"Where do you think you're going? You know you're grounded." Shane asked as he saw Peter come down the stairs, dressed in the striped tee and jeans.

"I'm going to tell my friends bye." Peter said, his eyes flickering toward Wesley, who was slummed on the couch, messing with a rubex cube out of pure boredom. "Wes is coming too."

"Says who?" Shane rose his eyebrows at him, dropping the newspaper. "You really think that you can just do whatever you want? As if you didn't run away for nearly a week."

Peter sighed, his hand gripping the staircase. "I didn't ask you because I knew you would say no."

"Of course i'd say no. I don't even know who these kids are. They could have gotten you in trouble." the man looked in disbelief at his son. Peters eyes flickered, seeing his mom peaking around the corner in worry. Peter didn't make it known she was there, knowing his dad would just yell at her.

"That's part of having friends, Dad. I'm gonna get in trouble, and i'm gonna learn from it. I can't just be locked away in this house all the time and play you're golden boy for the sake of other people." Peters wave of confidence took all three of them off guard. "I'm getting older, I want friends, I wanna be able to live my life and figure out who I am. I've figured more out about myself in the one week I was gone more then I have in my entire life."

"It's different for us. You know that. Our family, our reputation." Shane gave him a shake of his head, standing up from the lazy boy. "The business, my business. You think people are gonna sale to me if they know my sons off getting himself into trouble? They're gonna look at me and think i'm a shitty father for the way I allow you to act."

"What do you think people will say if they knew you threw a wine glass at me?" the second Peter said it, he regretted it. His hand touched his face on instinct, being able to feel the little indention from the scar. He pulled his hand down when he realized he did it.

"Peter." Wesley looked at him with a shake of his head, eyes wide.

"Dad, i'm not gonna go off and bomb a school or something." Peter looked at his dad again before he had the chance to get himself into any more trouble. "But I wanna live my life, and my friends are currently the best part of it. I know it's hard to trust me, and you worry, I know. It's like growing pains. I'm growing up, and it hurts you, but you have to let me live more."

The room was silent. Darcy cried, turning her head. Wesley didn't move, frozen on the couch while Peter stayed on the stairs. He planned an escape plan to run up the stairs if his father lunged at him, locking himself in his room and hoping Wesley ran to the basement or outside. Shane stared at Peter. "You can tell your friends bye. But you're coming right back. Both of you are still grounded. That's the last I wanna hear of it."

It wasn't freedom, but it was enough.

Peter smiled, hurrying toward the door as he waved Wesley over. The shorter teen jogged after his younger brother, shutting the door as the went into the drive way. "Bet he's gonna strangle you in your sleep."

Peter laughed, tossing Wesley the keys to his car as he caught them. "So worth it. Did you see the look on his face?"

"Like a deer in headlights." Wesley laughed, his honey blonde hair looking glossy as he circled the car in the drive way. "You know the address?"

"Yeah." Peter crawled into the passengers seat, looking toward his brother. "But we have to make a stop first."

"Knock knock." the new voice made El look over, finish zipping her final bag. A grin went across her face as she saw Peter leaning in the doorway, a cheeky grin across his face. "Miss me?"

"I thought you were on arrest?" El gave a confused grin as she smiled. "House arrested."

"Hour of freedom." Peter walked into the door, looking at his invisible watch. "Forty-five minutes to go."

El smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist as Peters went around her shoulders. He leaned his head on top of hers, rubbing her back a second. "I wish you were staying."

"Me too." El said, her ear pressed against his heart. "No school together."

"Maybe next year." Peter frowned, holding her tighter. "But you're gonna make a lot of friends at your new school."

"What if they don't like me?" she asked, pulling back as they met eyes.

"They'd be insane not to." Peter gave a soft smile down at her. "Maybe I can come visit you. Wesley likes to drive. It'll take a little bit, but it'll be fine. And my soccer team has to travel for our games sometimes. We went all the way to Chicago once, it'll be totally cool. And I can tell everyone that i've got the coolest....lady friend."

"Lady friend?" El gave a snort at his words. "So, can still come to your...soccer practices?"

"Even better. My games." Peter grinned at her with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "Those are a hundred times better, and a lot more fun. It's gonna blow your mind."

El nodded. "A lot blows my mind."

"I know." Peter giggled, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear after it feel from the loose ponytail. "Can't wait. I'll get two jerseys and give you the other one so non of the guys on my team give you a hard time."

"What color?" she asked curiously.

"Green. And it'll have my last name and a number on the back. I don't know what it'll be yet, I will on the first day of school." Peter rambled on with a nod, the sun from the window making his eyes look golden instead of the dark brown shade. "Hopefully eleven."

El laughed with a nod. "That would blow my mind."

"Mine too." Peter smiled. "I wish I met you before the summer, so I can know more."

"Will says we have a phone." El nodded her head. "Can call you at night."

"And we can write letters. I'll send you a new mixtape every week." his eyes widened in realization, digging into the grocery bag he had. "Almost forgot."

El looked at the walkman and headphones. Peter grinned when she took it. "I picked you up one for the ride over, so you can have something to do."

