the year of el | mileven

ch. 15 | plane

"El someone's at the door for you!" Rachel called from the front of the house

Was it Mike? She looked at the clock but it was 3 in the afternoon and she remembered he said he wouldn't be there until later that evening.

Regardless, She swiftly combed through her hair with her fingers trying to make it look somewhat decent. She then gradually walked to the door, hoping that he wouldn't mind that she wasn't really ready yet.

"Uh hey Max?"

"Surprised to see me, aren't ya?"

El nodded. Max never came over to her house. She didn't even know how Max knew how to get there.

"Okay.. well I came over because.." The redhead hesitated for a moment, her voice growing softer "I kinda don't have anything to wear to homecoming"

El glanced at her and noted that Max was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, like she always did. She had never seen Max wear a dress or even a skirt for that matter. El remembered that Rachel informed her that homecoming was a formal dance. Girls wore pretty dresses and boys wore nice suits, was the phrase that stuck in her mind.

"I have more dresses" El answered nicely "come with me" she gestured

As they made it to Eleven's room, Max sat on her bed as El browsed through her closet

"I only own like one dress that my grandma got for me when she forces me to go to church with her sometimes, it looks really lame though" Max sighed, while scoping out El's room

El didn't know what church was but was too embarrassed to ask a question that she probably should already know the answer too. So instead she kept a mental note that if she ever went to church she was supposed to dress nicely.

"How about this?" El, said handing her the frilly dress

"Ehh.. Pink? No offense but do you have any other colors. It's already bad enough I have to wear a stupid dress, I rather it not be pink.."

"Okay. hmm" El thought aloud "What about this one?" she asked, handing her a spring blue one

Max examined the dress carefully "I guess this one isn't so bad"

"You should try it on. The bathroom is over there" she pointed, now fully aware of the importance of privacy.

After about five minutes, Max came back out.

El was blown away by how different she looked. The dress really accentuated her natural beauty and the blue color made her eyes pop.

"Pretty" El smiled widely

Max awkwardly tugged at the dress "You really think so?"

"Yes, you should wear it tonight"

"Okay I will then. Thanks a lot though, you're a real life saver"

El observed her face closely "Makeup next"

"No, no, nope, sorry" Max retorted, shaking her head quickly

El nudged her "Come on, just a little. Lucas will like it"

"Ughhh okay fine. but no lipstick" Max mumbled, rolling her eyes

El took out a seat for Max to sit in while she went through her makeup kit.

She enjoyed wearing makeup sometimes and even recalled the first time she wore it. Mike had stolen his sister Nancy's makeup and put some on her before they left to go to the middle school. When she had looked in the mirror afterwards, she loved the way it had made her feel. It made her feel pretty. It made her feel normal.