Sophomore year at Hawkins High. El and Will never moved away.

WARNING: So much fluff you might die.

 Mike set down his pencil and proofread the letter he wrote. Satisfied with no errors he needs to correct, he folds up the paper and places it in his shorts pocket. 

After class ends, he walks to the other side of the school and unlocks his girlfriend- El's- locker. Yes, they know each others combinations. He sets the letter down and closes the locker before anyone notices. 

Mike sees El walking towards her locker so he quickly slips away in a crowd of students and back to his locker to get his supplies for his next class.

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El parts ways with a group of students who are in her science class to go to her locker. She unlocks it and is about to put her books away when a folded up piece of notebook paper falls to the floor. She picks it up in confusion but smiles when she sees Mike's name scrawled on the front.

Quickly, she unfolds the paper and her eyes suddenly widen at how long the letter is but begins to read it nonetheless. 

El, honestly I don't know where to begin. There's so much to say to you but here goes nothing,

El, before I met you, I never thought I'd find someone. Never. I always thought I'd be alone. I thought no one would want a Frog Face like me. 

El teared up. How could he think that? 

That night when Lucas, Dustin, and me were searching for Will, I had a feeling we weren't going to find him but something was going to happen. I didn't know if it would be good or bad but I knew something would happen. 

We couldn't find Will and it started to rain and the guys said we should go back but I said no because I heard something. We turned around and saw you. A scared girl with a shaved head. No, a beautiful girl with a shaved head. I looked at you and you looked at me and it was almost like my heart stopped. There was just this connection, that I didn't understand, in that second between you and me. I didn't know what it was, just for some reason I knew you've been through a lot and I wasn't going to let anything happen to you.

When you started to trust me I was so happy. Then I found out you had powers and you never scared me just so you know. Never was I once afraid of you. When you told me bad people were after you, I was scared. Not of you. Of them hurting you or taking you. El, I only knew you for a day and I already felt this way. 

When you came out of the bathroom with the wig and pink dress on, I didn't mean you looked "pretty good" I meant you looked "pretty." I just didn't want to be teased by Dustin or Lucas. But now, I wouldn't even care if they teased me.

When you disappeared for that year, it was the hardest thing I've ever gone through. The first week you were gone, I wouldn't talk to anyone. I became this moody teenager that some kids would call "Emo Mike". I would tear up at any mention of the word Eleven. Whether it was an answer to a problem or just like "number eleven". 

I can't even express what I felt when Max showed up and Dustin and Lucas became obsessed with her. I guess it's because when you showed up Lucas wanted nothing to do with you but when Max showed up he wanted everything to do with her. So maybe that's why I was a bit bitter towards them. 

I was rude to Max because I thought she was trying to replace you even though she didn't even know you! I-I called her annoying even though she really wasn't. She told me you sounded really cool when Lucas told her about you and that's the first thing we had ever agreed on. 

Then that night when you walked through the door, everything stopped. It was just you and me. When I saw you, I was whole again. My missing pieces all came back and everything was right. Sparks were everywhere when we hugged. I missed you so much. You can't even imagine how broken I was, El. 

El let a few tears leak.

Now, El this isn't to make you feel bad. You did absolutely nothing wrong. Okay? You did nothing wrong. 

Then you had to go close the gate. My heart dropped into my stomach. I got scared. Really scared. I couldn't lose you again. I could barely live without you the first time. I don't know what I would've done if you didn't come back the second time.

Then the Snowball came. El, you looked so beautiful. I could barely speak. When I kissed you for the second time, I swear fireworks went off. I know I sound cheesy.

El laughs and sobs at the same time.

When we became an official couple, I had never been happier. I had a smile on my face for the whole day. My mom was concerned for me because I don't smile that much apparently. 

Now, summer of '85. El, I am so sorry that I lied. I-I didn't mean to hurt you or treat you like garbage. I was just scared. Scared that Hopper would stop me from seeing you. But I shouldn't have lied. I know I already apologized but you know blank makes you crazy. 

El laughs at the remembrance of that night in the store.

