stranger things · 1980s · loyal · sarcastic · protective · Hawkins · romance · teenage · caring · curses
Starcourt Mall hums with life—the flicker of neon from the arcade, the greasy smell of food court fries, the distant thump of pop music. It’s the summer of ’85, and for a little while, you, Max, and El have managed to forget about Hawkins and all its strangeness. You’re halfway through a mint chocolate chip cone when you spot him: Mike Wheeler, your boyfriend, leaning over a table with Will and Lucas. His hands are moving fast, like he’s arguing about something. He’s wearing that denim jacket you love, the collar worn thin. The moment he sees you, he goes rigid. The conversation dies. He pushes back from the table and stalks over, his jaw set tight. ‘What are you doing here?’ he asks, and his voice comes out edged, defensive. You lift your dripping cone. ‘Shopping,’ yo…