“I’ll be Watching You”
Dustin poured out a glass of water for himself and sat next to Robin, who was enjoying a P&P sandwich.
“Hey, Robbinnn~” Dustin hummed.
Robin paused and lowered her sandwich. “Henderson,” she replied.
Dustin patted his lap. “I have a question.”
Robin looked at Dustin, she was curious. “Shoot away, dude.”
“Uh- Do you like Steve? Not like as a friend…” Dustin paused, “Romantically?”
Robin opened her mouth slightly with shock. “Well,” she started, “I am… not interested in Steve like that.” She messed with the sandwiches bread. Robin looked around anxiously before setting her sandwich down on a small table. She placed her hand on Dustin’s shoulder, grippinging it. “You have to promise me to tell no one, alright?”
“Uh,” Dustin looked around, “yeah sure,” he shrugged, confused and a little shocked.
Robin sighed. “Alright, Dustin…” Robin hesitated. “I like… uh… girls.” Robin paused, loosening her grip on Dustin before tightening it again. “If you tell anyone I swear to God I-”
Dustin raised his hands. “Nope, nope, I won’t!”
Roben let go of Dustin’s shoulder and the two sat in silence.
“Does Steve know?” Dustin asked.
“What? Oh- yeah, he’s known for a while,” Robin said awkwardly.
Dustin bit his cheek and nodded slightly. “Yeah,” he said, making a slight hand gesture. “I mean- that’s fine. It makes so much more sense that he’s still single.”
“Steve always goes after the wrong girls,” Robin laughed gently.
Dustin nodded, smiling. “Maybe he’ll find one that isn’t Nancy,” Dustin said with a joking tone, but hopeful.
“Yeah, hopefully,” Robin replied, picking up her sandwich.
“Thanks for being there for him,” Dustin smiled.
“Thanks to you and Nancy for knocking sense into him, whether it was purposeful or not,” Robin replied with a serious expression that held some humour in it.
At the Wheeler’s House: In Mike’s Room
Mike sat at his desk and Jane sat on the end of Mike’s bed. The room was shady.
Jane looked at the floor. “Mike,” she hesitated. Mike looked at Jane. “We need to talk about it.”
“About what?” Mike asked, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.
“About us.”
“What’s there to say?”
“I don’t understand, Mike.” Jane repositioned herself on Mike's bed. “You don’t love me. Why can’t you just tell m-”
Mike quickly looked at Jane. “That’s a complete lie! El, I-”
“Don’t lie to me,” Jane said, tearing up.
“Friends don’t lie!” Mike said frantically.
“Boyfriends do.”
“What- No- El-”
“Mike.” Mike paused, looking at Jane. “I want to be your friend.”
“We are friends.”
“No, just friends,” she reiterated.
“No, no, El-”
“Mike, stop.” Jane brushed back her hair. “You can’t love me like how you want to. And you call me El. Eleven. I am not a superhero, Mike.”
“No, you are- you saved Hawkins!”
“No, we saved Hawkins.” Jane sat still for a minute. “You… you only see me as a superhero. You see me as someone who is above you.” Jane stood up and placed her hand on Mike’s hand. Mike doesn’t bat an eye. “I am not, Mike. I am just different.”
Mike stared at Jane in silence, unsure how to respond.
Jane wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m Jane now, Mike.” Jane frowned. “I am…” Jane paused, looking for the right words. “I am not the same girl you found in the woods. I am not Eleven anymore, I am not a number.”
Mike opened his mouth, not saying anything for a few seconds. “El- Jane, I’m sorry.”
Jane gave Mike a weak smile. “Mike, I love you.”
Mike looked at Jane, inspecting her face. He returned her weak smile. “I love you too.”
Mike stood up and hugged Jane, who returned it quickly. The sun casts a warm ray on Mike’s room.
“Uh…” Mike backed up and looked awkwardly at a wall. “So, how do we tell people?”
“If they ask,” Jane replied, giggling.
They both paused.
“Mike?”
“Yeah, uh- Jane?”
“I will root for you.”
“What?”
Jane smiled at Mike and then left his room, leaving Mike completely confused.
Jane walked out and gently closed the door. Holly was standing by the door, staring at Jane.
“Hey, Holly,” Jane waved.
Holly smiled and waved back.