The Life We Deserve
AN: Hi you guys! I hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday :-) I'm back to work tomorrow, so I need to have a mad rush around the house to make sure I've got clean uniform! Ahh!
I was hoping to get Chapter 3 out yesterday, but it turned out longer than I expected when writing it, which I guess isn't a bad thing!
One of my reviewers has asked for a bit of a forward to this chapter, just to clarify whose children are whose and their ages at the beginning of the story (June 2013). So if you already know, just skip this section. If not, take a little gander :-) But either way, enjoy Chapter 3!
Mike and El
Ivy Jane Wheeler (17) Her name is in honour of the Ives family and El.
James Michael Wheeler (13) Named after James 'Jim' Hopper and Mike.
Benjamin Edward Wheeler (10) Named after Benny and Ted.
Lucas and Max
Ryan Sinclair (17)
Zachary Sinclair (13)
Dustin and Laura
Samuel Henderson (13)
Will and Jen
Lily Joyce Byers (15) Need I explain her middle name?
Grace Katherine Byers (15) Katherine is Jen's mother's name.
Jonathan and Nancy
Jessica Byers (19)
Emily Byers (16)
Steve and Robin
Tyler Harrington (16)
Chloe Harrington (13)
Chapter 3 - The First day of Summer
El's eyelids twitched rapidly as she slept, her approaching nightmare sweeping through her dream like a thick and rapid black fog. The ordinary dream she had been having of her family was extinguished, Mike and their children disappearing out of view until it was just El.
Her feet were cold and wet and as she slowly looked down at her body she realised she was in the void. She was younger, much younger. Her shaky hand moved over her shaved head and she gasped, her lungs trying to fill with air as her breathing amplified.
It was pitch black, but she knew she was being watched. She could feel eyes on her, that deep feeling of dread. Fear prickled at her skin and she ran.
El opened her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest, her whole-body alert as she looked around in panic, praying that she was back in her bed. In her home.
"You okay honey?" came the muffled voice of Mike beside her, and just like falling into a warm bubble bath El immediately relaxed. She exhaled a shaky breath, smiling sheepishly in relief that it was just a nightmare.
She turned on her side to face Mike. He was half concealed by their bedding, his hair a shocking mess and his eyes still closed as he reached for El. She let him pull her closer, resting her head under his chin and holding him tighter, her eyes closing with the peace she felt as he left soft kisses in her hair.
El fell into a dreamless sleep, thankful that when she awoke again she was more refreshed and a lot calmer. The nightmare practically forgotten.
She pulled back slightly from Mike to reach for her phone and check the time. Eggo was already sat by her side of the bed, her tail wagging as she leaned in towards El, taking advantage of the close proximity to give her mom a lick.
El chuckled and wiped her face with her cotton sleeve. "Good morning baby," she whispered, stroking Eggo.
"Morning beautiful," Mike yawned in a groggy voice, assuming El was talking about him. His wife smiled to herself and thought it was best not to correct him.
"I feel like death," Mike coughed, pulling the covers further up his body so that they were bundled under his chin.
El couldn't help but laugh softly at her husband, he looked adorable in his miserable state. She reached over and stroked his hair. "Are you hungover honey?" she asked him in her motherly tone that was usually reserved for their children.
"No," he whined, flinching and hiding under the blanket when El opened the drapes. "Maybe," he added in a sorrowful mumble from the comforter.
El smirked with amusement but was kind enough to close the drapes. She walked to Mike's side of the bed and rubbed his back, waiting for him to emerge from the covers before she stroked his hair, giving him a loving smile as she looked into his dark tired eyes.
"Do you want me to make you a coffee and get you some breakfast?"
"Do you mind?"
El grinned, shaking her head, "of course not, otherwise I wouldn't have asked."
Mike smiled, his eyes filled with gratitude as he pulled El down enough to kiss her. "I love you," he whispered against her lips, making her own grin widen. She looked at him, her eyes sparkling.
"And I love you."
Almost thirty years of saying those words and El knew they would never grow old. She meant them just as much as the first time she told Mike she loved him. The love had grown and matured but it was still just as pure. It would always be magical no matter what.
"Now get some sleep honey," El whispered, kissing Mike's warm forehead as he sighed and readjusted his head on the pillow.
"Thanks babe," he smiled groggily, watching El leave the room with Eggo who was getting excited at the prospect of going outside. El gave her husband a small wave and a beautiful grin before slowly closing the bedroom door.
El looked down at her phone and wasn't surprised that the house was silent at 8am on a Saturday morning, especially after the party last night. El walked as quietly through the landing and down the stairs as she could, her face frowning in confusion when she saw her living room was covered in pillows. She shook her head and sighed, heading into the kitchen which also looked like a bomb had hit it.
Eggo ran to the French doors, whining to go out, impatiently pacing as El opened the doors for her and watched the Labrador spring into the garden, happily running around and doing her business. El laughed and turned to look at her kitchen.
The first thing on her agenda was the coffee machine, once it was turned on she set about clearing up the mess, occasionally smiling to herself as the memories of the night were triggered by picking up a Cards Against Humanity card, putting away the Twister game that Dustin had insisted they played at midnight and clearing away the alcohol, especially the now empty Vodka bottle. El sighed, knowing where Mike's hangover had come from.
Thinking the kitchen was a little too quiet El turned to look at the flat screen tv, tilting her head casually to the side and back as the screen turned on. She narrowed her eyes to control the volume, bringing it down slightly, not wanting to wake anyone else in the house.
El was loading the dishwasher when the news made her ears prick. She slowly turned to look at the television as a presenter walked through downtown Hawkins.
"It's been almost thirty years since this small town, Hawkins, Indiana was first pulled into the spotlight when Hawkins Middle School student Will Byers mysteriously went missing, followed on by the tragic deaths of Benny Hammond, Barbara Holland and Bob Newby, all shrouded in mystery and rumoured government conspiracies."
El suddenly felt like her skin was too tight, like she could no longer fit inside of her own body. She felt trapped and on edge, but she couldn't look away from the news report. A photo of Barb was flashed across the screen and El flinched, seeing her rotting corpse in her mind. The photo was replaced with one of Bob and then Benny. El could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as she ripped her gaze away from the screen, holding onto the counter top for support.
"Numerous sources in 1983 to 1984 confirmed seeing a strange young girl around Hawkins. Gossip spread around the small town about her being a Russian spy, others believed she was of alien descent with supernatural powers. A thirty-year-old report from a Bradley's Big Buy employee had even stated that a girl matching the same description had shattered the window of the store with her mind. Could it be possible thirty years later that this same girl could still be in Hawkins?"
El jumped as her phone beeped, her hand frantically reaching for it where she had left it on the kitchen island. She knew who it would be from before seeing the message displayed.
Will: I know it's early, but are you watching the news? The twins woke me up to show me.
El: I'm watching it now. Why can't they just leave it alone?
Will: At least they haven't done as much digging as the ten-year anniversary report. Do you remember that one?
El sighed, running her hand through her hair before typing out a response.
El: Of course. But back then we had dad on the case, and Dr Owens and Murray to support us.
Will: We still have dad and mom. You know they will fight whatever news articles come out, even if dad isn't the Chief anymore, he's still got contacts. And you know he would die before he let anything happen to you or the kids.
El: That's what worries me.
"Mom?"
El jumped, dropping her phone on the floor in her alarm. She looked up with wide and scared eyes, meeting her daughter's gaze, Mike's amber eyes staring back at her, holding the same strength as her father.
"Are you okay?" Ivy asked, her beautiful face set into a deep frown of concern as she looked at her mom.
"Y-Yeah!" El laughed light-heartedly reaching for her phone and trying to smile. "I'm, um…just a bit jumpy today."
