byler oneshots

21 - freak

*winter of freshman year*
*mike and will are NOT together*
*will pov*

I feel a piece of balled up paper hit the back of my head and fall onto the floor, and I turn around to see Troy laughing and nudging his friends shoulder as he watches me pick it up. I can feel Mike's eyes on me, but I ignore it and unfold the piece of paper.

You're such an ugly, queer, freak. We all wish you would have really died a few years ago.

I read the messy hand writing as tears fill up my eyes.

"Miss, can I use the bathroom?" I ask the teacher. She nods in response and I quickly get up, grabbing my bag and running out of the room.

I pull the straps of my backpack over my shoulders and walk quickly down the hallway, tears streaming down my face as I squeeze the piece of paper in my hand. I storm through the doors and find my bike, unlocking it and riding it all the way back to my house.

When I finally get there, my moms car isn't in the driveway which means she's at work, and Jonathan is obviously at school, so I'm alone. Tears are still running down my face as I run into my room and slam the door, collapsing into my bed and throwing the piece of paper across the room where the door is.

I lay there for a little while until I see the sun start to set, and just as beautiful colors are filling the sky, I hear a knock on the door. I jump up and fix my hair before running to the door.

When I swing it open, I see Mike standing in front of me, breathing heavy with his bike leaning against the house. I can feel my cheeks turn red and my heart start to flutter just at the sight of him.

"Hi." he says, panting.

"Hi?" I say, more as a question than a statement.

"I biked here as soon as school ended so that I could check on you. You ran out of class and I didn't see you after that, so I just wanted to make sure you were okay." he says. I let him into the house and lead him to my room where he accidentally kicks the note from Troy. He cautiously picks it up, but I don't stop him.

I can see his eyes widen and his fists tighten as he reads it before balling it up and throwing it into the trash can by my desk.

"Will, I'm so sorry." he says, sitting on my bed next to me.

"It's fine." I reassure.

"It's not! It's not fine! He has treated you so bad for the last few years and I'm tired of him making you feel bad. Nothing he says is true." he says sternly.

"I try to tell myself that...but sometimes I feel like what he says is true. Maybe I am just a freak." I say, tears running down my face again.

"Will, stop. You're not a freak." he says, placing his hand on my leg. I can feel my heart skip a beat as I do my best to wipe my tears away.

"Don't believe anything that he says. Honestly, you're the smartest, sweetest...cutest guy I know." he says, a shiver traveling down my spine. Cutest?

"Thanks, Mike." I say shyly.

"I mean it. I mean every word." he says. I stand up and he does the same, wrapping his arms around my waist as I wrap mine around his neck.

"I really like you." I say, immediately regretting my words as he leans away from me.

"Y - you do?" he stutters.

"Yeah, I do. I have for a while." I say, staring at my feet.

"Please don't tell anyone, but I really, really like you too." he says, wrapping me back in his arms.

After a few more seconds, I lay down in my bed and he does the same, me pressing my body into his as he kisses the back of my head softly.