Silence- one shots Byler

Polaroid

Polaroid.

I found it.

Hidden away between the pages.

I was sorting through our old records when I found our book. Our handmade book from when we were children. Ten years old to be exact.
It had been some time that we last spoke, so I tried to leave a voicemail but couldn't do it. I broke down into tears at the thought. I wanted to hear your voice one last time.

I remembered that day. Vividly.

...

The waves crashed against the rocks at the beach, the boys, Dustin, Lucas, you and I sat eating ice cream on the pier. It had been a hard day for the AV club, so the reward was ice cream on your favourite beach. They always had been to that beach when one had a bad day and neared a get away. This time, the getaway was the upside down.

I used to think about Eleven, everyday to be exact. She was perfect to me, she was so cool too and at least she became friends with the boys. Really, she became like a sister to you.

I remembered kissing her for the first time, a small peck it was. But it was our first kiss, my first kiss. I felt nothing however.

Anyway, side tracked. The boys and you and I enjoyed this time we spent together, after everything that happened. I also remembered the day we lost you to the upside down, and brought a mindflayer with you. Watching you hurt was the worst thing I had to witness and I never forgot that day.
A slight pause as my ice cream fell to the sand.
"Aww, come on!" I grew irritated. Not from the fact that my ice cream dropped (although that was probably the main reason), but because all I could think about was you and our time we had lost together.

"Are you okay, Mike? You look lost in thought" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, sorry. Was thinking about El" I made it up. I was thinking about you.

We decided to finish the ice cream and headed to the rocks to play around in the ocean. I stayed back on the rocks as I watched the other boys play about, the waves crashing against every rock, the seagulls chasing people for chips, the whole beach scenery was a peaceful place for everyone.
I was however watching all the boys mess about, but I was watching one in particular. You.

You had short brown hair which was styled into a bowl cut. You were slightly on the shorter side.  You wore plenty of striped tops. He's favourite place was Castle Byers, where we made most of our memories one on one. You had big, brown eyes that were doe like, which made him cute. You were definitely a sweet, caring and understanding person, who could never hurt a fly.
I took this time to focus on you, as I now watched you play in the sand, building a sandcastle.
I thought about our memories, the love we had for each other. And the time we almost... kissed.

This day, I bought my Polaroid with me. So when you had finished making your sandcastle, you came and sat with me on the rocks. Which we ended up moving under the pier away from the rocks.
We laughed, we messed about, we held hands secretly.
Until Dustin and Lucas came out and told us they were going for a drink and that they'd be back soon. Leaving me and you, together.

"Can you believe how nice it is today" You told me.

I nodded in response.
"Not as nice as you" I blushed.

You blushed back, and we moved closer to one another. Holding hands, your soft hands that I remember oh so vividly.
You leant your head on my shoulder as you closed your eyes.
"Shall we get a Polaroid together?" I asked you, which you replied with a big smile and a yes.

I grabbed the camera and positioned it near the rocks, my arm stretched out holding on to it. We looked at it and before I clicked it, I kissed you on the lips. The picture came out well, but it was well hidden underneath my bag before the others saw it.

I looked at you and smiled as I saw how red you had become. It was a sight I liked to see.

...

I gave one last look at our picture. That was before your accident. The tragedy that had taken you from me, our relationship just started.
I put the Polaroid down and stared out the window as I called your number again, just to hear you say those last few words.

"If I don't get back to you, I still love you"

As those were our words to one another.