chapter four:
❛ confessions and kisses in the rain ❜

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Scarlett sat cross-legged on her bed, her pencil gliding across the page as she sketched a menacing dragon, its fierce eyes glowing with intensity. The dragon's wings stretched wide, almost covering the sky, as if it was ready to unleash its fury on the world. Drawing was Scarlett's way of processing the chaos around her, a way to channel her emotions into something tangible.

Her Walkman was clipped to her jeans, the familiar click of the cassette tape as it played *"Take On Me"* by A-ha filling her ears. The song was her favorite—an escape from everything that weighed on her, a mixture of longing and defiance that mirrored her own feelings. The music drowned out everything else, allowing her to lose herself in her art.

But then, a faint, persistent knocking cut through the song. Scarlett furrowed her brow, pulling her headphones down around her neck. The knocking came again, louder this time. She turned her head towards the window, and her eyes widened slightly in surprise when she saw Mike standing outside, soaked to the bone, his face half-hidden by his drenched hair.

"What the hell...?" Scarlett muttered, setting her notebook aside and walking over to the window. She slid it open with a sigh, rain splattering against her hand as she did.

Mike didn't wait for an invitation. He hoisted himself up and climbed into her room, dripping water onto the floor. "Mike, are you crazy? You're getting everything wet!" Scarlett protested, trying to push him back out, but he was already inside, shaking water from his hair.

"No, Scar! I'm not letting you push me away! Not again!" Mike said, his voice firm even though his body was trembling from the cold. "I'm sorry, okay? I've liked you since the moment I first saw you walk into Mr. Clarke's class with Max."

Scarlett blinked, caught off guard by his sudden confession. "Mike, you didn't even like me at first. You were so annoyed by me. You barely even looked at me."

"I know, but that was before I really got to know you," Mike argued, stepping closer. "When you helped Will, when you stood by us—by me—I started to like you. I just didn't want to admit it. And then, when I saw you lifeless after killing the Demodogs—Scarlett, I kissed you when the defibrillator didn't work, okay? I like you! I didn't kiss you just for whatever. It's because I liked you, and I still do."

Scarlett's heart pounded in her chest, but her anger flared up, cutting through her confusion. "If you like me, then why did you leave me the second El came back? The moment she walked into your life again, you acted like I didn't exist. You wouldn't leave her side for months, Mike! And now, suddenly, when she's not around anymore, you're saying you like me?"

"That's not fair, Scarlett!" Mike shot back, frustration evident in his voice. "Everything was so messed up. I thought I had to be there for her—I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Not fair? You're the one who made me feel invisible, Mike!" Scarlett retorted, her voice rising as she stepped back from him, her anger boiling over. "You don't get to just waltz back into my life now that she's gone and expect everything to be okay! Do you even know how much that hurt?"

"I know, okay? I know I messed up!" Mike yelled, his voice echoing in the small room. He took a step towards her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "But I was scared, Scarlett! I was scared of what I was feeling for you, and I didn't know what to do. I thought if I just focused on El, everything would go back to normal, but it didn't."

Scarlett scoffed, turning away from him as they moved out of her room and down the hallway. "So now that your 'normal' is gone, you're here because you need someone else to latch onto?"

"That's not it!" Mike argued, following her into the living room. "I'm here because I care about you, Scar! I didn't realize how much until I saw you lying there, and I thought I'd lost you forever."

"You can't just pick and choose when to care about me, Mike!" Scarlett shot back, her voice thick with emotion. She whirled around to face him, her eyes blazing. "I'm not some backup option for when things don't work out with El!"

"That's not what you are!" Mike shouted, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "You're not a backup option! You're the one who's been there for me, the one who makes me feel like I'm not alone. I was an idiot for not seeing it sooner."

By now, they had moved through the living room and out onto the porch, the rain pouring down around them, soaking them both. Scarlett crossed her arms, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Then why did you treat me like I didn't matter?" she asked, her voice quieter now, but still filled with hurt.

Mike stepped closer, his eyes pleading. "Because I was scared, okay? I was scared that if I admitted how I felt about you, I'd lose you, or worse, you'd end up getting hurt because of me. But I can't stand the thought of losing you now, not after everything."

