byler oneshots

57 - the painting

•they are together•
•will pov•

My paint brush glides across the smooth, white canvas, adding the last details. I smile when I think about how happy Mike will be when he sees it. Just as I finish up and write a little note on the back, the phone rings. I run and pick it up, static filling the line.

"Hello?" I ask into the phone.

"Hey Will. Can I just come over now? I need to talk to you." he says, his voice cold and shaky. I can feel my heart rate speed up in a matter of seconds.

"Sure. See you soon." I say, slamming the phone on the wall.

What did I do?

Is he mad at me?

He never talks to me like that?

Are we over?

A million thoughts travel through my mind as my whole body begins to shake and my stomach starts to churn. I start to take deep breaths like Jonathan taught me, counting backwards from one hundred by threes as I feel myself calm down.

I listen to music before finally hearing a knock on the door, a lump forming in my throat as I walk and open the door.

"Hey." I say awkwardly, my voice weak.

"Hey. Can we talk out here?" he asks.

"Nobody's home. Come in." I say sternly, moving out of the way for him to come in. He nods his head, walking past me and into the dining room. I shut the door behind him, and we just stand there for a while in silence.

"What's wrong?" I ask, annoyed and impatient.

"I can't do this anymore." he says, meeting my gaze.

"What?" I ask harshly.

"Did Dustin dare you to do this because I swear to god..." I say, but he cuts me off.

"It's not a dare." he says, tears now filling my eyes.

"Then why?" I cry squeakily.

"I'm tired of having to keep my relationship a secret. Maybe we can date one day when it's more normal, but not now." he says, tears now streaming down both of our faces, our feet only inches apart.

"Please don't do this. I wanna be with you now." I say, my voice breaking.

"I know, but we can't." he cries.

"Mike, come on. Don't do this. I love you!" I sob loudly.

"I love you too, but I just can't do it anymore. I'm so sorry." Mike cries, his voice filled with pain. I know that the kids at school did this, but begging isn't gonna make him stay.

"Can I hold you one more time?" I sob.

He opens his arms and I fall into them, wrapping my arms around his back and burying my head into his shoulder, his arms pulling me in by my waist. He sobs into my hair, our bodies shaking each time we breath in.

This is the worst pain I've ever felt. It's worse then any broken bone. Any failed test. Any disappointed look from my mom. It hurts more than anything I've ever felt.

"Bye, Mike." I sob into his warm sweater, one that I once wore.

"Bye, Will." he cries, letting me go. I watch him leave my house for possibly the last time ever, and when the door closes behind him, I run into my room and collapse onto my floor.

"No, no, no, no." I sob.

When I finally bring myself to my feet, I look down at my desk to see the painting.

Two little boys next to each other on the swing set of a playground.