[ 𝟖. ]

29 1 8
                                    

𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

── .✦ I lean on the counter, waiting for my toast to be done. I prop my elbows onto the counter, staring at the timer as it goes down. I hear a faint whimper, I jump. I snap my head around to see Mike in the doorframe. His mouth is slightly open, and he stares at me. The toaster dings and I watch the toast pop up.

"Um, hey Mike, you good?" I ask, pushing myself off the counter to grab my toast. He doesn't answer, he just stays quiet and shuts his mouth.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm fine." He clears his throat, stepping into the kitchen. I nod at him, taking a bite of my toast. Hm. It's missing something. I think of what I could add to the toast for more flavor. "Actually, there's something I-"

"Do you know where the jam is?" I ask, placing my toast down on a plate to head to the fridge. Cold air greets me as I open it, and it's stocked with different foods.

"Uh, yeah, it's on the top shelf." He replies. I look up to find the jam, immediately finding it among the other toppings. I close the fridge door and head back to my plate, placing the jam down. "Will, I, um, need to tell you something."

"Yeah? What is it?" I grab a knife, screwing off the lid of the jam. Mike slowly takes a step closer to me while I dip the knife in. He still doesn't say anything, which is kind of weird. I shrug it off, spreading the jam evenly on the piece of toast. After I'm satisfied with it, I lick the rest of the jam off the knife and place it in the sink.

"Will." He says. I hum, screwing the lid back on the jar tightly. "Will, put the damn food down and look at me." He grabs the jam out of my hand, putting it down on the counter. I groan in protest, trying to take it back. He moves it away from my hand. I scrunch my brows, wondering what the hell he wanted.

"What do you-" I turn to face him, but he's gotten so close. I freeze, and my heart starts pounding. I can feel his breath on my face as he stares at me. He glances down at my lips for a spit second before looking back up at me.

"Will...I...I, um..." He stutters, glancing down at the floor. "I-I-I...God, I can't do this." He groans, taking a step back. He runs a hand through his hair, looking annoyed with himself.

"What is it, Mike?" I question. "You know you can talk to me about anything." I give him a bright smile, leaning on the counter.

"Yeah, but um...you might not like this." He says. What could he possibly have to tell me that could be this hard to say?

"Don't worry Mike. Whatever you want to tell me, I'm all ears." I tell him. He hesitates for a second, inhaling before stepping towards me again. Before I could even ask what he's doing, he takes one final step before he lifts his hand to take my cheek in his hand. I hold my breath as he pulls our faces closer together, pausing for a second to look me in the eyes before connecting our lips.

My eyes widen, and a wave of realization washes over me. I don't pull away, my heart racing in response to Mike's touch. He starts gently, slowly kissing me as his thumb traces over my chin and jawline. I can feel his soft lips on mine, and fireworks go off in my brain. It stopped just as soon as it started, and Mike pulls away slightly. We're both quiet for a moment, just looking into each other's eyes. "What-...but...El-...?" 

"Me and El aren't together anymore, remember?" He whispers. "Breaking up with her kind of helped me realize that it wasn't her that I liked...it was...you." He finishes. I just stare at him, speechless. "But if you think that's weird, or if you don't like me that way, it's okay."

"Mike, of course I like you that way! I thought it was obvious." I say, giggling. He smiles, stroking my cheek. He goes in for another kiss, which I happily accept. I run my hands up his shoulder til they reach his neck, and he places his other hand on my waist. 

Time seems to stand still as our lips move together in sync, the kiss deepening as Mike pulls me closer. Thousands of emotions flood through me at once; love, relief, fear, and more. I grip the fabric of Mike's shirt, my knuckles turning white from the force of my grasp. I can feel the warmth of his body against my own, and my breath catches slightly as we break the kiss for a second, only to dive back in for more.

As our lips part, a trail of saliva connecting them, our foreheads press together. I realize that now, everything has changed. Our friendship, the way we see each other, the way others see us. What will everyone think? Mostly everyone has probably guessed I'm gay, but with Mike, I'm not so sure. 

"Do you want to be my boyfriend?" Mike asks suddenly after we've both caught our breath. Silence fills the room before I smile and laugh. Everything has been leading up to this moment, which I didn't think would ever come, but here it is. Heat rises to my cheeks when I think about how I've just kissed Mike Wheeler, and now he's asking me to be his boyfriend.

"Yes, Mike. Yes, I'll be your boyfriend."

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