hawkins, indiana ► wheeler

twelve

twelve

Mike's POV - Friday, 5:23 am

"I'm staying for the surgery. And I get to see her no matter what?" Mike asked for at least the fifth time. Each time the doctors hadn't given him a straight answer, and you had a feeling he wasn't going to leave unless he got what he wanted.

"Anything too exciting and her body could go into shock under all of the medication. I think it's be-"

"No matter what." Mike said firmly and tilted his head slightly, you imagine he was trying his best not to grab the doctor by the collar of his coat and force him to call off the surgery all together. You rarely saw him angry, but you doubted the doctor wanted to be around when it happened. The doctors mouth as pulled into a tight line.

"I understand you are very fond of y/n, but I am only looking out for her best interest and-"

"And what? You would let her mother stay for the surgery! or her brother or her husband! What's so different about me being in the room?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow and slipped a blue pen behind his ear. "Are you her brother?" He taunted.

"what? no! of cou-"

"husband?"

"N-no, but I-"

"Then I am sorry sir, but I am not permitted to allow your presence during the procedure." Mike looked at you desperately and you noticed his hands fall from their fists. He walked over and knelt by the side of your bed. He put a hand on your arm and his head on your shoulder.

"You don't need to worry about me, okay?" You ran your fingers through his matted brown locks. "It's not like I'm going to die or anything." You muttered. You didn't see any tears fall but Mike lifted his hand and rubbed his eye quickly, burying his head deeper into your shirt.

The doctor tapped his pen, growing impatient.

"I love you." Mike finally lifted his head and met your eyes; his nose nearly touching your own.

"Mr. Wheeler." The doctor persisted and continued tapping.

"I'm not going to die." You whispered with a small laugh, and shook your head. He kept silent and another tear rolled down the side of his cheek. "I love you too." You told him with a small smile. He turned the corner of his lips up in attempt to fake smile. It didn't work. you knew him too well.

A small group of surgeons entered the room and one of them put a hand on Mike's shoulder. The nurse pulled the top part of his mask down and informed him that it was time to leave the room and that the surgery would begin shortly. Mike didn't even turn his or acknowledge the nurse speaking. Instead he squeezed your hand, running his thumb across your palm, and stood up, mindlessly. His eyes were no longer looking at you, instead they were dull and barely looked up from the floor as he made his way out of the room. Once there were only nurses and surgeons remaining in the room, they began sanitizing different needles and tools, and laying them out across the counter. One nurse with ginger hair swept tightly into a low bun pulled a light to the front of the bed and positioned it directly on the lower area of your chest. She pulled a pair of shiny baby blue latex gloves over her finger and picked up a slender needle from the counter.

"This won't hurt a bit! It's just a bit of anesthesia to numb ya' right up!" Her heavy southern accent was muffled through the surgical mask but you could see small dimples peeking out from below her cheek bones. You felt a slight poke and then a sharp pain, like being stabbed right through your upper arm. Your eyes fluttered and your head began pounding. After a few moments of feeling like you were floating, you began to get really drowsy. Like seriously drowsy.

"So," the nurse started again, laying a lie sheet across your face and upper torso. "You may be a tad bit tired and you might hallucinate but it's no biggie! Completely normal, doll. All part of the plan am i right?" And before you could answer your eyes fell closed and you were under.

—-

Your POV - Friday, 2:07 pm

"How much longer?"

"I told you the first time, it usually takes four to five hours for the anesthesia to wear off. She'll be awake in no time." A voice said dismissively

"It's been eight hours!" It was Mike's voice, but much fuzzier, or echo-ey-ier? You couldn't be bothered to formulate complete thoughts at the moment. You blinked your eyes open, which was a task in itself. You took a shaky breath in, which captured Mike's attention. He hurried to your bedside and knelt next to you.

"How do you feel? Are you dizzy?" He spoke quickly and placed his hand on the side of your cheek and then your forehead. "The doctor said you might be dizzy. I'll get you some water-" He turned to grab the pitcher of water on the bed table. You grabbed his hand and pulled it to your chest.

"Mike," you spoke softly. The mere sound of your heart beating was enough to give you a splitting ache behind your eyes.

"Yeah?" His eyes searched your face, although you didn't know what for.

"I feel fine."

"But yo-"

"Mike," you persisted. "I'm fine. Just come here." He day back down on the bed and sighed, his head resting in his hands. The doctor groaned and exited the room muttering to herself.

"All this stress is taking years if my life." He mumbled.

"Yeah mine too." You wrapped your fingers around the hem of his shirt.

"I'm sorry it has to be like this."

"Hey, the doctor said I should be out of the hospital and back at school in a few weeks."

"I just wish things could go back to the way they were." He let his head hang forward and didn't move the hair out of his eyes when it fell forward. At first you thought he meant before the crash but i part of you knew it wasn't that. Before el? Or before you. Maybe he wanted back. Maybe you were in their way. Maybe he wasn't telling the truth that day Eleven came back, at least not the whole truth. The sinking feeling that Mike might not love you anymore drove daggers through your heart.

He said he loved you his morning. Why would he suddenly stop loving you?

You couldn't really justify why you felt a disconnection but it was all you could do not to breakdown right there and then.

"Hey, Mike" he turned to you with a small smile. "I'm feeling kinda tired." His face fell.

"But you've been sleeping for the past eight hours!" He threw his hands up and laid back in the bed.

"I just need some time to myself." He nodded and squeezed your hand.

"Door open?" He asked, fiddling with the door handle. You shook your head and he pushed his dark locks away from his face.

"I love you." You told him with a twinge of despair.

I mean it.

He smiled crookedly. "I love you too."

But you don't.

—-

word count - 1247

I really didn't think I'd be back but I haven't hear anything abt the repeal so here I am! I really want to start more books but I need to finish my other ones first oops.