Breathing In Your Dust (I Wanna Be Yours) / Greatwise

Submerge

Notes: submerge by movements

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Chapter Three: Submerge

"You into Gareth now or something?" Mike asked, hovering over Will's shoulder as he watched a packet of popcorn turn slowly in the microwave.

"What?" Will's face pinched, turning his body to face Mike.

"I've seen you guys talking around campus, do you think I'm dumb or something? I know what it looks like when you're into someone," he said.

"What does it matter? If you care to recall you have a girlfriend. It's not like we're dating," Will said defensively. He held onto that fact every time the guilt crept up on him. Guilt for talking to another boy. Guilt for feeling guilty about talking to another boy. He and Gareth had only run into each other a few times at school. Gareth asked Will about the demo art, then asked for some advice on an art project he had to do. They stood together in line at the cafeteria one day, making small talk. None of it was anything to write home about, but Will always left their interactions feeling light.

"What do you even know about him?" Mike pressed. "Have you two been hanging out or something?"

"No," Will's eyes narrowed.

"Do you think he's into you?" Mike huffed a laugh in a way that made Will feel small. "Do you think he would be?"

"Fuck off, Mike," Will turned back to the microwave, but Mike grabbed his arm and turned him back around.

"Don't ruin everything, Will. We have a good thing going on," he said.

"A good thing?" The microwave beeped behind him as he scoffed. "You think secretly fucking behind your girlfriend- my sisters, back is a good thing? All you do is use me, Mike, and that feels really shitty. So even if I was into Gareth, which I'm not because I barely know him, I wouldn't want to continue... whatever this is between us because it sucks," he said.

"All I do is use you?" Mike scoffed. "I do you a favor, Will. Look," he took a hold of Will's elbows and running his thumbs gently against his skin, "you love me. I know you do. So don't ruin this, okay?"

"It's already in ruins, Mike," Will whispered. "I'm tired of feeling so bad. We shouldn't have slept together in the first place."

"You two slept together?" Mikes hands fell from Will's elbows like he'd been burned, spinning around to look at Max, who was standing at the entrance of the kitchen with his eyes narrowed and her arms crossed over her chest.

"No! We-"

"I heard him," Max said harshly, "how could you? How could you do that to El?"

"Do what?" El herself walked in behind Max, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Soon Lucas and Dustin walked in, standing behind the girls and peering on curiously.

"Go ahead, tell her," Max said, her voice hard.

"Max, don't do this, please," Mike begged, stepping away from Will.

"What's going on?" El asked again.

"Nothing, baby," Mike said, rushing to stand beside her, trying to usher her out of the kitchen. Max blocked their path, pulling El away.

"Tell her," she looked to Will, her eyes cold, "now." Will could feel his eyes burning with unshed tears, his stomach at his feet.

"Max," Mike pleaded.