"i can't lose him again"

"i love you too."

(mike's pov)

every torn photo had been taped together neatly, every drawing dried and recolored to the best of my ability. i collected all of them and taped each one into a notebook titled "my favorite things about you" it didn't just have ruins of castle byers. it had photos joyce and my mom collected over the years. we were going over to the byers today to say goodbye to them before they left.

i biked over to the byers earlier than i was supposed to to give will my gift. 

"mike!" said a voice. i was hoping it was will but it was el. i got off my bike and she ran to hug me. "i love you too, but i see the way you've been looking at will for the past months. i don't want you to keep acting like you love me like you do him."

"i guess i'm not that good at covering it up am i?"

"definitely not, if i was good enough at sensing lying, i'd say your lying to yourself!" el teased.

"your doing a lot better with your sentences now el."

"yeah will and johnathan have helped a lot."

"that's great! i'm so happy that you have been learning more."

"thanks mike" el noticed the book in my hand. "what's that?"

"oh uh- just a gift for will" i said my cheeks growing rosy.

"i believe max said the term is ooooooh" el said flatly

"hah" i laughed "by any chance do you know where will is?"

"probably in the kitchen somewhere"

"thanks el bye!"i yelled running off to find will.

...

i ran into the house. passed miss byers, greating her quickly. i ran up to will and hugged him. the hug lasted quite long. will dropped his arms but i kept hugging him.

"we will see each other again you know?" will asked

"who knows when though will! it could be years." i cried

"i will make sure it isn't. karen and joyce will talk" will tells me.

i held in my tears, making sure not to show will my weakness. i finally let go of will.

...

will wasn't playing dnd without us, he wasn't joining a new party. i didn't plan on it either. we all said our goodbyes and i watched as my friends left. then me and the rest of the party left, but i couldn't help but look back at the home i had been so many times before. i still can't believe he was gone.

as soon as i got home i wrote will a letter:

Dear Will,

I miss you already, and I hope this is the first letter of many. Maybe if we can see each other for Christmas me and the rest of the party can pitch in to get you and El an extra phone line. If we do, promise to call at least once a week, make el promise too. I also hope nobody bullies you or Eleven. I really hope I see you soon. Sorry for the short letter but I wrote this right after you left.

Love,

Mike Wheeler

(496 words)

a/n again sorry for the shorter chapters but the next couple are going to be shorter too as they are just a few letters sent between will and mike. after that when i get to make up the story instead of kinda rewrite it the chapters will be longer i promise.