𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 ⚡︎ 𝗆. 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗋 ⚔︎ 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

I'm Still Here

Four's POV
Today was the day, I would finally stop being a stupid coward and face my guilt and also my happiness, if it works. I biked home with El after school. She didn't want to arrange anything, the gang just decided to meet up at the arcade.

I made my somewhat "dramatic entrance" I walked in and people could see nervousness all over my face. I looked at Mike, burning tears in my eyes. He looked at me with sadness, sorrow and confusion. I just went up to him and said: "look, I know I fucked up bad but can you please just talk to me? I need to tell you something."

He just followed me, we went outside and leaned on the wall I faced him and said: "Michael Wheeler, I'm the biggest idiot, I'm a monster who doesn't ever deserve to be forgiven or talked to, but I...I love you and I'll understand if you don't love me anymore, when I killed James I instantly regret it. Not because you were watching, it was because I lost my morals, For you. I'm not saying this is your fault but when I'm around you, you make me feel like anything bad I do will be okay even though it won't, its this feeling I get when I'm around you like I'm complete. And when you're away I'm just not myself. Its like a part of m-"

He cut me off by smashing his lips onto mine, he pulled away said: "No matter how both of us fuck up, we can't leave each other, promise?" "I cross my heart, Michael." We went back inside the arcade hand in hand. Now we were stronger, as a relationship, as my friends, and my family, these were the people that cheered me up when I was at my lowest. And as we headed to Jane, Mike said with a big grin: "oh and El, you can make Y/n move back in with me." I looked at him with wide eyes but still not surprised.

We all played games and stole Kevin's cheese puffs and ate them, we all biked to school. We snuck inside the gym, the gang asked me: "why are we here?" I said: "well, me and El kept this a secret but the Mind Flayer is going after El and We're the only ones who can stop it, we couldn't do it without the bath. So do it *again* folks, don't ask how I knew you did it before by the way." Mike smirked at me, soon got to work, we split up into groups: Mike, Lucas, and Me. Will, El, Dustin, and Max.

Lucas said as Me, him, and Mike were walking to the warehouse: "y'know Mike, your little girlfriend here promised me that she'll never leave us." I looked down at the floor in guilt, Mike looked at me. Lucas then continued: "y/n I'm not saying this for you to be guilty, you came back sorta so you didn't break your promise, I told you, you were the most loyal person I know." I smiled and looked at Mike blushing, he did the same.

We got the bath ready, El and I laid inside. Mike mumbled: "careful, y/n I can't lose you again." I gave him a reassuring smile, then me and El focused and focused.

I heard the sound of a really loud storm, I saw El appear out of nowhere and I gestured to the woods again so the plan could actually work this time, I did the same thing as last time only this time I didn't fall, I also broke a branch from the tree so, I could stab his head. I jumped on his head, he was swinging in various directions, El helped me strengthen my grip with her powers. Then I stabbed the Mind flayer as hard as I could, I heard him scream in pain, it was so deafening because I was super close to his head, it then dissolved into thin air as I gently touched the concrete, I hugged El and smiled to her in victory. Hoping that nothing might ever break our bond together.

I woke up in the kiddie pool, surrounded by my sister and friends. Blood came down my nose as I went to hug all of them in victory, We got extra towels and biked back home.

Before we got home Mike and I stopped at the cemetery, I went to James' grave and said: "James, I am so so so so sorry for what I did, I'm a monster who should burn in hell for what I did, I learned my lesson. And even if you weren't the most delightful person, your life is still so much more worth that it actually was. I hope you're an angel up high." I cried as Mike hugged me, we picked flowers from the park and put it on his grave.

it was really cold, so me and Mike arrived home. I then took a shower, wore pjamas, and slept next to Mike, in his bed. I though to myself: I'm so so so lucky to have this boy, at hand with me. I lost him once and I won't ever do it again.