tangled (mileven au)

sneaking out

"I'll be there soon, okay?"

"Okay! Bye Mike!" El hung up the phone in a hurry, eager to find out what her day with the two boys would bring her.

Was it dangerous sneaking out when Papa could very well come home early? Yes, yes it was, but really she couldn't find it in her to care.

•

Mike couldn't shake the worry that had come over him after his phone call with El. He was incredibly skeptical about their plan for the day, fearing what could happen to her if she got caught leaving the cabin.

Taking her out into town while her sad excuse for a guardian was in Chicago was one thing, but doing so while he was here, probably minutes away... that was purely insane.

He knew better than to do something so stupid, but El had practically begged to go with them and he didn't want to let her down. He refused to, so if she wanted to go with them, that's exactly what would happen. All he could do was just hope that they didn't get caught.

Literally, that's all he could do from the moment he hung up the phone, until he had set off to go get her a few hours later. It didn't help that he had an incredibly confused Dustin by his side either, but he somehow managed to dodge most of his friend's suspicions along the way.

Of course, he understood why there would be any suspicions in the first place. It wasn't exactly normal to trek through the woods to some sketchy looking cabin just to meet a girl, but lately, nothing Mike did was normal. Before he met El, he would've never done something like this for a girl, or anyone really. But now, he would do it every single day if it meant that he got to see her.

Once they'd finally reached El's front door, Mike brought up a fist and knocked heavily. The door was flung open seconds later, as if she had been waiting right on the other side of it for him to arrive.

"Hi!" El beamed, before greeting him with the tightest hug, like she always does.

Mike held her just as tight, loving the feeling of having her in his arms again.

"Hey, El. Hope it's okay that I brought Dustin here with me."

At the mention of the boy's name, she loosened her grip on Mike and looked off behind him, just now noticing Dustin's presence.

"Yes, of course! Hi!" She happily exclaimed, shooting forward to engulf the boy in a hug.

"Why, hello El." Dustin chuckled, a little caught off guard by the friendly gesture. "It's good to see you again."

"It's great to see you!" El replied with a bright smile, as she ushered the two of them into the cabin and shut the door. "So, where are we going?"

"We're going swimming at the lake, does that sound fun?"

"That sounds like so much fun!" She said, while nearly bouncing up and down with excitement. "But what will I wear?"

"Oh, I brought you these." Mike reached into the bag he had brought along with him and held up two bathing suits, one a little less revealing than the other. "They were my sister's at some point, so I'm sure they'll fit you. I just didn't know which one you'd want, so I brought both."

"This is so great! Thank you! I'll be right back."

She snatched the bathing suits from his hands, scurrying off into her room to put one on.

"Does she not own any bathing suits?" Dustin questioned from beside him, once El had closed her bedroom door. 

"I told you, she doesn't get out much." Mike shrugged, hoping that would be enough of an answer for him.