It's Not Three Inches With You

Chapter 28

El

"What the hell do we do now?" Max asked finally on Wednesday night, after nearly two days of ignoring the fact that Hopper and Joyce knew about our relationship.

"I don't know," I replied and she sighed heavily.

"Should we tell the others? Like Lucas and Mike, I mean?"

My heart squeezed at the mention of his name. I didn't like him like that anymore, I wasn't even sure I ever had, but it still hurt me to know that by me being with Max, a person with whom I was always happy, Mike would be somewhere, heartbroken over the fact that I dumped him.

"What if...they don't like it?" I asked fearfully, my voice barely above a whisper.

Max collapsed down onto the bed where I sat, sighing once again.

"We can't keep it a secret forever."

And I knew that, I knew that we couldn't. But I guess there was still a part of me that wished the opposite.

"I wish it didn't have to be a secret," I murmured, echoing my thoughts aloud.

She nodded sadly.

"So do I. But this is Hawkins. People talk,"

Though her words were simple, I understood what she was saying.

"And as much as I wish it weren't true, there are more Steph's than Hopper's in this world," she added.

I knew that too, though it was hard to hear the sadness in Max's voice when she spoke.

"I'm sorry," I whispered and she turned her gaze to meet mine.

"What for?" she asked, though I knew that she already knew the answer.

"For...for liking you. I couldn't help it."

Max closed her eyes for a brief moment.

"Don't ever be sorry for that. Its not your fault. Its neither of our faults. It's this stupid, biased world's."

Neither of us spoke for a moment, until a knock on our bedroom door sounded, sharp and direct.

"Come in," Max murmured weakly, the both of us expecting Hopper or Joyce to enter the room.

The door swung open to reveal Nancy and Robin.

Max sat up, the expression on her face about as confused as I felt.

"Hi?" she said.

Nancy smiled awkwardly as she and Robin walked inside.

"Hi," Robin said.

I stared between the two girls who now stood in El's bedroom.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and Nancy sighed, casting a glance at Robin who shrugged silently back.

"So..." Nancy started and I stared back at her expectantly.

"Are you two dating?" Robin blurted out and I whipped around to face Max in a panic.

Nancy glared at Robin who mouthed 'sorry' in response.

"What? N-no-" Max stammered but Robin simply shrugged it off.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have-"

I sighed, interrupting Robin's words.

"Yes," I breathed.

Max stared at me in surprise.

Robin and Nancy exchanged a look.

"That's great," Nancy started. "Really great. But uh...we kind of want to talk to you about something."

Robin nodded along hastily in agreement; the both of them clearly wanting to say something they hadn't already.

"Okay...?" I replied.

Robin grabbed Nancy's hand and Nancy turned back to look at her in shock, before shaking her head and speaking.

"Its not really our place, or at least not mine, to be asking you this but...have you told anyone? About...this?" she asked, gesturing between Max and I.

"Hop and Joyce," I murmured quietly and Robin raised her eyebrows.

"Hopper knows?" Nancy asked and Max and I both nodded.

"How did he...react?" Robin asked and I shrugged.

"Fine. They were both fine."

Nancy exhaled out of what I supposed was relief.

"And your father?" she asked Max.

"You mean Neil?"

Nancy shook her head.

"No. Your biological father. The man who took you and El to California."

Max sighed.

"He knows. It was fine as well."

"Are you planning on telling the others?" Robin asked and I shrugged.

"We don't know. They'll probably find out eventually," I explained.

Nancy and Robin exchanged a knowing glance.

"You know, if you do tell them, and Mike says anything? I'll beat him up," Nancy said with a smile that seemed almost uncharacteristic to her usual no-nonsense attitude.

Max laughed softly and I grinned at the two older girls in front of me.

"Thanks." 

(A/N: Hellooooooo! I know this is an early update but I hope you like it! I can't believe that after the next update there's only one more chapter left! How crazy is that?!?! I hope you guys are doing well and that you're looking forward to the sequel! Stay safe and totally tubular and I'll see you in the next one! xx)