el's pov:
i opened my eyes to feel the warm sun shinning on my face though the gap in my curtains. the memories of last nights encounters with max flooded back into my mind for the millionth time. my lips still tasted like the mango chapstick she wears, so i knew it was not a dream. the smell of eggo waffles filled the air, as i got out of my bed and walked to the kitchen as i rubbed my eyes. "moring dad.." i muttered as i sat down at the kitchen table. "hey kid, is eggos alright for breakfast?" he asked as he set them in a plate. "yeah that's fine." i said as i yawned. he set 2 plates of eggos down at the table, and sat down across from me. "enjo- wait whos hoodie is that? i didn't think you have a hoodie that looks like that?" he asked as i stared at the sweat shirt i was wearing.
i looked down and slightly blushed as the thought of last night re-entered my mind. "oh- uh it's mine i've just never worn it before.." i lied to him while taking a bite of one of the eggos. he nodded and poured some syrup ontop of his waffles. last night i didn't get a single second of sleep, other then maybe 30 minutes, so i was exhausted. i couldn't get the thought of max out of my head, and the feeling of max's lips against mine. every time i thought of it i got massive butterflies in my stomach, and my cheeks would warm up.
"so any plans with your friends today?" my dad asked as he took another bite of the eggos. "i think all 6 of us are going to mikes house for a sleepover." i told him. he looked up with a slight confused face. "six? i thought you, will, mike, dustin, and lucas we're friends?" he asked me. "oh yeah i forgot to tell you," i told him. "i met a girl at camp and became friends with her." i told him while smiling. "aw that's great kid." he said while smiling.
i nodded and took another bite of my eggos, the whole time i couldn't get max out of my head. the feeling of her lips against mine honestly felt like a dream still.
~
a knock on the front door tore me out of my daydreams about max, i stood up and walked to the door, before hopper ran to the door first to open it. "hey joyce!" he said as he invited her in. "hey hop!" she said as she gave him a quick peck on the lips before comming inside with will behind her. "hey will!" i said while smiling. "hey el! i brought my stuff became my mom said she would drive us to mikes house after lunch!" he told me as he took off his shoes. "okay, i really hope things won't be too awkward.." i said as me and him walked upstairs to my room.
"well at last you will have me there, and did you ask max if she's coming aswell?" he asked me. i slightly blushed as i spoke. "i don't know, we didn't really talk yesterday after her mom picked her up." i told him. "oh yeah, is she okay? she seemed really upset." he asked. "i don't know.." i answered him. "hm, okay i'm gonna go to the bathroom quickly." he said as he walked into the bathroom. i nodded and walked into my bedroom and sat down on my bed.
i thought about max more, and i still couldn't belive it. well two things actully. first off i still can't believe max feels the same way i do.. i mean for sure i thought she would never feel the same way about me. i mean, max mayfield has a crush on me.. maxine freaking mayfield likes me as more then a friend. the whole time after joyce picked me and will up from camp, it felt like my heart was going to break. why didn't i just chase after max and tell her that i love her too?
that's the reason i went to her house last night, i really wanted to confess my feelings towards her, but first i just needed to kiss her. i was really shocked that she thought i would call her names, or tell people, or even end our friendship. i could never do that to her. more then anything i wanted to continue to kiss her, and just spend time with her, but her mom caught us kissing. i don't know if her mom is homophobic, or not, i really hope not. i really didn't want max to get in trouble because of me.
"my mom is taking us to mikes in an hour, do you have your stuff packed?" will asked me as he walked into my bedroom. "oh yeah, i will in a second." i told him. "and max is for sure comming?" he asks me as he sits down on my bed. "i should probably ask her.." i say quietly as i all of a sudden become really nervous. i reached over to the phone, and picked it up. "you know her home phone number right?" will asked. "uhm- yeah she gave it to me a few days ago.." i tell him in a nervous tone. "okay, so are you gonna call her?" will asks. "uh-" i stutter. "here just let me do it." will says reaching for the phone in my hand and dialing her phone number after i told him it.
as the phone rang, the more nervous i became. what if max was grounded and her mom picks up the phone? what if max answers and she's upset? or what if max changes her mind and she does not feel the same anymore?
"max?" will asks.
i could hear the voice of the sweet ginger answer him, and speak, but it was muffled. "are you coming to mikes tonight for the sleepover?" will asks. i heard max speak, but didn't know what she said. "really? oh then you have an official invite!" will tells her. "be at mikes house by 1:00." will continues.
will nods and then takes the phone away from his ear, and muffles it into his t-shirt. "do you wanna talk to max?" he asks me. i instantly became even more nervous, and quickly shook my head. he gave me a confused look and then puts the phone back to his ear. "sorry she's busy right now." he tells her. i can hear her say something, but it's still muffled. "alright, see you soon." he says before he hangs up the phone.
