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CHAPTER EIGHT
OLIVER WAS SAT ON the floor of the Byers' kitchen, helping Max cover a chair with cardboard. Mike had this idea that they would turn their shed into a little hideout spot. But that meant that they had to cover everything and move everything out, too. But Oliver was willing to do the work if that meant getting to take a break and have a nice little nap. The rest of the group was currently out in the shed, covering it from head to toe in whatever they could.
Max help up a long piece of duct tape while he rolled a piece of cardboard around a leg of the chair, holding it closed while she taped it down. Beside them, Mike dug through the cabinet underneath the sink, looking for bleach.
Max unrolled part of the duct tape, glancing over at Mike. Oliver wasn't really sure what happened between them, but they seemed to have some sort of bad blood. "I get why El was your mage now." El? Oliver furrowed his eyebrows. Oh. He clicked his tongue when he realized that 'El' was Eleven. Probably a nickname. Mike turned around, setting down a bottle of bleach next to him. "What?" He questioned.
"Lucas. He told me all about her." She tore off another piece of tape and Oliver turned his attention back to the chair, folding over some cardboard around the back of it. "Yeah, well, he shouldn't have." Oliver licked his lips before pushing his tongue to the inside of cheek. "And just because you know the truth, it doesn't mean you're in our party." If Oliver didn't have an injured leg he would've grabbed the boy by his hair and dragged him out of the room. "You do know that, right?"
Disheartened, Max only nodded and muttered a soft, "Yeah, I know." She took in a sharp breath and Mike turned back around, digging through the contents beneath the cabinet once again. "I mean, why would you want a stupid zoomer in your party anyway?" Mike looked back at her and just as quickly turned around again.
"I'm just saying, El? She sounds like she was really awesome." Oliver had to agree. He could only imagine seeing this small child beating the shit out of some older guys with her mind. He smiled softly at the thought, quickly shaking his head to forget about it.
"Yeah, she was," he slammed the cabinet doors shut and picked up everything he had taken out. "Until that thing took her," Oliver's face fell. "Just like it took Bob." Almost every bad thought he had about the younger Wheeler disintegrated momentarily before he saw the saddened look on Max's face.
As soon as Mike left the room, Oliver reached over and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Listen, I'm not sure what a 'party' is, but if you want to be in one so bad, screw theirs, let's make our own." Max laughed softly, nodding her head and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
