Love Me Back // Elmax Fanfiction

Chapter 3 ~ Pretty

Max
I was a mixture of angry and sad as I rode my skateboard home.
I felt so mad that I couldn't just have El. I felt angry imagining El holding onto Mike right now, I felt angry at myself for being such an idiot, and I was even mad that I didn't have anywhere to go except home(I thought about going to the arcade, but I didn't want people to know that I'd been crying).
But I was also sad. I was sad that I would never have El, I was sad as I imagined her holding onto Mike, and I was sad that I had been such a jerk. I was sad for myself. I felt so bad for myself that I was ashamed of it. Mostly I felt bad for Eleven; she hadn't done anything to deserve what I'd done to her.
It was back and forth, too. I get mad, and then I just feel really sad. And then I get mad, and sad. Over and over and over and over...

At Max's home
Not wanting to see my stepdad, I dropped my skateboard at the side of the house and climbed up into my window. I always left it unlocked, for this very reason. I laid down on my bed, forcing the tears to stay out of my eyes. People who cry are weak, I told myself. I was weak.
Suddenly infuriated, I grabbed the alarm clock off my side table and hurled it at my door. This broke me.
I curled up on my bed, bawling. I ached to be held by El again. I ached for her to tell me that I was going to be ok. I ached for all of it.
But I didn't get any of it.

Later that night
I woke up to a faint tapping. It was coming from my window. I turned towards it and saw that it was pitch black outside.
I must have fallen asleep.
Standing, I began to walk sleepily to the window. Who could be here at this time? I guess I didn't really know that time it was. I gazed over at my alarm clock, which lay face up on my carpet. It read 12:32.
I made my way to the window, and El was waiting for me, looking like she was desperate for me to open it. She looked freezing. It was near December; the Snowball was in 3 weeks. Eleven and Mike were planning on going together. Lucas wanted to go with me, I could tell, but he hadn't asked yet and I planned on saying no. I didn't want to hurt him too horribly.
Quickly, I pulled the window open and helped El inside. Something inside of me almost hadn't wanted to, but she had clearly come here by herself, which means she had walked, it was 12:30 at night, and she looked freezing. Plus, they were friends. As I had helped her in, I couldn't help but notice that she'd been wearing T-shirt and jeans, and that her skin was freezing and covered in little goosebumps. Her teeth could clearly be heard chattering.
She stood uncomfortably in my room for a moment, before I quickly realized that she felt mega awkward.
"Eleven! You're freezing! Here," I whisper-shouted, not wanting to wake anybody who was home, yet concerned. I took off my sweatshirt and helped her into it. I figured my body heat made it warm, so it would warm her up the quickest. Despite my earlier conclusion that I was not going to touch El or let her touch me, I motioned for her to sit on my bed, and grabbed her hands. They were cold as ice; almost so cold that it hurt my hands to hold them. "El, what're you doing here? Did you walk all the way here by yourself? In this cold?" Noticing that El seemed overloaded with questions, I stopped myself. I quickly let go of one of her hands, so I could wrap my arm around her side to warm her up some more. Her teeth were still chattering like crazy. I took hold of her hand again.
"Th-Thanks M-M-Max," El said, wedging her head into the crook of my neck. I let go of one of her hands again, and wrap my arm around her neck and head, attempting to warm her up as quickly as possible. I pulled her closer to me, and she didn't fight it. I didn't have a sweatshirt on any longer, but I couldn't care less; I was snuggling with Eleven Jane Hopper. The most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes upon, and the sweetest, most adorable one, too.
"You ok?" I asked, still concerned. I rubbed her head gently, looking off in a random direction. I felt Eleven nod into my side. I smiled. "You sure?" I asked again, because I know sometimes it takes two times asking to really know.
Suddenly I felt El start crying. Jesus, this has been a complicated day, I thought. "Oh, El, come here, shhh," I tried my best to comfort her. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tight, just as I had done earlier. What I really wanted to do was sit her on my lap, so I could hug her better, but I decided that might a little too gay. She cried into my shirt, probably soaking it, but that was ok; she needed me. After El had mellowed out a little, I said, "What happened, El?"
"M-Me and Mike got in a f-fight," she said, sniffling. What?
"How? Why? What happened?" El didn't know what question to answer first. "Too many questions. Sorry. Just answer the last one."
"W-When you left, I-I was really upset, and h-he..." she trailed off, beginning to cry again.
"Hey, Hey, shhh, it's alright, I've got you," I comforted her, pulling her back into the side hug. She fit so perfectly next to me, like we were the two matching pieces of a puzzle. She nuzzled her face into my shoulder, and I pet her hair.
"H-He asked me when I even s-started l-liking you... h-he said th-that you were a-annoying... and h-he was mad th-that I was so nice t-to you w-when you are just so m-mean," El managed to get out between sobs. That little jerk. I held her, trying to make her feel as I had earlier— protected.
"So what?" I said, smiling. El looked up at me a bit. "Who cares what Mike said?" I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Butterflies.
"I-I care," El sniffed, "Y-You're my best friend, a-and h-he was mean."
"Th-That's my fault. I was mean, El. I'm really sorry," I said, feeling my eyes stinging. Oh hell no. We are not doing this again.
"I-It's ok. Thank you..." El breathed. Her warm breath hitting my neck caused my insides to flip and cartwheel around. It hurt, but in a good way. A really good way. It was the greatest feeling I'd ever experienced.
"F-For what?" I asked, struggling to speak with the intense feelings that were going on inside of me.
"For being here for me, and for..." El trailed off.
"What..?"
"N-Never mind," El decided. I really wanted to know what she was going to say, but I wanted to respect her privacy. So I nodded. "I broke up with him," El stated flatly. Did I hear that wrong?
"What do you mean..? Y-You broke up w-with Mike?" I was baffled. She broke up with Mike... for me? The thought made my heart rate quicken. El nodded into my chest, and then said:
"I-Is it alright if I s-sleep over? I don't wanna be with Mike and Joyce isn't home and if—"
"Woah, woah, El. Slow down. It's alright. Of course, you can sleep over. Anytime," I interrupted. She'd been getting really tense and she seemed like she was beginning to panic; that scared me. I didn't want her to feel afraid or nervous with me, and I didn't know how well I would be able to calm her down. I could feel her previously rigid body relax and lay easily against mine. I looked down at her, and she was looking up at me, smiling. "What??" I teased.
"Pretty," said El simply. I felt my face grow hot. I probably looked like I had a tomato for a face.
This was confirmed when Eleven began to giggle.
I looked down, a smile playing on my face. Behind the smile, though, I was terrified. What if she ever found out that I liked her?? She would hate me. The rest of the Party hate me, and my stepdad and even my own mother would hate me.
I would be all alone.

Here's a 3rd chapter! Thanks so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying so far. I'll look for feedback or suggestions or whatever lol.

Word count: 1535

~eight