"Oh," Ivy said nodding in understanding as she headed to the fridge. "Are you on your period or something? I always get jumpy on my period. Wait…" Ivy paused, turning to look at her mom. "Do you even get periods now?"
El rolled her eyes but couldn't help but be thankful for the distraction. The news had mercifully moved onto their next article. "I haven't started menopause if that's what you're asking."
"Wait so you could get pregnant?" Ivy asked with almost a suspicious look in her eyes. "Please don't tell me you're giving me another sibling."
El laughed, handing Ivy a glass for the orange juice she had just pulled out of the fridge. "No, I'm not giving you another sibling. Even though I'm sure your dad would love that," she said with a sigh, moving over to the coffee machine. El couldn't help but smile softly as she added "your dad hates that you're all growing up."
"Don't I know it," Ivy mumbled as she lifted herself onto one of the stools against the island counter.
"Aw give him some slack honey," El smiled, looking back at her daughter for a moment before getting two mugs out of the cupboard. "You're still mine and you dad's baby girl, it can be hard to accept that you're all grown up. You'll understand when you're a mom one day."
"But does he have to be so overprotective-dad about it?! I love him, of course I do. But he's such a cliché mom."
El couldn't help but laugh as she poured a dash of milk into her coffee and added a sweetener. "I know honey and I promise I will have a word with him. But can you just understand where he is coming from, okay? He loves you so much. You are our first born and our only daughter. It's our prerogative to worry about you and embarrass you. Just know that we aren't coming from a bad place. We make mistakes too, and we are learning how to be parents every day."
Ivy smiled as she picked up her orange juice to take a sip. "You should write a book mom."
"Maybe I will," El grinned, putting the milk away. There was the sound of soft footsteps as Ben descended the stairs, his hair just as messy as Mike's as he yawned and rubbed at his eyes.
"Good morning sweetheart," El called to her youngest son as he made his way to the fridge, his bare feet scuffing slightly against the wood flooring.
"No, it's not morning yet," he replied in a drowsy tone, his eyes blinking blearily as he took a glass and filled it with ice from the machine. "I just wanted a drink and then I'm going back to bed."
El shook her head in amusement before raising her eyebrows as a thought came to her. "Well if you're going back up honey, do you mind taking this coffee to your dad?"
Ben looked grumpy for a moment, as if he couldn't believe he was being asked such a thing. He pouted slightly but took the mug out of El's grasp.
"Thank you honey," his mother said in a sing-song voice as she started to pull out ingredients. "I'm making pancakes for breakfast, I'll bring then up to you when they're done."
"Thank you mom." Ben responded with a tired smile, his initial annoyance at being set a chore leaving his young face as he headed back up the stairs. Eggo hearing the youngest Wheeler's voice came running into the house, making Ben spill a little bit of Mike's coffee as he carried on climbing, now with their dog by his side.
Ivy stared down at her phone, her elbow against the cold marble kitchen island as she leaned over her smart device, her fingers flicking through her Instagram feed.
Lisa: Have you asked your mom about the party yet? And you still haven't told me how last night went!
Ivy's gaze subtly moved to her mom for a moment before looking down at her phone, picking it up to type a response to her best friend.
Ivy: No, I haven't asked her yet. And how about we meet for lunch? I can tell you all about last night!
Lisa: Well you're going to have to tell her soon! The party is tomorrow! And yes, I'm totally down for a lunch date. Can we invite lover boy?
Ivy rolled her eyes, exhaling an exasperated sigh as she hurried to respond.
Ivy: How can I tell you about last night if Ryan is having lunch with us?
Lisa: Easy! Tell him we're having lunch at 1pm, but we'll get there for 12. Will an hour be enough to tell me the gossip?!
Ivy: Yeah I think so.
Lisa: Awesome. Benny's at 12?
Ivy: Sounds like a plan!
"Want to help me with the pancakes?" El asked from the pantry, her arms wrapped around the flour and sugar packets.
Ivy looked up from her phone to her mom and the teenage angst inside of her wanted to groan and say no. But when she thought about the fact that she was going to have to ask her mom's permission to go to the party, she thought better of complaining.
"Yeah," Ivy responded with as much enthusiasm as she could as she put her phone back down on the counter. "Sure mom."
She couldn't deny that she really did enjoy spending time with her mom. She loved it when they put on facemasks together, watched E! or movies that the guys in the house hated, like Twilight and just had a good gossip over the latest celebrity news.
Ivy mixed the forming pancake batter as El added ingredients into the bowl. The teenager carried on whisking but couldn't deny that her stomach twisted slightly with nerves as she tried to think of the best way to broach the topic of the party. She knew it would come as a surprise to her mom, especially because this would be Ivy's first teenage party that didn't involve a birthday or her family being around.
"Mom?" Ivy asked, her voice wavering slightly with nerves as she kept her eyes on the batter.
"Yes honey?" El asked as she started chopping up strawberries next to her daughter.
Ivy opened her mouth and closed it, shuffling from one foot to the other before turning to look at her mom. "Um…me and Lisa have been invited to a party tomorrow night at Kimberley Kelly's place. You know, an end of the school year type of thing? And I um, I just wanted to ask if I can go."
El stood chopping fruit and turned her attention onto Ivy, her eyebrows raising in surprise at her daughter's words, just as she had thought they would. But what was a surprise was the smile that formed on her mom's lips.
"Of course you can go to the party honey."
"Really?" Ivy asked in amazement, completely shocked that she hadn't had to talk her mom around.
"Of course!" El chuckled, going back to slicing the strawberries and putting them in a separate bowl. "You're seventeen honey and it's the summer. I want you to have fun with your friends." She paused and looked back at Ivy, "responsible fun of course. No more than one alcoholic drink if you must have one, definitely no drugs and be safe, okay?"
Ivy grinned, dipping her head slightly as her cheeks blushed. "I know mom. And I promise I'm not going to do any drugs, or anything crazy like that."
"I know you wouldn't honey," El sighed, reaching out to cup Ivy's cheek making her daughter raise her head to capture her mom's gaze. "I trust you. And you know if the party isn't for you, or something happens and you want to come home, I'll be right here waiting for your call."
"Thanks mom," Ivy smiled, feeling thankful that she was able to talk to her mother about these things and that she didn't have to come up with a lie. In Ivy's opinion respect worked both ways, her parents had respect for her and she had respect for them.
"No problem," El grinned, turning back to the counter and preparing more fillings while Ivy looked for a frying pan. "Are you going to see if Ryan wants to come to the party?" she added, making her daughter almost drop the pan she had just pulled out of the cupboard.
Ivy steadied the pan on the stove before turning back to look at her mom. "Yeah I was going to ask him at lunch today. Me and Lisa are going to go to Benny's for lunch and we thought he could join us."
"Sounds fun," El responded as she washed her hands and smiled at her daughter. "Do you want me to drive you girls to Benny's? I wanted to go and see your grandpa and nana today anyway."
"Yeah that would be great, thank you mom!" Ivy said, unable to take the smile off her face as she thought about seeing Ryan again. She blushed thinking about how intimate things had become between them last night on the swing. But in all of the craziness of the party and the racing of her heart, she couldn't think clearly about what aspects of that private moment were fact or fiction. Had he leaned in closer or was she just imagining it? Had he wanted to kiss her, or was it just one sided?
Ivy tried not to let it confuse her as she got the plates out of the cabinet, her mom pouring batter into the pan as the smell of sweet pancakes filled the air. She thought about Kim's party and wondered if the dim lighting, the charged atmosphere and music blaring all around them would create another intimate moment for her and Ryan. And maybe this time it wouldn't be interrupted.
