zentropy | mileven.

⁹⁾ ᵖᵗ¹ the first day of my life

[JANE POV.]

❝ yours was the first face that I saw, think I was blind before I met you, don't know where I am don't know where I've been but I know where I want to go ! ❞

━ CHAPTER NINE, PART ONE.

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IT HAD been silent now for approximately three dreadful minutes.

it was almost as if we were strangers, slowly wobbling forward together as we trudged through the small town of hawkins.

max had won. again.

why is it that she always got everything I wanted?
even when she first got here and I welcomed her with open arms. I was her first friend. we used to get along so well, and now- now it was almost like we were enemies, competitors, even.

it had eased a little bit of the pain when he'd said that they were not yet official. at least I had that. but just knowing that it was just a matter of time before they were yet again holding hands, holding each other- the feeling like I had just been punched in the stomach and the panging pain echoing throughout my whole body was what resided.

yet, even mike seemed unsure.

he had told me those many times before about how much he liked her, but for some reason it was almost like once he was told that the feeling was mutual, it wasn't even something to cause a fuss about. it was like he had put it off to the side, or like he was trying not to think about it to the best of his ability.
then again, I couldn't read his mind. but oftentimes I was a pro at guessing.

"so...Johnny's for dinner then?"

I snapped out of my thoughts as his voice seemed to grab me by the ear, my entire body whipping around to face him at the sudden break of the silence.

I nodded my head slowly and let out a soft, "mmhm," keeping my hands in my pockets and my eyes to the floor.

"jane, what the hell? just tell me what's wrong," he pleaded. his directness shocked me, and it was almost as if his words had been paddles that had electrocuted me back to life.

"nothings wrong," I insisted, almost begging at this point. "look, let's just- let's just hang out, okay? let's just try to be like normal, alright?" my voice was now at a higher pitch, in an attempt to seem like everything was perfectly fine.

"oh-okay," he said hesitantly, nodding in sign that he understood.

a tense two seconds of silence passed once more, and I had had enough.

who the fuck cared if he was with max again? he was my best friend. my best friend. that was something max would never have. I should be grateful for what I had, because just a few months ago I thought I'd lost that position of being mike wheeler's best friend for good- and look at where we were now. hanging out together. about to have dinner together. I should be over the moon.

I grabbed his wrist without thinking and dragged it behind me, as I suddenly ran in spontaneity through the streets of hawkins. I could hear mike's shouts of surprise behind me as we passed by the grocery mart, the drug store, the barbers shop- and then I heard that sound that was better than any song I'd ever heard in my life: his laughter.

we were running through the night, and laughing, and holding hands as the cold air brushed past us, combing through our hair and the sides of our cheeks. it was like bliss filled my lungs each time I inhaled.

he was all I needed.

we finally stopped to rest at the gazebo in the center of town. sitting on the bench inside of it, the two of us gained our energy back through pants and smiles at one another.

"hey, what was your first impression of me?" he suddenly asked as his fingers fluffed up the back of his curly mane.

"why do you wanna know?" I questioned, a smirk on my face as I rubbed my hands together for warmth.

"can't I just be curious?" he asked, resting his chin on his fist.

"I guess that you were a nerd. a nerd who was too desperate and tried way too hard," I remarked honestly. He put a hand to his chest, scoffed sarcastically.
"damn, that was mean."
"well, it's the truth."
"well, ouch."
"truth stings, doesn't it?" I said with a smile on my face. "okay, what about you? what was your first impression of me?"

he looked up as if he were thinking about it, and then gave me a smile.
"that you were scary, probably."
"well, everyone thought I was scary. even I think I was scary."
this gave him a chuckle, as he agreed with me, the two of us knowing that our younger days were not proud ones.

we decided to get up and walk to the diner, which was only two or three blocks away from the middle of town.

"hey," mike spoke up in a serious, almost gruff tone.
"what?"
"come here," he said, curling his finger and motioning for me to get closer to him. my heart may have skipped a beat.

I did as I was told and walked close enough to where I had to look up in order to make eye contact with him. his own face tilted down towards mine, and moved to the side of my head.

and then, slowly but surely, he whispered in my ear:

"race you."

the boy was gone with no second to spare, his black curly mess of a head flailing behind him. I shook my head in amusement and ran towards him once again, as the cold blissful wind swept past my body.

and as I ran after him, all that ran through my mind was,

if only I could spend the rest of my life feeling the way I feel when I'm with him.

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a quick update for you!! this chapter is a bit shorter because chapter 9 will consist of two parts (or three idk) we'll see. anyways enjoy this pt 1 of mike and jane's night together in hawkins :") I'm kind of excited for this little sub-trilogy in this book and I hope you like it!! didn't read this over for grammar so I hope it makes sense.

reviews are everything! thanks again to my readers who comment vote follow etc it makes my day!! 💖💖

-sonorabee