CHAPTER NINE;
FAMILY VALUES.

today marked el and mike's one month anniversary of their fake relationship.

it also happened to mark the end of shelly and troy's.

just about everywhere you went, students were whispering about the break-up. yet, no one actually knew what exactly transpired between the two that caused them to split, but that sure didn't stop them from speculating. 

el had even heard her own name thrown in the mix a few times. she couldn't help but laugh at how pathetic her peers were. she dreamt of a world where everyone would just mind their own business, but it seemed more unobtainable than ever. 

she, for one, didn't really care that the couple had broken up. this shocked her. shouldn't she be sort of happy that the people who had betrayed her and broke her heart would no longer be making out in the halls? but for some reason, she couldn't find it within herself to feel any sort of way about it. 

it was when she was routinely switching her books in her lockers that she felt a presence approach. she couldn't help but smile, still not drawing her gaze away from her locker. "mike," she acknowledges.

unfortunately, her smile was short-lived when the lingering body replied, "try again, ellie."

the girl reluctantly shut her locker to find none other than troy harrington awaiting her with a coy expression. "what is it you want?"

he smirks, propping his palm against the metal row of lockers beside them. her eyes rolled at how arrogant the sight was. "i want to talk," he started.

"about?"

he took a small step closer, causing her brows to lift. "us."

for a moment, she had gone completely sill -- that was until she busted into a fit of laughter. "that was funny. have you always been that funny? because i never thought your jokes were funny when we dated, but that one? hilarious! comedic gold, actually." she was rather amused. 

"hey, i'm serious," he mused, attempting to take another step closer, but her hand pressed against his chest and halted his movement.

she shook her head. "if you're serious, then you're out of your freaking mind. i mean, did you honestly think when shelly dumped you, that i would what? just be waiting idly for you to come back to me?"

"shelly didn't dump me, i dumped her," her eyes widened slightly. she had only assumed that her ex-best friend had been the one to end it. after all, she never stayed with one guy for too long. the cheerleader got bored easily, especially with boys. "i broke up with her because i realized how much i miss you, el."

now she couldn't even laugh. she was past laughing, she wanted to scream. "yeah, you're out of your fucking mind. that's the only logical explanation," she concludes before inhaling deeply, trying to keep herself from losing her shit.

"you know i hate when you swear, doll. you're too pretty," again, he tries to eliminate some of the distance between them. this time she steps back. "el, c'mon. let's go talk."

she saw him reach a hand out to grasp her waist which quickly resulted with her slapping it away. "don't touch me, dick."

he chuckles at the slap, probably to play it off in front of everyone. it was only natural for the exes to attract a few eyes with their conversation. he adjusts his letterman, growing frustrated. "would you just calm down, so we can talk? how about i give you a ride home today?"

el crossed her arms over her chest. "i can't, sorry. see, i'm going home with mike -- my boyfriend."

now troy rolled his eyes. "are you serious? forget about that punk, el. good girls like you don't end up with guys like that."

"well, i sure as hell won't end up with a prick like you." her eyes narrowed. "you should forget whatever sick idea you had about getting me to fall for your shit again, and try to get shelly back. you two really do deserve each other."

as the words left her chapstick-coated lips, a pair of hands swiftly settled on her waist. following closely, a familiar and almost comforting cologne invaded her nostrils. 

"hey, baby," mike cooed, wrapping his arms around her waist completely and pulling her against him. she was met with a sense of relief. she even let her head rest against his chest. "i thought i would walk you to spanish."

she looks up at him, "sounds good to me."

he nods before looking at troy. "troy," he acknowledges. 

the jock scoffs. "mike. hey, have you heard from ryan cooper? what ever happened to that kid?"

el was about to say something when mike replied, "he moved. but hey, how's shelly? i must say, you two make a cute couple." luckily, the warning bell sounded before this passive aggressive confrontation could snowball into something more. 

the brunette grasped mike's hand, "c'mon, we're going to be late." he nods and follows her, but not before letting his cold stare linger on troy.

/ / /

"okay, now you're just making numbers up!" el growls before pulling her hair up with her scrunchie. 

mike sighs. "no, look, the oxidation number of oxygen is what?" 

her eyes flicker to her periodic table, "uh, negative two?"

"yes! so, lithium is a metal, right?" she nods. "and if you combine them, they're what type of compound?"

her brows furrowed together, "covalent?"

the raven-haired boy's shoulders dropped. "actually, it's an ionic compound. covalent is when you have two non-metals."

el frowned, rolling over on her back. the two were sprawled out on his bed, and he was trying to help her with chemistry -- his favorite subject but her least-favorite. "why is this so hard for me? i've been a straight a student my whole life, and now look at me! i'm going to fail."

"you're not going to fail, el. you've just got to be patient. i know you'll catch on eventually. plus, lots of people struggle with chemistry," he does his best to comfort her but she only huffs. "okay, let's take a break from the formulas before you end up crying."

staring up at his ceiling, she nods. "yes, please."

he smiles before sitting up. he notices a certain expression coating her features.  "hey, you good?" 

she inhales deeply. "yeah, i was just thinking."

he purses his lips, unsure if he had any right to ask what he wanted to ask. but he allowed his curiosity to get the better of him. "about troy?" she nods. "you never told me what he said earlier today."

she humorlessly laughs, "that's because you wouldn't believe me if i told you."

his eyes dark eyes narrow, "try me."

she reluctantly props herself up and sits criss-cross-applesauce across from him. "he told me that he broke up with shelly because he misses me and wants to get back together."

mike's eyes widen, "are you serious?" he let out a light chuckle when she nods, smiling at his amusement. "what did you tell him?"