Scarlett's heart softened slightly, but she wasn't ready to let go of her anger just yet. "You don't get to decide when it's convenient for you to care about me, Mike."

"I know, I know," Mike said, his voice cracking. "But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. I don't care about anything else right now. I just care about you."

Before Scarlett could respond, Mike closed the distance between them and kissed her, his hands cupping her face as the rain continued to pour down around them. For a moment, Scarlett stood still, shocked by the intensity of the kiss, but then she melted into it, her arms wrapping around him as she kissed him back.

The kiss was fierce, desperate, both of them pouring all their pent-up emotions into it. When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other.

"I'm sorry," Mike whispered, his voice filled with regret. "Please forgive me."

Scarlett searched his eyes, seeing the sincerity there, the desperation. She let out a shaky breath, her anger finally ebbing away. "I forgive you," she whispered back.

Just as they were about to kiss again, they heard a loud throat-clearing from the side. Startled, they turned to see Lucas standing under the porch, his arms crossed, looking both confused and slightly amused.

"Um, I'm not sure what's happening here, but can we find Will now?" Lucas asked, his voice cutting through the tension.

Scarlett frowned, pulling away from Mike. "Will? What about him? Where is he?"

Mike's expression changed from relief to panic. "I messed up. I got into an argument with him and ran off. We need to find him."

Scarlett's heart sank, the reality of the situation hitting her like a punch to the gut. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go," she said, grabbing Mike's hand and pulling him towards the road, her mind already racing with worry for their friend.

The storm raged on, the downpour relentless as Scarlett, Mike, and Lucas dropped their bikes and sprinted towards Will's house, their clothes clinging to their drenched bodies. The rain was coming down in sheets, and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance. Mike was the first to reach the front door, pounding on it with urgency.

"Will, please open up! I'm sorry!" Mike shouted, his voice desperate as he continued to bang on the door. Lucas joined in, yelling for Will, their combined voices echoing through the storm.

But Scarlett was distracted. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something unusual—a flicker of blue electricity arcing from her hand down to the ground. She stared in disbelief as the blue lightning traced a path along the wet earth, snaking away from the house and towards the woods. It was as if her powers were trying to tell her something.

"Guys!" Scarlett shouted, her voice cutting through the storm. Mike and Lucas turned to see the strange blue lightning emanating from Scarlett, casting an eerie glow around her.

"What is that?" Lucas asked, his eyes wide with shock.

"Did you know you could do that?" Mike added, his concern evident as he took a step closer to her.

Scarlett shook her head, her heart racing. "No, I didn't... but I think it's telling us where Will is."

"Who's 'It'?" Lucas questioned, his brows furrowed in confusion.

Scarlett chuckled nervously, glancing down at the blue lightning still crackling at her feet. "Sometimes I have this dream about a blue lightning lady. She tells me things—stuff about believing in myself, about my powers. I think she's the source of my power... and because it's thundering and lightning, she's showing us where to find Will."

Mike and Lucas exchanged a quick look, a mix of disbelief and determination in their eyes.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go," Mike said, his voice resolute.

The three of them followed the blue lightning as it zigzagged across the wet ground, leading them into the dense woods behind Will's house. The trees loomed above them, their branches swaying in the storm, but Scarlett's focus was entirely on the glowing path. Her heart pounded in her chest, a strange mix of fear and adrenaline propelling her forward.

As they ventured deeper into the woods, the lightning's glow became brighter, almost pulsating with urgency. Then, in the distance, they saw him—Will, soaked and disheveled, swinging a bat with wild abandon at the remains of 'Castle Byers,' his beloved childhood fort. The structure was already half-destroyed, the wood splintered and broken.

"Will!" Mike, Lucas, and Scarlett yelled together, their voices blending into one as they rushed towards him. But as they got closer, the blue lightning that had guided them suddenly disappeared, fizzling out into nothingness.

Will turned to face them, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and something else—something darker. His chest heaved with exhaustion, and the bat slipped from his fingers, falling to the muddy ground.

"He's back," Will said, his voice trembling, the words hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

Mike took a step forward, his face pale. "Who is back?"

