Mike was waiting with El for his plane in the airport. The plane was going to take him to California then he's going take a taxi to Stanford University where he would his dorm. Jonathan as going to California anyway so he's driving Mike's car there then taking a plane back Jonathan had left two days ago so he'd be there when Mike got there. Yes, 18 year old Michael Wheeler was going to Stanford University for college so he could become a science teacher. Sadly, El was staying in Indiana for college. She was attending Indiana State University to become a Pediatrician. 

Mike currently had his arms wrapped tightly around his girlfriend of four and a half years. They swayed back and forth as they hugged each other tightly wishing they didn't have to leave each other. 

"It's not like we'll never see each other again." Mike whispered into her hair. El buried her face deeper into Mike's chest and hugged him tighter around his waist.

"I know but I don't want you to leave." She whispered back, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"I'll be back for holidays." Mike reassured.

"I know but I just wish you could stay in Indiana." El said, a tear escaping her eye. Mike placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"I know but I want to go to Stanford. I have since I was in sixth grade." Mike said, now looking into her glassy eyes. 

"I know and you should follow that dream." El smiled as her eyes pooled with tears. "I'm scared, Mike."

"Scared?" He put a stray hair behind her ear.  "Scared about what?" His eyes showed nothing but love and concern.

"W-what if you move on?" El asked. "Find someone better? Less like a freak?" 

Mike grabbed her shoulders and gently shook her. "Eleven Hopper. I will never find someone better than you. I want to marry you when the time is right and grow old with you. Do you understand?" 

El smiled, eyes watery, and nodded. "I understand." 

"Good." Mike leaned in and pressed his lips to her. His arms went around her waist while hers went around his neck. "Flight 58. Departure in five minutes. Flight 58." They pulled away and looked at each other, tears running down their faces. 

"I guess this is goodbye until Thanksgiving." El said trying to keep herself from breaking down in public.

"Not goodbye. See you later." Mike replied while he pecked her lips.

"See you later, Mike." El smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too, El." Mike smiled. 

"Flight 58. Departure in two minutes. Flight 58." Mike picked up his luggage and gave El a side hug before walking towards his boarding. 

Line break--

Mike found his seat on the plane and sat down with a sigh and leaned his head against the window. Mike let a few tears escape. The look on El's face when he looked back at her right before he boarded. A look of pure sadness but she managed a smile.

Mike heard someone sit next to him and he wiped his tears away. He hugged his grey sweatshirt closer to his body and tried to make his look of vulnerability go away. He covered his mouth as he let out a sob, trying to at least make the sound of it quieter. 

He hasn't been away from El for more than two weeks since the day she came back to him when they were only eighth graders. He doesn't know how he's going to manage being without her- except for holidays and yearly visits- for four whole years! Who's going to calm him from his nightmares of her never coming back? Who's going to make him feel better when he's feeling insecure? Who's he going to sit with him all Saturday and watch Star Wars? Just the thought of El not always being there for four years caused another sob to rack through his body. The sob was muffled by his sweatshirt but it was noticeable to people near him. 

Mike felt a hand gently rub his arm up and down. "It's okay, Sweetie." The sweet voice of an older woman said. "It's okay." Mike rubbed away the tears and sniffed. He turned his head to see a woman n maybe her mid fifties smiling at him sympathetically. 

"I-I'm sorry." Mike said and bit his lip. The woman gently shook her head.

"No. No. It's okay." The woman smiled. "I know it's hard to move away from the ones you love."

"How did you know that's why I was- well you know." Mike sniffed.

"I saw you and your girlfriend before we boarded." The woman said.

"Oh." Mike looked down.

"I'm Samantha Meyer." The woman said with a smile.

"Michael Wheeler but everyone calls me Mike." Mike smiled back.

"Ah. And the young lady?" Samantha asked.

"My girlfriend, Eleven Hopper everyone calls her El." Mike smiled at the thought of his girlfriend.

"You guys have been together a while?" Samantha asked.

"Yeah, four and a half years. She's the only girlfriend I've had." Mike said.

"Wow." Samantha nodded. "I'm going to California to visit my daughter. She just had her first born!" 

"Congrats!" Mike smiled. "I'm going to college to become a science teacher and hopefully will work at Hawkins Middle School." 

