Since 6th Grade ~ Byler

The Time Before

Will and Mike were unaware of it but they were both doing the same thing.
They were trying everything they owned on and trying to think if it would make the other boy like him.
Both boys knew they were being insane, Will thinking that mike had a girlfriend and Mike thinking that Will was straight.
Both boys were wrong of course.

Will was slightly worried that mike might notice he liked him after Dustin told him that it was clear, Will decided to brush off this worry as there was nothing he could do about it.
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Suddenly Mike realised what he was thinking, was he. Mike Wheeler, the straight boy, trying to dress in a way that might get Will Byers to like him.
He sat down on his bed and processed the thought, Mike knew he wasn't gay because he liked girls, but he couldn't say he was straight either, was it even possible to like both genders.
Mike checked the time, it was 1:00 pm he wasn't supposed to be at Wills until 8 o'clock. He sighed realising that Dustin and Lucas were out somewhere together.
How was he going to wait that long to see will, he couldn't just sit there and question his sexually for 7 hours. Could he?
(Authors note- you can, Ive done it before lol)
He would usually go and see El when he was in this situation but, as he was avoiding her, He also couldn't couldn't go see Max because she would be mad at him for breaking up with El in the way he did
In the end mike decided to go to the shopping centre and see Steve. He could usually persuade Steve to give him some free ice cream if he tried hard enough.
He thought he could talk to Steve to get a few things off his chest as, the only person he had talked to about the fact he was questioning his sexually was Steve. They were like brothers. Alough he trusted Steve he made him swear not to tell anyone about him questioning, mainly because he was just scared.
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Will had less of a problem waiting for mike. Will was lucky because he hadn't broken up with Max's best friend so, they were still on speaking terms, max had told Will that she was bisexual so she seemed like the next obvious person to tell that he was gay. He wasn't as scared this time as he knew Max would be supportive and accepting, he just felt the need to tell her as he was the second person Max told, she should be the second person he told.
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When Mike arrived at scoops ahoy he heard a older girl shout "HEY DINGUS ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR WEIRD CHILDREN ARE HERE"
Steve ran out and hugged mike. They sat down and talked for a bit, then randomly and out of the blue mike asked Steve if he had told anyone that he said that he was questioning.
Steve's face fell. "YOU HAVE! I TRUSTED YOU, I THOUGHT YOU CARED," Mike made to storm out of the small ice cream shop but the rude seeming girl from the counter stopped him. "Please wait outside one for sec," she said calmly.
After about a minute she came out to talk to the young boy, "let's go and sit over there." She stered mike over to a bench in a quiet part of the mall and looked mike in the eye.
"It's my fault he told someone," she said quietly.
Mike looked up confused and asked her what she ment.
The girl, Robbin explained to the raven haired boy what had happened, she told him that she wanted to tell Steve something but, first she asked if anyone had ever come out to him before, she told mike that Steve said that someone had told him that they were questioning their sexually and that Steve was very careful not to name mike or even tell her if he was a boy or a girl.
Robbin told mike that she continually questioned him on who it was and by yesterday I had narrowed it down to you or that other kid that you hangs around with "Will I think his name is."
Mike guessed the rest, he guessed that after mikes sudden outburst it was obvious that it was him.
"So, you know" said Mike nervously.
"Yes replied Robbin calmly, "I haven't finished my story yet; Robbin told mike that after she knew Steve was ok with people being gay she proceeded to tell Steve that she, was a lesbian.
Robbin took a deep breath.
"Steve was really accepting and and supportive, I honestly diddnt expect it," Robbin exclaimed "he was the first person I told, then you."

"Do you want to talk?" Robbin asked mike calmly.
"Yes, yes I really do but I think I owe Steve an apology first."
Robbin smiled and indicated for mike to go, once mikes back was turned she took a deep breath and smiled.
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Will was sitting in the living room waiting for Max to arrive, he planned to walk with her to avoid his brother or mom finding out he was gay. He did want to tell them, just not yet. Suddenly there was a loud nock on the door followed by a girls voice shouting,"WILL I'M HERE!" Will jumped up to answer the door. "Hi Max, give me one minute I'll go grab my coat."
Will and Max started to walk in no particular direction, there was light conversation but Max was starting to get impatient. "What did you want to tell me, Will?"
"Umm" said Will the same feeling he had on the way to Dustins house slowly came back, he told himself the only way to get rid of that feeling was to tell max. There was a voice at the back of his head telling him to tell her and that she had to be accepting, with her being bi and all, but there was also another voice telling him that Max was extremely talkative and open. What if she told the others before will as ready?
Will silenced the voices and decided to go for it, "M-Max I'm gay."
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Mike rushed into Scoops Ahoy eager to quickly apologise to Steve, Mike was glad that he had found a friend like just him, a friend who might be able to tell him what he was feeling.
He quickly ran up to the counter where Steve was serving ice cream. "Hi Steve, I came to apologise. I shouldn't have got angry with you before you even told me what happened, I'm glad Robbin found out it means I can talk to someone who knows what I'm going through." Mike waited for the reply.
"No Mike, I'm the one who should be apologising...I outed you. I promise I tried so hard not to, but it's Robbin, she has a way of getting anything out of you."
The boys hugged, "have you talked to Robin yet or do you want to go now?" Steve asked quietly.
"No I haven't talked with her get I'll go now"replied the smaller boy. "STEVE, THANK YOU!" Shouted Mike was he speed walked over to were Robbin was sitting.
"Hi"
"Hi"
There was an awkward silence between the two. "So, how have you been feeling?"said Robbin breaking the silence.
"I-I don't really know, I just broke up with  my girlfriend for a straight boy who I have no chance with, witch means I like a boy. That would usually make someone gay, wouldn't it?" Robbin shook her head, Mike was confused but he decided just to continue. "But I know I'm not gay because I had feelings for Jane. It's not normal to like boys and girls is it?" Mike blurted out hardly stopping between words. Tears started to well up in his eyes.
"Yes it is fucking normal, it's completely normal and you don't need to get upset about it. It's called bisexual, bi for short" Robbin told mike comfortingly, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Mike felt a strange feeling, it was a mix of relief and fear. He was relieved, happy that he was normal, not some weird kind of gay freak. There was a word for how he felt.
He also felt scared, he would have to come out, worst of all most people wouldn't know what bisexual even was.
"Thank you Robbin, I don't know what i would have done without you, how can I ever repay you?"
"There is one way..."
Mike frowned at Robbin.
"You could let me help you get the boy" said Robbin, exited.
"I would love for that," said Mike, "but there's a problem, I'm 99% sure he's straight, he is my best friend so he would have told me otherwise, wouldn't he?"
"Your not straight and you haven't told him yet, for all you know he could be in the same situation. When are you seeing him next?"Robbin replied.
Mike explained that he as seeing Will tonight, for a sleepover. As soon as mike said sleepover he relised something, "SLEEPOVER! I HAVE TO GO NOW IM GOING TO BE LATE!" Mike ran away."
"MIKE WAIT," Robbin caught up with Mike, tell him, tell him how you feel, tell him that you are bi and explain what it means."
Mike nodded and ran outside just in time to catch the bus.

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Sorry i promised a byler moment this chapter it ended up being longer than I expected.
The next chapter will be shorter, then I will do a longer chapter about the sleepover.
Left it on a cliffhanger with wills story!
Don't forget to vote!!!
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Question:
If I were to change the title of this book what would it be?
(Comment your answers!)
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1653 words
Chapter 3
The Time Before