ꜱʜᴏᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ- ʙʏʟᴇʀ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 13- ꜰᴏʀᴇꜱᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ

𖨆♡𖨆
‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

As will made his way down the hill, he only realised how badly he let himself be kicked around by some random guys, or most importantly how different he acted in front of him to how he'd normally behave. Sometimes he found himself acting differently around everyone, even Joyce. He felt like he had to put up a reputation so his parents would actually be proud of him. It might have been silly but to him, it was nothing but depressing.

He definitely wasn't too keen on doing drugs with guys he didn't know. Jonathan had offered once when he turned 16. Obviously under his brother's guidance. But just for fun. And he turned it down because he was too nervous he'd say something about his sexuality. Not knowing how weed even worked and just guessed it was like getting drunk. He was too worried to risk it. He just couldn't. He wanted to tell Jonathan about it, he knew he'd be okay with it, but a voice in the back of his mind always questioned what he knew.

Troy must have reached the spot seeing as he and his friends set down the bags. There was a small bench right beside the stream going between two large oak trees. If it wasn't so dark it would have been easier to appreciate the beauty of the area. Once he made his way to sit down on the bench. A little further away from the two girls who seemed to be talking about what they were going to do for the weekend. Will wondered if he fit in here. Could he even?

"Hey will...how old are you?" One of the girls questioned. From what will could remember it was James's girlfriend. She had short curly blonde hair and piercings blue eyes. Her voice seemed a bit rasped while the other girl's voice was a little deeper than hers. But still equally feminine. They were pretty. Will had to admit. But he didn't find them attractive in any way.

"Uh, I'm 17!" He spoke up with a little smile forming on his face. He felt more comfortable talking to the girls than anyone else. In wills mind a lot of the time they were more kinder to him, and treated him more like an equal, than the other guys that seemed to fight for who was the most masculine.

"Oh..so you are a bit younger! That's okay. " the looked over at her friend who felt too shy to speak up to will. He knew this was supposed to be a setup but still. He could understand why she was embarrassed. "I know your like...from a stuck-up family. But if you don't wanna do weed I'm sure it's fine. Troy can just sometimes be a bit pressuring. So don't listen to him. It's pointless anyway." Her voice cut through his worries. He felt a little better knowing he had an option. But was still scared they'd make fun of him for it.

"Yeah...I wasn't thinking it was a great idea anyway...not that I don't trust you guys but um..." he paused feelings his finger wrap around the necklace that belonged to Mike. He thought it looked better on him, dangling from his freckled skin. "I rather do it for my first time with people I know more- I guess I came here just to make friends! Nothing...more.." he whispered the last part looking over at the guys who started to make a fire.

Suddenly he felt a hand pressed against his arm. It definitely wasn't his. The nails were painted a baby blue. Shiny too. "I like you, Byers. You seem genuine. I mean seriously a load of other guys would have done it to impress us! Haha! I also like that you are faithful to your girlfriend.." he hummed, feeling a little bad for her friend beside her who was excitingly panicking about the whole set-up thing.

"Oh I'm not-" a sigh slipped his lips "I'm not actually dating anyone.." he admitted, he wasn't sure why he said this. "It's just I'm not interested in dating...I've never been. And I guess the guys would have said something about it if I didn't have a reason..." he felt himself looking forward at the two women. The other one who only finally looked his way. She had dark skin and black hair that was curled at the ends.

"Oh...I mean yeah. The guys would probably assume things. But who cares. You shouldn't lie to fit in ya know...can't really make friends when you pretend to be someone else." She shrugged and those words seemed to stick with the hazel eyes male a bit more than he wanted to admit. You can't make friends when you pretend to be someone else and it was true. Everything she said was true and it was a bit of a realisation. Was he fake to everyone? Was it just a natural instinct at this point?

"Yeah...I guess your right." He muttered to the girl before he was set back in his own thoughts where he felt most comfortable. He didn't mind drinking. And he'd probably just be feeling left out if he did nothing anyway.

He felt a cold breeze pass over, and he was sure as hell lucky that he wore more comfortable warm clothes than the usual button-up shirt tucked into jeans. He felt like another person in this group of people. But maybe it wasn't too bad "hey girls! Will! Cmon over! We have marshmallows and shit!" Troy shouted to which he opened up the plastic bag containing sweets of two colours. White and pink. The crackling of the fire really makes you realise how calming it felt to be here. Aside from the fact the guys here probably disliked will for how quiet he seemed.

The brown-haired boy made his way over to the guys, sitting down on an uncomfortable bench and grabbing some sort of stick to put the marshmallow on as he saw drinks being passed around. Will knew he had work in the morning...but maybe he'd show up just an hour late. Then again he wasn't planning on getting completely wasted, but maybe just a little buzzed to the point he felt drunk, but could control himself.

It only took a few minutes for the forest to be filled with slurred laughter and giggles coming from the two girls. It was oddly fun. And will was surprisingly enjoying himself, disregarding how uncomfortable he was an hour before all of this, and having to get a prep talk before he even went to the door. Maybe it was the alcohol that seemed to cool off his mind. It turns out he wasn't the only person who wasn't interested in smoking weed. The girls didn't seem too fond of it either, yet again putting will categorised in with the girls. He was going to stick to his word. He couldn't just let people push him around.

And as Troy took a large pull from the joint as exhaled the air that floated up into the sky, he felt his eyes going to the necklace on Will's neck. Why was that necklace so familiar to him? Where had he seen it before? Was it just popular?

Then it clicked.

Mike. Mike wheeler? Who else should it have been? That horrible leather strap and the weird scratches in it that he couldn't make out. Not only that but the fact he was staying at a friend's house in this small town and got dropped here. Whoever dropped him seemed to want to leave before he saw them. Of course, it was Mikes's. Who else would it have been?

Troy wanted to ask him about it. But felt Will would be more truthful the more he drank. He didn't feel bad about this at all. Not one bit. After he turned down his friend for having some girlfriend called Kelly he practically wanted to tell the kid to fuck off back home. He had no use for some coffee barista "here will. Want another?" He spoke up earning a few eyes to look his way as he held another beer towards will "I insist" he added, watching as will shifted over to grab it.

Will was at the stage he was buzzed and didn't want to take more. But right now his lack of judgment made him feel insecure, especially with the number of eyes watching him as he cracked it open with a bottle opener and took a few small sips, feeling the numbness yet the warmth of the liquid travel down his throat. And even though he didn't intend to do it. Two drinks later and he was wasted. It could have been his low tolerance to alcohol, but I say after five bottles and a half the dizziness did start to kick in. Of course, he was still observant. He still knew what was going on. But he felt as if all his thoughts spilt out from his lips like it was intended.

"Hey will...why don't we go for a little walk. Just you and me." Troy spoke up, watching as the warm fire glowed up the male's appearance, making his features seem more defined "you know...just to talk about how you're settling in with everything" his voice cut through the laughter pulling it to a halt as the girls curiously looked between the two guys.

And with another thought will agree. Of course, he did.

Little did he know, he'd wake to wish he didn't
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(Words 1622)

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