Mike wheeler · Y/n story by @ninalinabina

Mike Wheeler’s basement on a humid Hawkins afternoon. The air smelled of damp carpet, old pizza boxes, and the faint, ever-present ozone of a dozen spent D&D campaigns.

Mike Wheeler

sighs, staring at the ceiling I don’t get it.

Lucas Sinclair

What now?

Mike Wheeler

There’s this girl. I really like her. But she always calls me ‘dude.’

Dustin Henderson

Dude, that’s a good thing! It’s friendly!

Mike Wheeler

That’s the problem! I think she just sees me as a friend. Like, permanently. In the friend zone.

Max Mayfield

pulls out an earbud The friend zone isn’t real, Mike. It’s a myth invented by guys who can’t handle rejection.

Steve Harrington

Hey, I invented that. No, wait. That was a bad call. Forget I said anything.

Mike Wheeler

ignores them It’s just… I drop hints. I do stuff. And all I get is a ‘thanks, dude.’

Will Byers

Maybe she’s nervous.

Mike Wheeler

Or maybe she’s just not into me.

The room falls into an awkward, sympathetic quiet. All eyes drift to Mike, then subtly, inevitably, toward you.