Neighbors - Strangerthingsau

Chapter 9

Home Sweet Home

On Sunday, El and Hopper were on the road again, only this time they were headed back home. They sat in the car in silence, leaving El to only think about the visit. Think about how much she hated to see her mom like that.

"Will she ever get better?" El asked, breaking the silence.

Hopper turned to her with a surprised look on his face that slowly turned into sadness. "I don't know, kid. I hope she does. I really do, but she has been like that for years and there has been no sign of improvement."

El smiled sadly turning back to the window, letting a tear slip out as she looked at the trees passing by.

About an hour later, they arrived home. They stepped inside the house to find Joyce making her way to the door with a big smile on her face as she made her way to meet them.

"Hey! So, how was seeing your Aunt Becky?" Joyce asked giving El a hug. Joyce knows about Becky but she doesn't know about her mom, or her past, or her powers. That was decided between Hopper and El when he started dating Joyce.

"Good." El states. "I'm going up to my room. I'm tired."

El went to her bedroom quickly, closing the door behind her. She rested her back on the door and slowly sunk down to to the floor. She brought her knees closer to her body, wrapped her arms around them and buried her face in them.

"El? You there?"

El looked up to see where that voice came from. She looked around for anyone in her room, nothing. She got up and opened her door to see if it was Will or Hopper, but there was no one in sight.

"El? Hello?"

She looked toward the voice, which lead to her eyes falling on her bed. She smiled as she saw a super-com lying on her pillow. She walked over and picked it up.

"El?"

She extended the antenna like she saw Will do many times and hit the button on the side to speak.

"Hi?" El answered.

"Oh hey! Your there! Do me a favor and head over to your window, please."

El did what she was told and sat down at the bay window. Looking out at the house beside hers, she saw a familiar figure in one of the windows on the top floor smiling and waving at her.

"Hi Mike."

"Hey. So, while you were gone we found out from Will that you didn't have a super-com. We went out and got you one so you can talk to us when we aren't in the same place."

El smiled at the boy in the window. "Thank you."

"Consider this your 'welcome to Hawkins' gift."

El chuckled. "I will."

"So, how was your visit with your family?"

"Same as always." El sighed.

"So, why do you look so sad?"

"Because it's the same as always."

"Shouldn't the same be a good thing?"

"Sometimes it's not. Whenever we go out to visit, I wish that it will be different. That my mom is getting better, but that wish doesn't come true. It's always the same."

"I'm sorry."

"You did nothing wrong."

"I know it's just- never mind... El?"

"Yeah?"

"I know that you weren't probably that excited to move and all, but I'm really glad you did."

"Me too."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course!"

"I know that it's about a month away but... we could go to the snowball together... I mean you don't have to answer now... and I would totally get it if you say no... I honestly won't blame you if-"

"Mike!" El said cutting him off.

"Yeah?"

"I would love to go with you!" She said smiling sweetly at him.

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Ok! Cool."

"Cool."

"I gotta go my mom's calling me."

"Ok."

"I'll talk to later, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Bye!"

"Bye."

El put away her super-com walked to Will's room and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in." Will said through the door. El let herself in to see Will sitting on his bed reading a comic book. He looked up at her and smile. "Hey El!"

"Hey!" She replied.

"Did you see what the party got you, it should be on your bed."

"Yeah I saw it. Thank you."

"Your apart of the party now! You should be able to contact us whenever you need."

El giggled in response.

"You should have seen it." Will chuckled to himself. "Max, Dustin, and Mike almost got us kicked out of the store because they were fighting over which one they should get you."

"Really?" El questioned.

Will continued to tell her the story until El got tired and went to bed. That night she fell asleep with a smile on her face, she was so happy she moved here.