"That's a wonderful job choice." Samantha said. "Well, I'm going straight to the hospital after this so I'm going to get some sleep." 

"Alright." Mike looked out the window and just dreamed of the day he's see El again.

Line Break--

Mike woke to the flight attendants voice. "Okay, ladies and gentlemen!" She said. "We will be landing in ten minutes so please buckle your seat belts. Mike buckled his and looked out the window. His eyes were glued to the stars because they reminded him of El. She absolutely loved the stars. Adored them. Thought they were one of the most interesting things in the world. But when Mike suggested she became a astronomer she said, "No, too much work."

Mike smiled and snapped out of his daze by people standing and gathering their luggage that was brought on the plane with them. Mike unbuckled and grabbed his backpack which held his notebook and three books. One book about science and one about stars. (El had gotten it for him for his seventeenth birthday). And one book that he reads in his free time, Matilda. El had read it and recommended it for Mike. 

Mike stood up as everyone else did and exited the plane. 

Once Mike was inside the airport, he grabbed his two large suitcases and waited outside for a taxi. He saw one driving by and whistled and waved. The taxi pulled up and the window rolled down. "Hop in." The man said and Mike put his luggage in the trunk and slid into the back seat. "Where to?"

"Stanford University dorms." Mike replied.

"Ah." The man started driving. "College Freshman?" 

"Yeah." Mike said, awkwardly. In all his experiences riding in a taxi, he's never had a driver have a conversation with him.

"Nice school. How'd you afford it?" The man asked, making a right turn.

"Um, a scholarship." Mike said, looking out the window. "I have good grades."

"Must have to get a scholarship to Stanford." The man took another right turn. 

"Yeah." Thankfully, for Mike, the driver didn't say anything else and focused on driving him to his destination. 

Line Break-- (Don't know how colleges work so yeah)--

Mike sat straight up when they pulled up to the building. "Okay, we're here. That would be $175.00 please." Mike pulled out a $200 and handed it to the driver.

"Keep the change and thanks." Mike stepped out of the car and grabbed his luggage from the trunk before walking to the double doors. 

Mike pushed open the door and walked to the front desk. "Last name." The lady with red lipstick that was chewing on gum said.

"Wheeler." Mike said. The lady looked through a list but stopped looking and placed her index finger on a name.

"Michael Wheeler?" The lady looked up with her big blue eyes.

"Yes." Mike said and the lady handed him a key. 

"Don't lose the key. The fine is $300." The lady typed something into her computer. "You have dorm 56 on the second floor and no going over to the girls side because some boys are known for that." The lady looked at him seriously.

"No, I won't. I have a girlfriend back home." Mike shook his head lightly.

"There are two phones in each dorm room and you do not have to worry about paying the bill since you got a scholarship I see here." She pointed at the computer screen. "And you have one roommate." 

"Okay." Mike said.

"Okay, you're all set. See ya." The lady then began typing on her phone. Mike walked over to an elevator, his suitcases rolling behind him, and pressed the two button. Mike waited patiently until the doors opened and he stepped out and walked down the hallways trying to find his dorm room.

He stopped in front of a door that was labeled '56'. Mike turned the door knob to see if it was locked and it was. Mike took out his key and opened the door. He turned the light on and looked around as he closed the door behind him. 

"Not bad." Mike muttered to himself. There were two twin beds- that Mike's feet would totally hang off of- pressed up against two opposite walls. Then there were two identical desks pushed up against opposite walls with a bookshelf next to them. 

Then there was a TV next to the door on a TV stand. Mike decided to pick the right side. He set his suitcases on the bed and unzipped them. He opened up the top drawer or the dresser that was next to his bed and put his underwear and socks in the first drawer. In the second drawer he put his pants and pajama bottoms in it. In the third and last drawer he put his shirts in it. That was only one suitcase. He zipped that suitcase back up and slid it under his bed. 

Mike unzipped the next suitcase and placed his three pairs of shoes next to the dresser. Then he pulled out his bed comforter, sheet, and pillowcase, and pillow. His comforter was just his plain blue one from home that will be a little big for this bed but whatever. And his pillow case and sheets were just white. Mike took out all his bed stuff and set the suitcase under his bed. 