"i told him he was out of his mind, of course. i don't know what i ever saw in that asshole," she murmurs the last part, but her words were loud enough for him to hear and agree with. 

"michael, i'm home!" rang karen wheeler's voice from downstairs. both of their eyes widened. his mom was home early today, and she would be very shocked to find will's sister in her son's bedroom. 

she jumped off his bed, "shit, what do i do?!" she whisper-yelled, searching for the converses she had earlier abandoned. she saw his gaze trail to his window and she vehemently shook her head. "are you insane?! we're on the second floor! i could break my neck."

"well, do you have any better ideas?" he spoke, not bothering to whisper.

they certainly weren't expecting for his door to fling open when it did, "michael, honey, who are you talking-" his mother's words ceased at the sight of the hopper girl pulling on her shoe. "eleanor? i'm sorry, i didn't know mike was having company."

"i wasn't," he interjects. "i mean, i was -- i was just helping her study for chemistry." el was shocked by his quick thinking, and quickly nods to confirm his explanation. 

"oh, well, would you like to stay for dinner? i'm making lasagna," his mom offered in a warm tone. el had only met karen wheeler a couple times, and she always seemed to speak in the same poise and kind voice with a tight grin.

mike shook his messy curls, "she can't."

"i think the girl can speak for herself, mike." her eyes shifted back to el, almost pleadingly. 

el glanced to mike and then back to his mother. "well, sure. i love lasagna."

the woman smiled, "ah, wonderful! well, i should start cooking. i'll let you two get back to studying. just keep the door open, please." after receiving a nod from the pair, she exited her son's room.

he let out a breath. "well, this dinner is going to be awkward as hell."

/ / /

"so, eleanor, how's your father?" karen asked from her end of the table. it was only her, mike and both of his parents. nancy was now in college, and his younger sister, holly, was eating dinner at her friend's house.

el sets her glass of water down and nods. "oh, he's great. he stays busy with work most of the time." she cringed at the painful small talk. the atmosphere was so tense for some reason. she couldn't understand why seeing as mike's mom was such a sweet and vibrant woman.

his father, on the other hand, was sort of the opposite. as many times as she had been around karen, she'd been around ted wheeler. as far as she knew. he didn't really talk much. that claim still held up tonight as he had hardly spoken three words in her presence. he only sat across from his wife, eating his dinner.

"and joyce? i haven't seen her since the fourth of july, i believe," she recalls.

"she's doing really well, too. she actually just got a new job as the pharmacist technician at the drug store downtown," el replies before taking a bite of her food. 

karen's eyes light up, "oh my, well, that's wonderful! i'll have to stop by and see her next time i'm around there." el's attention is drawn to the end of the table when a light scoff sounds from mike's father. "what is it, ted?" 

eleanor could now detect where the unspoken tension was from by the way karen said her husband's name. it was in such a spiteful manner, it even caused el to lose her appetite. her doe-ish eyes gazed straight across from her to find an unsettled mike. 

"oh, nothing, karen," he replied, matching her spite. she caught the way mike lightly flinched as if their tones sent a chill down his spine. she frowned. 

mike's mom backed her chair up from the table, inhaling deeply. "eleanor, honey, thank you for coming to dinner. it seems as though i've lost my appetite, so please excuse me. mike, please drive her home when you two are done eating." the woman smiled and sauntered out of the dining room.

not even a minute had passed after she disappeared from their sight did his dad rise from his own chair and follow in her path. 

and then, el heard their yelling. 

mike's eyes had closed, and she could she feel the embarrassment radiating from him. it was enough to cause an ache in her heart for her friend. 

"hey, mike, it's fine," she assured, hoping to comfort him but he shook his head. "c'mon, let's go to my house. we can take the long way." the long way implied driving around hawkins aimlessly seeing as their house were probably only seven minutes apart from each other. 

he nods, gracious for her understanding.

/ / /

mike's car pulled to stop a few houses down from el's. he knew her parents would grow curious if they saw him dropping her off, and they would both much rather keep them in the dark. 

they drove around for half an hour, mostly just listening to the radio, but they spoke a few times. 

he turned down the radio when she didn't hop out of his car, and the silence surrounded them for a moment. finally, she spoke, "do they fight a lot?"

from the corner of her eye, she saw him nod. "yeah, just about every night."

the news made her desperately want to give him a hug, but she opted against it. she'd only ever hugged him for show, and she didn't want to make this any more awkward than it already is. so, she played it safe, "i'm sorry, mike."

he shrugged. "you shouldn't be. i'll be gone in two years. i just feel bad for holly because she's stuck with them."

"how long have they been like that?" she asked.

"since i was eleven? maybe twelve? i don't even remember," he ran a hand through his already wild curls. "it's not a big deal, el. you don't need to try to talk to me about it. i'm just sorry you had to hear them."

she couldn't stop herself when her hand reached to rest on his. "i know i don't need to, but i'm your friend and i want to. okay?" his eyes were on their hands, and he nodded. "okay, well, i'll see you tomorrow, pal." she immediately regrets her choice of nicknames as soon as it leaves her lips, making things even weirder. 

he couldn't help but laugh, and the fake couple ended up both giggling in his car. 

"thank you, el. you're a good pal," he joked, earning himself a soft shove before she opened the door. "goodnight." 

"night, mike," she returned, shutting the door after she got out. 

his midnight black car pulled away, leaving el with a smile pressed against her lips.

...

a/n: i don't even think this was written very well, but what i wanted to happen happened so, eh? i just wish it was written prettier, i guess lol. ugh, i suck. okay, thanks for reading !! x

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