𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 [𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫]

ten

It was Thanksgiving. Mike was sitting at the long table with all of the other Wheelers. He hated it. He wished he was with (Y/n) and Steve at 7/11.

Meanwhile, the Byers, Eleven, and Max had dinner at Max's house. Dustin and Lucas were with their respective families.

Even though (Y/n) loved being with Steve on Thanksgiving, she wished it was like it used to be. When she was younger — very young, younger than ten — her whole family would come over.

Then, Troy started acting up and they didn't come over anymore. That's when Steve and (Y/n) started their own tradition. That was when (Y/n) was eleven. When she was thirteen, she was sent to boarding school. She was now sixteen.

"Steve?" She asked as she entered the barren 7/11.

"Hm?" Steve hummed in response.

"Do you ever miss how Thanksgiving used to be? With everyone? And our parents?" She asked, walking towards the freezer section.

"Not really. You were too young to understand how horrible it was. Every year, the same bitch relatives would ask me the same annoying questions. Oh, Stevie! Do you have a girlfriend yet?" Steve replied, imitating their aunt. (Y/n) laughed and opened the freezer, pulling out a (f/soda).

"I don't know. I was talking to Mike the other day about his Thanksgiving. It just seems nice, y'know?" She asked.

"Yeah, I get it. I like spending my Thanksgivings with you more," Steve said with a smile.

"Me too," she replied.

"Speaking of Wheeler, give me updates," Steve said, opening a freezer and taking out several cans of various energy drinks.

"Nothing really, to be honest. I saw him yesterday as you were driving me to Rosie's house. I think he came over to talk to me," she said cluelessly.

Of course he came over to talk to her. She lived a bit far away from him.

"Are you still upset?" Steve asked.

"I guess. I'm just tired of being upset with him. But I need to stand my ground, I guess. I don't know," she said with a shrug.

"I think you should wait for him to apologize. You said he came around when we were leaving, so he'll probably come back," Steve said, grabbing the contents from (Y/n)'s hands and placing them in the basket he grabbed.

"But what if he doesn't? What if I messed it up?" She asked.

"You didn't mess it up. Don't say that. You didn't do anything wrong," Steve said.

"I guess. Let's just... forget about it for now," she said. Steve flashed a sad smile before they finished picking out their snacks.

-

"Thank you for dinner. I just... I don't feel well," Mike said, running up the stairs and away from his family.

"Oh, alright! Feel better," Mrs. Wheeler called up the stairs. Mike closed his door and pressed his back against it in defeat.

He slammed his head against the door and pressed his hands against his face.

"I need to see her," Mike said to himself. He pulled his hands off of his face and stood up.

Mike paced his room in deep thought, trying to come up with a plan. He knew he couldn't walk out through the front door — his family would see and judge him.

Suddenly, without thinking, he grabbed his jacket off of his bed and slipped it on. He swiftly opened his window and crawled out onto his roof.

"Oh my god," he said, sliding down and climbing down the side of the house. He landed on the ground with ease, surprisingly.

"Mike?" He turned around and saw Max holding a container.

"Not now," he said, running past her. She watched as he ran down the street in an unfamiliar direction. Not towards her house. Not towards Lucas or Dustin's house.

"What the hell?" She quietly asked herself.

Mike ran until he couldn't run anymore. He reached her house after ten minutes of awkwardly jogging.

He walked up to her door and knocked. Specifically three times.

"Mike?" She asked, opening the door.

"Wheeler?" Steve asked from inside. She turned to him with a "I'll be right back" expression. Steve nodded and looked back at the TV.

She sighed and walked outside, closing the door. Mike flashed a smile.

"What?" She asked, crossing her arms. Mike's smile faded.

"Look, I'm sorry about running away from your concert the other day. I just got overwhelmed, you know? Rosie said I was your boyfriend, and, I don't know, it just kinda freaked me out," Mike explained.

"Mike, I get that. It just... it felt like you ran away because you're still with that girl. You didn't break up with her. And I just felt like you ran away because you still love her," she explained.

"(Y/n), no. I haven't broken up with her just because I'm scared of what she's gonna do. She has a temper, and I don't want her to hurt you," Mike said.

"Hurt me?" (Y/n) asked, confused.

"It's a long story. Anyways, I just.. I really like you, (Y/n). Every time I'm with you, all of my troubles melt away and I just feel so happy. Your voice is like music to your ears. I want to be with you all the t-" Mike was interrupted by (Y/n) moving in, smashing her lips against his.

His hands went to her hips and her hands went to his hair. They kissed for a while before pulling away.

"I forgive you," she said with a smirk.

"I'm gonna... go break up with her now?" Mike asked with a smile. She laughed and nodded.

"I gotta get back in there. See you at school?" She asked.

"Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to meet me at the arcade tomorrow at seven," Mike said.

"I'll be there. See ya, Mikey," she said, kissing his cheek and walking back inside.

Mike happily walked down the steps until he ran into someone.

"El?"