Useless || Mike Wheeler Fanfic ||

Part 3 - Stress Is Bad

Third Person POV:

When the last bell rang, Mike was immensely relieved. He slung his bag over his shoulder and started walking to his locker.

He put in the code, and took his skateboard out, before closing it.

Unzipping his bag, he pulled out some air pods and placed them in his ears, turning on the music half volume. He never liked having it at full volume, he could never understand people who do that.

Mike started walking down the hallway, avoiding people while mouthing only to the songs.

One of his all time favorite songs was Devil Doesn't Bargain by Alec Benjamin. There was something so satisfying about it. The melody fit together like a new puzzle, and the words rhymed well.

Once he got outside, Mike dropped his skateboard and started skating away, not realizing all his friends were watching him from behind.

He pulled out his phone, checking his mother's texts again.

You can't do whatever you want, we have a reputation.

Come back home right this instant, I know you don't have any plans.

Stop buying things you can't afford. I'm not lending you more money.

And yet, he gets an allowance of five hundred dollars every month. He knew his family was rich. Richer than all his friends. He wasn't stupid.

His hand started fidgeting again, like it always does.

Mike sighs, reaching in his pocket and pulling out a cigarette. Will almost saw him pull one out earlier, thank god he didn't. He really didn't want to explain these things to Will. Not him. Not ever.

He pulls out a lighter, holding the cigar in his mouth as he lights it up, smiling once he feels the effects.

A ringing comes from his phone. He looks down at it to see it was Will. His eyes widened a bit and he pressed the green answer button, holding it up to his ear with the cigarette in his other hand.

"Hey Will," He says. "Why are you calling?"

Will frowns. "Where are you right now?" He asks. He had the call on speaker, and the rest of the party was sitting around a table listening.

"Um, my room?" Mike says, playing it off like he was confused by the question.

"Uh huh, so why did you lie to your mother on that call earlier?" Will says, making Mike tense. "You said you were going to your job. Where are you?"

Mike was silent for a moment. He stops his skateboard, picking it up and starting to walk through an alleyway.

"That's none of your business, Will," Mike says, frowning.

"It kind of is," Lucas suddenly says. "We're worried, we want to make sure you're okay."

Mike scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Are you all there?" He says. He listens as Will hums a yes. "Great, just what I need. All of my friends ganging up on me. Thanks, I feel so much better."

"We're not ganging up on you," Will says. "We want to know where you are. Do you know where you are?"

"Yes of course I know where I am," Mike says. He takes another breath from his cigarette. "I'm about to go home, I just need to do something real quick here," His voice was going slightly faster than normal, and he tried to breathe regularly. The last thing he needed was to have a fucking panic attack for no fucking reason at all.

"Can you please tell us where you are?" Will says, sounding worried. "I'm worried."

Mike pauses, thinking. If he told them where he was, then they would ask why he was there, and then they would realize what a fucking bitch he was and never talk to him again.

"I don't know where I am," The moment he says it, he knows its a bad idea.

"What?!" Dustin exclaims. "Did you get lost in the woods or something?"

Mike sighs, putting his hand on his hand and wiping his cheek in annoyance. He takes another breath from his cigarette. "No, I'm not in the woods," Mike mutters. "I don't know why I said that, I know where I am."

Will frowns, trying to think of what was going on. "Then can you find someone to tell you where you are?" He asks.

"I don't want to," Mike grumbles.

"Mike," Will says, his eyes narrowing. "Are you high?" The party goes silent.

"What are you talking about," Mike says. "I'm not high, or tall. Very big building are high, but not me."

Will sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "He's high," Will says to the party.

"Mike, can you please tell me where you are?" Will asks, starting to get desperate.

"I have to get some things first," Mike says absentmindedly. "Then maybe, I'm not sure. You might have to call me later." He takes another breath of the cigarette. "Although I might have to go home."

Lucas put his face in his hands.

"Oh wait, look," Mike says. "There's a sign that says.. uh, my head hurts." He says, getting sidetracked halfway through the sentence.

"Wait what does it say?" Will says.

Mike hums in thought. "It says it's a.. um.. a grocery store?" Mike mumbles. "It's called _____." He finally says, making Will sigh in relief. Dustin pulls out his phone and goes on Google Maps. "Oh, hey."

Will's head shoots up as Mike starts talking to someone not on the phone.

"No, I'm gonna talk to him later," Mike says. The person not on the phone spoke, but they couldn't hear. "No, dude, that brand sucks." Another pause. "Yeah no problem." It sounds like the person walks away.

"Okay, Mike, stay where you are, okay?" Dustin says.

Mike hums in thought. "No, I think I'm gonna stay here." He says. "That way my dad won't find me."

The party rushes off to Dustin's car, and they quickly drive to the grocery store Dustin found.

Will jumps out of the car, whipping his head around, trying to spot the ravenette. The area was dirty and the grocery store was probably run down and abandoned, making this place seem like the perfect place for drug dealers.

"Mike!" Will exclaims, catching sight of him in an alleyway leading out of the area, smirking as he talks to another random person with a cigarette in his mouth.

The party rushes over to him, making the person Mike was talking to run off.

"Mike, what were you thinking!?" Will exclaims, pulling the cigarette away from him. "Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

The ravenette was obviously high, staring at his friend without comprehension.

"Let's get you home, okay?" Lucas says, patting his friend on the back.

Max ran and grabbed his skateboard and bag, which he had left on the floor. Mike glares at them, but allows himself to be tugged with them. Will helped him in the car and sat down next to him.

"I don't want to go home," Mike says quietly.

"Well too bad," Dustin says.

Mike sighs, rubbing his eyes. "Can you just not tell my parents?" He whispers, keeping his hands on his face.

Will and Dustin exchange a look. "Fine," Will says. "Can you promise not to do that again?"

"I promise."

It should've surprised Mike how easily he can lie. But it doesn't, not anymore.

<^> To Be Continued

(1.1k words)

idk how people act when they're high man