A reminder like a red siren blared straight through Ivy's thoughts as she groaned, remembering a very obvious flaw to her plan. She turned to look at her mom and sighed, "what am I going to tell dad about the party?"
El glanced at Ivy over her shoulder from where she was flipping pancakes and smiled at her daughter, her eyes filled with humour. "Oh don't you worry. Leave your father to me."
The air was cool as it swirled through the open window brushing over Ryan's exposed arm which had flung out to the side in his sleep. His bed at home was much more spacious then the bunks that he and Zach used when they stayed at their grandparent's house in Hawkins.
Their parents stayed in their dad's old room and when Aunt Erica was home from Washington DC she stayed in her old bedroom. The guest room had been converted especially for the Sinclair's grandsons and despite the bed getting a bit more cramped the more the boys grew, Ryan and Zach still loved the place.
It was the sound of a lawn mower that woke up Ryan, he grumbled as he moved his stretched-out arm over his face, hoping that would somehow shield some of the noise. He already knew who it would be, no doubt Ted Wheeler, Ivy's grandad trying to perfect his already pristine garden.
Ryan turned on his side, yawning as he reached for his phone on the bedside table. He scrambled for it, finally getting hold of the device and bringing it down to the bed. Zach was on the top bunk and from what Ryan could tell, his brother was still asleep.
He shuffled in the bed, the blanket tangled slightly from his sleep and the warmth that had crept onto his skin when he slept. Ryan kicked the blanket to the bottom of the bed and then turned over onto his front, propping his elbows into the mattress so that his phone was perched on the pillow.
He instinctively checked his social media without a second thought, it was practically built into him to do so. He cleared through some messages from the boys back in California and then hesitated as he went to type in Ivy's username.
He didn't tell anyone that this was how he always spent the first ten minutes of consciousness, scrolling through his best friend's Instagram page, his eyes fixating over her images, his heart pulsing faster as he smiled over the different looks on her face.
There were the goofy photos, like Ivy standing on Lisa's shoulders in the Hendersons' pool as they tried to be cheerleaders, the caption literally saying Bring it On. Ryan couldn't stop his eyes from staring at Ivy's body in a bikini, his skin prickling with heat and his throat drying. Her body had changed so much over the years, she had a woman's body now.
Ryan tried to clear his throat, but mostly his thoughts as he scrolled a bit more. Smiling again at Ivy's family photos, images of her and her mom holding a cake up for the camera that they had just baked, or a photo of her under a blanket with Ben, both of them watching cartoons. The caption read I love him really! #babybrother
And then there were photos of the two of them, throwback Thursday images of their childhood spent together, making mud pies, playing with Ivy's dolls and building sandcastles. And the more recent photos, like the one where they both grinned ear to ear, sat side by side on the ski lift which was from their most recent joint family vacation.
Ryan sighed, moving onto the few photos that were just of Ivy, close up photos showing her beautiful face. He stared into her amber eyes and could feel the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He had never seen a girl more attractive in his life. Ivy was flawlessly beautiful, she didn't even need to try and she still captured his heart and his eyes.
Ryan's finger hovered over the photo, slowly tracing Ivy's lips, his thoughts flickering back to the night before in the garden. He had wanted to kiss her more than anything, and he had been so close –
"Why are you staring at photos of Ivy?"
Ryan jumped up so violently from his brother's sudden voice, that he smacked his head on the underside of the bunk, cursing loudly as he crumbled back onto the mattress and held his head in his hands, wincing as he tried to block out Zach's sniggering.
His brother was leaning over the side of the bunk, clearly spying on Ryan who slowly lifted his throbbing head to glare at his little brother.
"I wasn't staring at photos of Ivy," Ryan whispered through clenched teeth, his head throbbing like a pulse.
Zach laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "You totally were! Man, you are such a stalker."
"Why don't you just fuck off out of my business," Ryan shouted, his body shaking with embarrassment that he tried to hide as rage. He got up from his bunk and yanked a shirt over his head.
Zach laughed, rolling back onto his mattress, a mischievous smirk. "And why don't you just fuck Iv – "
"Hey!" Their dad interrupted them, his voice serious as he looked at both of his sons. He was still holding onto the bedroom door from where he had just appeared, looking at them both sternly. "I don't know why you are both cursing, but this ends now. You know your grandparents hate it, and I hate hearing that language coming out of your mouths. Your mom is bad enough!"
"Sorry dad," the brothers mumbled in unison, both of them feeling ashamed. Their dad always had a way of speaking to them like this, he never really raised his voice, but his words always got through to them. Ryan wondered if it was his career in law enforcement that had given him that particular skill.
"Get yourselves dressed boys, breakfast is on the table," Lucas told his sons, his voice a lot calmer and his face more concerned at Zach and Ryan's fighting than the cursing itself. He left the room, leaving the brothers to glance at each other before grabbing their clothes.
Ryan was just about to follow Zach down the stairs when his phone beeped, moving his attention away from breakfast and onto a message from Ivy. He instantly felt breathless as he swiped to open the DM.
Ivy: Morning! Want to have lunch with me and Lisa? Benny's 1pm?
Ryan exhaled a breath of nerves as he quickly responded, his smiling growing.
Ryan: The chance to have a Benny's triple decker burger?! And meet your mysterious best friend? I'm in!
Ivy: Awesome :-) See you later then. And let me take this moment to apologise for Lisa.
Ryan: She can't be that bad!
Ivy: Oh you'll see! See you soon Ry :-)
Ryan: Can't wait :-)
He put his phone in his shorts pocket and ran a hand through his short hair, trying to contain himself and the foolish grin that was on his face, he didn't want his family seeing him like this.
But no matter how Ryan tried, he couldn't stop smiling. Stuffing his mouth with breakfast foods while his family talked about the plans for the rest of their time in Hawkins. He listened as best as he could, even adding in a comment here or there, but there was only one thing on his mind. One person. And in just a few short hours, he was going to see her again.
Mike's peaceful lie-in had lasted approximately fifteen minutes before the bedroom was invaded by Ben and Eggo. His son had come in with a steaming cup of coffee and Eggo had launched herself straight onto the bed and immediately started licking Mike, he cringed and tried to back away from the dog, her warm slobbery tongue and her shedding hair. He was positive this was an actual embodiment of 'hair of the dog' considering Eggo's attack woke him much easier than any alcoholic drink could have done.
So when El came into the bedroom with a tray laden with pancakes, it was to find her husband, son and dog all snuggled up in their bed, watching The Simpsons on the flat screen which was mounted to the opposite wall.
Mike was holding his tablet, a deep frown etched into his brow as he scrolled through Ivy's Instagram page, his eyes narrowing anytime he came across a different boy's comment on her photos.
"I've brought you boys some pancakes," El smiled, placing the tray onto the bedside table and ushering Eggo off the bed so that she wouldn't steal the breakfast.
The idea of food turned Ben's attention from the television and his wide amber eyes took in the breakfast platter with adoration, he shuffled up the bed to sit against the headboard and waited impatiently for El to take her place on the bed and put the tray on Ben's knee as he was in the middle of his parents.
"They look great," Mike said putting down his tablet and smiling at El sheepishly. "Sorry for being totally useless this morning."
El laughed, cutting up the pancakes so that they could all dig in. "It's fine honey. Do you remember how hungover I was after my dad's 70th birthday last year?"
Mike grinned, his face creasing with amusement. "How can I forget!" He distinctively remembered holding El's hair back while she threw up in the bushes outside of the function room.
"It was Murray's fault for giving me that Russian Vodka," El chortled, smiling to herself as she clearly thought back to the party. Well, what she could remember of it at least.
