on and off - mike wheeler

eighteen

"i dump your ass."

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june, 1985

ELEVEN IMPATIENTLY waited on mike, but he didn't show up.

eleven sighed, and went back inside.

"hey, is everything okay?" hopper asks el as she dials mike's number.

"yes." el lies.

"hello, this is the wheelers." karen picks up. "yeah, just a sec. mike, phone!"

"okay!" mike shouts back.

"hello?" mike picks up the basement phone.

"it's 9:32. where are you?" eleven asks as she goes into her room and shuts the door.

"sorry, i—i was just about to call." mike stutters. "i, um.. can't see you today."

"what? why not?" el's says in disappointment.

"it's my nana. she's very sick." mike lies.

"but hop said that your nana was okay, that it was a false alarm." el remembers.

'shit' mike says under his breath.

"yeah. that's.. what.. we thought it was at first, but then she took a real turn for the worse." mike explains.

"oh." is all el said.

"yeah. we think she might.. die." mike lies.

"what?" karen asks on the other line.

"mom, get off the phone! how many times!" mike shouts at his mom across the house.

"did nana call?" karen asks.

"no, mom! just get. off. the. phone!" mike says.

mike then takes a deep sigh and puts the phone back to his ear.

"sorry about that." mike awkwardly laughs.

"was that your mom?" el asks.

"yeah." mike replies. "she's so upset, she's making no sense. because we have to go to the nursing home. to see nana."

"you can come over after?"

"no!" mike immediately tells her. "i just think.. i need to be alone today. with my.. feelings?"

"do you lie?" el suddenly asks the boy.

"what? no!" mike instantly replies. "friends don't lie!"

then mike pretended like his mom was calling him. "what, mom? my moms calling me. better go. talk you later, miss you already. bye!"

mike then immediately hung up the phone, feeling guilty for lying to her.

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