The Way She Makes Me Feel-Elmax [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 9-Girlfriend and Girlfriend

(I might do songs every once in a while. I had forgotten this song existed until I had already posted the last chapter but it's giving major Max vibes)

-This chapter takes place in Season 3 Episode 4: The Sauna Test-

-Max's POV-

          I hold up two comic books. "Which one?" I ask El. "I don't know", she answers as she snuggles up next to me. She looks like she was just walking down the streets of a haunted town or something. "Hey", I say. "There's nothing to worry about anymore okay?". El looks away for a split second before resuming eye contact with me. 

"It doesn't make sense".

"What doesn't make sense?".

"Heather. The blood. The ice".

"Heather had a fever, so she took a cold bath, but she's all better now. That has to be it. I don't know where the blood came from, but we saw her. We both saw her. She's totally fine".

"What about Billy?".

I scrunch up my brow. "What about him?".

"He seemed wrong"

"Wrong is kind of like his default", I scoff. "But it's nice to know he's not a murderer. Because that would have totally sucked".

          El chuckles and points to the Wonder Woman comic. "Who is that?", she asks me. I look at her like shes crazy. "See this is why you can't hang out with just Mike all of the time". I lean back into the headboard and El rests her head on my shoulder, making my heart explode. "This is Wonder Woman", I say. "AKA Princess Diana. She's from Paradise Island which is like this hidden island where there are only woman amazon warriors". I wonder if she can hear the excitement in my voice. How I'd love to go to Paradise Island. I used to have the biggest crush on Wonder Woman when I was a kid, of course I didn't realize it because I was so far deep in the closet that I wasn't completely out with myself. And society doesn't help. My mind flashes to yesterday's paper. Two women, beaten and killed for kissing in public. Not even a month ago, a gay man beat up and hospitalized, then denied treatment after the doctors figured out he was gay, then he ended up dying later that day. It sucks how the person you love could be the reason you die.

-A few hours Later-

          I stare out my window from my bed. I can hear El breathing behind me. I think she's asleep but I can't tell. I turn to face her and she's wide awake. "Oh. I thought you were sleeping", I whisper. El shrugs. She has a concerned look on her face and I can tell something's bothering her. "What?", I say. The brunette looks me in the eyes for a long silent moment. "Why did we stop being friends?", she asks me. Oh. This. It's not that I purposely avoided this conversation, but even the idea of lying to El makes my skin crawl and my stomach twist. But if I told her the truth then would she still even want to be my friend?

          "I don't know". I shrug my shoulders. "I guess you started dating Mike again and I guess I was jealous of him". "Jealous?", El whispers. "I know his family has a lot of money and he has a big house and his parents are together, and he has two parents he sees everyday. Even I get jealous of him sometimes but what does that have to do with us?". "No-", I say. "Forget it. Okay?". I start to turn back around but El grabs my shoulder. "Maxie", she says. I would killed her if she was anyone else. Maxie sounds like a ridiculous nickname. Unless it comes from her. Then I want to hear it a thousand more times. I flip over back to her. El wouldn't judge me I don't think. I mean she's El. Maybe her being locked in a lab her whole life will have the benefit of her not being like everyone else.

"I like you El", I say. 

"Max I like you too".

"You do?".

"Yeah. You're my friend".

"No El-"

          I can't help but think of how even when I was vulnerable, she was there. She didn't ask questions or push me to tell her why I was waking up in the middle of the night crying. She just wanted to help me. 

          I wouldn't have done it, but I wasn't thinking straight. I don't think I was thinking at all. I drew in a breath, closed my eyes, and leaned forward. I kissed El.

-El's POV-

           As Max pulled back I just stare at her. I sit up and try to untangle my thoughts. All of sudden I feel so confused. The kiss, even if it was only a few seconds, felt electric. It was like the time me and Mike first kissed, or when we kissed at the Snowball but stronger. It felt more right. I think she's so pretty and perfect. I like kissing her, I like her. I like Max. That's why my heart flutters when I'm with her. It's why I can't help but smile. It's why I rather spend the rest of my life with Max than Mike. Because I like her, how I used to like Mike. When I fall I want her to catch me. I want Max more than I want Mike. And I think she wants me too. I think I get it now. I always wanted to be with Max.

           "El, I'm sorry. Can we forget that just happened?", Max pleads, sitting up as well. I look at her pretty face. Each freckle like a star individually placed. Her ocean eyes threaten to let tears escape. I shake my head. "No". Max looks away. I think she's going to cry and I've never heard of or seen Max cry other than last night. I grab her chin and pull her face up so our eyes meet. I rest my forehead on hers before pressing our lips together again. This time Max is the one who pauses. She stares at me for a moment before we kiss again. This time it lasts longer than before. She blushes and I feel myself do the same. I let out a chuckle and Max smiles. 

-The Next Morning-

-Max's POV-

          "MAX! Do you copy?". My eyes flutter open at the noise. Me and El somehow switched places in the night and she has her arms wrapped loosely around my waist. "This is a code red!", Lucas's voice shouts. I look at my clock and it's nine forty six. I grab my super com and speak into it. "Shut. Up". I turn off my walkie and try to go back to sleep. My phone rings and I haul myself out of the bed and pick it up. "I'm sleeping. Go away!". 

"This is Mike. Do not hang up", the raven haired boy says. "Something happened. Something bad. Our very lives can be at stake". He was always so dramatic.

"What are you talking about?".

"Just come over to my house. We'll explain everything"

"What?".

"Hurry".

          "What did he say?", El asks me. "He wants to meet up. Says something bad happened".  I sit down next to El. I can't help but worry that maybe last night she was just teasing me. "So last night?", I say. El smiles. "Yeah. Last night". She looks at me and kisses me. I can't help but smile. "I really like you, El". She takes my hands in hers. "I really like you too". 

"What are we?", she asks me.

"We can be whatever you want to be", I tell her.

"I want to be together. Like girlfriend and girlfriend". 

          I stand up, pulling her up with me. "Okay then. Eleven Hopper, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?". I am officially the corniest person ever.

"I will", she says, and I kiss her. 

         "Well, come on. We got to get dressed even though it's practically dawn. Jeez how do you people get up so early?", I ask. El laughs and grabs one of the outfits we bought before heading to the bathroom to change.