CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE;
HE'S SO CANCELLED.

max🤩

hey
was everything ok??
i forgot to text u last night

1 attachment: location

huh
why'd u send me a location
omg were u kidnapped

no?
just click it

??
ok?
WAIT
WHAT THE FUCK
OMG UR HERE BITCH WHAT
YES
FUCK YES

i'm here bc my grandma is in the hospital

oh
um
is she going to be ok??

yes
they thought she broke her hip but it's just a really bad bruise

oh
good
NOW I CAN CELEBRATE U BEING HERE WITHOUT CELEBRATING AN OLD LADY'S SUFFERING 🥳🥳
R U AT THE HOSPITAL NOW
BITCH LET ME COME GET U

no, i'm at some diner place across the street from the hospital

OMG UR AT BENNY'S
YES GET THE WAFFLES

i did 😳😳
they r delish

yes
let me come get u rn

but aren't u in school??

well yes
but i can leave after lunch

i don't know if my dad will let me go
he doesn't know i have friends here lol

he won't mind
parents love me
i'm delightful 😇😇

i'll see
but no mike

whatcha mean

i mean i don't want to see him
and i don't want him knowing i'm here

what the fuck
no
that's trash
u guys HAVE to meet
he'll b like 😳
but then he'll b like 🥰
and y'all both b like 💑
then u b like 🤰
and i b like 🥳

no
don't tell him

but
how am i supposed to not tell him ur here

just don't tell him?
wdym

i mean i'm v bad w secrets
esp secrets like this!!!

it's not a secret
it just doesn't concern him

ugh but u guys r meant to be 😢
lol i saw him before class w kendall and the poor tree looked like he was ready to slam his head in a locker bc she wouldn't stop talking

max, just promise me u won't tell him

ughhhhhhhhHHHH
fine
i promise i won't tell him 🤧

thank u 🥰

we're having a sleepover
TONIGHT!!!!
omg wait how long are u here for???

until monday

YES YAY
that gives us 3 days to do everything best friends do 😊😊😊

i haven't even asked my dad
he might not let me
he's so stressed abt my grandma and grandpa
i can tell he feels guilty abt never coming to visit

well then u guys will have to visit a bunch from now on
problem solved

🙄🙄

OR JUST MOVE HERE
didn't u say u hate it school
omg what if u did move here
omg MOVE HERE BEECH
then u and mike rly could be all like 💑

max

UGHHHHH
i'm sorry
i get carried away
i'm a pisces it's what i do 😇

YES ASTROLOGY IS SCIENCE
MIKE DOESN'T BELIEVE ME
he's such a virgo 🙄

he's so cancelled 😤🚫

cancel him from my heart 🙃

wait that made me rly sad 😢🥺
ok mike who
let's find u a new boy toy
SOMEONE MIKE HATES

let's not

o shit
i have to go
i think my teacher saw me texting
TALK TO UR DAD ABT SLEEPIVER
ILL TEXT U AT LUNCH GTG 😚

ok!!
delivered at 10:02 am

"who are you texting?" the voice of her father beckoned, causing her to look up from her phone.

she smiled at the mustached man before turning her phone off and setting it down on the table. "my friend, max. she lives here, actually."

this information caused the sheriff to raise a brow. "you have a friend that lives here? in hawkins? how do you know them? wait, have you been talking to strangers on the internet?"

el rolled her eyes with a soft giggle, "not exactly. i met her through a friend -- well, technically an ex friend." she knew he was going to ask her to explain so she shook her head before continuing, "but anyway, max wants to have a sleepover. do you mind?"

her dad appeared to consider the request before asking, "you sure you want to stay at someone's house that you've never actually met?"

the brunette nodded. "i mean, i've facetimed her a bunch of times. it's not like she's a stranger."

jim shrugged before agreeing, "alright, it's okay with me. just text me and let me know where you are if you go somewhere. i'll probably stay at the hospital with your grandparents tonight, so it works out. i didn't want to leave you alone at their house all night."

el smiled, excited for her first ever sleepover. rosie only ever hung out with el when her other friends were busy, but that never included sleeping over. el was just her oncall friend she would take of advantage of and complain about her life to when no one else cared to listen.

"thanks, dad," she chirped before taking a bite of her syrup-soaked breakfast. she would almost say this diner's waffles had her eggos beat -- almost.

the father and daughter continued to eat their meals, occasionally talking between chews and sips of coffee. of course, el's coffee was a light brown shade with a strong vanilla scent while her dad's was a strong, plain black.

as the two finished up and the chief pulled out a few dollars for a tip, a feminine voice queried, "jim?"

at the sound of her dad's name from an unfamiliar voice, el looked up to find a woman with big, brown eyes nearly covered by her brunette bangs. by the way her dad's face was coated with surprise, el naturally assumed he knew the middle-aged woman.

"joyce?" he replied, seeming as though he didn't need confirmation because he clearly recognized her.

she beamed brightly before her mouth rounded out to make an 'o' shape, "oh, my god, i heard about your mom. i was going to stop by the hospital today or tomorrow to check in, but i didn't realize you'd be in town."

el listened quietly as they went on to discuss her grandparents and how they apparently stopped by whatever store joyce worked out when they went to town.

"..and i think you remember my daughter, el," she heard her father introduce, gesturing behind him.

she flashed a tight-lipped smile to the woman before awkwardly waving, "hi."

joyce beamed. "wow, i haven't seen you since you were a baby. you've grown up to be such a beautiful young lady. god, you must be what? 17? i know you're around my youngest's age."

el nodded, "i'm a senior."

joyce went on to ramble about how time flies, especially since her years in high school which, el learned, is how she knew her father so.. well?

"well, we have to get back to the hospital, but it was great seeing you," she finally heard her father say with a goofy smile on his face, a smile that made el raise a brow. her mother passed four years ago and she'd never seen her dad show any interest in another woman since. el smirked at the idea.

eventually, the two adults bid one another a final goodbye and el and her dad left the diner to return to the hospital.

"you went to high school with her?" el quizzed during the short drive. jim replied with a simple 'mhm' hum. "you dated her, didn't you?"

his eyes widened slightly, "what? why would you ask me that?"

his discomfort amused his daughter and she giggled, "because you looked like you were blushing back at the diner."

"i wasn't blushing. i don't blush," he disagreed, tightening his grip on the wheel.

el nodded, "okay." she conceded for his benefit, knowing she saw his cheeks rose beneath his scruff.

she pulled her phone out and texted max to let her know she could sleep over.

max🤩

my dad said yes

YES BITCH
this is going to be so fun
i need girl friends
lucas won't paint my toes 😤
well he did once but like it was messy

omg i can paint nails rly well!!!

yay
i'm still in class
i'll text u during lunch and then i'll get u
bitch i'm EXCITED
ok i fr gtg again

ok ttyl!!
delivered at 10:51 am

...

a/n: i wasn't a huge fan of this chapter, it was kind of a filler chap?? it's prob why it took so long to write,, bc it's boring. also, i'm v busy w classes rn and i appreciate the immense love but i cant update daily so pls don't be like "OMG UPDATE NOW" bc ur girl is stressed!! today was a MESS, someone hit my car and it was just v stressful 🥺🥺 thanks for reading, hope u enjoyed! x

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