𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 ; 𝘉𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘳

𝟏𝟗.𝟓.

Woodlake High | Thur 4:08 PM
Will Byers
(Interlude)

After relentless practicing and taking ice baths the entire week, it was finally time for Will to try out for cheerleading. He hadn't wanted anything this bad in a while and loved the adrenaline pumping through his veins with every movement. Persevering through every time he vomited from overworking himself, through every aching muscle begging for him to stop, through every food craving he had that could mess up all his hard work.

However, there was always one thing that would stop him in the end. A mix of the deep feeling of shame in his chest and his doubtful, overthinking mind was his nerves. Which he'd been able to push down up until he was right in front of the gymnasium doors.

Jonah and Ashleigh let him know right away that one of the more important requirements he needed to have to be on the team was being able to excite the football players. Since that's who he was cheering for and all.

His subconscious kept telling him it wasn't a good idea. That the guys would never ever consider a guy to be on the team. He'd get booed at and called all the slurs in the book before he even started. Jocks and Will just never mixed.

He was so close turning around and giving up, wasting his and everyone else's turn, when a sweet voice with a southern accent gave him the encouragement he needed.

I'm rooting for you, Will. You can do this!

"They won't like it...they'll think I'm—"

But you are! And they won't care, the captains a lesbian. Everyone will love you. And I'm sure Trice would agree.

"Where are they? Trice could just front and I'd be fine!"

Trice wasn't the one who worked his butt off all week! Only you can do this! So don't mess it up and just walk inside! I'll talk you through it.

Jacob's words succeeded in making him slightly calmer, and he obeyed, entering the wide gym and being greeted with girls of all sizes and races stretching by the side of the bleacher. That was one thing he didn't take into account. The fact that he wasn't the only one who wanted to tryout.

"Will, oh my god!" said Megan, the girl running up to him and engulfing him with a hug. "You've got it going on, boy!"

This new bold version of himself decided to borrow one of the cheerleading skirts and wear fake eyelashes for the first time. Really accentuating the feminine features of his body. Figuring that maybe he could trick the guys into thinking he was one of the girls too.

"Thanks. When do I go?"

"Go to the table Ash and Jonah are sitting at and get a number. When they call your number, it's your turn."

Seems simple enough. After he got his sticker with #20 in bold letters on it, he sat down in the bleachers facing towards the performances. In the seats above and to the right of him were the jocks. They sat huddled around each other, some of the boys playing with each other's hair and nearly sleeping while the girl below performed. She obviously wasn't getting them riled up enough, and Will couldn't see why.

She was short but grabbed his attention with her sharp and precise dancing, her face scrunched up like she was having an argument. Maybe she was too aggressive for them? But even then, most cheerleaders he's seen were on purpose. Hawkins cheerleaders specialized in cheering that would make the average girl have a heart attack, that's why it was so hard to make the team. If you didn't have stamina and good breath control, you wouldn't even make it in the door.