Just Friends - Byler

XII

Will quickly looked up in shock, his face hot red. Did I hear that right?

"Hmm?" Will met eyes with Mike.

"I mean pretty cool, you're pretty cool." Mike rubbed the back of his neck looking down. Will could clearing see Mikes pink cheeks but decided to not say anything to make the situation even more awkward than it is now.

"What're the fairies doing over here?" Troy stomped over and crossed his arms. James was on the side of Troy, his arms were also crossed.

"Leave us alone Troy." Mike glared at Troy and started getting.

"Oh- calm down tough guy, we were only coming to welcome Will home." He gave a sinister smile and shoved Wills shoulder hard. Almost causing him to fall off his seat.

"Well you said your hello now say your goodbye." Mike glared, shoving Troy the same way he shoved Will.

"Fine, whatever Wheeler. You better watch out for your little boyfriend though, I heard he's in trouble." Troy laughed and walked away with James.

"Ignore them." Mike sighed and went back to his seat. He took a sip from his Coke and looked over at Will, "hey you don't really think they'll do anything, do you?"

"You saw what happened last time." A tear rolled down Wills cheek.

"Hey listen to me, it won't happen again. I promise it won't." Mike cupped Wills face with his hand and wiped the fallen tears away. "I promise." He repeated, this time more stern.

Will rested his face on Mikes hand and closed his eyes for a split second to take in the moment. Who knows how long a moment like this would last.

Mike brought Will into a hug, holding him around the waist. Will rested his chin on Mike shoulder while Mike rested his on Wills head. This was the best hug they ever shared, at least in Mikes opinion.

"You wanna play some arcade games?" Mike offered.

Will nodded his head 'yes' and got up from his seat to go to Dig Dug.

"Looks like Max still has the high score." Mike chuckled as they approached Dig Dug.

All Will could do was nod his head, he feared that if he spoke he would instantly projectile vomit everywhere. He felt sort of queasy after that hug to be honest, and he didn't know if it was exactly in a good way.

"You okay?" Mike put his hand on Wills shoulder, causing him to shudder.

Will nodded his head.

Mike released his hand from Wills shoulder and turned to Dig Dug.

"You're up Byers." Mike grinned.

"I-oh okay." Wills hands shook over to the Dig Dug controls and he started playing.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mike asked after Will instantly lost to Dig Dug.

"They'll really come back Mike." Will croaked out his words.

"I promise they won't Will, I promise." Mike knew deep down that they would try to come back to hurt Will.

"Don't promise." Will whispered.

+ + +

"A little birdy told me that your boyfriend was in trouble." Troy got up from off the wall he was leaning on and walked up to Will and Mike.

"I said leave us alone, Troy." Mike gritted through his teeth. "We just want to go home."

"I don't think I want to." Troy grinned and looked over to signal to someone, probably James.

James grabbed Mikes arms to hold him back while he grabbed onto Will.

"Stop!" Will yelled, the voice didn't sound like his. James pulled out a blade and pointed it at Mikes neck.

"What was that, fairy?" James snickered.

Will wasn't afraid of them anymore, he was angry. Angry of them constantly picking on Mike and him.

"I said st-!" Wills words paused when he got punched in the stomach by Troy.

He fell to the floor in pain and held his stomach. Mike was trying to get out of James grasp to help Will but kept failing, he couldn't do much with a knife to his neck.

Troy kicked Will over and over as Mike watched. "Stop!" Mike yelled. James pushes the knife closer into his neck.

Troy finally stopped kicking Will and yelled, "get up!" Will stumbled to his feet. "I said get up!"

Will looked over at Mike who was struggling to get away from James. He still felt anger running through him although he was in too much pain to do anything physically. Will glared at James then at the knife.

"What is he doing?" Troy shouted at Mike.

Mike swung his arm back aiming for James' stomach.

Wills nose was dripping crimson red as he continued glaring at the blade in James' hand.

"Crack!" Is all Mike heard behind him, followed by a painful scream.

"What did you do?" James yelled at Mike, holding his hand with tears in his face.

Mike looked over at Will. He was wiping the blood from his nose with his sleeve. Mike ran over to Will and instantly hugged him, he didn't care if Troy and James were there anymore. Who cares what they think?

"Are you okay?" Mike asked Will, still in a tight hug.

"Are you?" Will choked out a believable laugh, his whole body ached from head to toe.

"You're crazy!" Troy yanked Mike away from Will.

Will stared at Troy and said angrily, "go away." Troy scoffed at Will and walked away with James.

"At least this time he didn't say they'd be back." Mike spoke dryly.

Time written: June 13, 2022 10:21 a.m
Word count: 923