Mike grinned, his eyes on the television screen for a moment as his thoughts wandered off. It was hard to believe that time could have passed so quickly. Murray had passed away a month after Hopper's 70th, and Dr Owens had gone five years earlier. Mike felt thankful that his parents and Hopper and Joyce were still around, but when he thought about it too much, it hurt to accept that they weren't getting any younger.
"Dad are you going to eat any of the pancakes?" Ben asked Mike, bringing him out of his daze as he blinked and turned to look at his son who was making his way through the breakfast, El's arm around him.
Mike smiled, reaching out to ruffle his son's light brown hair. "Just leave me a bit okay?"
Ben grinned, nodding in agreement before he tried to stuff almost a whole pancake in his mouth, getting syrup all over his face.
For a while they all remained cosy together, Ben tucked in between his parents, who leaned their heads against one another, occasionally eating small pieces of pancake or strawberries and laughing at The Simpsons.
"Right, you need to have a shower young man," El sighed, kissing the crown of Ben's head while he examined his sticky maple syrup fingers.
"Do I have to?" he whined, looking up at his mother. El tried to contain her grin at the state of her son. He had chocolate spread around his nose, syrup on his cheeks and what looked like fluffy pancake remains on the edge of his mouth.
"Oh absolutely."
"Fine," Ben mumbled, shuffling off the bed and pressing his hands into the covers, El closed her eyes for a moment, knowing that the bedding would definitely need changing today.
El watched their youngest son trudge into the hallway and get a towel out of the airing cupboard. Once she could hear the bathroom door close and the sound of the faucet turning on, she felt content that Ben was in the shower.
She turned back to her husband, about to tell him something when she halted, her eyebrow rising as she noticed what Mike was looking at on his tablet.
"Why are you stalking our daughter's Instagram page?"
Mike jumped, his eyes startled as he turned to look at El and hesitantly put down his tablet. "I'm not! I just…" He sighed and picked the device back up, practically holding it out to his wife. "Okay I am. But have you seen what some of these punks have been writing in her comments?! I mean look at this one!"
El exhaled a weary breath and took the tablet out of Mike's hands, calmly scrolling down the screen until she could see the comment in question and read it outloud, "cool photo Ivy."
"See!"
El closed her eyes and whispered, "give me strength." She looked at her husband and tried desperately not to laugh, controlling her grin as he continued to point at the comment, his eyes wide and almost crazed.
"It's hardly 'take your shirt off Ivy!'."
Mike laughed bitterly, turning the tablet off. "Babe this is where it all begins!"
El sighed heavily, frustration starting to build inside of her for Mike to understand. "Honey," she began sternly, her eyes set with determination as she reached for his hand and squeezed it. Mike looked up at her, willing to listen. "Ivy is seventeen years old. You need to start accepting that she has grown up. You need to remember that we were her age once and we were a lot more difficult. She wants to go to college next year. We need to allow her time to find herself and become the amazing woman I know she is going to be. We need to let her be an adult and make her own mistakes."
There was silence for a moment as Mike tried to process what El was saying, he frowned, his eyes so sad that El could feel her heart aching for him.
"We had to grow up so fast," he eventually mumbled, his voice cracking slightly as he tried to keep a handle on his emotions. He looked up at El and there was such pain in those amber eyes. She knew he had more to say and so she let him, stroking his hand slowly and keeping his gaze.
"Through everything we had been through, through everything you had been through El. We were never young. Well not how we should have been. Trauma…it ages you. I just want our kids to have what we didn't have. I want them to be able to be kids as long as they can, because I don't want them to go through anything that is going to make them grow up overnight. I want us to be their protectors, I don't want them to have to fight like we did."
"I know honey," El whispered, her voice shaky and heavy with the emotion that pushed on her chest. She reached for Mike's face and he closed his eyes, leaning his cheek into her warm palm.
"But what you have got to remember is that our situation growing up couldn't be more different than theirs." El reasoned, her voice soft. "Yes, we had to grow up fast, but honey I loved growing up with you. It was something I never thought I would get to experience, it wasn't even something I comprehended until you found me."
Mike opened his eyes and stared at El. She smiled gently at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "But you gave me the life I deserved Mike. You gave me every experience I could have ever wished for. You gave me love and you gave me a family, a home. And together we have tried to give our children everything we can. They have had full childhoods, they have had normality and that is beautiful. But do you know what is also normal? To be able to grow up. And honey Ivy is ready for that."
"You're right," Mike croaked, his Adam's apple bobbing as he cleared his thick throat. "I'm sorry. I always told myself that I would never be as overprotective of our children as Hopper was over you." He laughed, shaking his head in acceptance. "But I guess I am."
El grinned, her watery eyes lighting up. "You're never going to admit that to him, are you?"
"No," Mike snorted, his face brightening up as his smile stretched. It was almost like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, El could practically see the burden that had left him.
"It's okay to be protective of our children, honey. I would be concerned if you weren't." El reassured her husband. "But we have to give them room to grow."
Mike breathed out a sharp breath and reached for El, "I'm sorry. I've been dumb. I've been a – "
"Mouth breather?"
"Yeah," Mike responded, grinning as he pulled his wife into his arms. "I promise I'll work on it, and just try and be a good dad."
El sighed, smiling into Mike's chest as she squeezed him tight. "Honey you already are an amazing dad, and we all love you."
"And I love you all so much," Mike exhaled in a soft voice, lying back on the bed with El, their limbs wrapped around one another as they stared into each other eyes, their noses touching.
For a while they just lay there, enjoying the peace. They heard James eventually getting up and stumbling down the stairs. They heard Ivy rushing into the bathroom the second Ben was out and complaining that he had soaked the floor. And they heard Eggo barking with excitement as their sons prepared to take her for a walk.
It was madness and it was home.
Mike looked unsettled after a while, like there was something right at the front of his mind that he couldn't shift. When El couldn't decipher his panicked looks, she eventually asked him what was wrong.
"Do we need to give Ivy…the talk?"
El smiled, her brow lowering in sympathy at Mike as she reached out to pat his cheek gently. "Oh babe," she sighed. "I gave her the talk years ago."
"Oh," Mike swallowed, trying to process this new information. His expression was a mixture of relief for not having to talk to his daughter about sex, but also something deeper, a question that was now stirring in his mind.
"So…has she?"
El shook her head, "no I don't believe so. She knows she can always come to me and tell me if it does happen. But don't worry, she is protected for when the time does come."
Mike nodded quietly and El smiled softly, knowing that the fact that he hadn't panicked at least externally over this was good progress. She couldn't help but feel mischievous and her grin widened.
"Although, maybe it is time that you have the talk with James."
Just as El knew he would be, Mike spluttered with horror and she couldn't help but laugh at him.
"Stop laughing!" he warned, his hand moving to her side where he knew she was ticklish.
She grinned, her fingers traveling slowly to the back of Mike's neck ready for battle. El raised her eyebrow at her husband, a smirk spreading on her face. "Make me."
El shrieked with laughter as Mike tickled her and he gasped as she got him on a sensitive part of his neck, they tumbled on the bed, both laughing and acting like children. They ended up bundled up in the blanket together, like a burrito. El cuddled up to Mike, his arms wrapped around her as he kissed her cheek, making her grin only grow.
"What time is it?" she asked after a while, yawning slightly. "I'm going to drop Ivy off at Benny's. She's having lunch with Lisa and Ryan."
"Oh?" Mike asked as El reached over for her phone to see what the time was. Mike took the opportunity to reach for his water.
"And then I thought I would drop in on my dad."
"Sounds good," Mike said as he sipped at his water. He smiled against the glass, "anything else I need to know?"
El turned to look at him as he took a gulp of water. "Oh yeah, just one thing…" she bit her lip trying to contain her grin. "Ivy's going to a high school party tomorrow night. And she's taking Ryan."
Mike choked.
