𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫. ►

CHAPTER THREE: HOLLY, JOLLY

The following day was the day River had biked over to the Wheelers quickly, after stuffing herself with cookies and calling that breakfast.

As she pulled into Mike's driveway, she quickly dropped her bike and readjusted her backpack before heading to the front door to knock.

Mrs. Wheeler had let her in, and she had seen the three boys packing and stuffing stuff into their backpacks frantically, causing her to furrow her eyebrows.

"Woah How much Did I miss last night?" She asked as Mike ignored her, clearly since he made direct eye contact with her, yet looked down right after continuing to pack stuff into his backpack.

She was going to speak up, asking if he was still upset but chances are he definitely was. It was as if Eleven was his main priority now, he'd gotten them mixed up, which is what they couldn't risk.

No one ended up answering her, they just talked within one another, discussing what they were taking and why.

River felt so out of place, it was weird, this was often a problem for her, but when she was with the boys it was supposed to be different. When she was with them, it was one of the few times where she isn't left out and treated like how Mike's treating her now.

Everything's falling apart, Will's gone, she rarely goes home because all she ever sees is Steve- who is either making out with Nancy or completely expressing how annoying it was to have her as a younger sister. And her friendship with Mike was getting worse, which is probably what hurt the most- other than Will, of course.

Mike was supposed to be her kind of safe place, like where she could be River and it would be okay. Now it was completely different. Now Mike was Eleven's safe place.

Though getting back to what was going on Now, Dustin decided to fill in the confused girl who stiffly stood there, gripping her backpack straps awkwardly as she glanced at El.

"So, do you have any good weapons?" Lucas spoke up, with a hopeful look on his face as River nodded, smiling, as she slid her backpack off, stepping forward and setting it on the table.

Unzipping it, she glanced up at the three boys were staring at her as they waited for her to show them.

"I always have a pocket knife with me." She pulled out a small pocket sized knife and slid it onto the table, as the boys continued to stare at her.

"It's nothing, I took it from Steve a long time ago and he never noticed so-" She gave an innocent shrug, giving them all a look that signaled for the to quit staring at her.

˗ˏˋ✦ ✦ ✦'ˎ˗

That lunch, the four young kids had all searched around for Rocks. Good rocks. That was what their attention was on, until Lucas started to tease Mike about Eleven, grabbing Dustin and Rivers attention.

"If you love her so much why don't you marry her?" He snickered as Mike rolled his eyes, shaking his head while his cheeks clearly turned red.

River continued to watch from afar as she slowly stuffed a few rocks into the pocket of her jacket, glancing at Mike with a slight frown on her face.

"What are you talking about.." He asked, with much attitude and denial in his tone as Lucas smiled slowly, shaking his head.

"Mike, Seriously?"

"What?" Mike glanced around, growing annoyed, but flustered. The crush was obvious! There was no reason for him to hide it anyways now, right?

"You look at her all like.. Oh El. El! El! El! Would you marry me?" Lucas exclaimed, getting down on one Knee as River forced a smile as Dustin nudged her, in between laughs.