses." mike sighed.
the principal shook his head, "two of my best students skipping class," he shook his head, "you know, i've noticed some absences in your attendance. mind telling me what that's about?"
el glanced back at mike, "um.." mike started, "uh yeah.. i don't know, there was a lot of stuff going on at home, with my parents and everything. el was just helping me out. i know we should have called in but everything was just so chaotic. i'm sorry about that, mr. smith."
el's eyebrows rose, mike was a good liar when it came to lying to teachers. "oh i'm sorry about that, if you guys need to talk to someone the counseling doors are always open." mike put on a sad face and nodded his head, "thanks."
"but i'm afraid there's still going to have to be some sort of punishment. this weekend i expect you both to come in for saturday detention, be here by 7:30."
"of course, sir. sorry to cause trouble." the principal nodded, "get back to class you two."
the short man walked back down the hallway he once just ran down. "what the hell was that?" el laughed, "i got us out of trouble, the teachers have a soft spot for me."
"we still have saturday detention." she said, the two started walking back to class. "yeah but at least we get to spend the whole day together," mike shrugged, "yeah in silence."
"we could be like the breakfast club." mike suggested, el laughed, "no."
"aw your no fun," he pouted, el just rolled her eyes. they made it back to homeroom and mike opened the door for her, "thank you." she said quietly, they entered the classroom and sat down, trying to avoid everyone's wandering eyes.
mike tried to ignore the thoughts running through his head, for moments before principal smith interrupted him, he almost asked el! he almost did it and then mr. smith had to come in.
why were people always interrupting them?
mike could barely focus on his classwork, he had to ask el today. he just had to.
he couldn't bare the thought of them not being together anymore. mike wanted them to be together so bad, and he knew el was probably feeling the same way. she told him she loved him, and vise versa, so why was it so hard to find the words he wanted to say to her? it was truly agonizing.
*
the day had passed slowly, but surely. the classes mike and el had together were first, third, lunch and eighth period. el walked from her fourth period class to the lunchroom, dustin by her side. "so how'd the day going, mrs. wheeler?" dustin asked when they stopped at her locker.
"would you quit saying that?" she scoffed, "stop denying your future, it's gonna happen!" he exclaimed, "about that.." she started, dustin raised his eyebrows, "oh?'
"i think mike was trying to tell me something.. about that, today. and then mr. smith had to interrupt him."
"what?! what do you mean?" dustin asked eagerly, "like.. i don't know.. here's what happened, meagan and troy came up to us because we were in the hallway talking. meagan came up to us and started teasing us and being the airhead that she is, and mike said something to her that made her finally leave us alone. and i was like, 'wow you did it, she finally left us alone' or something like that and the he said, 'no. we did it. a team.' and i asked what he meant and he said, 'well what do you think it means? i think we'd make a good team, you know?' and then mr. smith came." el explained.
"wow. i don't know, ellie. what do you think he was trying to say?"
"that we'd make a good team?" el asked in confusion, "el, i love you but your being kinda dumb. heart eyes in trying to tell you he wants to be with you!"
"well I'm sorry i don't speak boy language! you guys make things so much more complicated!" she said closing her locker. they started walking down the hallway to the lunchroom, "if he mentions it again you'll know what it means." dustin said, "got it."
they made it to the lunchroom and walked towards their table. el sat down next to mike and dustin next to her, max, lucas, and will were all having a friendly conversation about how the school lunches were probably poisoned. "I'm just saying, no one knows what goes in that shit. we could be eating dog meat instead of meat loaf." max said, stabbing the disgusting meat on her plate.
"she has a point," will started, "i think we should confront the lunch ladies and ask them what's in it. and if they fess up, then we have our proof and we can sue the school for poisoning children." everyone stared at him, "what? I'm making a point."
el tried to get the nasty thought of eating dog meat out of her head, she turned to mike. "how'd you do in your chem test?" she asked, mike faced her, "eh, i think i might have gotten a few wrong but it might settle at a high b."
"i told you you'd do fine." she said opening a bag of chips, "so mike," dustin started, "where were you and el yesterday?"
"wouldn't you like to know?" mike said as he bit into his apple. max raised her eyebrows, "oh? is there something going on?" she teased, el turned red and put her head down. "there definitely is! oh my gosh! i think i speak for everyone, but you two literally make the cutest couple ever."
"we're not together!" el said, "not yet," she snickered, the rest of lunch was an awkward silence for mike and el. the bell rang and the students made their way to study hall, el got up and started walking to the door. mike bit his lip, it was now or never.
"el! wait!" he called, el turned around, "what?"
"want to skip study hall?"
*
the two walked to mike's car in silence, the cool fall breeze and the sound of ruffling leaves was the only sound between them. "so.." el said awkwardly, they got to his car and got in. they just sat there, one waiting for another to say something.
"i love you," mike blurted, "and i really can't imagine myself being without you. we've always been close and i don't know, maybe closer than best friends should be. but all i know is that i can't take it.. i can't take not being with you anymore- as a couple. so-"
"yes," she said quickly, she knew what he was about to say and she agreed with him, she really couldn't stand not being with him either.
"really?" he asked, mike didn't expect it to be that quick. "of course, i don't care that it will ruin our friendship, because i know it won't. so yes, i will be your girlfriend."
mike smiled, "oh come on, kiss me. i know you want to." el chuckled, mike rolled his eyes. he placed his hand on her cheek and their lips met in the middle. el smiled into the kiss, as did mike.
finally, after all that happened they could be together. no meagan. no arguments, nothing. everything was finally normal and they could be together in peace.
authors note:
yay finally!!! lazy ending but i actually kinda liked this chapter!
what's going to happen in saturday detention;)
this book is almost at 10k?! thank you all so much for the support and the love on this book!! i love you all so much 🥺
