8. 8: Water

El gripped Mike's hand harder as she made her way down the steps, the water lapping up her ankles, then her knees, until finally she was waist deep in the pool. "Is this okay?" Mike asked quietly, searching her face for any signs that it wasn't. She nodded, not meeting his eyes. The sensation of being surrounded by water was jogging her memory and she quickly shoved any flashbacks about the bath deep into the corners of her mind. Today was not going to be the day where she let those horrid memories eat her alive. The slight pressure from Mike's hand and the voices of her friends in the background gave her strength, and she raised her head, nodding with more confidence.

"Hey Mike, wanna play chicken?" Dustin called. "El, you could make sure he doesn't cheat!" "Chicken?" Chicken is an animal...and a food...how could it be a game too? She turned to Mike, who had the answer before she even asked the question. "It's just the name of the game. You sit on your friend's shoulders and try to knock the other person off," he explained. "Do you want us to show you how it's done?" "Okay," she replied, with a small smile, excited to see something new. He let go of her hand, to her slight disappointment, and she watched as he swam over to the boys.

"Alright, I call Will-he's lightest," El heard Lucas say as she waded closer to them. "There's no way I can support you!" Mike told Dustin, when his friend turned to him and raised his eyebrows. "Okay, fine. You ready?" Mike nodded and El watched as both Dustin and Lucas disappeared beneath the surface. Will and Mike hovered their partners, before being raised up, seated on their shoulders. "You're going down, Wheeler!" Will called as Lucas moved toward Dustin and Mike. "Wouldn't be so sure!" Mike shot back and grabbed Will's hands, pushing as hard as he can.

El had to keep reminding herself that it was just a game. They didn't actually want to hurt each other, it's just a game, it's JUST a game, she thought as Will gave Mike another shove, causing him and Dustin to sway dangerously. However, when she noticed the looks Dustin and Lucas were giving each other as the two boys struggled with one another on their shoulders, that's when she started to get worried. What if...what if they weren't really playing? She glanced up at the battle going on between Will and Mike and another pang of worry ran through her body.

Game or no game, she couldn't stand to watch this anymore. The longer it went on, the more intense it got and she was not okay with seeing the boys go head to head like this. Her powers buzzed to life and before she could give her choice a second thought, she extended her mind to below the water's surface and found Lucas's ankles. With a slight jerk of her head, she swiped his feet up and watched as him and Will splashed into the water.

The familiar trickle of warmth seeped down her lip and she pressed her wrist against her nose. She climbed out of the pool, searching for something to help suppress the flow as Mike and Dustin's triumphant cries rang out. When she heard the boys fall silent, she knew they had realized what she had done. As she pressed a paper towel to her nose, she could feel their eyes on her and the guilt gnawed at her heart. What she had done probably wasn't the best move, but she really didn't want to see her friends fighting anymore, even if it was just for fun.

It was Dustin who finally broke the heavy silence. "Well, I think we all know Mike couldn't have won that on his own, anyways." The tension dissolved as Lucas and Will laughed and Mike rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I wasn't doing too bad!" he said, spurring an animated conversation about the highlights of their game. El sat down by the edge of the pool after throwing the paper towel away and absentmindedly swirled her feet in the water, still feeling ashamed of her actions. When she glanced up, she saw that Mike was staring at her with a look of concern. She bit her lip and looked away.

Which turned out to be a mistake, because she didn't see Lucas swimming silently underwater towards her. It all happened so fast; she barely had time to react.

Mike suddenly yelling "LUCAS, NO!" was the only warning she had before a pair of hands latched onto her ankles. She let out a piercing scream as she was yanked into the water and then all sound was muffled. Her heart rate shot up as panic flooded her body and her legs kicked uselessly under her. Where was the floor, where was the wall? Her arms flailed, trying to get her body back up to the surface, trying to help her get a breath as water rushed up her nose.

Two pairs of hands grabbed her wrists and she was pulled up to the surface, the sunlight hitting her face and all she could hear was the voices of four very worried boys. She immediately started coughing as Mike and Lucas carried her to the shallower end of the pool, all the while shooting concerned question after concerned question at her. When her feet finally hit the cement of the pool floor, she turned towards Mike and held onto his forearms to stabilize herself as a coughing fit racked her body.

She was still shaky from the adrenaline and couldn't seem to quite get a full breath. It was only when she focused intently on breathing in and out, in and out did she finally calm down. She could hear Lucas apologizing profusely over and over again behind her, but it was Mike's dead serious, urgent voice that got through the shock of what just happened that was clouding her mind. "El. Are you okay?" she heard and it was then that she realized how hard he was gripping her elbows and how hard she was gripping his arms.

"Yes," she whispered and gave him a wobbly smile, inwardly flinching at the panic in his eyes. She turned around to look at Lucas, who immediately said, "El, I'm so so so sorry, I'll never do that again! I just thought...I mean...you looked so bummed out sitting on the edge and I thought...I'm really sorry, please can you forgive me?"

Forgiveness. That was a concept she had a full understanding of, because Mike had taught her forgiveness. But that's another story for another day.

"I forgive you," she told him. She was okay now, and that's what matters. His face relaxed in relief and he looked down at the water with a smile on his face. But she wasn't done with him just yet.

