-Max's POV-
"Where have you been?" my mom snapped. "Places," I answered. She grabbed me by my arm and yanked me in the house before going on and on about how she doesn't care about my emotional break downs and how I must never run away again and how she was worried sick. I look up at her and nod. "What happened to the girl?" she says with a layer of poison in her voice. "El? We aren't together anymore," I lie. Although technically it wasn't a lie. We weren't hanging out together at this very moment so we weren't together. I walk to my room and lay down in my room. I hadn't talked to her the rest of the night.
"Max!" My attention snaps back to El.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"My clothes."
"Right."
I toss El the folded clothes and she stuffs them in her bag. My mom was out with friends so El came over to pack up her things that were at my house. If we had time we were gonna hang out. El grabs my hands and pulls me down to the bed with her. "What's wrong Maxie?", she asks. I shake my head before looking down and away. El puts a hand on my face as she turned me back to her.
"It's just a lot going on right now," I say. "It's making my brain go wonky is all". El whispers an "okay" before she gives me a quick kiss. I can't help but deepen the kiss. Kissing her still sends butterflies in my stomach. Soon enough we're full blown making out. I have no idea why I thought we'd get anything done. A moment or two passes before I here my door slowly open. I turn my head to the entrance of my room, expecting Will or Mike or even Lucas, but it's none of them.
"Maxine Mayfield," my mothers says with incredible aggression in her voice. I followed her eyes, which weren't looking at me. This time wasn't like the other time. Her hatred isn't targeted towards me. She was looking at El. I could shove her on the ground just for the way her eyes land on the brunette.
"Get the hell out of my house," she says. I was calm until that last word which she muttered. "D*ke."
"Get out of my room then, you asshole!" I snap. It shakes me to my core. But I meant it. She was being an asshole. And she has no right to come after El! My mom seems even more shocked that I am.
"I will not allow this f*ggot to infect my daughter."
I let out a laugh. It wasn't funny, but it was funny, if that makes sense. "If anything I 'infected' her!" I shout. "She had a whole ass boyfriend before I kissed her. Oh, and I kissed her first." The disgust on her face added ten years to my life but took away ten at the same time. "Surprise bitch!" I snap.
She slapped me as soon as the word bitch came out of my mouth. I look up at her slowly, tears stinging my eyes. Though this time it wasn't out of hurt and pain. It was out of anger. My mom stormed past me to El. "No leave her alone!" I plead. "I'm sorry! I promise I'm sorry! EL RUN!". El darts off the bed and makes a beeline for the window before my mom snatches her up by her hair. My mind flashes to Billy, he held her that same way the day we found out he was the new host. Then he choked her. If I wasn't quick with my reflexes who knows what would've happened.
I'm pulled back to reality from the sound of the front door opening. My mom drags El outside and throws her to the ground. I sprint to my brunette girlfriend and get in between her and my mom.
"You'd go against me, your mother! The person who raised and gave birth to you for this d*ke?!", my mother snapped. I helped El off of the ground. Only one word came to mind when she asked me that. There was no hesitation. Just a simple, "Yes" in the sternest voice I could muster. That's when she stopped. My mom stuttered over nonsense for a moment.
"Why?" she finally asked.
"Because she's the most important thing to me in the world," I state. The tears that have been building up in my eyes finally escape. "The best thing I ever done was take her shopping that day. I didn't realize how dead I felt until then, El makes me feel alive. I was no more than a zombie before that day, she revived me. And you're trying to hurt her and you hurt me for caring for her! So why in the world would I let you do all this bullshit?" And I love her.
I feel the stare of my neighbors peaking out of their windows as my mom stares for a moment. Eventually she goes back inside and I turn to El. "Go back to the Byers," I whisper. "I'll bring your things later, okay?" El nods before starting down the road. I see her cut through the forest and I head inside my own home. I notice my mom's door is closed before I close my own.
-Two Days Later-
As I was making myself lunch when I hear a door open.
"Mom?" I call. I get no answer but I hear the floors creaking under someone's weight. I was chopping tomatoes for my sandwich so I quickly adjust the way I'm holding the knife to how murders hold their knives and peek out of the kitchen entrance just in case someone somehow broke into my house without a word (maybe I've been watching way too many horror movies). I almost slam right into my mom and we both let out a shout. I sigh and put the knife back to normal as I walk to the fridge to grab mayo and mustard. "You've barely come out of your room," I say. My mom nods and I finally notice how red her eyes are, they look like she smokes a pack a day. Although my mother was very much against smoking.
"Yeah," she whispers, her voice nearly breaking. "I've, um... been thinking. And I was just so"- she pauses for a moment as if she's trying to think-"I was wrong. I am wrong."
"About?" I ask. I know exactly what she's wrong about.
"About how I reacted to you having a girl-" She stops and takes a deep breath in. "A girlfriend."
I pick up my sandwich that was now completed and turn to my mom while taking a bit from it.
"You were being pretty shitty about it," I say, annoyed.
"I was raised to think that was wrong," my mom sobs. A few tears break through on her face. "But I'm the one who is wrong. My parents are wrong. You are my daughter and nothing can change that, so I'll try and change my ways."
"I need you to do more than try. Trying is putting at least some effort in. I need you to do. Don't try and change your ways. Do change your ways. All effort."
My mom nodded. "Yes, all effort. I promise."
I put my sandwich down on the bare counter and give her a hug. She reciprocated. This was the hug that I needed for years.
"Do you really care about her that much?" she asked me. She didn't ask it as if she was trying to be rude, but as if she was actually curious.
I nod. "Yeah, I really love her"
"Have you told her that?"
"No," I chuckle. "I'm too scared."
"Well I don't know much about love," my mom started. "But you'll never know what she'll say until you tell her. IF you really love her, don't keep it secret".
That was good advice, but like my mom said, she doesn't know much about love. My dad only proposed to her because she was pregnant with Billy. She was sixteen, and he was seventeen. On her eighteenth birthday he popped the question. Then four or five years later I came along. But maybe she was right. Maybe I just needed to tell her.
A/n: I cannot believe how many reads this story has gotten. It's actually insane. Literally wtf. Anyways, make sure you guys are taking care of yourselves. You're important and YOU matter. If anyone ever needs to talk about anything or need advice, I'm here. Yes I'm a stranger on the internet but sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers than your closest friends. You're worth it and I love you guys so fucking much.
Duces✌️
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The Way She Makes Me Feel-Elmax [UNDER EDITING]
أدب الهواة⚠️TW: This story contains sensitive content around internalized homophobia, sexual assault, and rape. If you're trigger by these topics then please don't read this story⚠️ Max has a somewhat nice life in California, that is she did. Until her parent...