Once he made his bed, he decided to change into pajamas, hence it was already 9:00 p.m. 

Mike took out some black and green plaid pajama pants and a Star Wars T-shirt. Mike changed and put his dirty clothes in the basket next to the bathroom door. He opened the bathroom door and placed his shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower. He placed his toothbrush and toothpaste in the cabinet after brushing his teeth. 

He sat back on his bed and was looking through the book El got him about stars when there was a knock on the door. Mike stood and opened the door to see Jonathan. 

"Hey, Jonathan!" Mike said and 'bro' hugged him. "How's my sister?"

"She's great. We're now engaged." Jonathan smiled.

"Wow! Congrats!" Mike embraced his girlfriends step-brother. Yes, three years ago Hopper and Joyce got married making Jonathan and Will El's step siblings. 

"Your stuff is in your car." Jonathan said and the two boys walked down the stairs and outside to the car. Mike popped the trunk and they took out the two boxes, each caring two. Mike shut the trunk and the two boys began walking back inside. They stepped into the elevator and waited. 

"So, Mike, when are you going to pop the question to my little sister?" Jonathan was protective of El. 

"I've been saving up for a ring but I still don't have enough money. So maybe in a year or two." Mike said with a small smile on his face of the thought of being married to Eleven. 

"Sounds like a plan." Jonathan said as they exited the elevator and set the boxes down on Mike's newly made bed.

"Thanks, Jonathan." Mike said.

"No problem, Mike." Jonathan said while he stepped out into the hall.

"Have a safe trip back and tell El I already miss her if you get the chance." Mike said seriously.

"Will do. See ya!" Jonathan said as Mike shut the door. 

Mike sighed and opened the box that was labeled, More clothes. So he obviously put those away. Then he opened the next box, a smaller one, labeled, Pictures. Mike took out the five picture frames and looked at them.

The first picture was him and his mom. The picture was taken when he was fifteen for a family fall photo shoot. His mom said on a bench while Mike stood behind her. Their smiles were brighter then the past photo shoots together. The reason for that is because Mike started to open up to his mother and he found out how good of a listener she is and how supportive she can be.

The second picture was of him and Nancy on the same photo shoot. They stood bye the quarry and were sitting on a large boulder. They both had an arm wrapped around the others shoulders and their smiles were brighter because the two had become closer since the year of 1983. 

The third picture was of Holly. Her school picture. The cutest little blonde haired girl in a cute pink dress smiled bright. Mike smiled and set it next to the other pictures.

The fourth picture was of Mike and the rest of the Party. Jonathan had taken this picture. It was Halloween of 85 and they all dressed up like Star Wars characters. 

The fifth picture was of Mike and El at the park with the rest of the Party. Will had taken the picture, a year ago, without them knowing it and then gave two of the photos in two frames to them for Christmas. The two lovers sat on a bench at the park, Mike's arm wrapped around El's shoulders and El's arms wrapped around his middle. 

Mike looked at El in the picture. She wore her high wasted jeans with a light pink baggy T-shirt. Her shoulder length hair- she decided to keep it that length- was curly, and her brown eyes were shut. She had a smile on her face because in the picture, Mike had his lips pressed to the side of her head. 

 The sixth and last picture was of him and El at the Snowball in 1984. Jonathan had took the picture. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders and hers was wrapped around his waist. It was a cute picture and reminded Mike of the day they became a couple.

Mike set the picture of him and his mom on the top of his dresser. The picture of him and Nancy went next to the picture of him and his mom. The picture of Holly went next to that one. Mike placed the picture of the Party on his desk and the picture or him and El at the Snowball next to it. 

Now, the picture of him and El a year ago was placed on the far side of the dresser next to where his head would be when he laid down. The dresser was only about five inches taller than his bed so it was a good height. 

Mike opened the box labeled, books. He took out all the books and set them on his bookshelf. 

Mike opened the last box which was all school stuff and junk which he stored in his desk.

Finally done packing, Mike sat on his bed, and continued reading Matilda. 

A few minutes later Mike heard a key joggle in the lock. Mike looked up as the door opened and in stepped a boy about the same height as him with brown hair and brown eyes and a big smile. "Wow!" The boy exclaimed looking around. "College!"

