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SITTING ON THE steps next to Max, Cindy sighed as Mike placed the phone back on its hook.
"Anything?" Lucas asked, standing quickly as Mike jogged back towards where the group waited patiently.
Mike had volunteered himself to call the Byers' house, as his friends hadn't seen Will since his episode the day before.
"We need to talk," Mike stated as he neared the concrete steps, "AV room. Right now."
Cindy stood, tugging her backpack over her shoulder and walking towards the door, Max following after her.
"Party members only."
Cindy's eyes snapped up, landing first on Mike, who glared behind her, and she let her gaze shift onto Max.
The girl's shoulders slumped in defeat, and she stopped in her tracks, hurt striking sharply through her features.
"Come on, Mike," Dustin stopped on the stairs, looking up at Mike with furrowed brows.
"No! This is non-negotiable," He shook his head, turning back towards the door and yanking it open with a firm grip.
When Cindy peered back over at Max, the girl was already staring at her, her blue eyes helpless and rejected.
"I'm sorry," The Harrington mouthed, and she sent her friend an apologetic smile before entering the building, pumping her legs to catch up with Mike.
Nearing him, Cindy placed a hand on his shoulder, their footsteps falling into sync.
"What is your deal?" She asked him, shaking her head from side to side.
Her tolerance for his attitude had reached its boiling point, and by now, a confrontation was long overdue.
"Cindy," He faced her now, stopping as they neared the door to the AV room, "I get it, you like Max. But she's not in our party, so stop pretending she is."
She scoffed, raising her sepia eyebrows. "You know, I don't remember anyone saying you were the only one who gets to decide who is and isn't in our party, Mike."
"I don't," The boy shook his head quickly.
"Then who are you," She jousted a finger into his chest, "to say she can't be a member? Why can't you just let me have this, just this one time?"
"Why can't you," He pushed her finger off his chest gently, "just be happy with what we have? Before Max got here, you were perfectly fine. But as soon as she walked into Mr. Clarke's class, you've been obsessed with her. It's like we don't even exist to you anymore, like you've forgotten who your real friends are. But, hey, you've done it before, you'll do it again, right? Isn't that what happened when you joined our party?"