Music filled the car as El drove Ivy and Lisa to Benny's. They had opened the windows to allow in the summer breeze which cooled their skin and rustled their hair as they all sang.
"If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by? Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight."
Ivy and Lisa twiddled their fingers like they were playing air pianos. The girls laughing and singing dramatically, "it's always times like these when I think of you and I wonder if you ever think of me. Cause everything's so wrong and I don't belong, living in your precious memory!"
El smiled to herself as she indicated right, the tyres of the car collecting dust on the older country roads. She looked around at the fields, they were bright yellow and vivid green. It was truly beautiful, but nothing compared to the sound of her children laughing and just having fun.
She joined in singing with Ivy and Lisa where she knew the words and hummed the rest of the song, just content to be where she was in her life with the people she loved the most.
El could see Benny's coming up and she sighed, thankful that Benny's brother Eddie had kept the diner going over the years, only recently retiring and giving the business to his daughter Ali.
There would always be that gut feeling of pain anytime El got close to the diner, after all some memories could never fade. But for the most part she was able to enjoy the food and remember the good times that she had at Benny's over the years. The burgers after school with the party, the shakes on the weekend with Mike or Max, and later on the meals with the kids. They had had good times at the diner and that was what El tried to cling onto.
She parked up outside of the diner which was already bustling with people, only a few booths appearing to be empty.
"Have fun girls," El said to Ivy and Lisa as she turned in her seat. "Tell Ryan I said hi, and get a burger on me," she added, handing a few bills over to her daughter.
"Aw thanks mom!" Ivy thanked El with gratitude, tucking the money into her purse. "Where should we meet you afterwards?"
"I'll be at your grandpa and nana's, but if you want me to pick you up here, just text me okay?"
"Okay," Ivy said, leaning forward to kiss her mom on the cheek. "Thanks again."
"Yeah thank you Mrs Wheeler," Lisa smiled politely, opening the car door.
El laughed, "Lisa you know you can call me El. Mrs Wheeler makes me think of my mother in law."
"Okay…El." Lisa grinned, her smile a little bashful as she clambered out of the car. Ivy met her on the other side.
El waved to the girls, watching them hurrying into Benny's to grab the last booth before she put the car in reverse and started her journey to her second home.
The roads were so familiar that El knew she probably could have driven them with her eyes closed if necessary. She drove past the large and dominant houses of Loch Nora before passing more familiar territory like Maple Street. El made a mental note to speak to Nancy about plans for Karen's 70th birthday party in two weeks.
Nancy and Jonathan lived in New York, their oldest daughter Jessica had just completed her first year at college and Emily would be going into her junior year of high school. They were always missed, but El was thankful for the times that they did come back to the small town. Their next trip home would be for Karen's birthday and El looked forward to the whole family being back together again.
She focused on the road now that she was getting closer to the old Byers house, knowing that despite her dad's best efforts, the drive was still laden with potholes. The summer heat cracked the tarmac even more, making the surface uneven.
It got more bumpy once the terrain changed to gravel but El didn't mind, she was used to it. It was one of the many features that characterised her teenage home.
El pulled up next to Hopper's truck and locked her SUV before heading up the worn steps. They creaked slightly under her weight but she didn't pay them no mind, opening the front door and calling into the house, "hi!"
There was movement from the kitchen and Joyce appeared, her eyes having that same motherly sparkle from the first time El had met Joyce, no matter how her hair had greyed or her skin had aged, her character remained. Strong, loving and fierce.
"Oh sweetheart!" Joyce sang, her arms opening to El who hugged her step mom tightly. "It's so good to see you. Happy vacation time! Is it good to be off work?"
El smiled, eventually pulling back from Joyce. "It definitely feels good. You never get used to being paid for lounging at home and sleeping in."
Joyce chuckled, the women both moving to the kitchen. "If you ask me, I miss work."
"You'd still be working at Melvard's now, if it was still open." El sighed leaning against the cold counter.
Joyce smiled sadly, pulling a pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge. "Oh absolutely. I miss that place."
El nodded sympathetically. "I know. But you're still doing an occasional shift at the police station aren't you? Answering the calls?"
"Uh huh," Joyce said as she pulled out three glasses. "But your father would put an end to it if I allowed him. He thinks it tires me out. But don't worry, I corrected him. He tires me out! If it's not the garden he wants to work on, it's the porch. And I tell him to just do it then, but he just gets too lazy!"
El grinned in amusement, watching Joyce pour the lemonade. "Where is he anyway?"
"In the garden," Joyce sighed, shaking her head. "Chopping logs."
El rolled her eyes, "I told him we would bring him logs ready for winter. It's not like he needs them yet. It's only June!"
"I know," Joyce said wearily, shrugging her thin shoulders. "But you know what your dad is like. He still thinks he can do it himself. I guess he's starting early because it takes him longer nowadays."
"Well I'll go and have a word with him," El exhaled a frustrated breath.
"Here," Joyce said, handing El two glasses of lemonade. "See if he won't take a break and have a drink."
"Will do."
El carried out the glasses into the yard, carefully stepping down the back porch, the sound of the crutched ice clinking against the glass making her even more thirsty.
She spotted Hopper immediately. He was on the edge of the back yard, axe in hand as he swung it back and then lunged it forward, slicing a log into two pieces.
"Hey!" El called to her dad, making her way over to him. He raised his head to look at her and awkwardly put down the axe.
"So what part of me saying that I'd get you the logs didn't you understand?" El asked Hopper, her eyebrow raised in annoyance as she handed him one of the glasses of lemonade.
"I didn't want to bother you," he said dismissively. "Plus I can do it myself El. I'm not that old yet."
El sighed shaking her head, "I wish you would look after yourself more. You're going to put your back out or something."
"Yeah okay," Hopper snorted, taking a gulp of his lemonade.
El watched him for a moment in exasperation before turning her attention onto the remaining logs. She narrowed her eyes, concentrated and instantly all the logs were cut neatly in half.
Hopper looked from the logs to his daughter and then back again. "You know that's cheating right?" He asked her casually as he finished off his lemonade.
El smiled, "I wouldn't call it cheating. I would call it delivering you the logs early."
"Smart ass," Hopper grumbled, his lips curved into a grin that even his grey beard couldn't hide.
"I learned from the best," El teased, pulling her tongue out and starting to walk towards the back yard porch swing.
"You're clearly talking about Wheeler and not your dear old dad."
"Oh of course," El responded with sarcasm. Her smile widening as Hopper joined her on the swing.
"So where are the kids today?" The retired chief asked as they swung quietly, El still sipping her drink.
"Ben is planning his D&D campaign, he's got his friends over tomorrow night. James is playing on his video games, Ivy is having lunch with Lisa and Ryan and Mike is recovering from a hangover."
Hopper grunted with amusement. "Wheeler...such a lightweight."
"Leave him alone," El laughed, hitting her dad on the arm. Hopper smiled but kept any further teasing of his son in law to himself.
"Did the Sinclair's get here alright?"
"Yeah," El beamed, looking ahead at the trees, her eyes glazed over slightly as the events of the evening came back to her once again. "They were all over at the house last night, Dustin, Laura, Will and Jen, and all the kids of course. It was a great night."
"Ah that explains Wheeler's hangover then."
"Exactly. And he was worrying over Ivy and Ryan so that didn't help matters."
Hopper shook his head, his gaze also on the trees. "Are those two dating?"
El poised her lips in thought, "I don't think so. But between you and me, I think it's only a matter of time."
Hopper exhaled a heavy breath, "well at least I'm prepared if it does happen." He glanced at El and smirked, "unlike you and Wheeler. I think it's fair to say I was not prepared for what you two had in store."
El gave her dad a bemused look, "and what do you mean by that?!"
