Love Me Back // Elmax Fanfiction

Chapter 8 ~ The Snowball

Max
Today is the Snowball.
Me and Eleven are getting ready together at her house, and it's just killing me. I decide not to put on any makeup, because I figure that I'll cry at least 3 times between now and on the way home from the Snowball. I have a simple, black dress that I am going to wear. It's not too long or too short, and it flows nicely, I think. I've been rocking black a lot lately; I don't want people to see me and notice me so much. I'm trying to blend in. I can't tell if it's working. Maybe I should try camo, I thought sarcastically.
Eleven is going much bolder than I am. She's putting on mascara, blush, lipgloss, and even a little eyeshadow(I was aching to tell her that she was beautiful enough that she didn't need it, but obviously I kept that thought inside my head). I'd taught her a while back to do simple makeup, and she'd taken to it quite well. She is already much better than I am. Her dress is a light pink, matching her blush, and it has little blue and white stars all over it. Over the top of the dress, she flashes a cute jean jacket. With those she is sporting white high-tops(they're converse, in case you were wondering). Mike had wanted her to look more "dressed up" for such a "romantic night," but El had been very stubborn about the whole thing. "I make my own rules," she'd said to him.
I personally think that she looks pretty awesome.
After Eleven finished up her makeup and we got changed, we piled all into Joyce's car and she drove us back to school, where the Snowball was being held.

At the Snowball
Eleven and I walked inside together. I really wanted to reach for her hand and grab it, to pretend that we were going together. I decided to fall a bit behind her to stop my hand from getting any funny ideas.
We stopped at the little table set up against the bleachers that had all the food and drinks. Eleven poured punch for both of us, and I offered to grab her a cookie. She didn't want one, but I really needed something to occupy my hands with something, so I scooped one up for myself and put it on a napkin. Thanking her, I took my drink from El and we sat down at the very top of the bleachers. As soon as we sat down, the thought of holding her hand or snuggling her came to my mind, and I felt my eyes sting. Called it. I took a bite of my cookie, grateful that I'd grabbed it. El hadn't seemed to notice my temporary terror.
Eleven watched the gym door like a hawk watched a mouse scurry across an open field. Her eyes sparkled. For a second, I felt happy and almost giggled at her lively expression, until it dawned on me that she was looking for Mike. My smile quickly faded, and I felt a sneaky tear slide down my cheek. I almost could have high-fived myself for deciding not to wear any makeup.
Snapped out of my trance, I heard the gym doors open. El's face perked up, but it had only been Dustin. Steve must have dropped him off(#SteveIsMyMom). He looked really happy, maybe proud of his outfit choice or his hair. Suzie, of course, couldn't make it, but Dustin acted as if the hottest girl in school were hooked to his arm. It made him look a lot better, I thought. Eleven had that quality too; it was one of the greatest things about her. I wish I could be more like her.
     El waved Dustin over, and he came up and sat beside her. We talked a bit— it was probably one of the most normal conversations I'd had with anybody in the past 2 months or so. Just about normal things that normal kids talk about, like going to the arcade(highlighting my love for DigDug and El's for Pac-Man). I even teased Dustin a bit about my top score. It all felt so normal. How good that felt, you can't even begin to imagine.
Of course, they had to walk in and mess it all up.
The rest of the boys, Mike, Will, and Lucas, walked in. Each time the gym doors had opened, Eleven had eagerly glanced at them, and now it was finally the person she was awaiting.
I wouldn't have minded if the world had opened up and swallowed me.
All this courage and confidence that had been slightly building inside of me seemed to vanish to thin air. I really, really didn't want Eleven to wave. What I really wanted to do was hide from them, and maybe kiss El, but that had nothing to do with all this.  Of course, I didn't stop her from jumping up off the bleachers, running down them to greet Mike, kissing him, and pulling him onto the dance floor. I kinda wanted to, though.
I watched her dance. I had temporarily forgotten about Lucas. She looked really happy. She was smiling from ear to ear and laughing every so often. She's so pretty, I thought. I smiled, genuinely happy at how happy she was. The upbeat song that had been playing came to an end, and a slower one was put on. I watched Mike and Eleven slow down, El placing her hands around Mike's neck, and Mike putting his hands on her waist. I visibly winced. She smiled when he touched her. I always acted as if I were disgusted by Mike and Eleven's lovey-dovey stuff, but in actuality it just hurt. It made my chest pang with jealousy. That jealousy grew like a weed when Eleven leaned in and planted a kiss on Mike's lips. Please, El, just stop playing with my heart, I thought, probably looking awfully miserable.
I was proud of myself for not crying in all that.
Lucas walked up, looking relieved. Maybe he'd been looking for me for a while. I felt a little bad.
"You look, um, pretty. Do you wanna dance?" He asked, straight off the bat. I assumed he wanted to dance to at least one slow song. I heart ached to say no, but my brain kept telling me that if I didn't start liking him then I'd be stuck liking Eleven, who had a boyfriend and wasn't gay, for the rest of my life. He reached for my hand, and I took it. I only cringed slightly before I let it sit in mine. Mentally, I patted myself on the back.
Lucas lead me to the dance floor, and I put my arms around his neck as his snaked around my waist. I squirmed slightly at his touch, but if he noticed, he didn't react. Wait a minute, he's going to want to kiss me again, isn't he?
Shit.
No, I told myself, you can grow to like Lucas again. Maybe it'll just take a kiss.
With that thought, Lucas smashed his cold lips onto mine.
Ok, maybe not.
But there have got to be other ways, right?
I did my best to hold eye contact with him, but I felt extremely awkward and I couldn't help but pull my eyes away every now and then. With enough fighting it, I figured I could get used to it. My gaze hit El and my heart started to thump. I turned my eyes away and looked down to the floor, ashamed in myself.

Later
After the Snowball had trudged to an end like a child walking through deep snow, I waited outside with Eleven. I'm sleeping over at her place, and Joyce is gonna pick us up. We stood there, me in silence, El rambling on about her night. The way her eyes usually shine when talking about something she's passionate about is pretty as it is, but when you add all the night stars into the mix, they're absolutely breathtaking. She seemed to catch me looking into them so dearly, because she stopped talking and stared at me, probably trying to figure me out. Just as my hands began to reach up to her face, Joyce pulled up in her little car, honking playfully.
I was almost relieved that the whole ordeal was over. I didn't know what was going to happen next and I didn't want to. Eleven, seemingly refreshed, began to bubble over about her night all over again to Joyce. It went on like this all the way home.

I hope you're enjoying! Gimme any suggestions in the comments. Thanks for putting up for me from nearly 10 chapters now!

Word Count: 1460

~eight