A transitional chapter. Enjoy. :)

Mike's face turned red with anger and embarrassment. He picked up Eleven's bra and blouse and handed them to her. "Get dressed," he said firmly, pulling on his own shirt and pants.

"Hey! Assholes!" Mike yelled, stepping off of the bus, still putting on his left shoe. Mike could see Lucas and Dustin laughing and running toward the exit.

About thirty yards past the edge of the lot, he could see Will and Max running to meet them.

"What the hell!" Max yelled. "You guys disappeared!"

"How did you even find us?" Dustin asked.

"It...doesn't matter. You guys lied and then ditched us! What's your deal?" she asked demandingly.

"No time to explain," said Lucas. "We need to go, now!" he exclaimed, glancing behind him.

By that time, Mike had just caught up to the group. He was red in the face, his fists were clenched, and it was too late for escape.

"Yeah? You think that's funny?" yelled Mike. He walked up to Lucas and shoved him to the ground with both hands.

"Woah, guys! C'mon!" Max pleaded, stepping between Lucas and Mike.

"When have I ever followed you and Max anywhere?" Mike pushed. Lucas gave a guilty look.

"It was Dustin's idea!" Lucas pleaded, getting up off of the ground.

"No…" started Dustin, "...it was a group effort!" Mike gave a disapproving look. "And we didn't follow you!" he insisted. "We just heard you guys on the walkie and then when you went quiet, we switched to the other channel where we heard you both planning to come to the junkyard. We honestly thought you had changed your mind, but then you said you were taking Eleven home which we both knew was code for smoochy time at the junkyard…"

"Will you shut up?!" interrupted Lucas. "First of all, we had no idea why you were coming here. But you can't help us for being curious about why you lied and came to the junkyard instead all secretive-like."

"That doesn't make it okay!" yelled Mike. "Besides, you shouldn't have left! As soon as you saw…" Mike stopped and glanced at Will and Max, cutting himself short to save he and El from further embarrassment. Max though about asking what they saw, but she already had a guess. Several moments of silence passed.

"Saw what?" asked Will.

"Nevermind," said Mike. "The point is that you breached mine and Eleven's privacy.I would never do that to you! You both need to apologize."

"We're sorry!" said Dustin and Lucas simultaneously.

"Not just to me, to Eleven too."

Eleven had been listening to the whole conversation from about ten yards away, but no one had noticed her standing there.

Lucas looked down at the ground as he walked up to Eleven. He looked up at her when he was only a few feet away.

"I'm really sorry, El. What we did...wasn't cool. I promise to respect your privacy from now on." he pledged, stretching out his hand for her to shake.

Eleven stood silent for a moment. She saw regret on Lucas' face. While she was a little shaken about what had just just happened, it was frankly less embarrassing than when Hopper walked in on her.

"Okay," she said.

"Thank you...and...sorry again," Lucas said stepping back toward the rest of the group.

Mike glared at Dustin who was pretending to be clueless. Lucas punched Dustin's shoulder. "Ow! Fine! I'm going!"

Dustin walked up to Eleven and mumbled. "Sorr-."

"She can't hear you, Dustin. Louder," Lucas pushed.

"Sorr-..." he mumbled again.

Mike had had enough at this point. He walked angrily and purposefully toward Dustin. Dustin saw him approaching.

"Okay! Okay! Sorry that me and Dustin eavesdropped on your walkie conversation! Sorry we laughed at you guys while you were hugging naked on the bus!"

The air was so thick and hot that you they could hear the remaining discretion dissolve completely.

As soon as Dustin finished speaking, several in the group yelled something different at him. For Max and Will, it was "what?!". For Lucas, it was "shut up!".

But Mike didn't hear anything after Dustin finished his sentence, as a ringing had started in his ears. Furious, he marched right up to Dustin and shoved him as hard as he could to the ground. Mike walked over to Eleven and grabbed her arm.

"C'mon," he said in an aggravated tone. "We're leaving."

"Wait!" said Max, attempting to remedy the situation. "Look...you're angry right now...and you have every right to be! But we both know that Dustin is a total dumbass."

"Dumbass here!" chirped Dustin, raising his hand.

"Shut up!" continued Max. "My point is, I think both Lucas and Dustin learned their lesson. Spying on you and El was wrong. They've obviously lost a lot of your trust and are probably dying to earn it back again."

"Dying!" Lucas interjected. Max gave him an annoyed look.

"So anyway…" Max proceeded, "...is there anything that they could do to make things right again?"

"No!" Mike insisted.

"Really?" Max questioned. "You can't think of anything they could do to prove to you that they're sorry?"

Mike thought for a moment. "Okay," he said, "an eye for an eye." Dustin and Lucas gave each other a worried look.

"I want you both to make two laps around the junkyard…" he began.

"Well that's easy," Dustin interjected. Lucas smiled with relief and nodded at him.

"...Naked," Mike continued.

"What the hell!? No way!" Lucas protested.

"I may be dumb, but I'm not that dumb!" Dustin claimed.

"Fine..." Mike contended, "...underwear. Take it or leave it."

Dustin and Lucas looked unsettlingly at each other. After a few moments of consideration and nonverbal communication, Lucas spoke up.

"No, man. There are girls here," he protested.

"Yeah? How do you both think Eleven felt when you were looking at her through the bus window?" Mike asked. Lucas and Dustin looked guiltily at Eleven, then back at each other.

"Fine," Dustin said, "but what happens in the junkyard has to stay in the junkyard."

"Deal," said Mike.

Lucas and Dustin slowly took off their shirts. They hesitated a moment.

"Quit stalling and just do it or we're leaving," Mike asserted.

"Same time?" Lucas propositioned to Dustin. Dustin nodded.

They unbuttoned their pants and took them off. Max and Eleven looked uncomfortable at one another. Mike laughed audibly and looked at Will who was trying to hide a smile.

"Alright. Now, two laps," Mike pushed.

Lucas and Dustin jogged uncomfortably around the junkyard, covering their private bits with their hands. The uncomfortable looks of the girls turned into wild laughter. The group continued laughing even after Dustin and Lucas finished their last lap. Red in the face, they hurriedly put their clothes back on.

"Okay, so we're even now?" asked Lucas in an annoyed tone.

"Even," said Mike, extending his hand for a shake. Lucas shook his hand and the group headed back to the arcade for a few more rounds of Dig Dug.