The teenager set his stuff on the bed on the left and ran back out into the hallway. Soon after he came back with a few boxes. Mike watched him unpack and once he was done he sat on his bed and looked at Mike. "Sorry I didn't talk to you at all. I was unpacking."

Mike shook his head, "It's fine." 

"Well..I'm Nicholas Jacobson from Columbus, Ohio." Nicholas said. "But people call me Nick."

"I'm Michael Wheeler from Hawkins, Indiana." Mike said. "But people call me Mike." 

"Well, Michael. It seems that we are roommates!" Nick said with a smile. "So let's get to know each other."

"Um, okay." Mike said and set down his book. 

"So I come from Ohio and I lived with my parents, Layla and Ryan, and two younger sisters, Maya and Izzy." Nick said. "You?"

"I come from Indiana and I lived with my parents also, Ted and Karen, and my little sister, Holly. My older sister moved out two years ago though. Her name's Holly." Mike pointed to his pictures and Nick jumped up to look at them. 

"Beautiful family you have there." Nick said and his eyes drifted to the other photo. "Who's the girl?"

"My girlfriend, Eleven." Mike smiled.

"Eleven? That's odd." Nick smiled. "I like it!"

"Thanks." Mike laughed. "My friends and her family and me call her El for short." 

"Ah. How long have you two been together?" Nick sat down on his bed. 

"Four and a half years." Mike said. "We were thirteen or fourteen when we got together."

"Nice. Well I am still single... and tired." Nick said and laid down in his bed. 

"Me too." Mike shut off the lights and also went to sleep. 

2 months later-

Mike was sitting at a table outside in the courtyard of Stanford University with his new friends. He still preferred Lucas, Dustin, Will, Max, and El but his friends here were okay. Mike was resting his chin on his friend as he listened in on their conversation.

He zoned out and for some reason started thinking about the weather in California of all the things to think about. He liked the weather here because it was October and he was in shorts and a T-shirt under a sweatshirt because there was a small chill in the air and he's just always cold in some way. He was snapped out of his daze when his friend, Ashley snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Mike? Earth to Mike?" Ashley said from beside him. Did Mike mention she has a crush on him? No? Well she does. 

"Yeah?" Mike blinked. He ignored the fact that she likes him. Besides he has a girlfriend that he talked to a few days ago and that he loves very much. 

"How and I mean how are you wearing a sweatshirt? It's like seventy degrees!" She exclaimed. Mike didn't think she knew that whenever Ashley talked to him that she blushed a light shade of pink.

"I don't know. It's cozy." Mike said with a shrug. Ashley snorted.

"Anyway, Mike," Nick started, his arm around his girlfriend of one month, Kate. "We're going to Mark Lunez's party tonight. Want to join?" 

"Uh," Mike shrugged. "Yeah sure but I'm not drinking." 

"That's fine. we just want you to have fun!" Mike's other friend, Romano exclaimed while he stretched his arms in the air. Mike smiled.

"Thanks." Mike said.

"Mike, you seem down lately." Kate said with a concerned look on her face. Mike shrugged again.

"I just miss home. My friends and parents and - never mind." Mike said.

"Oh, I know who!" Nick exclaimed and Mike sent him the look.

"Ohhh!" Romano said when realization hit him. 

"Oh! I know who too!" Kate exclaimed.

"Who?" Ashley asked. The group of friends chose to keep El a secret from Ashley because they're the type of group where they want everyone happy. So telling her about El would not make her happy.

"His mom." Romano said.

"His sister." Nick said at the same time.

"Both. Mom and sister." Kate explained.

"Oh." Ashley turned to Mike and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll see them next month, Mike. Besides you have us! And..me." The group snorted or laughed quietly. 

"Yeah." Mike forced a smile. "Um.. thanks." Ashley retracted her hand from his shoulder so she could dip a fry in ketchup. 

Mike continued to listen to his friends talk and sometimes would cut in. 

A few minutes later he felt two arms wrap around his shoulders from behind him and one of the hands began playing with the string on his hoodie. The table fell silent as they watched what was happening. Mike felt lips being pressed to the top of his dark haired covered head. 

