Chapter Text
Max slowly opened her eyes to hear the sounds of a dog barking outside. She slowly rose up out of bed and walked to the refrigerator to get some food. On the fridge door, she noticed a note and pulled it off. It read, “I had to take an extra shift, I hope to be back by 10pm.” Max tossed the note in the trash and sat down at the table to eat her breakfast. Once she finished, Max got up and started walking to her room when the phone rang. She stopped in her tracks and changed direction to the phone and picked it up.
“Mayfield residence.”
“Max!” El said on the other end.
“El, how are you?”
“Great, but I was wondering if you were busy today?”
“My mom took an extra shift so she won’t be home until ten tonight so I'm free until then.”
“You should come over for Thanksgiving!” El suggested.
“Really! Are your parents okay with that?”
“Of course, they love you.”
“Anyone else gonna be there?”
“Nope, just us and my family.”
“That’ll be nice, what time should I go over?”
“Once I hang up my dad and I are gonna come right over to get you.”
“I’m still in my pajamas though.”
“How about thirty minutes?”
“Yeah, that works.”
“Okay, see you then!” With that El hung up and Max went to her room to get ready. Max settled on a white button up shirt with black pants. She really liked her outfit and hoped that El would too. She flopped on her bed and impatiently waited for El to pick her up. When Max heard a knock on her door she sat up and ran to her door.
“Ready?” El asked.
“Yeah!” Max walked out and closed the door behind her. El grabbed her hand and walked Max to her car.
They arrived at the Byers’ house and once Max walked in she was greeted by the smell of Thanksgiving dinner being made.
“Max, how are you sweetie,” Joyce asked when she walked in.
“Great, the food smells amazing,” Max replied.
“Oh you’re too kind. You did just arrive in time for the second half of the Thanksgiving parade. Will’s in the living room watching right now.”
“Thanks Mrs. Byers.” Max took El’s hand and walked into the living room to greet Will. “Hey loser,” Max teased.
“Not you again,” Will jokingly groaned. “You two better keep it PG in here.”
“Will!” El said with her face going red. Will just laughed in response.
“Why don’t we sit down?” Max suggested. El nodded. Max took her hand and pulled El to the couch, sitting down and El laying on her lap. Max took El’s hair in her hands and started playing with it. While watching, the three of them made comments anytime they saw a balloon they liked or when they saw someone doing something funny in the crowd. At the end of the parade, the three of them shouted in unison, “Santa!” Then the three of them looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“My stomach hurts,” Will said from the floor. This made El laugh even harder and she proceeded to fall on the floor.
“Owww,” El groaned.
“El, are you okay?” Max said while trying to catch her breath.
“Yeah, I'll shake it off.” While Max was helping El, Will’s voice screeched throughout the house. “Jonathan, it’s on!” Within seconds, Jonathan was on the floor right next to Will, staring at the tv. “Wait, what’s going on?”
“The Peanuts Thanksgiving special. Both of them love the Peanuts.” El said as she took a spot next to Jonathan.
“I assumed they roped you into the love of Peanuts.”
“Yeah, come here,” El said as she patted the spot next to her. Max walked over and sat down next to her. For the next thirty minutes the four teens sat around the tv, engrossed in the cartoon that brought them so much comfort. When it ended, Jonathan got up and looked at Max.
“You’re here.” The three younger teens all broke out into laughter again. Jonathan just shook his head and walked away.
A few hours later, dinner was finally ready. Everyone sat around the table and started grabbing the food they wanted. Max heard someone say, “Can you pass the mashed potatoes,” but she couldn’t hear who it was so she just grabbed the potatoes until someone grabbed them from her. Around ten minutes later, everyone had gotten their food on their plates so Joyce spoke up. “I think it’s time to go around and say what we’re thankful for, I'll go first. I’m thankful for all of the people at this table, family and not.” Joyce said.
“I’ll go next. I’m thankful for my family and how great my job has been this year,” Hopper said. “I’m thankful for my family and how good my grades have been this year,” Jonathan said.
“I’m thankful that this is our first full Thanksgiving as a family,” Will said.
“I’m thankful for everyone at this table,” El said as she squeezed Max’s hand.
“I’m thankful that you guys invited me for Thanksgiving, it means a lot to me, more than you can think,” Max said.
“Oh honey, we all love you and wouldn’t want it any other way,” Joyce replied.
“Yeah, you’re family at this point,” Will chimed in.
“Max, all of us want you here,” El added.
“Well that was sweet and all, but I'm getting kinda hungry,” Hopper put in. Everyone at the table laughed and started eating. Max was surrounded by people who cared about her, but also, she was with El, and that’s the only person she’d ever need.