promise; mileven

chapter eight

"Have you ever celebrated your birthday?" Mike wondered. "Birth-day?" Eleven repeated.

"It's the same day you were born, and we celebrate it because you're a year older." Mike explains, Mike's mother always hosted birthday parties for Mike and Nancy, balloons and vanilla cakes and music. "No.." Eleven replies quietly, all the years she spent in the Lab, they probably didn't even care for her birthdays which made him feel sad but had to make sure her fourteenth one was the best.

"Okay Eleven we better get home now, your new bed has arrived, I think you'll like it, plus Will and Jonathan are also at home ready to see you." Joyce smiles. Eleven looked at Mike and stood up, Mike did the same, "Will Eleven be going to school?" Mike asked.

"No, she has a lot to catch up but we have a private teacher who will be homeschooling her, she's coming next week.. so for now she has time to settle down" Joyce smiles. Mike nods his head. "Okay.. well can I see El tomorrow since it's Saturday?" Mike wondered. "Of course you can Mike, but I'm going to take her to see her mother in the morning."

"Could I... maybe come?" Mike asked curious as what Elevens mother looked like. Eleven fidgeted with her jumper listening to their conversation. "Sure, I'm sure Eleven would want you to come. Can you arrive at my house around 10am?" Joyce asks, Mike nods his head. "Great, come on Eleven we better go.." Joyce says placing Eleven's files in her bag.

"Okay.." Eleven says quietly picking up her new coat Joyce got her a seat. Eleven looks at Mike, "Oh don't worry I'll see you tomorrow El.." Mike explains. Eleven nods her head and smiles, Mike loved seeing Eleven smile he thought it was the most beautiful smile. Mike smiled back and Eleven followed Joyce out the Police office, Chief Hopper was sorting some paper, "So how did you know Eleven could still be in the woods? You know, after she disappeared." Mike wondered, Hopper put the sheets down.

"Well she was eating the food from the box, no animal could open it so it had just had to be Eleven.. but Mike it's a miracle you found her there, you're a really smart boy.. you never gave up.. I always thought she'd be in the those woods somewhere, after all it is near the other.. dimension" he scratches his chin, Mike nods. "Anyway, I better read some statements and deal with an angry mother.." Hopper replies, walking back in his office. Mike put his backpack on his back and walked out the Police Department. Mike checked the time on his watch, It was only 5:15pm which meant Lucas was probably still at Dustin's house so he decided to join them, He pedalled through the cold air and finally arrived at Dustin's.

He knocked on the door and placed his bike on the grass. Dustin then opened the front door, "Hey Lucas, look who decided to join us after spending time with his girlfriend." Dustin chuckles, "Will you ever give that a rest?" Mike sighs walking in the house. "Nope." Dustin says shutting the door behind them and they walked in the living room.

"Hey, you're playing D&D? Without me and Will?" Mike wondered seeing the board on the table. "Nah, it's not a proper game, we're just messing around." Lucas replies. "Okay" Mike nods sitting on the dining chairand taking some of the peanuts from the snack bowl on the table. "So how's Eleven?" Lucas wondered. "She's good, she's moving in with Will's mom. She's her legal guardian now" Mike explains.

The two boys eyebrows rose up. "Wait, Wait so, Eleven is basically Will's new sister?" Dustin wondered. "Yeah pretty much and Jonathan's.. but it's not like.. proper siblings they'll just take care of her, until she's older besides she already has a family.. she has a mom, and she's visiting her tomorrow but Joyce said I could come too.. and did you know Eleven's real name is actually Jane Ives? Crazy right, I saw her actual birth certificate." Mike explains.

"Wait.. wait slow down, slow down.. Eleven's mom is alive?" Lucas asked, Mike nodded. "And her names not Eleven? It's Jane?" Dustin wondered Mike nodded again. "Come on Dustin that's not surprising I mean it's not like she was really named after a number." Lucas rolls his eyes

"Well you never know.. some people come up with unique names" Dustin shrugged "No.. Dr.Brenner called her that as a code name and ever since she then she kept it like that that, he probably called other children in the lab different numbers too" Mike says. "So there are other kids from the lab with abilities like hers?" Lucas asks, Mike shrugs "I'm not too sure."

"So what else did her birth certificate say?" Dustin asked grabbing some peanuts from the bowl. "She was born on the 17th of September.. 1971"

Dustin started counting with his fingers "So she's fourteen in nine days? Wow, fourteen.. I always thought she was eleven" Dustin chuckles "See what I did there.."

Lucas and Mike threw peanuts at him because of his terrible joke.
"Be serious guys, she hasn't had a real birthday before.. so maybe we could all do something for her to make it the best" Mike explains. "Balloons.. chocolate cake, they're all easy to get." Dustin says.

"Yeah but I want to make it more special than that.. she's been through a lot, like a lot, a lot and we all know that.. She deserves to have the best day ever, don't you agree?" Lucas raises his eyebrows "I guess she has been through a lot."

"Well.. what are you gonna do for her?" Dustin asks.. "Not sure.. but I have time to think" Mike says, Dustin's father then walks down the stairs and through the living room. "Okay kids time for you to go, Airwolf goes on in twenty minutes and I need to watch it in here." Dustin's dad says holding a cold beer. "Okay.." Lucas sighs and Dustin packs the board up. "Guess I'll see you on Monday then" Mike says, "Yeah bye guys."

Mike and Lucas walk out the house and got on their bikes, luckily they lived next door so they could ride back home together. "Do you think Eleven will ever get to live a normal life?" Lucas wondered, as they pedalled down the street. "I hope so.. she deserves to, every kid does." Mike soon replied "At first.. I did want her to live with us, you know me.. my mom, dad.. Nancy and Holls, but her and Joyce have gotten close.. she treats her like her daughter and she's good to her."

"You'd want Eleven as your sister?" Lucas wondered.. "No.. no, no.. I don't want another sister, I already have two really annoying ones." Mike chuckles, "Then why'd you want her to live with you and your family?" Lucas asks.. "I guess I'd be more closer to her and it would be easier to talk to her.." But now that Mike thought about it maybe Eleven living with Joyce was a better idea..

"You can still do all that without living with her besides wouldn't it be weird living with your crush?" Lucas asks. "For the hundredth time she's not my crush." Mike says nervously. "Mike, I've known you for ten years.. I know when you lie."

They then arrive to their street.
"Okay fine.. maybe I have a little crush on El.. but it doesn't mean anything" Mike says, Lucas leans his bike on the outside of his house. "If you say so... See you later Wheeler" Lucas says before entering his house.