lemon boy, w. byers ✗

THIRTEEN

LEMON BOY

THE GROUP CONTINUED THEIR JOURNEY, Johnathon and Argyle switched seats after a while to drive and Oliver decided to sit in the boot, instead of in between mike and will.

He felt too awkward sitting in between Mike and Will - feeling like there's always unresolved tension between the two. Surprisingly, Will joined him.

Both Will and Oliver were quiet beside each other. Without realising it, the two eyes had kept drifting towards the other out of habit.

It was strange. Even at school, the two would find themselves staring at one another whether it was intentional or not - their eyes just naturally gravitated towards one another.

Oliver looked over to Will to see the brunette boy already looking.

"Hi." Oliver whispered, his voice being buried by the reggae music.

Will smiled, "hi."

Without his brain registering what he was saying, he began apologising.

"I'm sorry."

Will stayed silent so Oliver continued.

"I was an ass. Both me and my friends, and I don't know why we were. You and Jane did nothing to us and yet we..." He trailed off.

Oliver turned to look at Will, "Look, I'm not asking for forgiveness, I'm not going to force you for forgiveness and I'm not going to ask us to be the best of friends but,"

"I'll make it up to you. Both you and Jane, I wont be able to erase the past, I know I won't but... I can work on things in the future."

Oliver let out a small sigh before turning to look at Will once more.

Will gave him a small smile, "work on it."

Oliver nodded, "I will."

"And when we find el, apologise to her too. You did nothing to me other than just stare at me in class."

Oliver could feel his cheeks flushing, "oh, you noticed that?"

Will nodded, an airy laugh leaving his lips.

"Once El forgives you, i'll forgive you too."

Oliver nodded and smiled, "okay. i'll work on it."

The boy lowered his gaze back to his laps, his thoughts swirled around his mind.

will had known he was staring.

he had known.

Oliver wondered if Will also knew what he was. Oliver hoped he didn't.

The boy was fine with just being friends with Will, they never had to be anything more. Oliver already knew it would never happen considering Will hated him for a while.

Will might still hate Oliver but was just being polite and just wouldn't say anything to Oliver.

Because Will was so kind. He was so kind for Oliver even though he had been cruel.

Oliver was so cruel but Will was so gentle. Will could make Oliver laugh at anything, he was so funny.

Oliver was sure Will was liked by a bunch of different girls back in Hawkins. And Oliver was sure Will liked one back.

A girl that wasn't him.

Oliver had loved many boys in the past, but he loved none of them like he loved Will Byers.

The boy could think about Will for hours on end, his heart yearning for the boy who was right next to him and yet so out of reach.

The two could never be together.

Oliver knew that.

He knew to think he'd have a chance with Will would be delusional. He knew he couldn't.

He wanted to have a chance.

He wanted to hold Will, to kiss him and hug him. He wanted to comfort him and to be comforted.

Oliver North wanted Will Byers like Romeo wanted Juliet.

He needed the boy like the sun needs the moon.

And Oliver loved Will like Darcy loved Elizabeth.

Words would never be enough to describe the feelings Oliver had for Will.

So many emotions mixed into one big knot in his chest that caused his heart to ache and skip a beat every time Will smiled.

Oliver loved Will's smile, but it hurt because he knew that the smile was never for him.

Maybe to him. But never for him.

He couldn't make Will smile the way Will made him smile.

And yet nothing in the world compared to Oliver's love for Will.