"so!?" i ask him excitedly. "she's comming, and she said you didn't invite her?" he asks. i sigh and face palm. "i forgot to ask her. sorry i've just had a lot on my mind yesterday." i tell him. "that's fine, you should pack your stuff, im gonna go get lunch." will tells me as he stands up off my bed and walks out my bedroom.
~
"i have all my stuff!" i say as i walk downstairs with my backpack and a pillow. "hey honey! lunch is ready." joyce says as she sets down four plates on the kitchen table. "great! thanks joyce!" i say while smiling. "no problem el." she said while sitting down beside my dad. "so are you guys thinking of going to camp next year?" joyce asks us. "maybe." i tell her as i twirled the pasta around on my fork. "i think so! it was really fun!" will tells us. "that's great to hear kid." hopper says as he takes a bite of his pasta.
"we'll leave in 15 minutes to go to mikes house, m'kay?" joyce tells us. i glance at the clock at realize it's already 12:30. "that sounds good!" will said in an excited tone. will glanced over at me and almost chocked know his food. "you alright will?" joyce asked. will looked at me with a surprised look and then spoke. "why do you have max's hoodie on?" he asks. hopper sets down his fork and then speaks. "el, who's max?" he asks in a serious tone. "uh-" i stutter.
"a girl we met at camp! her name is maxine but we call her max as a nickname." will interrupts me and tells hopper. "oh thankgod max is not a guy." hopper mutters as he rubs the bridge of his nose. "hey it's okay if el wants to have a boyfriend. i mean she's getting to that age after all. i mean soon enough will is gonna get a girlfriend." joyce told hopper. will immediately looked uncomfortable after joyce said that. "i'm not gonna get a girlfriend.." he says in an uncomfortable tone. "don't be ridiculous will, one day your gonna fall in love y'know?" joyce told him. "i'm not gonna fall in love.." will says awkwardly. "okayy.." joyce says as she twirls the pasta around on her fork.
~
"you guys ready to go?" joyce asks us as we grab our backpacks and pillows. "yup!" will says while a grin is plastered on his face. "okay, i'm gonna go say bye to hopper, go get in the car." joyce tells us as me and will put on our shoes. "el, you never said why you were wearing max's hoodie," he says as he gets in the car. he buckled up his seat belt, and looks at me again. "and still are.." he continues as i slightly blush. "i guess i just grabbed her hoodie by accident." i tell him awkwardly as i buckle my seat belt. "okay, you guys ready to go?" joyce asks us as she gets in the drivers seat. "yeah, we're ready." will says as he places he backpack on the car floor.
~
"thanks mom! see you tomorrow!" will say as he shuts the car door. "bye guys! see you in a bit!" joyce says as she pulls out of the driveway. me and will shoot eachother a glance as we walk up to the front door and knock. "i'll get it!" a woman's voice yells as we hear foot steps on the floor. a few seconds later
mrs. wheeler throws open the door with a smile. "welcome guys! mike, dustin, and lucas are just downstairs." she says as she lets us in. "thanks mrs.wheeler!" will said as he took off his shoes, and i did the same.
me and will ran downstairs into the basment, and there we saw mike, lucas, and dustin gathered around a table setting up a game it looked like. "hey guys!" will greets them as he throws down his backpack and runs towards them. "we're finally playing d&d?" will asks with a hopeful smile. "yeah, we were thinking so el's not alone we could show her how to play too!" dustin suggesteds. "max is not comming anymore?" i ask them in a sad tone. "woah who said she was even invited?" mike asked. "me and el invited her." will told us. mike groaned and rolled his eyes.
"so when is she gonna be here?" i ask them as i avoid eye contact with mike. "i don't know, we didn't even know she was comming." lucas says with a faint smile and slight redness to his cheeks. "oh.." i sigh sadly while sitting on the couch. i watch as all four boys start to play their game, as i get tired and lay down. my eyes were becoming heavy, as i barley got any sleep last night, and i yawned. i was just hoping max would arrive soon because i really wanted to see her.
just as i started to doze off to sleep, the sound of the doorbell make me slightly flinch. i sat up in the couch as lucas quickly stood up and ran up the stairs, probably to let max in. i started to feel really nervous, and fidgeted with the sleeves of max's hoodie. i didn't know what our statuses was, if we were friends, daiting, or what these feelings even meant. all that i knew was that i liked max. a lot.
suddenly the basment door swung open, and a pair of foot steps came running down. i looked up and my heart started to race as my eyes met max's.