Hopper hummed out a breath, trying to figure out how to word what he meant. "All that time in the cabin that you would talk about him, I suppose I just thought that because he was one of the only boys you knew at that point, that he was just a crush or something. But geez...when you guys were reunited? Let's just say it was the moment I realised I was wrong not to trust him knowing where you were. I have never known a love like that so young."
El watched her dad for a moment, her heartbeat racing as she remembered those times so clearly. Seeing Mike in the void, crying desperately for him. Her anger at their separation, Mike's trauma and fury when he realised how close she had been all that time.
"It seems so long ago," El whispered, her eyes flickering to Mirkwood where it all began. "And yet anytime I think about it, it feels like it just happened. I feel like my life began when I met Mike. Before Mike feels like a nightmare. It doesn't seem real. My life after the lab has been so good that I think I've disassociated myself from the bad."
The branches of the trees moved softly in the breeze, carrying a beautiful rustling sound through the air. El sighed, her chest feeling heavy as she turned to look at Hopper, to find he was already watching her, concern in his eyes.
"I am so happy with my life. I just…"
"You just?"
"I don't know," El frowned, biting her lip. "I get scared. What if this is all a dream? What if I wake up in that place again?"
Hopper put his arm around El and she leaned into his chest, her eyes watering as she blinked rapidly to try and clear them of tears.
"It's not a dream honey," he promised her, his voice strong and deep. "Trust me, I get scared too. I know Joyce does, and I'm sure Mike does as well. And yes I know they still report things about Hawkins on the news every so often, and sometimes they are close to the truth. But El we are never going to let them discover you or the kids. You are safe."
El sniffled, clutching onto her dad, breathing in his scent and finding it just as comforting now as she did all those years back.
"I get so jumpy dad. Any sound can make me anxious. I get paranoid that people are staring at me, or watching me."
"Hey, it's okay," Hopper tried to reassure El, swinging them both in the calm of the garden. "You are smart and your kids are smart. I know things happen with the kids sometimes beyond your control, but just remember that I am here. You have got a whole team in Hawkins that will protect you all. We have contacts."
"That's true," El admitted, exhaling a shaky breath as she tried to calm herself down. Her dad's words worked like a tonic, easing her down from her panicked state.
Hopper sighed, squeezing El tighter and looking out towards Mirkwood, his eyes narrowed and his jaw set. "You are safe, kid. And I won't rest until you know it."
Ivy and Lisa weaved their way through the crowd of teenagers and regulars that always descended on Benny's Burgers. It was the place to eat in the summer, not just for the small town folk of Hawkins but for tourists. The burgers were award winning and the milkshakes in Ivy's opinion were the best she had ever tasted.
"I love this place!" Lisa shouted over the jukebox. "It's so retro. Ali definitely put it on the map."
Ivy smiled as she looked around at the photos on the wall. The framed photograph of Benny and Eddie Hammond smiling, shoulder to shoulder dominated the scene. But there was also strung lighting across the bar, a flatscreen tv in the corner for the regular customers who treated the diner more like a sports bar and an extension to the building that housed a pool table.
The older regulars of the diner loved the place for its history, while the teenagers loved the food and atmosphere. The only teenager who really took the time to smile at Benny's photo and be grateful that the place was still running after what had happened was Ivy. But maybe that was because she knew Benny's real story. The kind man who had just been trying to help a scared little girl and was murdered because of that kindness. It didn't surprise Ivy that her little brother was named after him.
Lisa and Ivy slid into a booth, both exhaling with relief that they had been able to get the last one.
"So do you want to order drinks first or get straight to the gossip?" Lisa asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
Ivy smirked, playing with the ripped hem of her denim shorts. "I'm thinking drinks first."
"Stalling much?" Lisa teased making Ivy laugh.
"No! I just want a milkshake okay? Can you blame me for that?!"
"Not at Benny's," Lisa grinned just as a familiar figure came over to their booth.
"Good afternoon ladies, what can I get you?"
"Hi Tyler," Ivy and Lisa said in unison.
No one could make waitering cool like Tyler Harrington. Was it his slicked to the side hair? Was it that gleaming smile or the trendy clothes he always wore? Or was it just his confident stance or the way the teenage girls gathered at the diner just to have an excuse to stare at him?
He might be only 16, but he was still the coolest guy in high school. There was no one that didn't like Tyler Harrington. If it was because they had a major crush on him, wanted to be like him or just loved his confidence.
Luckily for Ivy she was used to Tyler. The Harrington's were family friends, Steve and Robin were always at major family events and that naturally included Tyler and his little sister Chloe.
"Can I get a regular chocolate shake please," Ivy said with a smile not even having to look at the menu.
"And can I get…" Lisa added, her eyes squinting slightly as she stared at the specials board. "A large Reese's pieces shake please."
"No problem ladies," Tyler grinned that trademark smile as he tucked his pencil behind his ear. "Want any food adding to that order?"
"Not just yet thanks Tyler," Ivy said politely. "We're waiting for Ryan."
Tyler's eyebrows raised in surprise and he smiled, "I didn't realise Ry was back in town! Maybe I'll join you when I'm on my break."
"You're more than welcome," Lisa smiled.
"It can be a double date then," Tyler winked at Lisa before retreating to behind the bar.
Ivy and Lisa looked at one another for a moment and both snorted with laughter.
"At what point do I tell him I'm gay?" Lisa asked, trying to contain her amusement.
"Probably before he tries to make a move!"
Lisa shrugged, "it's nice having a little attention. It's not like many people in our school are openly gay."
Ivy frowned in sympathy, smiling kindly at her best friend. "It will all be worth it when the right one comes along."
Lisa sighed, "well why can't the right one be Kimberley Kelly? She is gorgeous."
Ivy raised her eyebrow in mild surprise, "you like Kim?"
"Just a little bit," Lisa laughed trying to wave off Ivy's curiosity. "She's just kind of a rare breed you know? Cheerleader but actually really nice. Beautiful but not vain. Popular but not a jerk. How can I not like her?"
"I suppose," Ivy reasoned, leaning back against the cold material of the booth. "Well who knows what will happen at her party!"
"Yeah right," Lisa shook her head. "There's no way she is g - "
"And here's your shakes ladies," Tyler announced, interrupting their conversation as he placed the tall glasses in front of the girls.
"These look great," Lisa smiled, already pulling her milkshake towards her.
"I put in extra reeses pieces, just for you." Tyler winked at Lisa who grinned in amusement, her eyes flicking to Ivy who was trying to contain her laughter.
"Oh my god, stop trying to flirt Tyler," came a third younger voice as Chloe appeared, holding a take out cup. "Hi Ivy," she added, waving shyly at the girls.
"Hi Chloe," Ivy responded kindly. "Are you enjoying your summer so far?"
Chloe Harrington might be like her brother in the looks department, but she was worlds away from Tyler. While he shone like a star in school, Chloe liked to step back from the limelight. She was delicate and shy while Tyler was a joker and loud.
"Yeah it's been good," she smiled sheepishly. "I've just been chilling."
"Hey Chloe, maybe Ivy can put in a good word for you to James huh?" Tyler said, smirking, putting his arm around his sister and clearly trying to get pay back for her earlier remark.
It seemed to work as Chloe's cheeks immediately blushed and she stamped on her brother's foot in retaliation. The moment he jumped back, she rushed off.
"Don't mind her," Tyler laughed nonchalantly to Lisa. "She's just trying to be an ass."
Ivy rolled her eyes and gave Tyler a pained look. "Don't be mean Tyler. Personally I think my brother is the ass for not dating her."
"Nah James is cool," Tyler smiled. "Sam and him are like my little bros."
