Always By Your Side *Mileven* // SEQUEL

Reminiscing

~El's POV~

I stood in the mirror looking at the dress Hopper had gotten me as an early Christmas present. It made me look so pretty. Pretty.

I suddenly remembered something. The memory felt so close yet so distant at the same time, if that was possible.

I walked out of the room in Nancy's old dress and the blonde wig. I watched as the boys stared at me strangely.

"She looks-"

"Pretty," Mike finished.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Good. Pretty good," Mike said quickly, looking rather embarrassed.

I looked in the mirror at myself.

"Pretty. Good."

There I stood, roughly two years later, in a different dress. A beautiful pink dress. Beautiful. Another word that made me reminisce.

Mike and I walked toward each other. 

"You look beautiful," he said, smiling.

I couldn't help but grin. I could feel my face becoming warm. 

He was always so kind to me. It was so hard not having him around for 353 days. Then, a few months later, he was gone, permanently. I guess I should be thankful for at least getting to see him again for a couple of months.

Joyce had come over to help me with my hair and makeup. Joyce was the mother figure in my life. I was always around the boys and Hopper. It was nice having Joyce, because unlike the boys and Hopper, she knew about makeup and hair. Well, I guess Steve also knew about hair, but now I'm just getting off topic.

I never really hung out with Nancy much anymore. I guess losing him was hard on both of us. 

The truth is, I am really nervous about this dance. I feel like I'm going to have a breakdown once I get there. I know it isn't the Snowball, but the dance will be similar. The only difference is that it is at Hawkins High School, it is a dance for high schoolers, and it has a different name rather than being called the Snowball.

I was nervous because I had been so close to having a breakdown earlier, while decorating the gym. It took a lot of convincing from Dustin and Will to get me to agree to help them decorate. I remember how upset I was as I hopelessly tried to hang the streamers. All I could think about was how similar they were to the streamers which were at the Snowball the year before. Everything somehow managed to remind me of Mike.

"It's time to go, Eleven," Hopper said, walking into my room. "You look amazing!"

"Thanks," I said, smiling.

"Well, we don't want to be late," Hopper said. He could tell something was wrong though. 

Hopper knelt down and rested a hand on each of my shoulders.

"Don't worry El, everything is going to be alright. Now, let's get you out there so you can have some fun!"