Chapter Text
October 1st
“It’ll be a fun way to make some extra cash for college he says!” Max throws Mike’s words back at him with no shortage of finely honed sarcasm and righteous venom.
Even though Mike can’t really see the look she’s giving him in his peripheral vision- because he’s keeping his eyes on the road like the very responsible driver he is- he’s seen her angry face enough times to picture it just fine.
“Okay, well how was I supposed to know? It seemed like a good idea!” Mike defends, holding up one hand defensively while the other holds the wheel steady.
The two of them had taken seasonal jobs at a local farm that does a haunted corn maze along with other fall-themed festivities. Hay rides, apple bobbing, a Ferris wheel Mike doesn’t remotely trust. The works. It’s a whole production exclusively for the month of October. It’s a pretty big deal in Hawkins, considering there’s usually nothing to do. Pretty much everyone in town goes every year at least once, and Mike’s family is no exception. He has a ton of memories of his mom bringing him and Nancy here as kids. Them arguing over whether or not the other was cheating at throw the ring around the scarecrow. He remembers the year Nancy decided she was too grown up to go with her mom and wanted to go with just her friend Barb instead. So Mike got to go with his best friend Lucas’ family. The two of them were granted permission to go off by themselves and had the time of their lives chomping on candy apples and running through the maze again and again until they could call out each jump scare before it happened. He remembers bringing Holly there to try and distract her the year his parents were finalizing their divorce. She hadn’t smiled in weeks but Mike shrieking like a five year old when a teen dressed as a vampire popped out of a prop coffin finally did the trick.
When Mike saw they were looking for some part-time help this year he applied immediately. He pestered his friends to do so as well. Lucas had shot the idea down quickly, already having a job as he was the (self appointed) responsible one in their friend group. It’s not the loftiest title considering their friend group consists of three people.
“A kid threw up on my shoes, Wheeler. On the first night." The third member of said group huffs. Mike spares a quick glance over to see her slouching down in the passenger seat with her arms firmly crossed. He represses a grin so Max doesn’t reach across the car and smack him, vehicle safety protocol be damned. “Yeah, that was unfortunate.” Mike admits.
A measly four hours into the job, clad in a creepy clown costume, she had jumped around a corner terrifying a kid who had apparently had way too much cotton candy and a weak stomach. Mike had been grateful for the first time that night that he had been assigned a costume with a mask so his amusement at his friend's horrible predicament was concealed.
“Unfortunate?” Max scoffs. “Tell me why I shouldn’t just quit right now.” She stares Mike down, waiting for him to meet her challenge.
He shifts his hands anxiously on the wheel. “The odds of a kid puking on your shoes again are like, really low. Really low. Plus, you’re broke.”
Max grunts, then says reluctantly. “Fine. I’ll consider it. If you wash my shoes.”
“No way.” Mike says, scrunching up his nose. “Those things are a lost cause. But think about it this way, if you quit now and a kid throws up on me you won’t be there to laugh at me.
Max sighs. “You make a really compelling argument. I’ll stay. But if something equally gross or embarrassing doesn’t happen to you by the end of this I’ll be requiring compensation.”
“What kind of compensation?” Mike asks suspiciously.
Max is quiet for a minute while she thinks, giving Mike ample time to ponder the horrific things she may come up with. At last she says in an obnoxiously pleased with herself tone, “I get to pick our Halloween costumes this year. No arguments.”
“No way!” Mike cries. “You’ll just pick something to make me look stupid. Besides, what about Lucas? You can’t just eliminate his vote too.”
“Lucas will go with whatever I choose and you know it.” Max scoffs.
Mike groans. He does know it. He’s lost no small number of arguments over the years after Max declared “Let’s put it to a vote.” Then turned her ‘you do not want to mess with me’ stare on Lucas. A look that worked 100% of the time on Lucas and 0% of the time on Mike for reasons beginning with Lucas being head over heels, madly and ridiculously in love with her, and ending with Mike having a very poor instinct for self preservation.
“C’mon Mike.” Max chides, reaching across the center console to nudge his shoulder. “It’s a whole month. Something horribly embarrassing will happen to you, it’s practically a guarantee. This is just.. insurance.”
Mike sighs as he puts the car in park in her driveway. She’s right, unfortunately. Embarrassing things happen to him almost daily, far too often because of his own poorly thought out actions and general awkward demeaner. Max makes no move to get out of his car, waiting for a response.
“Fine.” He says at last. When she starts to grin he quickly adds. “But only because our voting system is pathetically rigged as it is. I’ve got to find a group of friends that isn’t just a totally obnoxious love-sick couple.”
Max swings open her door. “A whole group? That’s a little ambitious Wheeler. Maybe aim for one other socially challenged nerd friend to start. Play to your strengths.”
“Ha-ha.” Mike retorts dryly. “I became friends with you didn’t I?”
“Because I became friends with Lucas.” She argues while climbing out of the car.
“Who I was friends with first!”
“Exactly.” Max states. She’s outside the car now, and turns back to finish her statement, one hand on the edge of the door. “You found one kindred spirit, so I’m sure you can find a third socially challenged nerd. I believe in you Wheeler!”
“I’m telling him you said that!” Mike raises his voice to be heard over the slamming of the car door as Max backs away, grinning smugly. But he knows the threat is meaningless to her. She’s never hesitated to make fun of either of their lack of social prowess to their faces.
He flips her off and she promptly returns the gesture. “Screw you, Mayfield.” he mutters exasperatedly as she turns and heads towards her front door and Mike sits in the driveway waiting to pull out until she’s safely in the house.