*32. best friend?

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BEST FRIEND?

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BEST FRIEND?

✧・゚: * "I'll see you later?" Nora asks Max as the two and Mike all step out onto solid land after their flight.

Max's dad is there to pick her up from the airport while El, Will, Jonathan, and Jonathan's friend came for Mike and Nora.

Max's seat was separate from Mike and Nora's since they booked them separately, so the only time Nora could interact with the redhead was when they were both going to the bathroom at the same time, but Nora has the whole week to work on their relationship status, so her spirits aren't deterred yet.

"I'll let you know our plans," Nora finalizes as Max just nods in response, not taking her headphones off even after they landed, walking off to meet up with her dad.

Nora takes the small movement as a good sign, and greets Will who came up to her first with a huge grin, both from the successful interaction with Max as well as the fact that she's seeing her best friend for the first time months. Mostly the Max thing though.

They all greet each other, Jonathan's friend, Argyle, as Nora learned is his name, talking to Mike about threads or something while Nora tries taking the rolled up painting from Will's hand to which he shoves her off defensively.

"I have the whole day planned," El starts, leading the group out of the airport, Mike's arm tossed around her shoulders.

Nora mimicked a similar action with Will, walking on her tiptoes slightly to make up for his sudden growth spurt.

"First, El Rodeo for burritos," she announces, Mike asking some stupid questions that Nora zoned out for because she hates it when he talks. And why was he acting so weird around Will? He's so annoying,

"Then, after burritos, I wanna go to Rink-O-Mania."

"Rink-O-Mania?" Nora says before Mike has a chance to open his stupid mouth again. "That sounds fun, what is it?"

"A roller rink," Will answers, his shoulders still under her arm, painting gripped tightly in his hands while Nora suitcase was taken by Jonathan to carry.

"The most fun place in Lenora," El furthers his answer. "They have skating and games."

"I'll ask Max to meet us there, then," Nora nods knowingly.

"Yeah, why didn't she come with us anyway?" Will asks.

"Sounds awesome," Mike interrupts, knowing once Nora starts talking about Max she never stops. "Are your friends gonna meet us there?"

"What friends?" Will stares, and Nora looks up at him amused.

"You know," El narrowly missed Nora as she hits Will in the gut with her flowers that Mike "handpicked" for her (Nora was literally the one that bought them to give to Max, but then Steve told her all this stuff about playing it cool and not seeming too desperate, and for some reason she decided to take him seriously). "Stacy and Angela."

"Angela?" Will repeats, confused.

"You'll meet them," El continues before Nora can question him about it. "Just not today, I want today to be about me and you."

"Yeah, today's all about me and you, William," Nora takes her other hand to pinch Will's cheeks, that finally being the last straw for him as he looks done with her, walking out of her arms. "Hey, wait," Nora follows after him. "Who's Angela? Have you guys already replaced me?!"

They all get into Jonathan's friend's car, an RV kinda thing for the pizza shop he works at.

Nora and Will sit on one side against the van wall, Mike and El on the other with their things in between the group.

"Who's Angela?" Nora tries asking again after they've all settled down.

Wills about to answer, but El beats him to it.

"My new best friend."

"Oh!"

Nora tries answering excitedly for El, knowing it must have difficult for her to have to deal with this new place all by herself, but she feels a bit taken aback. "That's. . . nice."

El nods along, not noticing Nora's change in demeanor.

"And how's Max?" El asks in response.

"Good," Nora tries recovering. "Sad, but. . . good."

El smiles and Nora hates the small talk thing their doing, but doesn't really know what else to say.

Mike and El get into their own conversation, while Nora and Will sit in silence, Nora thinking about El's new best friend.

Obviously, she didn't expect El to not make any friends in her entire life ever, but a best friend? And why did she say it like that "my new best friend"? New? As in she doesn't have any old ones? As in she hates Nora?! No, there's no way. Nora's just overthinking. She's been doing that a lot, especially ever since Max.

Max.

Nora hopes she's okay. She wouldn't freak out over someone saying they have a new best friend. And Max used to always talk about much she misses her dad and California and the skateparks, and Nora just hopes she's having a good time. She plans on calling Max once they get to the burrito place to tell her about the roller skating plan. The thing with Max is that she always agrees to the plans Nora makes, it's just in the moment she starts getting a bit distant.

Like, they'll be getting ice cream together, and while Nora goes off into her usual rambles about whatever annoying thing the basketball players have done lately, she has stop halfway to ask Max about the vacant look in her eyes.

Nora knows she feels bad for how she acts, always trying to recover her coldness, and Nora offers a lot of forgiveness, she's just waiting for things to go back to normal.

"Angela's not her best friend," Will whispers into Nora's ear, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Nora looks at him, slightly surprised.

"She lied because she wants you to think she's cool. She knows about the cheerleading thing," Will explains just as Nora's about to ask, causing the girl to smile amused.

"Does she even know what a cheerleader is?"

"I had to tell her," Will nods understandably at Nora's question. "But she's always just wanted to impress you. You and Mike," he then looks at the couple, the two of them laughing in their own world.

Nora can tell there's something going on behind Will's eyes, and makes a mental note to ask him about it later when they're not 2 feet from the people who are obviously making him feel that way.

Nora leans her head onto Will's shoulder, trying to peak through the rolled up piece of paper in his hands.


























































a/n:
hi so idk how all of this is going to play into the real stranger things plot but we'll cross that bridge when we get there 😊😊

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