Home // A Stranger Things Story

xviii

It was nearly impossible to contain my excitement, and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from exploding. It took a tremendous amount of self control not the interrupt her and Mike.

"Eleven." 

"Mike!"

They hugged each other tightly as they cried, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling. 

"Is that..." Max started, and Lucas and I both nodded.

"I never gave up on you." Mike said, pulling away. "I called you every night. Every night for-"

"353 days. I heard." She finished. 

He looked hurt. "Why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?"

"Because I wouldn't let her." Hopper intervened. "What the hell is this? Where have you been?"

"Where have you been?" She questioned as they hugged.

"You've been hiding her." Mike realized, causing everyone to look at them in shock. "You've been hiding her this whole time!" He shoved Hopper back in frustration.

"Hey!" I yelled, stepping in between the two. "There are people still looking for us, Mike. He was protecting us."

"You've been there, too?" He exploded. "You knew about it the whole time? You said she didn't know where she was!"

"I didn't!" I shouted back. "She wasn't at home! I wasn't lying!"

"Yes you were!" He yelled, pushing me back as well. "You're a liar!"

The lights flickered as I clenched my jaw to contain my hurt. He doesn't mean it. He's just mad.

"Hey!" Hopper yelled at him, pulling him away from me. "Let's talk. Alone." He pulled him into another room and they started yelling at each other.

I stared at the door after it closed. I couldn't help but feel I ruined the moment.

"Ev." El said behind me. I spun around, seeing her looking at me with a worried expression. I had forgotten up until this moment that I was still covered in blood and in a hospital gown with a shaved head. But I didn't feel like explaining. 

I immediately engulfed her in a giant hug. She started crying even more, causing me to cry as well.

"Oh my god. You're okay!" I sobbed as I held onto her. "They told me they had you, and they were going to kill you if I tried to leave. I thought they were going to kill you, El. I'm so sorry. I should've gone with you."

She hugged me back harder, not really knowing what to say. 

"Oh my god. Are you okay?" I asked, pulling back and searching her for any injuries. "What happened? Why do you look like that? I mean I like it but-"

"I'm okay." She said, cutting me off. "I promise."

"Good." I said with a small sigh of relief. 

"Are you okay?" She asked, looking at my shoulder. It had stopped bleeding, but it didn't look very pretty.

"Oh, that?" I asked casually. "Just a scratch. I'm okay." I pulled the blood soaked hospital gown over the wound, trying not to wince.

"El!" Dustin exclaimed. I stepped aside so she could finish saying hello to everyone. She walked over and pulled them both into a hug.

"We missed you." Lucas told her.

"I missed you, too." She said. She finally seemed truly happy.

"We talked about you pretty much every day." Dustin admitted.

She pulled back and gave him a weird look. She poked his teeth, making him stumble back at the odd gesture. "Teeth." She stated.