Hometown| Mike Wheeler

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

"Lucas Sinclair!" I screech, kicking my legs and arms around desperately, "If you don't put me down right now—"

"Put you down?" Lucas laughs wildly, "If you want!"

Lucas launches me out of his grasp, and straight into the water below.

"LUCAS YOU'RE DEA—" My head plunges under the water, the joy-filled screaming and laughing from everyone else at the community pool dies out, until I push my self back up to the surface.

Lucas was grinning down at me, a smug look on his face. I scowl at him, climbing out of the water, "You asshole."

He shrugs, as I squeeze out my dripping hair, "You told me to put you down, you can't be mad."

"Oh, shut up," I wave the boy off, causing his grin to grow larger, "I told you I didn't want to go in the water."

"What's the point of going to the pool if you're not going in the water?" Lucas counters, crossing his arms.

I roll my eyes, turning around and walking to our stuff so I could grab a towel, "Stop pestering me, Lucas."

I snatch a towel from my backpack, wrapping it around myself and sitting on a sun chair, Lucas sitting next to me, "Sorry, Lizzie. Sorry that I am trying to actually have fun and enjoy summer vacation," I whack him in the arm, and he whines, "What? Is this about Mike? That's why you're in a bad mood, isn't it? If you would have just listened to me and talked to him—"

"Can we not talk about this right now?" I sigh, tugging the towel tighter around myself. Over the past few months, I had been trying to build up the courage to ask Mike out. After the kiss we shared at the dance, we never really discussed our feelings, or even a relationship, because we were both too scared. I regret not saying anything because, now, Mike is over me. He has a girlfriend.

Lucas wraps his arm around me, patting my shoulder, "It's okay, Lizzie. You'll get over him soon."

I give Lucas a tight smile, nodding my head, "Yeah, yeah."

Hopefully.

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"Come on, you idiot! We're gonna be late." I scold Lucas as we ride up to the new mall, Starcourt.

It was the new craze. A huge mall had been built in Hawkins not too long ago, and it was basically the new hangout spot since we don't really go to Mike's anymore, due to his new girlfriend.

"Says the one that took a 30 minute shower!" Lucas bites back as we slow down next to our friends, who were waiting in front of the mall for us.

"Look who finally decided to show up." Max rolls her eyes, Will standing patiently beside her.

"We're not even late." Lucas sticks out his tongue at his girlfriend, making her cringe.

"Yeah, just because we weren't here at the same time as you doesn't mean we're late." I push my bike into the bike rack, and Max shakes her head.

"Whatever, Mike's still not here yet." She points out.

"Probably still with Isabel." Lucas comments, quickly glancing at me to see my reaction to the girls name. None. If I pretend not to care, eventually I just won't. At least, that's what I can tell myself.

Around 10 minutes later, the boy finally arrives.

"You're late." Lucas crosses his arms across his chest.

"Sorry!" Mike exclaims, putting away his bike.

"Again!" Lucas adds.

"We're gonna miss the opening!" Will complains, and I nod along.