"Why the hell did you hit her?" Mike is yelling at Max, Max in return rolls her eyes. For what it's worth, I'm glad Max punched the stuck up asshole. Yelling at the dj wasn't exactly the most helpful thing in the world from Els boyfriend. Helping her up, checking on her, something in that area would've been more helpful then trying to stop the music. Dustin could've handled that, El should've been top priority or maybe I'm being overly critical.
El hasn't said a word she's just sitting on her bed, wide eyed with a tear striken face. I'm sitting in front of her on my knees. "El, why did you lie? Especially to Mike, about Angela. The girl treats you like garbage. You don't need her to be your friend." I am scrubbing at the stain painted across El's dress. Moms not home right now so I'm trying to take her roll and clean the stain. But I'm doing a terrible job.
"I-" El sighs after getting barely a word out, then she gives up. She couldn't figure out how to sum it up, how to make me understand. "You don't get it Will." El says but I do. I do get it. Feeling outcasted and different, but I'm not going to press her because that sucked. She doesn't need me pushing on top of what happened.
I grab her hand and squeeze it. "Jonathan said Moms bringing home your favorite." I try to put on this grand smile for her but it doesn't change her expression. "C'mon El." I push her arm gently and I watch her face crack a little. That's my sister. I'm so thankful for her.
"El," I hear Lucas knock. I stand up to push open the door and there stands Dustin and Lucas looking at El with the same brotherly look I share when I talk to El. "Are you alright?" Lucas asks, El tries to smile but fails.
"That girl was a total jerk." Dustin blurts which makes me want to laugh. Because he's right, he didn't say anything special but I want to laugh. Maybe I'm crazy. "I mean, wow, who puts that much time into a fucking asshole move. She must really have no friends." Els starts to smile, of course Dustin could pull it out of her.
"Right. And her music taste? Lame if you ask me." Lucas adds. This makes me smile. I miss my friends so much. I miss Hawkins honestly. Lucas and Dustin keep going until El is laughing and wiping the tears from her face. They always know how to make people smile. I breath for the first time in what feels like hours and leave them to their jokes. Max and Mike are still arguing with Nancy interjecting every once in awhile, I feel my blood start to boil. This is ridiculous.
I am about to let words leave my mouth when someone beats me to it. "Stop it! Just stop it." It's El. She doesn't need to deal with this. "Thank you Max for helping, I appreciate. Mike stop yelling at her. This is all ridiculous. I'm sorry I lied ok? But I wanted it to seem like my life got better, that I wasn't some little girl with a failed life." Els eyes start to well up again and I want to go to her but Mom walks through the door. She has like 10 things in her hands and just stops to stare at us all.
"Maybe if you hadn't lied, we wouldn't of had this problem." Mike spits. His words sound like venom, that's not fair to El. He didn't fucking listen to her. I watch a flame light in Els eyes as she disappears into her room.
"Well this seems tense." Mom says heading towards the kitchen. I stare at Mike with my mouth agape. How could he? His girlfriend got a milkshake dumped on her and publicly embarrassed and he's pissed she was scared that she'd seem like failure so she lied.
I feel a fire light in my eyes. How could he be so insensitive? "Wow, Mike. Wow. Maybe it would've been better if you didn't come. Dustin, Lucas, Max, Nancy I am so glad you're here. Mike figure your bullshit out. Goodnight." I turn on my heel and head towards Els room to make sure she's ok. God fucking damn.
"Will!" I hear Jonathan but I don't care. I don't fucking care. This isn't about me, this is about El. I am ridiculous. Making any of this about me. I hear several sets of footsteps behind me, but I don't look back. I don't care enough to.
I can't tell who's behind. "Mike, stop. Give them their space." Nancy, she's following Mike who's apparently following me. That leaves probably Jonathan following me. I take a heavy breath and turn and slam the door open to Els room, I lock it quickly and sink to the floor.
"Will?"
"El, hi, I'm sorry." I feel the tears pricking my eyes. I can't do this right now. "Are you ok?" I am trying to hold in my tears but I don't know how well that's going to go right now.
"I'm mad at Mike." El responds and I give a depleted chuckle.
"Me too."
El is staring at me with this glow in her eye. "Will, why did you bring your painting with you today?" That's a random question for this moment. But I take a moment to think of how to respond.
"I um, well I made that painting for Mike." I want to bite my tongue and take it back. I didn't plan on giving anyone this information but oh well. What more can I do at this point?
"You didn't want to give it to him today?" El questions and I immediately want to change the topic.
I don't know if I should tell her. Maybe she won't catch on. "I didn't think it was the right time." El hums and nods in response. I want to cry. I wish I could tell everyone, everything but that's not how my life works. "Mike tried to follow you down here." I sigh, I wish he'd been trying to follow me here.
"Did you yell at him?" El asks and I nod. "He was probably following you then." I stare at the ground confused when El says this.
"What do you mean?"
El laughs at me slightly and I just stare at her. "He talks about you all the time. Not that he ever calls you like he says he should. You're his bestfriend Will." I feel my chest heat up. Bestfriend. There's a tingling that fills my body. Oh my gosh.
"Well he doesn't show that." I sigh and El nods. Maybe she gets it. I think we get each other, because we're Eleven Hopper and Will Byers, a set of siblings. The girl who saved me. And the best sister I could ever ask for.
I look at El and she takes in a deep breath. "Will I don't think I want to be with Mike anymore." My brain freezes and I stare quietly.
"What?"
