𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 ; 𝘉𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘳

𝟑.

⚠️TW: Sexual Assault⚠️

8 months ago...

Lying on the bed was a boy she used to know like the back of her hand. Underneath the covers you could see the defined leg he still had, and the empty space the missing one left behind.

At first, El was a little scared to come in. Troy left on the verge of tears, and Will being no where to be found wasn't a good sign either. So, she lingered by the door entrance and gradually inched her way over to Mike, who was staring at the ceiling with a blank expression on his face and a hand on his heart.

"Mike?" She said cautiously.

He lifted up his head and sat up a bit, acknowledging her presence.

"Why're you here?" He asked, his throat raspy from the yelling and the crying.

That was a good question. She didn't feel like she needed a reason to be here for him, even if they weren't on speaking terms right now. As soon as she heard the news from one of the cheerleaders, she hopped in Hopper's Sheriff car and drove all the way there, not even bothering to check in with the receptionist. That's how much he meant to her, and how much she didn't want the last words she ever said to him to be Mike stop...

So day by day, they mended their relationship. The first ones were hard, seeing as everything was still new and all they could think about was the amputation, but soon they made each other forget. First by remembering old memories, then by making new ones.

"You are really rocking this color Michael." She said, leaned over a bit as she painted his nails a dark purple.

Mike smiled at the compliment, and at her work. It felt nice having her back.

"You should let me put makeup on you next."

"I don't think that's really my thing. Makeup's prettier on other people. Maybe it's Will's thing." He responded, realizing that he hadn't really seen the boy at all during his time in the hospital.

"How is he by the way? I haven't seen him coming around here lately." She said, as if she was reading his mind. El was there almost every day and had expected to see him at least once. They were boyfriends after all.

"He's just busy trying to finish his sophomore year. Plus, he has a lot going on at home with... like his dad and stuff."

The tone of his voice saddened. El could tell he really didn't know what was going on with Will.

"Oh...well if you ever need anything, I'm here."

"Promise?"

El held up her pinky and he intertwined it with his.

"Promise."

Now

The Hopper Residence | Mon 7:37 AM
El Hopper

The steam from the shower fogged up the mirror, El wiping it with her hand to see herself in the reflection. She combed her wet hair back with her fingers before getting out and applying various moisturizers, all of which she ended up borrowing from Mike. He said they were magic on sensitive skin, and although most of the things that come out of his mouth are bullshit, he wasn't lying about this.

Ring! Ring! Ring! went the landline on the wall, startling her to the point where her towel came undone and fell to the floor. El picked it back up and retied it, her eyes scattering up to the clock on the wall. It was only 10 after 7. El tracked water on the hardwood floors as she walked to the phone in the living room, feeling a bit annoyed that she has been interrupted so early in the day. She usually didn't get any calls until at least 8.