you're my hope ~MILEVEN AU~

ii - the curious boy

He thought back to her soft caramel eyes and wondered why everyone wanted to stay away from her when he seemed to be having trouble doing just that. 

Mike's eyes darted to a tall and slim figure who was standing beside the cafeteria lunch queue, guiding everybody to the right places. Darting up from his seat, he called out his name helplessly, ignoring the strange looks from the party. 

"Mr Clarke!" 

"You okay, Mike?" Mr Clarke asked kindly at the boy who had rushed over. 

"Yeah..I uh- had a question... Jane Hopper in our class..you seem to speak to her a bit. Is everything okay with her? I mean-"

"Jane?" Mr Clarke furrowed his eyebrows but smiled. "She's a sweet girl, usually sits and eats her lunch in the AV room when you guys aren't there. I try to get her to eat lunch with me so she isn't so alone but she usually just wants to read..."

"The AV room?" Mike asked. 

"Yes. She usually sits in there, must not like the cafeteria I guess" he chuckled softly. 

"Oh. Uh-thank you, s-sir." 

Mike's feet were moving on his own accord as he decided to go and speak to the lonely girl. He wasn't quite sure what had came over him as he usually took no interest whatsoever in making new friends without consulting the party. But something made him feel wrong when they called her weird and maybe it was that part of him which was pushing him to make sure she had someone that she could talk to. 

He knocked softly on the AV room door after taking in a couple of deep breaths to calm his nerves but then felt butterflies swarm back into his stomach when he heard a soft gasp from the other side of the door. 

Opening the door slowly, he noticed Jane had fled to the corner like a skittish animal trying to blend into its surroundings. Her eyes softened slightly once she saw it was him as if she knew he was harmless, at least he hoped that is what she thought. 

"Hi."

She frowned slightly, clutching her book tighter and glancing at her back on the floor beside her as if she was ready to get up and leave. "Please don't go. I just wanted to talk to you."

"To me?" she clarified, watching him carefully as he shut the door behind him and leaned against it calmly, making sure not to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah...uh- Mr Clarke said you like to come in here to read" he stumbled over his words, hoping that she did not take him for some sort of creep or stalker. 

"Right" she dragged out the silence before sighing slightly. "Talk about what?"

"Well you just seemed like you could use someone to speak to...I thought maybe you wanted to be friends-" Mike tried but she interrupted him with a cold tone. 

"You thought that poor old lonely Jane needs a friend. Well, I don't want you to feel sorry for me" she snapped but then reigned herself back in slightly, "sorry. But I don't want you feeling like you're obliged to talk to me."

"I don't feel like that" Mike blurted out. "I don't mean to seem like I am pitying you, I just wanted to find out more about you. You're interesting..."

He mentally face palmed. 

"Interesting?" she raised an eyebrow, hugging her book tighter to her chest. 

"Sorry" he sighed, running a hand over his face with a huff, "I didn't mean that either. I can't seem to say the right thing with you."

There was a moment of silence before Jane spoke up quietly, surprising both of them. 

"I like it here because it is quiet. I hate the cafeteria."

Mike's face lit up. "So do I! Oh my god, it is so loud and crowded and everyone just gives me a headache. I can see why you would hate to read there."

Jane giggled for a second before her face fell, looking at the ground. "I don't like sitting outside."

"Why?" Mike frowned. 

"Troy Harrington" she mumbled and his fists clenched automatically. 

"I get it. He's an asshole. Does he bother you a lot?" Mike frowned, concern filling his eyes. 

"Not if I stay in here" she shrugged and Mike breathed out a sigh of relief. He hated Troy and would hate him even more if he knew he was bothering innocent pretty girls that did not need his shit. 

"So...do you do anything else besides reading?" Mike attempted to make himself seem all calm and collected but inside he was freaking out by talking to this pretty girl with caramel eyes and a button nose. 

"I work after school sometimes" she murmured and Mike got confused.

"But you're only fourteen like-" 

"It isn't a real job" Jane explained. "It's a small cafe in town, they always need extra help and I volunteer. My dad asked the manager if I could help even though I'm too young. It's calming."

"Your dad is the chief" Mike slowly whistled. "What's that like?" 

She grimaced slightly and Mike let out a soft laugh. "Suffocating."

"So...what cafe is it?" Mike tilted his head slightly, rocking back and forth on his heels. 

"On the west corner of the town square, The Creamy Cup" Jane smiled lightly at the floor, running her fingers along the book spine. "It's cozy and they do great food."

"Cool" Mike breathed but his face fell as they both heard the shrill noise of the bell. Jane almost looked slightly disappointed to Mike but he shook his head, knowing that he probably imagined it. Opening the door with a sigh, he turned back to her. "Sorry to disturb you but it was nice talking to you, Jane."

A soft smile crept across her face. "You didn't disturb me..."

Mike's eyes lit up and he grinned at her. "I'll see you around."

After that conversation it was like something changed within Mike Wheeler. He didn't know what had changed but he felt desperate to see Jane again and to talk to her, even finding his thoughts drift to her in class instead of listening to his favorite teacher. 

After school he speed walked all the way to town instead of going straight home, walking down the unfamiliar east corner of the square until he came across the small cafe with the pastel yellow sign. 

THE CREAMY CUP 

Mike found himself opening the door gently, the bell chiming as it knocked against the wood and he smiled at the kind lady behind the counter. 

"Uh...hi. My name is Mike. My friend Jane volunteers here and I was wondering if I could come along with her to help sometime?"

Mike left with a smile on his face and a spring in his step, knowing that despite the upcoming long and tiring hours of volunteering at a small cafe that he had no clue about, he would be able to see Jane again. 

xxx

Thank you so much for reading and make sure to vote and leave me some feedback so I know what you think! I would love to hear if you are liking the story and the character portrayals!  I'll update real soon if you all want me to!

~ Jodie