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Chapter 4

Mike couldn't believe that he had to suddenly consider losing El to someone else. In all the years he had known her, he had taken her getting into a relationship with someone else for granted. He had foolishly thought that it would be the two of them forever.

He kicked himself mentally for not mustering up the courage sooner to tell her how he felt. Although, there was still the great possibility that he could have ruined their friendship in the process. She still might not have felt the same way about him and then nothing would have ever been the same again.

He climbed into the front seat and sighed, shrinking into himself as he tried to find some warmth from the wise man costume that he had stolen from the church.

Part of him really, really wanted El to come after him and ask him what was wrong again. But he knew with his luck, it was too much to ask for a second chance. He sighed and berated himself for being so stupid.

He hated the feeling that it was too late to do anything about the way he felt about El. He knew that he had blown it big time back at the church. It hadn't been the perfect opportunity to tell her how he felt. But maybe it had been as good a time as ever to broach the subject with her.

He just hadn't known what he would have said. Rationality had flown out the window as soon as he had seen her dancing with James.

It was just as well, he didn't have an eloquent enough speech planned to tell her that he loved her. It couldn't be something as simple as saying the words. He'd said them to her before, just as friends. It had to be different this time.

He had to let her know he meant it as something more.

Everything was always easier in films. Everyone always had the right thing to say and it was always almost a guarantee that the guy would get the girl before the credits rolled. Mike released a deep breath, all he wanted was to be the boy in the movie.

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It was almost dark out when El finally came to see him. He rolled down the window and she leaned down to make eye contact with him.

"So, James and I are going to Dustin's party," she said. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"I should really just wait here for the tow truck," Mike replied, resisting the urge to ask her to stay. "I'll be there as soon as possible. . . I have to bring the keg. I can't let Dustin down."

"Yeah. . ." El trailed off, she hesitated like there was something she wanted to say and then shook her head like she had thought better of it. "I'll see you there, Mike."

"See you there," Mike echoed, he watched her trudge off in the snow. He wanted to call out for her to stop but also, telling her right before she was going to a party with someone else felt like there was an air of manipulation to it. He wasn't going to have the worst timing and make her question how valid his feelings really were for her.

So, he let her go even though everything in him protested against it.

Finally,after what seemed like hours, the tow truck finally showed up and pulled him out of the snowbank. The operator told him to be more careful the next time before wishing him a Merry Christmas and driving off.

Mike guessed since he was finally free from snowy entrapment, he had no other choice but to make his way to Dustin's party. He got into the station wagon and started to drive towards Benny's Diner.

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"You missed it!" Dustin exclaimed as Mike tried to wrestle the keg into the diner. "There are cheerleaders. Literal cheerleaders stranded here and they have no clue who I am!"

"They're not any different than the cheerleaders at our school. Plus, I'm pretty sure they can still tell you're a dork," Max said cheerfully as she passed them with a tray of milkshakes. "Hi, Mike!"

"She's in a good mood," Mike observed.

"Yeah, you missed that too. She got back together with Lucas," Dustin replied. It was kind of epic, he came in here and told her that they should really make an effort to be a couple this time around. Lucas mentioned you were going to tell El how you felt. . . how did that go?"

"It didn't go," Mike answered. "I didn't actually get the chance to tell her how I felt. It was kind of difficult with James around all the time."

"Wow. Sucks to be you man, I'm sorry! But you still have time to tell her how you feel. Christmas Eve isn't over yet. Besides, it's not like she has a thing for James. . . at least not that we know about yet. Anyway, I have to go before Benny catches me. Just put the keg down anywhere!"

Mike rolled it over to the counter and got himself a drink even though he didn't really like beer. He figured he would need something stronger than Coke to get himself through the rest of the night.

Besides, it wasn't like he had plans to get drunk. He would probably have to drive everyone home in the snow as it was.

"Mike!" Will said, coming up to him and grinning. "There you are! We've been waiting for you to show up."

"I had a bit of trouble with the station wagon," Mike explained. "I would have been here sooner if I wasn't so afraid to leave it in the snow. . . and that Troy was waiting for me to walk past him so he could pummel me."

Will looked confused. "What?"

"I'll tell you all about it later," Mike promised. "Is El here yet?"

"I haven't seen her," Will answered. "I thought you guys were spending the day together. Isn't that what you normally do on Christmas Eve?"

Mike looked around the room, slightly distracted. "We decided to do something different this year."

"Oh—"

"Wheeler! I've been looking for you!' Troy interrupted as he came up to Mike and Will. "You took my keg!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Mike protested even though he knew it probably wasn't best to lie under the circumstances.

Troy slapped the cup out of his hand and watery beer spilled all over the floor. "Oh yeah? Then what's that?" he challenged.

"What's that?" Mike asked dumbly.

Troy narrowed his eyes. "Stop pretending to be stupid. We all know that's not the case."

"Are you going to punch me? Just go ahead and do it, it'll be the cherry on the cake of an awesome day."

Will paled. "Mike do you have any idea what you're saying?"

Even Troy had the decency to look uncomfortable. "I'm going to let it go just this once. . . don't think you can steal from me again and get away with it though!"

"What was that all about?" Will asked.

Mike shook his head. "It's too loud in here. I'm going to go outside."

"Okay. . ."

Mike went up to the roof, it was a quiet spot where boys and girls usually went when they wanted to be alone. But since it was freezing out, he could count on not being interrupted by couples looking for a spot to make out.

He took a seat on one of the worn-out beach chairs and closed his eyes and for the first time all day, he relished the way the wind nipped at his cheeks.

"Hey!"

Mike opened one eye and saw El staring at him from the doorway. He scrambled to his feet "El! You're here!"

"I told you I would be," El replied, tugging her coat closer around her.

Mike walked to meet her. "El, I have something to tell you."

"Okay."

"Eleanor, I'm in love with you," Mike said, the confession tumbling out of his mouth more easily than he had expected. "Not in the childish kind of way where it's a crush that'll probably disappear in a couple of weeks. I love you in the kind of way where I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Where I want to tell you everything that happens with my day. When I hear something sad, I want to see if it makes you sad and when I hear something happy, I wonder if you'll be happy to. You're usually the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about in the morning. I know it's conventional and we've always said that we don't want to be conventional or settle for what our parents have. But I don't think it would be so bad."

El shrugged. "Maybe conventional isn't so bad. Our parents both still love each other, don't they? I have something to tell you now. I got scared when I realized it was you for me. But it's always been you. Mike, I love you too."

Mike leaned in and kissed her, after a second she kissed him in return. A few seconds later, her hands wound around his neck and she stood on her tip-toes to get better access to his mouth.

He pulled away. "Can I ask you a question? Do you mind if we still hang out with James Dante sometimes? I kind of like him now."

El laughed and nodded. "Now can I ask you a question. What are you wearing?"

"I'm one of the wise men," Mike replied like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

El rolled her eyes and kissed him again.

Mike decided this was the best Christmas present he could have asked for.

The End

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Author's Note:

I hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas day and that you got everything you asked for. I told you that I'd have this chapter finished sooner than later. I hope you enjoyed this last chapter. I know this story was rushed, it was all my fault. I think I might have something up my sleeve for New Year's but I'm not making any promises. If you're so inclined, leave a review on this chapter please! I'll be back with more soon.

Until Next Time!

Love,
Holly, 12/28/2019