011 ~ A Mileven Fanfic

Chapter the Seventh

Third Person

Mike Wheeler had never seen Max cry. He'd seen her hold back tears, or squeeze a few anger tears out of the corner of her eyes. He's seen her get beaten by her drunken older brother and he'd seen her beat up guys in alleys trying pull her shirt off. And yet, he had never seen Max fully cry. And now that he's seen it, he never wants to see it again.

Max was sitting on her bed, Mike's arm around her shoulders and leaning into his chest, soaking his shirt through with warm, salty tears. Will was sitting on the ground in front of her, whispering encouraging things and trying to bring up the mood. As Max was crying they heard the doorbell ring and all began to make their way downstairs. They opened the door to see Dustin, cleaned up from last night and holding flowers, already (correctly) assuming Max had been told about him. However, when he saw Max, tear stained cheeks wearing old clothes, her hair disheveled, he dropped the flowers to the ground and ran up, the two immediately wrapping their arms around each other and hugging in the middle of Max's foyer.

"I'm so, so sorry" Dustin was whispering continuously whispering in Max's ear. Max was just nodding, tears leaking out of her eyes onto Dustin's shirt now.

3 hours later, the 4 of them were packed onto Max's couch, playing Monopoly and joking around, the mood lighter now. Max looked at all of them, asking

"Guys, I really don't want to be alone right now, can you stay over tonight too?" The guys all nodded and borrowed Max's phone to call their parents, all of them agreeing.

When Mike got back to living room after talking to his mother, Will had bankrupted Dustin and was running around the living room doing a victory dance.

"Will," Max gasped through laughter. "Will, that victory dance is literally the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

"What, the eagle? It's classic!" Will argued.

"No, dude, this is how you eagle." Dustin got up from his seat on the couch and then proceeded to try and teach Will how to properly wave his arms back and forth.

Mike walked into the room chuckling and took a seat by Max who was laughing at the spectacle.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine now. I'm just upset you know? We were best friends and I think I just lost him." Max muttered.

"Well Max, we're your best friends too. You have more than one best friend and you're not losing us anytime soon." Max smiled and leaned her head on Mike's shoulder, the two of them enjoying their idiot friends.

After a while, when everything had calmed down, Dustin gave Mike a look easily interpreted as alright I'm going to talk to this girl I've been in love with for 2 years, I need privacy. Mike gave Dustin a small nod and turned to Will.

"Hey will, lets go find some of our own clothes in Max's closet for tonight." Mike told him.

"Oh no I'm good with just-" Will was cut off with a glare from Mike gesturing at Dustin.

"Oh you know what, good idea." Will agreed and the two of them walked out of the living room and pretended to walk upstairs but really just hid in the kitchen.

"Max, look-" They heard Dustin start.

"No Dustin, I know, the guys told me everything." Max said.

"No, the guys love you as a friend so they don't have any idea how I feel, they could not have told you everything. Yes I love you, I have since I met you. You're the most beautiful, courageous, badass girl I know, well, after El," Max laughed, having been filled in on the whole El thing, "and everyday, the thought of seeing is you is what spurs me forward. Look, I know you probably don't feel the same way but I just wanted to let you know that-"

Dustin was suddenly caught off and everything went silent. Mike and Will looked at each other curiously behind the kitchen island and stood up a bit to look over and see what was happening.

Max was leaning over on the couch and kissing Dustin. The kiss was more light and sensitive, very different from last night, especially because Max was completely sober.

Max pulled away and Dustin simply started at her dumbfounded, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Max giggled, max, the crazy badass, giggled, and poked Dustin.

"You were saying?" She said.

"Um, u-u-uh, well-, like, you, god" he choked out and Max laughed.

"I've been thinking about that since freshmen year." He muttered.

Mike and Will were standing behind the kitchen counter, fake gagging, until Will said,

"Mmmmm, they're kind of cute though. She's the El to his Mike." Mike rolled his eyes.

"Well then who was El's Lucas." Will raised an eyebrow, as if to say touche, when Max yelled,

"Oy, you two, I see you over there!"

Mike and Will emerged from their hiding spot, Will asking,

"So Max, do you like, like Dustin now?"

Max shrugged and smiled. "I don't yet, but maybe." She said looking over at Dustin's lit up face.

"That would be very nice if you did." Dustin told Max politely. Max laughed.

"Dinner tomorrow night at 7. We'll see if I like you or not." Max said and Dustin shook his vigorously.

"Yes, yes, definitely. Guys, this is the closest I've ever gotten!" Dustin yelled towards the guys. They all laughed, especially Max. Things had still fallen apart yet it seemed that just for a second, the world was right again.

alright guys if this seems a tad too dramatic for you, i'm sorry it's a bit too much drama for my taste as well. however, it was all necessary for the plot, you know how it goes, so just bear with me

oh my god also i'm super sick and i keep going to the hospital and i got SOOO much blood drawn today i feel like ive lost weight even though im actually being meladramatic and it was like 6 viles but still I'M VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO PAIN