𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 [𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫]

one

"Okay, goodnight. Love you," Mike said quietly into his walkie talkie. He didn't want to wake his parents at this ungodly hour.

"Love you too," El said, ending the connection. Mike shoved the antenna on his walkie talkie down and happily walked up the stairs, out of the basement and into the kitchen.

Eleven and Will had been gone for over a year. He was now a sophomore in high school. Well, the entire party was.

They visited Hawkins on Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1985, and it was nearing Halloween of 1986. Mike hadn't seen his best friend or girlfriend in over ten months.

He sighed and grabbed a pop-tart from the cabinet and crept up to his room. It was almost two o'clock in the morning. Thank god it was Saturday.

After flopping on his bed and eating his cherry pop-tart, he decided it would be best for him to get sleep.

The Byers family (and Eleven) moved to a town in Maine. Derry, or something. Mike didn't really remember the name. That's why they could only visit twice a year.

-

"Are you guys excited for the Halloween fair?" Max asked, putting down her skateboard.

"I guess," Mike said, getting on his bike.

The party had met at Mike's house to hang out, but decided they wanted to venture into Hawkins.

"I'm super excited. They have actual live music this year," Max said.

"Ugh, thank god. You guys remember last year? When the mayor's five year old daughter sang twinkle twinkle little star on a loop for an hour?" Dustin asked with a laugh.

"The tune was drilled into my brain for months," Lucas said coldly.

"Do you guys know what the music is this year?" Mike asked, riding off.

"Not sure. I know it's some sort of rock band, or something," Max said, skating behind him.

"Rock isn't really my thing," Lucas said, riding next to Mike. 

"I heard they're really good," Max said.

Hawkins was hosting a Halloween Fun Fair, like the town did every year. The party had never gone, but this year was an exception.

The date was Saturday, October 23rd, and the festival was on Saturday, October 30th. One week.

"Are we dressing up this year?" Dustin asked.

"No, that's lame. We aren't in junior high anymore," Lucas said. Dustin sighed and followed the others towards the arcade.

Once the party reached the arcade, they dropped their respective modes of transportation in front of the building before walking inside.

"Who's that?" Lucas asked quietly. The four all laid eyes on a girl, around their age, standing and talking to the employee at the front.

They've lived in Hawkins long enough to recognize most of the townspeople, but they had no idea who this girl was.

She had (h/l) (h/c) hair and was wearing a black turtleneck and a (f/c) pleated skirt. A black leather jacket was sitting on the counter next to her.

"I've never seen her before," Max said.

"Hot," Dustin said, earning a smack from Lucas.

"Dude!" Lucas said accusingly.

"What? You know Susie and I broke up last month," Dustin said.

"I thought she was your never ending story," Max said, pouting. Mike kept his eyes glued to the girl, trying to recognize her.

"Mike?" Dustin asked. Mike snapped back to reality and turned back to his friends.

"You okay?" Lucas asked.

"Uh, yeah. I'm good," he said, glancing back at the girl before walking towards the games.

His thoughts were confusing him. He had never looked at a girl (besides Eleven) like the way he looked at her.

He was absolutely mesmerized by her. She was both beautiful and mysterious — who is this girl? Does she live here? Will she join the party at Hawkins high? So many questions raced through Mike's mind.

He tried to get his mind off of her by playing Pac-Man, but she walked past him and he was a mess again.

She walked so smoothly with such ease, her fishnets making a small swish sound as she strutted out the door.

Mike stomped over to the employee at the desk and slammed his hands on the counter.

"Who is that?" Mike asked, louder than he should've.

"Woah, little dude. Calm down. I don't know her name, I'm not a weirdo," the employee — Keith — said.

Mike sighed and walked back over to Pac-Man. Useless.

"What was that about?" Lucas asked.

"What do you mean?" Mike asked, putting another quarter in the machine.

"With the girl. Why do you care so much?" Lucas asked, leaning against the rickety Pac-Man machine.

"I've never seen her before. Maybe she's nice," Mike said, still avoiding eye contact.

"Okay Mike," Lucas said, stretching out the 'o' in 'okay'.

"Do you have a problem?" Mike asked, pausing the game and angrily gazing at Lucas, who was smirking.

"I think someone's got a hard-on for the new girl. Ain't that right, Dusty-Bun?" Lucas asked Dustin, who walked up next to him.

"I think you're right, Lukey-Luke," Dustin said.

"Shut up. I love Eleven," Mike said.

"No shit, Mike. We were just kidding," Lucas said reassuringly.

"I should probably head home. I'm sorry guys," Mike said, shaking his head and walking out of the arcade.

"What's with him?" Max asked, walking next to Dustin.

"No idea. He saw the new girl in town and completely freaked out," Dustin said.

"Oh no," Max said.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"I saw this coming. Mike is gonna move on from El," Max said.

"Don't be so dramatic. He's allowed to find other people attractive," Dustin said.

"I don't know. He hasn't shown much interest when we mention El," Max said.

"Now that you say that... yeah, you're right," Dustin muttered.

"I think it's because they haven't seen each other in a while. When she comes around for Thanksgiving, things will go back to normal," Lucas said.

"I hope they can last until then," Max said, watching Mike ride off on his bike.