Growing Pains| Eleven Hopper/Jane Hopper

v. 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬?

"Heather! This is my sister, Maxine, and new friend Peter." Billy introduced the three before his eyes fell onto El, Peters hand still latched up with hers, "And, i'm sorry, I did not quite catch your name."

El stared at him, chin rose slightly, "El."

"From Indianapolis." Peter grinned, making up the story to cover her better, "Just visiting me for the summer."

"Now what is it you were saying, El? You were looking for somebody?" Billy asked her with a minor nod to his head.

El's gaze went over toward Heather, a look of confusion escaping her hazel eyes, "I-I- saw-"

"Your manager!" Max cut her off.

"Getting electrocuted!" Peter added in quickly after due to a wave of panic crashing through his heart. Max kicked him with her ankle, "He- well, I mean- he was talking about getting electrocuted."

"He said you guys didn't come in to work today, so we got worried." Max saved not only El, but also Peters over the top lie.

"Heather wasn't feeling so hot today, so we thought we'd take the day off to nurse her back to health." Billy smiled down at the redhead girl, "But you're feeling just fine right now, aren't you, Heather?"

"I'm feeling so much better." Heather smiled with a nod of her head, the curls bunched up behind her head bounced slightly when she did so. El stared up at Billy in disbelief, "Do you three want a cookie? They're fresh out of the oven."

The thing was, it wasn't that Max or El found Peter ugly, but neither really noticed how stupidly beautiful he was until right now. He'd taken a shower, hair wet, teeth brushed, and was now using a very strong, seemingly expensive, cleanser and moisturizer. El wondered if it was just for the scar from the corner of his eye to his mouth, or if it was meant for his entire face.

"Do you think he's-" Max began.

"Yes." El cut her off, the pair sharing a look as Peter paid them no mind, packing up the face wash into the small bag he brought into the bathroom with him, "You said, people at school-"

"Obsessed with him." Max rolled her eyes, "You should have seen the girls in December. They were all like 'Peter, take me to the snowball.' 'Peter, do you have a date to the snowball.' 'Please, let's go together.' It was sick, I wanted to yank my ear drums out."

"Who did he go with?" El asked. She found it weird she didn't notice him that night. Yes, she wasn't there long, but now she just felt as though she'd definitely have seen him of all people.

"No one, I don't think. I didn't really pay attention that night but he was never with anyone." Max shook her head, both of them shutting up as the bathroom door shut and Peter walked in, his face glazed over like a donut as he dropped his small bag nearest his large backpack. His scar stood out more now, it probably wouldn't so bad if he wasn't so pale, "Finally, you're here. We can't decide on a comic book."

"El, you've probably read a lot of those cooped up in your cabin with just boys to hang out with." Peter looked over at her as he took his seat on the small mattress Max's mom pulled into her room for him. El seemed a bit out of it, staring off slightly.

"Hey, there's nothing to worry about anymore, okay?" Max looked at her, El didn't seem very convinced though as she exhaled and shook her head.

"It doesn't make sense." she said to her.

"What doesn't make sense?" Max asked curiously.

"Heather." El sighed, "The blood. The ice."

"El." Peter leaned on her bed some, his hand nudging her knee, "When I get a fever, my mom makes me take really cold baths. It's horrible but it brings it down a lot. That's probably what happened."