unlit candles (byler)

A Terrible Spring Break

   Mike Wheeler.

That name brought memories back to Will, the good and the bad. Nevertheless, every time Will thought of Mike, the moment a bad memory came into view, Will continually pushed it away. This may have been subconscious, but truly, he could never think poorly of Mike for too long. Maybe it was because Will was in love, or maybe it was that Mike was the only one who treated Will like he was normal, even after all that happened in the Upside Down.

Will had been thinking about Mike quite often recently, especially because of the painting he was working on that he planned to gift to Mike when he came to California for Spring break. His artwork was finally finished, and just in time, as Mike would be arriving the next day.

Will was also excited about Mike's arrival because he believed it would improve El's mood, which had been especially low after what had happened after her school project. Will knew them being together would partially suck since he would be third-wheeling. Still, he acknowledged that someone suffering from bullying with no one to hold on to and being the third wheel were two separate issues, and one was of more importance than the other; so Will didn't mind that he would be ignored for a bit. After all, Mike was arriving on his Birthday and they were going to the skate park, he was sure he'd be getting some attention from his friends there. No one had mentioned Will's birthday, but he thought that meant maybe they would throw a surprise party, and what better place than RinkoMania?

Will sat in the airport chairs next to Johnathan, El, and Argyle, anxiously awaiting the moment when his best friend would pop out from the crowd and greet him. Once Mike finally came into view everyone stood up to greet him. El immediately ran up to kiss Mike, and Will had to push away the drowning feeling he had as he watched them stare at each other so lovingly. He knew this would happen, he needed to stop.

Having finally sorted out his thoughts, Will ran up to Mike as well, but all he received was a lazy, "Oh! Hey... how're you doing?" At that, Will's heart sank. No. He knew this would happen, and he was okay with it. El and Mike were happy together, El finally had someone she could talk to that she wanted to talk to, and Mike loved El. Will needed to get over him.

"What's that?" Mike asked, dragging Will out of his thoughts.

"Oh, it's nothing- it's just this painting I've been working on," Will explained, leaving out the part where it was for Mike. He didn't know why he decided not to give it to Mike, in the heat of the moment he supposed he was just too nervous.

"Cool," Mike nodded before turning his attention to Argyle, they started a short and awkward conversation before Jonathan suggested that everyone go home.

As everyone headed out of the airport, Will walked behind as he watched Mike and El talk to each other. She seemed happy. Both of them did; Will was just getting in the way.

"I want today to just be about us," Will overheard El say, and that was when he realized that they had forgotten his Birthday. No surprise party, if there was, El wouldn't say that. Will didn't want to say anything though, he didn't want to be annoying, though he did feel sort of angry at Mike. At everyone, really. They all forgot. All Will wanted was to hang out with his best friend, but he seemed to have forgotten him. All Will really wanted was to be remembered. By anyone at that point- but his obviously straight most likely Homophobic crush, his half-sister, and the rest of his friends and family had forgotten. It was fine. Everyone else was happy, so it was fine.

It wasn't fine.

***

At the skate park, El began lying to Mike. She claimed to go there a lot, and said she was friends with... Angela? The girl who bullied El. These continuous lies upset Will. Why was she lying? Will wanted El to talk to Mike so she could confide in him about her problems, not lie. That wasn't fair to Mike. He hadn't done anything to hurt her. When Will confronted El after Mike left to get socks, El denied that she was lying. Will couldn't believe her. She was the one obsessed with the fact that 'friends don't lie.' Why was El lying? She didn't have to be embarrassed about bullying in front of Mike, he would understand. What the hell?