"And don't we all know it," Ivy sighed, knowing that Tyler had snuck Sam and James Xbox games that they were technically too young to be playing.
"Anyway ladies," Tyler said, noticing a few impatient customers waiting for him to serve them. "Duty calls! See you later."
The girls waved to him, shaking their heads in dismay as they both took a sip from their milkshakes.
"So," Lisa eventually said, her fingers entwined on the table as she stared at Ivy expectantly.
"So…?" Ivy responded, smiling with bemusement.
"Last night?"
"Oh shit! Yeah," Ivy laughed feeling dumb, shaking her head in amazement. "Last night."
Ivy told Lisa everything, starting with how she felt when she first saw Ryan, to the failed attempt at displaying any skateboarding skills, to him pushing her on the swing and how close they had got to something happening and how the night had ended with pillow fights, tickling and a conga line.
Ivy wasn't at all surprised by how perplexed Lisa looked when she finally finished her story.
"Okay…" Lisa started, her eyes wide from all of the information she had just been given. "Well first we need to talk about the swing thing and then I want to know about this whole conga situation!"
Ivy laughed, "the conga line was with my whole family."
"Yes but where was Ryan?"
"Behind me," Ivy said, her cheeks blushing.
"And where were his hands?"
"On my waist," Ivy said, coughing awkwardly, her skin prickling with heat.
"And that is why we need to talk about the conga line," Lisa explained, taking a sip from her milkshake. "But first things first, the whole swing incident. Do you think he was going to kiss you?"
"I don't know," Ivy admitted, her voice coming out more whiny than she would have liked.
"Were you going to kiss him?" Lisa asked, whispering as best as she could, dipping her head but keeping her eyes on her friend.
Ivy's heart raced as she thought back to that moment, the closeness of Ryan's body, the pounding in her ear as her pulse beat erratically and the feeling of tension in the air, a passion that needed to be explored between them.
"Yes," Ivy admitted breathlessly. "I would have kissed him."
Lisa beamed, smiling so that her pearly white teeth could be seen. She did a little clap of excitement and Ivy tried to shush her, torn between being embarrassed and wanting to smile.
"And I feel like he might have kissed me back," Ivy admitted, only making Lisa's grin widen. "But of course James, Zach and the boys just had to ruin the moment," Ivy added bitterly, taking another sip from her milkshake.
"Oh don't worry about that," Lisa said nonchalantly, flicking her hand like the boys were some annoying fly she could just swipe away. She leaned closer to Ivy and whispered, "if you almost had a moment on the first night he was here, you've got plenty of time before he goes home to have another moment."
"I don't know," Ivy said self consciously, playing with a strand of her hair.
"What do you mean?" Lisa asked in confusion. "You want to have another moment with him, don't you?"
"Yes," Ivy admitted biting her lip nervously. "But I also don't want to rush things. That almost moment between us just happened naturally. I want it to be natural."
Lisa pondered on Ivy's words for a moment, swirling her straw around her peanut butter milkshake. "Well then, you've just got to make sure you have plenty of time together this summer."
"That shouldn't be too hard," Ivy reasoned, her smiling becoming a little less unsure and a bit more confident. "I'll guess we'll start with today, and then we've got the party tomorrow."
"Exactly," Lisa grinned. "Just take it one step at time and I'm sure something will happen naturally between you."
Ivy smiled gratefully at her best friend, feeling relieved that she had confided her thoughts to Lisa. Being able to talk it out made her feel better, it made the whole idea of something happening between her and Ryan achievable.
"So the conga line," Lisa said with a smirk. "He has his hands on your waist? How did that make you feel?"
Ivy laughed despite the heat rising in her cheeks, "you sound like a therapist."
"I kind of am your therapist!"
"Point taken," Ivy grinned before bashfully leaning back against the booth and admitting, "I really liked the feeling of his hands on my waist."
Lisa squealed with excitement, enough to make Ivy shush her, cover her mouth and then burst out laughing when a few people in the diner stared at them.
Ivy had just removed her hand from Lisa's mouth when her best friend's blue eyes flickered to the window and she smiled, "well maybe you'll get that feeling again, because he's here."
Ivy swung around to look at the window so fast she was positive she had pulled a muscle. It took her only a second to find him, he really did stand out with his handsome face, fit body and the fact that he was coming down the road of his skateboard.
"Wow, who is that?!" Gabi Rodriquez's voice trailed from two booths down.
"He's so exotic!" Gasped Heather James from one of the middle tables.
Ivy felt her stomach twist uncomfortable and she shuffled in her seat. Hawkins was a small town, anyone new always sparked interest. But it didn't mean Ivy could just sit there and be okay with the comments. Gabi and Heather were popular and beautiful, Ivy could feel the intimidation setting in and she just wanted to melt straight into the floor.
"Don't worry," Lisa's determined voice broke through Ivy's insecurities as she squeezed her hand to grab her attention. "Ryan is yours. You know it, he knows it and the popular crowd will know it soon enough."
Ivy gave Lisa a thankful smile, her heart beating loudly as she watched Ryan enter the diner, trying to ignore the amount of eyes staring at him. Some of those glances were from the older generation, their gazes mixed between curiosity and others showing a clear sign of racism. While the teenage girls who had come to stare at Tyler had turned their battering eyelashes onto Ryan instead.
"Ryan!" Lisa shouted, waving at the boy who she hadn't even met in person. Thankfully she caught his attention and the moment he spotted Ivy, he made his way over to the booth.
"Make some room for him," Lisa whispered to Ivy through a smile.
Ivy feeling slightly flustered slid further into the booth so she was right next to the glass window, leaving space for Ryan to sit beside her.
The teenage boy arrived at the table and Ivy's nerves seemed to slowly fade as she grinned, relief that he was here outweighing anything else.
"Hey," Ryan said breathlessly as he got into the booth and gave Ivy a one armed hug.
"Hi," she responded, sighing happily that he was beside her again. She gestured to Lisa who was grinning ear to ear watching the couple. "Ryan this is Lisa, Lisa this is Ryan."
"Hey!" Lisa smiled, "it's really good to finally meet you!"
"You too," Ryan grinned. "Ivy's always talking about you."
"And she's always talking about you."
Ivy gave Lisa a slight warning stare which her best friend ignored.
"Only good things I hope," Ryan teased, prodding Ivy in the side as she laughed, flicking him on the shoulder in response.
"Nah, she says she hates you." Lisa joked making Ivy snigger and for Ryan to sigh dramatically.
"Why doesn't that surprise me," he said sadly, sniffling.
"Oh shut up you." Ivy laughed, squeezing his hand for a moment, trying to hide the way her smile wavered at the electricity she felt.
"How long have you girls been here?" Ryan asked, pointing to the milkshakes.
"Only ten minutes or something," Lisa lied, shrugging her shoulders.
"Want some?" Ivy offered her milkshake to Ryan who smiled, taking her straw and sipping up some of the cool chocolate drink.
Ivy took a sip afterwards and tried to not blush too much at the look on Lisa's face. She knew exactly what she was thinking. Could practically hear her best friend's thoughts screaming they are sharing a straw!
"Hey Ryan my man!" Tyler's voice came, cheerful and upbeat as he high fived Ryan.
"Hey Ty!"
"How is sunny old San Diego? You got a babe back in Cali?"
Ryan and Ivy's cheeks seemed to reddened in unison.
"Um no, no babe."
"Well if you're interested in a long distance relationship, there's plenty of girls here that seem interested," Tyler said patting Ryan on the shoulder.
"Thanks man," Ryan mumbled in response, coughing to clear his throat, while Ivy and Lisa exchanged a look.
"You guys ready to order?" Tyler asked, thankfully moving the topic on as he pulled the pencil from behind his ear.
