Road Trip 1988 - Stranger Things Fanfiction

Chapter 6: Austin Part 1

"Thank God we're staying in Austin tomorrow," Lucas says from the driver's seat as he merges onto the highway, "I need a fucking break."

They had another early morning to make the five-hour drive to Texas, eating the leftover breakfast packed by Mike's mom.

"We said we would we drive you big baby," Max says from the middle row, "but no, you think we're gonna crash the car or something!"

He only grunted in response, not having the energy at 9 am to argue with her.

"Well, that'd be fair to assume," Mike says quietly, a sleeping El on his shoulder, "since you messed up your car the second you got it."

Dustin tried to hide his laugh at his girlfriend's terrible luck; in her defense, she did have the right of way but old man Wallace just backed right into her at 20 miles an hour without a care in the world.

The redhead pushes her boyfriend roughly, "don't laugh! That was fucking terrible, it was a whole 2 months pay to fix!"

LL Cool J's voice suddenly came through the speakers of the car, causing Lucas and Will to let out a "yes!" and turn it up to the maximum volume, interrupting Max's tragic tale.

"...I'll take a musclebound man and put his face in the sand, not the last Mafioso I'm a MC cop, make you say 'Go L.L and do the wop!'"

Max, Dustin, and Mike just about lost it at Will singing along, still in disbelief at their friends love for hip-hop music.

"I still can't believe he goes to New York once and comes back with rap skills," Max whispers to the two boys.

"I heard that!" Will says in between breaths.

A shaking body along with the cackles filling the car causes El to stir against Mike, making a silent whimper muffled by his shirt.

"Sorry, love," Mike whispers softly, "Will is going gangster again."

El looks up in her sleepy daze and giggles when she sees her step-brother and Lucas waving their arms holding up peace signs in the front.

"I think that's an insult to gangsters everywhere," she mumbles, causing her boyfriend to laugh and kiss her head before mumbling against it "you're right."

Her smile is interrupted by a yawn and she unbuckles her seat belt to lay down, Mike shifting over a seat so she can lay out more comfortably. She mumbles her thanks and rests her head on his lap, facing inward.

Max turned around to see Mike stroking El's curls softly, looking down at her with a softness that's only grown over the years. Mike felt a gaze on him and looked up, raising his eyebrows when he sees Max examining them.

She simply shrugs and shoots him a smirk, "you guys are cute sometimes."

Right when she turned around, Dustin was arrhythmically head-banging to the music and just missed Max's face by a few inches.

"Dusty, what the hell!" she screeches, using the nickname they all make fun of, "you just missed my face!"

Mike let out a snort, "yeah, you guys are cute too, Max," he says playfully, causing the girl to flip him off while not being able to hold in her laughter.

Lucas and Will were still just as manic an hour later, most likely delusionally tired from the heavy hours of traveling they've been doing.

The former boy was usually very anal retentive about checking the speed limit he was going, not wanting to go too far over and risk getting pulled over.

With the lack of cars and string of hip-hop songs being played, he hadn't realized his speedometer was close to 100 mph nor did he realize the black police car hiding in the trees of the highway.