Mike whipped around and stood up. The sight before him brought tear to his eyes. There, in front of him, stood his girlfriend, Eleven Hopper for the first time in two months. Time seemed to freeze. El was wearing a light pink sweatshirt and white shorts with tennis shoes. Her hair rested right on top of her shoulders but didn't go past. She seemed to have styled it. (Like in the mall with Max. Season 3)

Mike stared and El laughed quietly while she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She stood a foot in front of him with a smile on her face and tears pooled in her eyes. 

Mike could only imagine what his friends faces were like. Romano, a shocked but teasing look on his face. Kate, a warm smile. Nick, and excited look. And Ashley probably had a very confused look on her face. 

"Who's that?" Ashley whispered to her friends but they just shushed her.

Mike stared at Eleven. She smiled at him, the brightest he's every seen her smile. All Mike could process was that she was actually here and as beautiful as ever.

"Come here." Mike muttered, loud enough for El and his friends to hear, and El walked straight into his arms. Her arms wrapped around his waist while his right arm wrapped around her shoulders and he ran his fingers through her hair with his left hand. "Oh my gosh. You're here. You're actually here." Mike laughed with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm here." El said back. She looked up at him. 

"God, you're beautiful." Mike smiled and placed a curl behind her ear but his hand lingered on her jaw. He moved his hand so it caressed her cheek while his arm was still wrapped around her and her arms were still wrapped around his middle.

"You're pretty." El smiled and moved one of her arms so she could rub her thumb across his cheekbone. 

"I love you." Mike said lovingly.

"I love you, too." El said. They both leaned in and pressed their lips together. El readjusted her arms so they wrapped around his neck and his arms slipped down to her waist. 

They pulled away a minute later and smiled at each other. El untangled herself from her boyfriend's embrace and laced their fingers together. 

"Come meet my friend." Mike said and turned her to his friends. "Nick is my roommate and that's his girlfriend, Kate." Kate and Nick waved. 

"Hi!" El said cheerfully.

"This is Romano." Mike gestured to the energetic boy who waved back. 

"Hi!" El said.

"And this is Ashley." Mike gestured to the blonde haired girl.

"Hi, Ashley." El smiled and Ashley forced a smile.

"Guys, this is my girlfriend of four and more than a half years, Eleven." Mike smiled proudly. 

"Hey, El!" Nick said and shook her hand and so did Romano and Kate.

"Why's your hair so short?" Ashley asked in a rude tone but El didn't catch it and Mike just gave Ashley a look.

"I dunno. I like it that length." El shrugged. Then El turned back to Mike. "So I'm guessing you like this surprise?" 

"Like it?" Mike wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around then set her back down. "I love it!" 

"Well it's about to get even better." El spun Mike around and tears came to his eyes again.

A yard in front of him stood, Dustin, Will, Lucas, Joyce, Hopper, Holly, Nancy, Jonathan, and his mom. 

"What?" Mike smiled. "Why are you guys all here?" 

"Well we knew you said you couldn't make it to Indiana for my birthday so we decided to come here." Dustin said.

"Oh my god! Happy Birthday, Dustin!" Mike ran over and hugged him. He pulled away and hugged all of them. Mike got to Holly and spun the nine year old around before setting her back down. He hugged his mom tight then hugged Nancy. Nancy ruffled his hair.

"I missed you, little bro!" He took notice of the ring on her left ring finger.

"I missed you too and congratulations."Mike smiled and hugged his sister again.

"We're going out to eat tonight and we're going to this mall right now." Lucas said. 

"Okay, I just got to cancel something." Mike walked over to his school friends. "Sorry guys but it's one of my best friends birthday and I couldn't afford to go to Indiana so they came here and my family also came. So, I have to cancel because I'm going to hang out with them tonight."

"We totally understand, Mike." Kate said and the rest of them nodded.

"Thanks guys." Mike ran back and wrapped his arms around El's waist from behind and rested his chin on her head. "You guys ready to party?!" He pecked the top of her head.

His friends cheered while the parents laughed. "Ted din't want to come." His mom said.

"Shocker." Mike replied and they both laughed. "Holly, hop on." Mike knelt down and Holly climbed on top of his shoulders.

They began walking to the mall, Mike's left hand laced with El's and his right hand holding on to Holly on his shoulders. 

Mike's never been happier than to have his family, friends, but most importantly El. Mike looked down at her and she smiled at him.

Yup. Most definitely El.

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