"Yeah," Lisa said immediately, knowing that the air was tense between Ivy and Ryan. This time not from passion, more likely confusion.
"Can I have the double decker burger please, no pickle and french fries."
Tyler wrote down Lisa's order giving her a little wink before turning to Ivy.
She tried to focus, relieved she already knew what she wanted. "Can I have the triple decker burger with french fries please. And another chocolate shake thank you."
"Can I have the same as Ivy," Ryan said looking down at the menu. "But can I have waffle fries instead?"
"No problem man," Tyler said as he rounded off the list and took the menus off the table. "See you in a bit guys," he added with a wave, heading over to the kitchen.
Ivy watched him go, trying to ease her nerves to look back at Ryan. She thought about what Tyler had said to him and couldn't stop her mind from worrying that Ryan would find someone else. What if it was someone that she knew? How could she even be around them?
Ivy's phone dinged and she was thankful for the momentary distraction. She sighed, seeing it was off Lisa and pulled her phone screen away from Ryan's sight, thankful that her best friend had engaged him in conversation to distract him.
Lisa: I can see that look on your face. Don't worry about other girls, there are no other girls! You are a queen and he is yours. Go get him :-)
Ivy exhaled a shaky breath, locking her phone and tucking it into the pocket of her denim shorts. She gave Lisa a quick glance and a grateful smile.
Just take it one step at a time, Ivy told herself. Just start with the party.
"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Ivy blurted out, turning to look at Ryan who was surprised by her sudden question.
"Nothing that I can think of, why?"
Ivy tried to grin and make it look natural, like she was relaxed when in reality she was screaming inside of her mind. "Because me and Lisa are going to a party and we wanted to know if you wanna join us?"
"Since when is a party your scene?" Ryan said smiling incredulously, clearly surprised at Ivy's change of character.
She laughed, shrugging her shoulders. "It was Lisa's idea at first, but the more I've thought about it, the more I think it could be fun."
Ryan looked at her, mild curiosity in his dark eyes. "Okay," he responded, his lips curving into a grin. "Yeah why not, I'll come."
"Great," Ivy exhaled not just a breath but some of her anxiety, she smiled at Ryan and continued to smile at him even when Lisa started telling him about Kimberley Kelly's big house in Loch Nora where the party would take place.
"And she's got a pool!"
"That's awesome," Ryan said eagerly, before turning to look at Ivy with a mischievous smile, "you're gonna have to be careful that you don't end up falling in."
Ivy smirked, narrowing her eyes at Ryan. "Maybe you will need to be careful that you don't get pushed in!"
Ryan laughed, turning to look at Lisa. "Has Ivy ever told you about her seventh birthday?"
"No," Lisa replied with an intrigued and amused grin.
Ivy sighed, hiding her face in her hands as Ryan animatedly told the story of Ivy's birthday party which had been spent in California. She had talked about her party dress for weeks to a very bored Ryan. And on the day of the party, just after making a wish and blowing out her candles, Ivy slipped and fell straight into the Sinclairs' swimming pool. Ryan had laughed so hard and had reached out his hand to help her, only to then let go of her hand so she fell back in.
Ryan and Lisa were still laughing when Tyler brought them their food and drinks. Ivy joined in with the laughter, especially when she tried to take a bite of all of the layers of her triple decker burger, only for it to fall apart in her hands.
"You took on too much," Lisa sighed sympathetically, shaking her head while Ivy and Ryan laughed.
The trio talked a bit about school and Ryan's baseball team, all leaning in when Ryan showed them different videos on his phone.
Ivy finished her fries and reached over to steal a waffle fry from Ryan, he looked scandalised and she grinned at him as she slowly chewed the waffle.
"Joey doesn't share food!" He shouted at her, making her burst out laughing. He poked her nose with a milkshake and she tried to lick it off with her tongue, eventually giving up and grabbing a napkin.
"Ryan why can't you just transfer schools?" Lisa asked as the trio walked through Mirkwood, taking a short cut to the Hopper's residence where El was waiting to drive them all home.
Ryan was piggy backing Ivy, his shoes snapping branches now and again as they walked.
"The hilarity of you two is insane! Ivy on her own is just plain boring - "
"Hey!" Ivy yelled, but joined in the laughter with her friends.
"Man I wish I could," Ryan sighed, holding onto Ivy's legs. "But I don't think my parents would let me."
They walked for a little while longer, pausing when they came to a clearing that looked like it had been disturbed.
Ryan shook his head, "I don't know why people would camp here, it's creepy here if you ask me."
Lisa grinned as they carried on through the clearing. "Ah so you've heard all the mysterious tales of Hawkins!"
Ivy was thankful that she couldn't see Ryan's face right now. Her arms around his neck tightened slightly, hoping he wouldn't say anything he shouldn't. Of course their parents had told them the stories, ensuring that they kept the secret.
"You could say that," Ryan laughed slowly, his voice a little nervous. "But um, it's all just stories you know. It's not like it's real."
"Oh I believe it," Lisa said smiling to herself as she stepped over a log.
"What do you mean?" Ivy and Ryan said in unison, a tinge of panic in both of their voices.
Lisa shrugged, "not the monsters and all that. But that there was a girl with powers? Oh I totally believe it! Like all those witness accounts? They've got to come from somewhere. As they always say, every story has to have come from some kind of truth."
Ryan and Ivy stayed quiet, unsure what to say. Mercifully Lisa moved the conversation on to what they could do while Ryan was in town.
"We've got to go to the movies, and what about the quarry? Oh! And we have to go to the community pool."
"Sounds good to me," Ryan said smiling, adjusting Ivy so that she jumped up his back a bit higher.
"Me too," Ivy replied. "I'm sure the others would want to come as well." She could just imagine the fun her brothers, cousins and family would have.
Lisa paused, looking around the woods for a moment. "Isn't this where your parents got married Ivy?"
"A little more over there," Ivy said pointing to the location her parents had said their vows and taken their children back to many times.
The trees were less dense, the area still special to her parents and maintained that way by her grandpa who came to check the clearing every once in a while.
"Ah there it is," Lisa smiled as they walked up to an old tree. The heart still carved into it, names added over the years.
El + Mike
11/07/83
Ivy, James, Ben
"Aw that's really cute," Lisa smiling, her fingers delicately touching the tree bark.
"My parents are kind of cute," Ivy admitted with a small grin. "And very sentimental. This is where they met. In these woods."
"What a weird place to meet," Lisa mused looking around.
"Under very weird circumstances," Ryan muttered, Ivy kicking him in the side making him groan slightly.
There was a snap of a branch and the teenagers jumped, looking around the quiet woods for the source of the sound. There was nothing, until a deer could be seen just behind some of the bushes.
"Okay maybe this place is a little creepy," Lisa laughed nervously.
"Come on," Ivy grinned, "my grandparents house is just by there." She pointed towards the house that could just be seen through the green leaves.
Lisa looked slightly relieved and headed that way, Ivy holding onto Ryan as she turned her head to look back at the tree, smiling to herself as she remembered how her mom had carved the names into the bark with her powers, the intricacy she had was beautiful. Ivy hoped that one day she could master her own powers like that. But for now, she had to keep them under wraps.
Because just like Mirkwood, something could look so beautiful, but could be so dangerous.
AN: So what did you guys think?! I love getting your feedback :-) We have so much to come with this story, it is only just getting started and there's still characters to acquaint you with; Steve, Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, their daughters and not to forget Karen and Ted! So please don't think I am missing them out, they will all arrive in time as the story develops :-)
A big thank you to my lovely boyfriend for proof reading this chapter for me, so that I could get myself ready for work tomorrow!
Thank you all for reading and thank you so, so much for the reviews! They are my fuel to keep going! :-D