The Way She Makes Me Feel-Elmax [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 15-We Are Freak

-El's POV-

           I wave goodbye to Mrs. Wallason. I had been babysitting for her four year old son while she and her husband were working. It's been about five days since I moved in with Max. Right now she was babysitting for another family so I began to walk there. A smile made its way on my face as I thought about my redhead girlfriend. I twirled around before someone called my name. My head snapped to Mike, who was running towards me. I mentally sigh, I've been semi-avoiding him. I wouldn't talk to him much when we hung out with the party but I've also haven't had one on one with him since we found out Billy was flayed. 

"What Mike?", I say to the dark haired boy. 

"El I have a strange question. But I have to know-".

"What?".

"When we dated, did you actually like me?".

I feel my heart sink. Yeah, I liked him when we first started being boyfriend and girlfriend but my feelings slowly left after a while.  But now, I was with Max, he was with Will (I think), so why did it matter? "Why Mike?", I ask.

Mike looks at me with distant eyes. "I just have to know".

"Why does it matter, Mike?".

"El can you just answer-".

"Why Mike!", I shout.

         Mike pauses before sighing and sitting on the curb. Not knowing what to do I stand there, waiting for some sort of answer. 

"Because if you didn't, then I'm the freak of the party". 

"Freak?", I ask. I heard the word before, I've even heard people call me freak before, but I still don't know what it means. "What is freak?".

"Like weirdo, but way worse".

I reach a hand down to Mike and he grabs it. I then heave him off the ground and continue walking with him walking next to me. "But why are you freak?", I ask him.

"Because I like both", Mike answers.

"Both?".

"Boys and girls. Max and Will are gay. Lucas and Dustin and Julie are straight, but I'm neither of those".

I turn to Mike, wanting to give him a hug, but I don't. Instead I stop walking and turn to him. "You are not freak", I say. "We are freak. I did like you". 

Mike smiles a tiny smile. "How is this not eating you up inside?", he asks me.

I shrug in response. "Do boys and girls matter? I like who I like. Why does it matter if they are boy or girl?".

          Mike stands and thinks for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know", he says. I chuckle a bit before we finally make it to the house Max's is babysitting at. "Mike", I start. "Talk to Will. He'll try and understand and you'll feel better, I promise". Mike nods. "Thanks El", he says. I think I can hear his voice breaking a bit but I decide against pointing it out. "El, can you not tell anyone about this? It's kind of a secret", Mike adds. I nod before I give the much taller boy a rather passionate hug (which he needed) and walk into the house.

          Before knocking the door swings open and Max puts her finger up to her mouth and quietly makes a shush noise. "I finally got the kids down", she whispers. I nod and step inside quietly. 

-Will's POV-

         "So can you come over?", Mike asks through the phone. "Yeah I should be able to as long as Johnathan drives me", I say. "Okay, just call me if he can't", Mike says. "Okay, bye". I hang up the phone and walk to Johnathan's closed door. I quickly knock but when no one answers I open the door. Johnathan's spread out like a starfish under his blankets. I glance at my watch. It's way past noon. I shove my older brother and he wakes up with a groan. He as getting way to comfortable being jobless. "What?", he says seeming slightly annoyed. "I need you to drive me to Mike's. So get up!". Johnathan heaves himself up and gets dressed and ready for the day.

-Some Time Later-

          We pull into the Wheeler's driveway and I hop out of Johnathan's car and open Mike's basement door. I walk in quietly and approach the couch. I see Mike's messy black hair and his hands as he plays his Atari. I don't think he heard me come in so I watch him play for a few more minutes before smacking my hands on his shoulder and shouting. Mike rolls off the couch. "SHIT!", he yells. "WILL!". Mike stands up realizing it was me who scared him. I can't help but laugh. Mike starts to get real close to me and I quickly shut my mouth and feel myself blush. "You're a jerk", he whispers. I look away as I've found staring at Mike for too long leads to redness in the cheeks (or staring at him at all really).

          "So what did you need?", I ask. Mike's face quickly shifts from playful to... something. "What?", I say. Mike flops on the couch and I sit next to him.

"So me and El talked-", Mike begins.

"Oh". I immediately predict what Mike's going to say. 'We want to get back together and rub our perfect relationship in everyone else's faces so you can cry silently in your pillow every night again'.

         My face must have dropped because Mike quickly sits up and grabs my hand. (A/n:Recreation of the iconic Byler hand holding scene) I internally squirm and panic at the sudden contact. "No, not like that Will", he says. "I mean she was helping me with something. She thinks I should talk to you about it which is what I'm doing right now".

I nod slowly. "Okay", I say.

"I don't know, I guess I've been feeling like"-Mike pauses for a moment, trying to find his words-"like I'm a weird thing".

"Mike you are a weird thing".

"Oh shut up!", the raven haired boy exclaims playfully. "That's not what I mean. Like, your gay. Max is gay. Lucas is straight. Julie is straight. But me, I don't know what I am. It was kinda stressing me out I guess".

          Unlike with most people when Mike says I'm gay, I don't have a physical reaction. When Max said it I got all uncomfortable and squirmy, but when Mike says it it sounds right. Maybe it's because Mike is the only person I said that out loud to.

"That's okay", I say quietly. "We're fourteen. You don't have to know right now".

Mike nods. "Thanks Will".

          Mike gets closer to me. I blush as he cups my cheek and I turn red as he gets nearer. A swarm of butterflies make home in my stomach. Our lips are millimetres apart...then the basement door opens.

           Mike quickly moves back to the other side of the couch and I scoot back against the arm. Nancy walks down quickly. "Mike, me and Johnathan are going out and so is Mom and Dad", she says to to the raven haired boy. "Holly shouldn't be back from her sleepover till after me or our parents get back but just in case listen out for the doorbell. There's leftovers in the fridge but if you're still hungry there's a ten on the counter for pizza. If Will stays then don't eat the whole thing, okay?". Mike gives her an awkward thumbs up and I nod. Thank you Nancy for ruining the moment.

-Max's POV-

          Me and El watch TV on a low volume. While El is completely focused on the television I can't help but think about her and Mike walking here together and her hugging him. I want to ask her what they were talking about for him to look so emotional and for her to hug him. I don't though, because then I'd be obsessive and it's probably nothing serious, because I trust El... I think. But do I trust Mike? I mentally scold that little voice. They were just talking and walking, no big deal. She gave him a hug because they're probably friends again. No big deal... right?

A/N: 1406 words. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I have really bad writer's block but I think it's all good now😅. Please don't feel afraid to comment. I love the few that I get.