Her mouth turned upward into a mischievous smirk and she let go of Mike's arms. In the most innocent tone she could come up with, she said Lucas's name to get his attention. When he lifted his head to look at her, he was met with a face full of water. El giggled at the shocked look on his face as he wiped the water out of his eyes. "Oh, it's on!" he exclaimed playfully as he splashed El back. "Heck yeah!" Dustin cried and slammed his hand into the water, drenching all four of his friends.

And thus started an afternoon of splashing and laughing and playing in the pool that made the fear of almost drowning a distant memory in El's mind. All she cared about was the joy of seeing her friends smile, the happiness Mike's laugh brought her and the sense of freedom being in the water without having to use it for sensory deprivation gave her.

When they finally climbed out of the pool a few hours later, all five of them were cheerful, yet very worn out. She shivered as her wet skin met the cool air and Mike rushed to grab a towel for her. He threw it over her shoulders and she shot him a grateful smile. As the group gathered up their things, he quietly said, "Hey El? You've still got about another hour before Hopper wants you home."

She didn't hesitate before asking "Can I come home with you?" which she happened to say at the exact same time Mike asked, "Do you want to come home with me?" They both recoiled in surprise and she giggled before replying "Yes, please," with a smile.

"You guys ready to go?" Will called and they moved toward the exit and out onto the street. Their conversation on the way back was lively and full of excitement as they recounted their summer afternoon.

When Mike and El arrived at the Wheeler house, his mom greeted him at the front door. "Hey! How was the pool?" "Awesome," Mike replied. "Is it okay if El hangs out here for a little bit? Hopper isn't picking her up for a while." "Of course! El, honey, do you want to shower off? You can use Ted and I's bathroom if you want." El nodded and followed Mike up the stairs.

He quickly showed her to his parents' bathroom and made sure she had everything she needed. When he turned to leave, El caught his hand and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. What gave her the impulse to do that, she didn't really know...the only thing she did know was it just felt right. He grinned and her heart fluttered in her chest.

Closing the door as he left, she turned on the water and peeled her bathing suit off. She stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm stream of water hit her body. The stickiness that the chlorine left on her skin washed away almost immediately. As she worked on scrubbing a thick glob of shampoo through her hair, she suddenly heard Mike's voice coming from his bathroom, only a few doors down.

She strained her ears, noticing that his voice sounded...different. It kept changing pitch and he was drawing out different syllables. He wasn't exactly talking, but she could still make out actual words. Whatever he was doing, it was pretty and she decided she liked it, making a mental note to ask him about it later.

She stepped out of the shower feeling clean and refreshed, the residue from the pool having been swept away. As she pulled on her shirt and sweatpants, she noticed that she was simultaneously exhausted and happily content, a combination she'd never felt before, but welcomed all the same. Strangely, it made her want nothing more than to cuddle with someone. Pulling open the door, El headed down the hallway.

She found Mike sitting on his bed, resting against the pillows as he thumbed through a comic book. His hair was already almost dry from his shower and just the sight of him made her heart swell. When he glanced up and his eyes met hers, he gave her a sleepy smile, one she gladly returned. He watched as she walked over to his bed and he scooted to one side. "Hold me," she mumbled, flopping onto the mattress next to him. He chuckled before throwing aside the comic book to pull her into his arms. Her arms went around his waist and she rested her head in the crook of his neck, her eyelids drooping. She felt him softly lay his cheek against her head as his arms encircled her shoulders. A content sigh escaped her lips and she snuggled in closer to him, smelling the chlorine that was still lingering on his skin. She was about to drift off to sleep when she remembered what she had heard in the shower.

"Mike?" she whispered. "Yeah?" "Um..." She scrambled to find the words for it and somehow, Mike saw the struggle on her face. "El, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. She hesitated before saying, "Talking...but prettier...?" She tilted her head up, hoping Mike would understand. He always did. However, she could see the confusion in his eyes, and she bit her lip. "Oh!" His face lit up.

"Singing!" She nodded. Sing-ing. She'll definitely remember that one. Staring at him intently, she silently begged him to realize what she was asking. "M-me?" he timidly asked. She nodded again and gave him an encouraging smile. "O-okay." He hummed his first note, finding the pitch and she settled her head back against his chest.

"Wise men say only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you."

His gentle, tenor voice filled the air around them and El's scalp tingled with goosebumps at the beauty of it. "Shall I stay..."

"Yes," El whispered. "Please stay." Never leave me, she thought. Mike smiled before continuing.

"...would it be a sin? If I can't help falling in love with you.

Like a river flows, surely to the sea, daring, so it goes, some things are meant to be." The way he sang "darling" made El's stomach flip and she buried her face in his chest, wanting him, wanting only him forever.

"Take my head..." One arm slid off her shoulders to cover her hand with his. She gladly laced her fingers through his, noticing for the hundredth time how well their hands fit together.

Enunciating every word, he sang, "Take my whole life, too."

A lump formed in El's throat and tears swam in her vision at the sincerity in his voice. Mike Wheeler was everything she would ever need ever. She lifted her head to stare deep into his eyes, allowing one tear to fall silently down her face. He rested his forehead against hers and she closed her eyes as he lovingly massaged her fingers. Her bottom lip trembled as he sang the last line.

"For I can't help falling in love with you."

Her lips connected with his. Soaking him in, she poured more passion into this moment than anything before. He pulled her closer to his body and sank deeper into their kiss, his hand releasing her fingers to travel up her arm, up her shoulder and finally tangling itself in her hair. Her hand curled around the collar of his shirt as her mouth pressed hungrily against his.

For neither could she help falling in love with him.