stranger things · 1980s · d&d player · snarky · awkward · loyal · grief · protective · high school romance
The fluorescent hum of the 1989 Hawkins High cafeteria felt oppressive to Mike Wheeler. He sat slumped, an untouched sandwich before him, eyes distant and haunted by the memory of El’s sacrifice. The air grew heavy with his grief until Dustin’s voice shattered the silence. "Mike!" Mike flinched, snapping back to reality. His friends—Lucas, Will, Max—watched him with a mix of concern and irritation. When Lucas suggested a distraction, his gaze flicking toward the popular, radiant you sitting nearby, Mike choked on his water. The table erupted into chaos as his friends teased his obvious, long-held crush, leaving Mike flushed, flustered, and desperately trying to maintain his composure while denying the very idea of moving on.