And I was telling the truth when I said that you were the most important thing to me in the world. In fact, you still are. I never want anything to happen to you ever again. When you got hurt during the sauna test I got so mad. Mad at myself for not saving you sooner and just standing there while it happened. Thanks for saving me though. I  didn't know what to do when you fell into me so I just wrapped my arms around you.

In the hospital the next day, the smile you gave me was the most beautiful thing ever. I wish I had a camera. And thanks for not ignoring me.

The monster grabbed your leg and dragged you across the floor. I ran faster than I ever have and grabbed your arms. I was terrified of losing you. I'm sorry I just ripped the monster off though. I just couldn't stand that thing hurting you.

In the store, what I was trying to say was that I love you. But being the awkward self I am, couldn't think of the right words.

El laughs and wipes at her eyes.

El, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever met. I love how your brown hair curls in a frizzy way. I like the feel of it between my fingers. Your eyes. Oh my God, your eyes. They're a perfect shade of brown that holds so much warmth even after everything you've been through. You're just beautiful Eleven Hopper. And you better believe you are too.

 You are brave, kind, caring, loving, courageous, beautiful, joyful, and so much more. There isn't enough adjectives out there to describe you. I don't know how such a wonderful person came to like me. After everything you went through, you are still so positive! Your positivity is what keeps me going. You keep me going, El.

When you told me you loved me for the first time, I was frozen in shock. How in the world does El Hopper love me, Mike Wheeler? You deserve so much more than me. I don't deserve you, but I'm never letting you go. Not ever again. 

I know I can be protective and clingy but that's because my worst fear is losing you or something happening to you. You mean so much to me.

When we were twelve, Lucas teased me for the way I talked to you. He said, "You talk to her like this: Oh, Oh, El! I'm Mike! Oh, I love you so much!" I denied it. Then he said, "Why don't you just marry her?" And I made a face at him.

El smiled.

But now it's true. And when we're older, I do want to marry you. If I could have any wish granted it would be to grow old with you. 

I promise to always take care of you. I promise to always be there for you. I promise to love you. I promise that one day I will marry you, if that's okay with you of course. So if you want the same thing as me, find me by my locker after seventh period.

I love you, so much. 

Love, Mike. 

She finishes the letter and folds it back up, slipping it into her pocket of her black designed romper she had gotten with Max last summer. El starts walking to the other side of the building to find Mike by his locker.

----

Mike leans against his locker while he waits for El. He's looking at the ground as he hears his name being choked out of someone's mouth. He barely has time to look up before El flies into his arms and clings to him. She's crying, he notices. Her arms are around his neck so he wraps his around her waist, pulling her closer so there's no space between them. El buries her face in the crook of his neck and he rubs her back up and down. 

Mike lays his head on her shoulder and hugs her tight. He stops rubbing her back and wraps that arm around her waist and rocks them slowly side to side, a habit of when they hug. 

He hears El sniffle and then she pulls away, arms still around him. Mike looks into El's red eyes from crying. She has a hint of a smile played across her face. She moves one of her arms from around his neck and places her hand on his cheek. El caresses his cheekbone with her thumb and Mike just looks at her with a small smile. 

"Don't ever say I don't deserve you." She says quietly and stares him in the eyes. "We deserve each other." 

"Okay." Mike says with a nod. 

"And I do want the same thing as you." El says, a blush creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks. "I want to be with you forever." 

"Okay, I have something for you." Mike pulls a small black box out of his pocket and opens it, revealing a simple- knowing El likes her things simple- silver ring with the words, Promise? Promise. carved into it. "It's a promise ring. A promise that someday, I will marry you."

"Promise." El whispers, tears pooling in her eyes. 

"Do you accept?" Mike asks her and she nods rapidly.

"Did you think I would say no?" She says jokingly as he slides the ring onto her ring finger. 

"Maybe." Mike smiles and pulls her close. 

El smiles and leans her head forward. "I can never say no to you, Mike." She tilts her head up, silently asking him to kiss her. He obliges and presses his lips softly to hers. El presses her lips more onto his, deepening the kiss. 

She pulls away and rests her forehead against his before she whispers, "I love you, so, so much. Words can't even explain." 

"Ditto." Mike whispers  back.

The end.

 This was so cute! I'm fangirling over my own work. 

And, no. I still don't remember what I was gonna write last night.