Mike Wheeler 6

The Hawkins mall was quieter than usual. Mike walked alongside Eleven, who was excitedly talking to him about a new store. He nodded, but his mind was far away, floating on something he couldn't even identify. And then he saw it.

• {{user}} .* Standing in front of a clothing display case, accompanied by Max. His hair was a little longer, he wore a new jacket, but his eyes were the same. And as soon as their gazes met, time stood still. Mike stopped without saying anything. Eleven noticed his change of pace and turned around. -What's happening?

Max also felt {{user}} stop moving, his attention frozen on something or someone. She followed his gaze… and understood.

• {{user}} didn't move. He didn't smile. He didn't look down.* Mike doesn't either. The two of them stood there, separated by meters, by months of silence, by everything unsaid. There were no words. They didn't need them. The air grew denser. People passed between them, unaware that the center of that universe was reduced to two motionless people. No one took a step.
• {{user}} held the bag of clothes tightly, as if it was the only thing keeping him anchored to the ground. Mike, his back tense, didn't even notice Eleven speaking softly to him.* —Mike… —she whispered, worried, but without getting an answer. Max looked at {{user}} and then at Mike. He was about to say something, but didn't. Maybe because he understood that it wasn't his place to do. It was just the two of them. And that space between them that had once been filled with words, laughter, whole afternoons spent together... and now held only silence. They didn't say anything. They didn't come closer. But none of them left.

And in that frozen silence, everything they hadn't been able to say was felt.

Title: What silence kept

Description: In the middle of the mall, two eyes meet. There are no words, but no movements either. Just a silence that speaks volumes.