Stranger Things: Max & Lucas

Chapter 8: Plans

Perspective: Lucas

Max and I spend the rest of the day talking about nothing and everything all at the same time. We leave the park and I walk her back home and proceed to ride to Mike's house...

I arrive at his house and realize that I spend more time here than at my own house. Mike and I have been friends for years and he knows me better than myself, so when he opens the door he immediately knows something is up.

"Hey, you okay Lucas?" he glances at my face which has a frown upon it. 

"No." I walk inside and we go down to the basement. 

"What's up?" Mike sits down on the couch, and I sit next to him. 

"Max is leaving," a single tear rolls down my cheek. 

"What do you mean? Did she break up with you!" he immediately jumps off the sofa and clenches his fists. 

"No, no, no. She is moving to California or something..." I drift off not able to finish my sentence. 

"Oh thank god. Oh no I meant that she didn't dump you," he laughs nervously. 

"Yeah."

"That sucks, we will find a way to let her stay. Don't worry!" he assured me.

"I was hoping you would say that," my mouth curved into a smile, and Mike sat back down.

I spend the night at Mike house, talking about Max mostly, and he talks about El... It is crazy how one singular person can make such an impact on your life: how you think, act and even your emotions. Wow, Max is really getting to me, but in a good way. I love Max and there is nothing that will stop me from keeping her here.

*****

"Max, I've got an idea!" I run to catch up to her as she walks to her locker. She flicks her fire orange hair off of her shoulder and turns to look at me, smiling. 

"An idea for what?" she chuckles. 

"An idea of how you can stay here in Hawkins!" as soon as I say that her eyes light up, and I smile as I look into her glowing blue eyes. 

"Okay what is it?" she asks.

We sit down and I explain to her...

"So I should convince my mum that my grades are going up and that I'm doing well in school-which I am not," she chuckles, "and that I have made friends and stuff, and then I put on the waterworks?" she looks at me amused.

 "What?" I look back at her. 

"It's not gonna work, but I'll try I guess," she shrugs her shoulders and walks off to home-room.

*****

The next day I arrive at school late once again... no surprise there! So when I don't see Max at recess I am immediately worried. 

"Hey, where's Max?" I ask the guys, who were sitting in our usual spot talking about random crap.

 "Hello?" I try to get their attention, "where is Max?!" I practically yell. 

"Woah, dude calm down. I don't know," Dustin replies.

"Yeah, me neither she hasn't been here all day," Mike says and Will shrugs his shoulders. 

I walk off fuming at their uselessness. 

*****

School goes by as slowly as possible, every second feels like it is stretching on for hours. When I finally leave school I immediately ride to Max's house, not even saying goodbye to the other guys.

Once I arrive at her place I walk up the driveway and knock on the door. No reply. I knock again.

"Max! It's me, Lucas," I yell. 

At that moment I hear the door lock open and she opens it... She peers her head out from the door, her hair a mess and her hand on her cheek. I walk in without invitation.

"What's under your hand?" I ask as we walk into her room. It was a nice room, and it resembled her perfectly; posters of skateboards stuck on the wall and the scent of fresh roses filled the air. 

"Nothing, just a pimple," she looks away from me, still holding her hand up. I notice dents in her walls though and I wonder what they are from. 

"Don't be stupid, you don't have to hold your hand up! I don't care," I look at her and laugh, but tears roll down her face and I immediately stop. I push her hand away to see a dark purple-green-blue bruise on her cheek. 

"What the heck? Who did this?!" I yell, but Max collapses into my lap and I know that I just need to comfort her right now. I stroke her soft hair as she closes her eyes, the tears slowly drying on her freckled cheeks.

Authors/Note: hey guys, thank you so much for reading up until this point, I hope you are enjoying it so far! Don't forget to go check out my new story. Love you all ❤️