"Thanks." El looked up at him. "Gonna miss you."

Peter smiled. "Gonna miss you more."

El shook her head, wrapping her arms around his waist again as they hugged tightly. Peter rocked them back and forth slightly, rubbing her back. He hesitated, planting a kiss to her forehand as they pulled back.

"Peter, Will wants to say bye." Wesley called through the house. Peter turned his head toward the door. "I better-"

As he turned back around, El grabbed his face and kissed him on the lips. Peters eyes widened while hers were shut, taking a second before kissing her back. He thought about kissing her all the time, mainly when she was talking and he was watching her lips. But picturing it verses feeling it were completely different. He never imagined he'd like kissing her this much.

He pulled back with a laugh, she did the same. Both their faces bright red. Peter shook his head with a grin. "That goodbye present definitely tops a cassette tape."

El laughed, pressing her head to his shoulder. "Meet you outside?"

"Yeah." Peter nodded, turned to walk away. He froze, turning back on his heels to hold her face, planting another kiss to her lips. He pulled back with a hum. "Okay, now i'll meet you outside."

The van and car was loaded down with all their things, Peter had helped Jonathan get the last of it. They ended it with a fist pump and a minor hug, Jonathan leaving him one of his The Cure posters. Wesley gave Will a small, awkward hug. "Pretty cool getting to meet you."

"Yeah." Will nodded with a smile. "Do you do soccer with Peter?"

"Me? God, no. No. No." Wesley shook his head with a crazy look. "I would die doing sports."

Will laughed slightly. "Me too. Peter said he might gave one of his games to the place we're moving."

"Good things i'm the mascot." Wesley nodded, making Will grin. "See you there."

Will nodded, moving past him to look at Peter. The Clarke boy threw his hands up. "Gonna miss ya, small one."

Will threw his arms around his waist tightly, getting a minor tumble. "Thanks for not being mean."

"Totally." Peter hugged him back. "Thanks for not being mean, too."

Will pulled back, Peter poked him in the shoulder. "Watch out for El for me, okay? Don't let any of the guys steal her."

"I'll make sure." Will laugh slightly. "I'll call when we get there so you have the number. El gets the phone from five to six and I get it from six to seven."

"Don't forget." Peter nodded, hugging him again. "You're my friend, Will."

"You're my friend too." Will hugged him, a final smile before moving to go to the party. El came from the house, shutting the door. Her face was red with tears, but a smile on her face. Wesley gave her a hug as she hugged him back, it finally hit Peter how difficult this was gonna be.

"See you when?" El looked at him with a serious look. "When?"

"We get a week off for Thanksgiving." Peter nodded his head. "Then another two for christmas."

"Long time." El frowned.

"I know." Peter sighed, rocking on his heels. "But can make it work, yeah?"

El gave a small grin, hugging him one more time. "Yeah."

It wasn't long before they were loaded up, Will getting in the car with his mom while El rode with Jonathan. Peter wrapped an arm around Max as they watched them go. The road blew dust as they drove away, leaving six behind.

"You guys want a ride home?" Wesley looked to Peter friends. "I have room in the back."

"I'm gonna skate back." Max nodded her head. She looked at Peter. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, just threw a rock and i'll sneak out." Peter nodded, giving her shoulder a small squeeze as she nodded, looking to Lucas as he went with her. Peter then look at Mike. "Want to come with us?"

"Yeah." Mike nodded, looking at Wesley. "Thanks."

"Hopefully you drive better then Steve." Dustin said as him and Wesley went toward the car. "Does it run in the family?"

Peter looked at the empty house a second, a frown on his face as his eyes watered. With a small shake of his head, he turned back around and got into the car again.

El cried in the van for a smile, watching as they passed the Hawkins sigh. With a rub to her eyes, she looked at the walk man Peter got her. She messed with the buttons a little, rubbing her finger across then a second. Pushing too hard, the player opened. She blinked, realizing a cassette tape was lodged inside. El frowned her eyebrows, reaching in and pulling it out. A smile went across her face as she looked at the tape. Written in green sharpie across the front.

You blow my mind, El. -Peter.

"Do you like him?" Mike asked, sat across from El in the store, her bloody leg in the middle of them. "Peter."

"Good person." El nodded her head.

"Yeah, but, do you like-like him?" Mike went on with a nod. "A lot of people do at school."

El bite the inside of her mouth. "Sorry."

"Sorry? Why sorry?" Mike looked in confused.

"I'm like other people at school." El met his eye with a small sigh. "I like him a lot."

Mike blinked. "Oh."

"Sorry." El repeated herself. "Mad?"

"No." Mike shook his head, looking down a second. "Just... be carful since we don't know him that much."

"I know." El nodded her head, looking at her leg. "But I know him that much."

•

kylie speaks

i'll see y'all soon, i know
it seems like a while until
spring break but it'll go by
so quick and we'll have them back! so happy with how this
story turned out and i'm so
grateful for all the love and
support all of you have given
me on this book along with
peter and wesley! love you
guys so much, you all blow my
mind.