Letters to El

Chapter 4

El short for Eleanor

Dear Eleanor,

Thanks so much for responding! I didn't think I would get a response. Don't get me wrong, I hoped for a response, I just didn't think it would happen.

Time for me to answer your questions. My favorite color navy blue. Favorite food.. pizza. Favorite movie... ghostbusters. Me and my friends went as ghostbusters for Halloween last year, it was probably our best costumes yet.

Speaking of friends, since you want to know about them, prepare for a lot of reading.

One of my friends is Will Byers. He kind of reminds me of the way you talk about yourself, quiet and collected. He also really likes drawing and reading like you too. You guys would probably get along nicely.

Lucas Sinclair is another one of my friends. He is the one who keeps everything real and makes sure we don't do anything dumb. So he does a lot for us because even though we are at the top of our class, we do dumb things more than we should. He also enjoys joining us in our dumb ways sometimes.

Then there's Dustin Henderson. He is the funny one of the group. He is definitely the person that can make you laugh even on your darkest days. He's the innocent one, the "we need to protect him at all costs" one.

And last, and kinda least, there's Max Mayfield. She's only in our friend group, or as we call it the party, because Lucas and Dustin insisted on let here in due to them both having a crush on her when she moved here. Plus, she's Lucas's girlfriend now. She's okay, I guess.

Now my family is a completely different story.

I have a younger sister named Holly. She adorable. She's like everyone's favorite family member just because of how cute she is.

I have an older sister, Nancy. She's a little stuck up. She's dating the school's biggest douche, Steve Harrington. We fight all the time.

My dad is never really there because he's always sleeping on the couch. And my mom is too busy hanging out with her friends and Holly to even notice anyone else.

In conclusion, my family kinda sucks, but my friends make up for it. My friends are like my family 2.0. What are your friends and family like?

Oh! One more thing, I really like your name Eleanor but writing Eleanor takes too long. So, would it be okay if I gave you a nickname? Like El, short for Eleanor. You don't have to go by that if you don't want to.

I look forward to getting your letter back!

Sincerely,
Mike

El put down the letter and smiled from her place at the couch.

"What are you smiling at?" Hopper asked from his chair.

"I took your advice and decided to make a new friend," El said looking at the television in front of her.

"Really?" Hopper asked surprised.

"Yeah. And I got a response back from him."

"What's his name again? Mick?"

"Mike, and he seems really nice."

"I'm glad your finally making a friend, kid. I know I've been a little pushy lately, but that's only because I want what's best for you."

"I know, and thank you," El said standing up and rapping her arms around him. She grabbed her letter and went to her room.

She sat at her desk while biting her lip. Wondering what she was going to write back.

***

Mike was in his basement with his friends. He was half watching and half zoning out on a fight Dustin and Lucas were having.

He was in his head thinking about his most recent letter he had sent out to Eleanor a few days go. If his calculations were correct she should have gotten the letter today. At any moment she could be reading his letter about how his friends and family are like.

The only people how really know what his life is like is his friends. And now Eleanor knows about his family. He felt like he was putting himself on the edge just to get to know this girl. This girl he barely even knows but-.

"Mike!" Dustin exclaimed.

Mike snapped out of his thoughts. "What?"

"Settle this for us." Lucas sighed.

"Who do you think would win? Venkman or Egon?" Dustin asked.

"I don't know! Who cares!" Mike said rising his voice in annoyance.

"I care!" Dustin shouted.

"Oh my god," Max muttered under her breath, rubbing her eyes.

Mike started to zone out all over again. That was, until he heard Max.

"Mike! Your zoning out over there."

"He's been like that all day," Will stated.

"I think he's zoning out because of Eleanor," Lucas said.

"I'm sitting right here guys," Mike interrupted.

"He has been talking about her a lot lately," Dustin continued like Mike wasn't even there.

"Yeah, but he barely knows her. He doesn't know what she looks like, what she sounds like. Hell, all he knows is just a few words written down on a piece of paper," Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Guys... right here." Mike pointed to himself.

"And he's talking about her like she's already in the party. How come it took me so long to get in, while they didn't even meet and she's in," Max crossed her arms.

"Oh my god," Mike said getting up from the couch and going to his room. He sat on his bed and thought about how they were right. He hated that they were right.

He doesn't even know this girl, yet he's thinking she already in the party.

What am I going to do? He thought.