𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 ~ 𝐛𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐫

65

Will lay in his bed, looking up at the ceiling as many thoughts ran through his head. He tapped his fingers on his stomach, the silence in the room feeling so loud. He sighed a bit as he sat up, hugging his knees as he continued to think before getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom. He turned on the light before looking at himself in the mirror and frowning a bit. He had multiple cuts. Under his eyebrow, his lip, on his nose, on his forehead, and on his cheeks. Along with an almost perfect black eye. He felt his black eye with his fingers, hating the way he looked even more.

"These aren't healing anytime soon." He said to himself. He sighed a bit before heading out of the bathroom and stopping. He looked downstairs at the phone, crossing his arms against himself. No one had used the phone since he had. He could easily press redial and try to get in contact with Mike again. Will headed downstairs slowly before standing in front of the phone and just staring at it. He sighed a bit as he slowly picked up the phone, hitting redial and waiting for a few seconds. He figured if Mike did have an explanation, he'd be willing to hear it. There were a few rings and then a click.

"Hey, it's Stephen. I can't answer the phone right now because I'm probably extremely busy. Please leave a message after the beep and I'll try to-" Will sighed as he put the phone back on the wall.

"Fuck." He said to himself. He stood there for a few seconds before beginning to head back upstairs when suddenly the phone rang again. Will turned around quickly, staring at the phone for a few seconds before quickly heading back downstairs to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hi." He heard Mike say hoarsely from the other line.

•••

A while after Will had hung up, Mike had calmed down enough to go downstairs and make himself a bowl of cereal. He was hungry due to the fact that he had missed dinner, and he sat and thought to himself after he put the bowl on the counter. He didn't blame Will for hanging up. He would've too, but it still hurt a lot. He stared down at his bowl with a frown before sighing. He was about to finally lift his spoon to his mouth so he could eat before he suddenly heard the phone ringing. He sat there for a few seconds, just letting it ring and trying to ignore it. He sighed as it finally stopped, and he was about to attempt to eat again before realization struck him.

"Shit." He said as he got up, quickly making his way to the phone and hitting redial as quickly as he could, and after a few seconds, there was an answer.

"Hello?" Will's voice said. Mike tensed up a bit.

"Hi." He said hoarsely.

•••

Will took a deep breath.

"Hi.." He responded. There was a bit of silence before Will sighed. "I'm sorry.. about earlier."

"No, no.. don't apologize.. it was sudden, I get it." Mike said with a dry laugh. Will looked down a bit as he leaned back on the wall next to the phone.

"Why did you call me earlier, Mike? Why.. why now?" Will asked. He heard Mike sigh.

"It's really shitty of me to do this right now, I know. I just.. I wanted to explain." Mike replied.

"Explain what? It's been four months, Mike." Will responded.

"Yes, I know. And I'm extremely sorry it took me this long." Mike said. Will's grip on the phone tightened a bit.

"Why did it take you this long? Do you understand how-" Will started before sighing. "I just.. I don't know."

"Look, I don't want to sit here and try to make excuses because... I know I have no excuse." Mike started before sighing, "I do want to be honest though, and you don't have to accept it because it would make sense if you're angry right now."