— ❝ don't wanna miss you don't want to see you near my heart ❞ ~ Don't Wanna Love You, Shanice
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since mike could remember, the party would go to the arcade after every first day of school. it was almost a last ditch attempt to forget that the summer was really over and school had begun, and mike found it grounding as everything and everyone changed around them. but over the past year, they'd matured and grown distant from the place they'd spent so much of their childhood years in, and they'd all known that year that the tradition would be put to rest. still, mike was disappointed, and he didn't attempt to hide his annoyance when dustin suggested they go to star court mall at the end of the day.
now he was leant against the door of his car, smoking a cigarette and waiting impatiently for jane to finish talking with her home ec friends inside the school. he looked across the almost empty parking lot, annoyance surging through him at his own decision to drive himself and jane separately to the others, who took lucas' car, purely for the purpose of avoiding max. truth be told, he did it more out of principle than out of a place of any true loathing at this point, and would gladly put their feud to rest if it didn't have to come at the expense of him pride.
so he found himself leaning against his car, mind once again lost in thoughts about the redhead and not noticing jane approaching him with a look of frustration on her face. as soon as he looked up, he became quickly aware that he'd forgotten to put out his cigarette, but it was too late. her small and almost child like features were twisted into an expression of anger and disappointment, and she stalked up to the car looking ready to give him hell. before she even opened her mouth, mike knew he'd caught her in an explosive mood.
"again, mike?" she questioned, obvious frustration laced in her words as she approached him and yanked the cigarette from his hand, throwing it to the rough floor of the parking lot and stomping it out. "why the fuck would you smoke right outside school of all places?" she asked, glaring into his eyes.
"well i dunno, maybe if you were here ten minutes ago like you said you'd be, i wouldn't have!" he retorted, immediately losing any patience he had planned on maintaining.
jane rolled her eyes. "one minute you want me to make friends, and the next you're pissed at me when i talk to someone who isn't part of the party! i can do what i want, mike"
mike sighed, exasperated. "of course you can, but maybe you should have some consideration for others when you go off with your new friends! now we're gonna be late, and the party'll be waiting for us. i didn't even want to go in the fucking first place" he said with anger seething in his words.
"fine! if you want to go, let's fucking go" jane said, having raised her voice to the point where mike knew if anyone was nearby they'd be able to hear it.
"fine!" he yelled, equally as loud. the two got into the car, each slamming their doors and driving in silence to the star court mall. the atmosphere couldn't be more different to what it had been that morning, and mike found himself wishing he could be anywhere else in that moment.
