The ride was rather miserable. I don't think anyone really said anything, everyone's still incredibly jet lagged and you can tell. Jonathan, Nancy, and Argyle talked a bit more then we did. Which feels odd.
I thought maybe we'd talk more or at least want to. Maybe everyone's just tired. I mean El and Mike seem pretty tired, they've been laying on each other since we left the driveway. I kind of just sat quietly staring at the floor of the car. Dustin was half asleep I think, Max and Lucas kept quietly glancing at each other when the other wasn't looking, they thought no one would notice.
"Ok we're here!" Nancy has a large smile plastered on her face, probably one of the only smiles in the car. Everyone starts to file out of the car. Jonathan catches my sleeve when I try to leave. I feel my face screw up as I sigh. Nancy glances at the two of us before she decides it'd be more appropriate for her and Argyle to leave the car.
"Jonathan, not now." I talk through my teeth. I can't do this right now. I want to go and have fun.
"Fine. But tonight we will sit down and have a conversation." Jonathan has always been there for me so I shouldn't be mad but I am. I'm mad he's had to be there so much, it's not fair to him.
I get out of the van and go into the roller rink. El is standing there with Mike talking with a blonde girl, I take a second to realize who it was. No. Not tonight, it's supposed to be Els night. I make my way towards them. "Jane, what's going on?" I sound so panicked when I reached them. Angela. God. Angela bullies the fuck out of El, she makes fun of her projects. Most recent was her hero project, El made hers about Hopper. Angela made fun of her relentlessly and then there was an incident.
"Oh calm down Byers, Jane and I were just having a little chat. With her boyfriend in town, we'll have to plan a hang out all together. Right Jane?" El is smiling so wide it's incredible and she's nodding her head violently. Angela was lying. They both were.
"It was nice to meet you." Mike says, smiling at Angela. Angela laughs and walks away.
I pull El towards me, staring her dead in the eye. "El, what was that? Angela and you aren't friends. She's awful to you." I am whisper yelling so Mike doesn't hear us talking.
"Will, it's fine, we're friends now." Els smile tells me that she knows she's lying but doesn't care. I take a deep breath if this is what she wants fine. I can't stop her.
I wander off to get my skates, it looks like El and Mike got there's but Dustin, Max, and Lucas are standing waiting in line at the desk. Dustin spots me and waves me over. "Will, what was that about?" Dustin asks once I make it over to them.
"It was nothing, I just-" I take a deep breath "I don't like that girl. She and El, I just have a bad feeling." Max stares at me for a minute. Then she is staring wide eyed behind me. I turn around quickly, there's some song playing and people are skating around El. They have their hands out, they're mimicking her. Her hand thing. God, no. No. I start running towards them, Mike is no where to be seen. Max, Dustin, and Lucas aren't far behind me. I see Mike talking to the dj trying to get him to turn off the song. I am trying to make my way to the middle with Max and Lucas. Dustin went to help figure out the damn music. We can't push through, that's when it happens. Els covered in chocolate milkshake, Lucas is using his weird amount of basketball strength to clear a path for Max and I.
I'm pulling El up and she's wide eyed with tears falling down her face. "El, are you ok?" I can't get El to answer. Max is yelling at Angela who is just making fun of her in return. I see Lucas trying to pull Max away from Angela, but it's too late her arm is pulled back and she punches Angela in the nose. Lucas grabs Max yanking her towards us. Then we're all being piled into the car and Jonathan and Nancy are yelling at us. Argyle is saying that Max was totally justified. I'm shaking and trying to help El get some chocolate shake out of her favorite dress. Mike is arguing with Jonathan and Nancy. Lucas is checking Max's hand, Dustin is staring at the floor.
"Everyone just shut up!" I finally snap and everyone's silent. Jonathan is staring at me through the mirror. I take a deep breath and continue to help El. I need this to be ok, I need everything to be ok. But right now this has been shit.