Will's gaze shifted from Mike to Scarlett and Lucas, his expression haunted. "The Mind Flayer," he replied, his tone almost hollow, as if the very name drained him of hope.

Scarlett's heart skipped a beat, a cold shiver running down her spine despite the warmth of the summer rain. The Mind Flayer. The monster that had terrorized them before, the entity that had caused so much pain and destruction—was it really back?

The rain continued to pour, the storm intensifying as they all stood there, drenched and shivering, the reality of Will's words sinking in. They weren't done fighting, not yet. The nightmare was far from over.

The group trudged back to Will's house, their clothes clinging to their bodies, soaked through. Once inside, Will immediately went upstairs and returned with some clothes for Scarlett.

"Here," Will said, handing her a bundle of his old clothes. "You can change in the bathroom."

"Thanks, Will," Scarlett replied with a small, appreciative smile.

She made her way to the bathroom and quickly changed out of her wet clothes. The oversized T-shirt and sweatpants were warm and comforting, though they hung off her frame. She looked at herself in the mirror, her hair a wet mess, and sighed. The reflection staring back at her looked exhausted, both physically and emotionally. But she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on what was important—keeping her friends safe.

When Scarlett emerged from the bathroom, she found Mike sitting on the couch in the living room, staring at nothing in particular. He looked up when he saw her, his expression conflicted.

"Hey," Scarlett greeted softly as she walked over and sat down beside him.

"Hey," Mike replied, his voice low, as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Scarlett could see the tension in his face, the way his brow was furrowed and his lips pressed together in worry. She gently placed her hand on his knee, trying to offer some comfort.

"What's on your mind?" Scarlett asked, though she could already guess.

"I'm worried about El," Mike admitted, his voice almost a whisper. "If the Mind Flayer is really back, then he's gonna go after her. She's his biggest threat, and I... I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her."

Scarlett nodded, understanding his fear. "El's strong, Mike. And she's not alone. She has Max, and they'll look out for each other. They'll be okay."

Mike nodded, though the worry didn't entirely leave his eyes. "Yeah... I hope you're right."

A moment of silence passed between them, the only sound being the distant rumble of thunder. But there was another tension in the air, one that Scarlett could feel pressing in on her. She knew what was coming next before Mike even opened his mouth.

"So..." Mike started, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Are we gonna talk about the kiss?"

Scarlett felt her heart skip a beat, the memory of the kiss in the rain still fresh in her mind. She shifted slightly, trying to find the right words. "Mike... I really like you. But I'm not sure I want to be your girlfriend. Not right now."

Mike's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why not? I thought you liked me."

"I do," Scarlett replied, her voice steady. "But you just got out of a relationship with El. And even though I might not like her, and she might not like me, I don't want to be with you without talking to her first. We need to at least tolerate each other before anything happens between us."

Mike looked frustrated, his shoulders slumping as he leaned back against the couch. "El holds grudges, Scarlett. She's not just gonna forgive and forget."

Scarlett shrugged, giving him a small smile. "Sorry, Freckles. Guess you're just gonna have to wait."

Mike's lips twitched into a smile at the nickname, one he hadn't heard in months. "You haven't called me that in a while."

"Well, I'm bringing it back," Scarlett teased, poking him lightly in the side.

Mike chuckled, the sound easing some of the tension between them. "Guess I'll just have to deal with it."

Scarlett sighed, feeling the weight of the day's events starting to catch up with her. She stretched out on the couch, feeling the softness of the cushions beneath her. "Come here, please. I'm scared of thunder." she mumbled, patting the space beside her.

Mike hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching hers as if looking for reassurance. But then he nodded and lay down beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Scarlett nestled into him, feeling the warmth of his body against hers, and for a moment, all the fears and worries of the day faded away.

As she began to drift off to sleep, she felt Mike's hand gently stroking her hair, his touch soothing. "We'll figure this out," Mike whispered, more to himself than to her.

Scarlett didn't respond, already halfway to sleep, but a small smile played on her lips. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

ASH SPEAKS!

HEHEHEHEHEHHEHEH IM SO EXCITED GUYSSSS