MikexWill

Chapter 1: A Discovered Bond

"It got me! It got me, help!" Will screamed, terror in his voice.

"Will, we're coming I promise, we just need to figure -" Dustin stopped in his tracks. "What's that sound?" He inquired.

"It doesn't matter, get this..." Will paused before saying the next word "damn troll off
me!" He continues, smiling a little at his cuss. They all shared a laugh at this, all but Mike Wheeler who looked incredibly nervous. The three other boys slowly noticed this.

"Oh. Yeah, that sound. What's going on Mike?" Lucas asked as Dustin used his turn to save the wise wizard named Will from a pesky troll.

All of a sudden the focus was on Michael and the ominous look on his face. Will looked at Mike's expression, and though he knew this was a serious effect for the game, he smiled. Mike caught this and almost gave Will a look of recognition, the seriousness of the game was broken to exemplify their friendship and all of a sudden it was just between the two boys. Mike and Will continued to play with their friends, but they would share the odd glance, the odd smirk at the hilarity of Lucas and Dustin's arguing. There was something between them that the other friends didn't have.

When the game ended and the boys defeated Mike's Nonademon, the four boys walked up the stairs from Mike's basement. It was a school night, an end to the weekend, only 7 o'clock, but Mike knew his Mom would have a fit if the boys were still here much longer. They had been playing since noon and his Mom wouldn't like to know it was all they did either. The boys had left their bikes in the garage, so they went through the side door and into the empty room where a car might have been, had Mike's dad spent the time to park it in there every day.

"You two go ahead!" Will said, smiling, "I'll catch up!"

Dustin and Lucas left on their bikes, bickering down the street about the game they had just won. Fairness and winnings were upon their minds.

Will turned to Mike, the garage light overhead flickering every one in a while. They shared a pregnant moment of thought, looking into each other's eyes. Will suddenly realized this was not what he hoped, whatever that was. Mike was waiting for his reason to be staying later than the other two boys. Mike was expecting something important.

"Well, what are you still here for? Don't you have something to say?" Mike asked.

On the spot now, Will scrambled "Oh, uh yeah, well I was just wondering if you... have the score sheet, I've already forgotten what we all won."

Mike looked puzzled. "We just went over all of that! It's still all the way downstairs, I'll just show you tomorrow. Was that it? I was hoping for something more exciting."

"No, that was it" Will half smiled. "See you tomorrow, Mike"

"Bye." answered Michael.

Will couldn't help but think how stupid what he said was. He knew exactly what everyone's winnings were! He must've looked like such an idiot. Why did he care so much? Why did he stay when all he could think to do was stare at his best friend? Why had he let the others get ahead when they were already faster? Will was confused, and so was Mike.

Will had been staring at Mike the whole game. Looking at him. It was almost weird, and then staying just to look at him a while longer at the end, Mike didn't know what was going on. But he liked it, he wouldn't tell himself this for a while, but Will's acting strange was complimenting, and Mike enjoyed it. He was intrigued by it. He would act like he didn't notice for a while so Will would continue to stare, continue to smile when Mike smiled.

Though both boys were confused, they also had a burning realization that night.

They had a crush on their best friend.