The Breakfast Club (Penn Zero/Stranger Things)

Chapter 5

"So... why are we doing this again?" El asked.

The five kids were now sitting on the library floor in a circle. El herself had Max on her right, and Penn on her left.

"Hey, if it helped the characters of the movie, then it will help us." The redhead girl pointed out. "Okay, just state the reason why you are here on this lovely Saturday." "Well, Sashi, Boone and I got here because of a prank we pulled on Rippen." Penn said. "What did you do?" "We may have made him look like a chicken. Feathers and all." Both Max and El laughed. "Wow! You can be cruel!" El said, playfully smacking Penn in the arm. "You know, it seem that you guys and Rippen have a lot of beef with each other. What's that all about?" Max asked.

The trio gave uncertain looks. "Oh come on. You can tell us!" El insisted. "Okay, fine. But you and your friends better not tell a soul. You see, we used to be part time heroes. We'd go around the multiverse and fill in for heroes who can't get the job done. Rippen and Larry were the part time villains." The girls nodded, but El caught up on something. "Used to be?" She asked. "Yeah. We were forced to retire, and trust me, even if I were to tell you the reason, you two would have your minds explode in mere confusion." Penn said. The girls nodded again.

"Look. I know we said that we wouldn't tell anyone else, but my dad and Will's mom are gonna have to know about this." El began. "And before you ask why, let's just say that we've been through some crazy shit like you guys. Just trust us, okay?" Max asked. The trio, though uncertain, nodded. "Okay. My turn. I am here because I pulled of a dangerous skateboard stunt in the halls." Max said. "Wait. You're Mad Max?! Girl! You're a legend in the freshman class!" Boone said. Max smiled. "Yeah. Guess I am." "Okay, El. What about you? Why are you here?" Penn asked. "Yeah. You didn't tell anyone in the Party. Not even me it Will." Max said. "Okay. But before that, I wanna know what you girls have been through." Sashi said, giving them a slight suspicious look. "Sashi!" Penn hissed at his friend.

"No. It's okay. You told us you're truth. We tell you ours." El said. Taking a deep breath, El and Max explained everything. El's origins from the lab, El meeting the boys, finding the missing Will Byers, Brenner, Max joining the group, the Mind Flayer, all the people they have lost during the last three years, etc, etc. By the end, the trio looked at them in shock, horror, and pity. "Oh my gosh." Sashi muttered, while Boone paled. "Girls, I'm so sorry that you both had to go through this. Especially you El. No one as kind and pretty as you should go through that." Penn said. "It's okay." Max said, looking down, thinking of the now dead Billy. El sensed this and gave her friend a quick side hug.

"Okay, El. It's your turn to tell us why you got detention." Boone said, color coming back to his skin. El just stared at the floor, and stared to tremble. "El?" Max asked gently. "I... I brought a... I brought a knife to school." The brunette said, shaking like a leaf. Almost everyone paled. "What?" Boone asked quietly. "El, you did what?" Sashi asked. "I brought a knife to school, okay?!" El asked, her head shot up and everyone saw the tears streaming down her face. "El..." Max said, reaching out for her friend. El quickly stood up and ran off. "El!" The others yelled. Max noticed the redhead boy of the group standing up as well. "Are you sure? El can be a bit unstable when she's upset." She warned him. "I don't care. I'm not gonna let the girl I love be like this. I gotta do something." Penn said, before racing off to find the girl.

Penn eventually found the brunette telekinetic girl sitting right next to a window, her knees pulled up against her chest, and her head locked between her legs. The girl was shaking and he could hear her sobbing. Penn figured that he should ask later on, seeing that right now El need someone to comfort her. Walking over and sitting behind El, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. El buried her head against his chest and wailed for dear life, her screams and cries muffled his shirt. Her hands went behind to Penn's back and her fingers clawed his jacket.

"Shh. Shh. It's okay, El. It's gonna be okay. Just let all out. I'm right here, Okay? I'm not leaving you. I'm not going to leave you, alright?" Penn adjusted himself so that he was now leaning against the wall and that the girl was now sitting on her lap. "You're Okay. You're okay." Penn said, gently kissing her forehead and rocking them both gently. El curled herself further into Penn. "Penn. Don't leave me. Please don't leave me." She said between her sobs. "I won't. I promise." The redhead told her softly.

About three minutes later, El finally managed to clam down. "You okay?" Penn asked, and El nodded. Suddenly there was a ping. Penn looked down to see that it was a text message that came from El's phone.

Listen, you little bitch.

You, are nothing. You annoying, fat, and ugly. I mean, you boyfriend dumped you for you own brother! Pathetic of you as me. And, what makes you think Penn Zero will like you out of everyone at school? Why don't you do everyone a favor and kill yourself.

~Anonymous

Penn felt anger rise through his blood. How dare they?! How dare they bully his girl into the brink of telling her to kill herself. Hang on, his girl?! What is wrong with him?? Wait... "El. Is this person the reason that you brought a knife to school?" He asked. She nodded. "Son of a bitch." He muttered.

It was official.

If it were a guy, he was going to beat him into a bloody pulp.

If it were a girl, then he would pay Sashi to do the job for him.

"El. El, look at me." He commanded firmly, but softly. El looked up to see the kind eyes of the boy. "Never, and I mean never do something like that, okay? You are nothing like that text said. First, you are a sweet and kind girl. You always help everyone out and support them as well. Second, you are not fat. This... might sound weird and possibly sexual coming from me, but you're body is amazing!! And you should know that size doesn't matter at all. Third, you are the most beautiful girl that I have ever met. You hear me? You. Are. Beautiful. And... I love you. I am helplessly in love with you. So, please. Just let us help you out."

El just stared at him until she found her voice. "You... you mean it?" "Of course I do, silly. I love you with all my heart." Penn said, wiping away her tears. "Penn. I like you that was to." She said. "You do?" She nodded. There was a silence. El's arms made their way around Penn's neck, while the redhead pulled her closer to him. "Penn." El whimpered slightly. "El." Penn said in a husky whisper, causing a chill run down the brunette's spine. They slowly leaned forward, their lips almost meeting, when...

"Guys, we need to- oh crap, I'm so sorry!!" Robin said, stopping herself as the two younger teens were about to kiss. Penn and El pulled back from the embrace. "It's okay, Robin." El said. "What's wrong?" Penn asked upon seeing the older girl's distraught face. "We need to go, now!" She said. "Why?" They asked.

"It's Brenner. He knows El is here."