Who Knew - Byler

11

Max left her bag on the floor and sat down on the bed. Normally, she'd thrown herself to it, but today it was serious talk day. Will gulped, knowing he would have to say the truth and it wouldn't be easy at all.

"So, what's going on with Mike? Why were you two acting so awkward today?" Max asked, patting the bed so that Will would sit next to her. Will sighed and did so. "Well... I told him we can't be friends anymore so the situation was kinda uncomfortable..." Will said, like it was no big deal.

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Max exclaimed, in disbelief. Had she heard wrong? Had Will actually said that he'd told Mike they couldn't be friends anymore? "I told him we can't be friends anymore" Will repeated, and it hurt like crazy to say so.

"WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" Max screamed. Will felt really bad. He knew Max was kinda insensitive sometimes, but she had crossed a line... "Because I'm in love with him and it's really hard being around him knowing he feels what I feel for him for someone else..." Will said, and a tear left his eyes.

Max instantly softened her expression. Great. She'd fucked up again. "Damn it. You're in love with him?" Max asked. She thought Will had a silly crush on Mike, maybe, but being in love? "Yes, Max. And don't even bother asking if I'm sure because the answer is yes, I am one hundred percent I love Mike Wheeler," Will replied, and Max felt amazed by Will's confidence.

"Damn it," she repeated. "And that's why you told him that you can't be friends anymore..." Max mumbled. "Exactly" Will replied. Max really didn't know what to say. The situation really had no solution that didn't involve either Mike or Will getting hurt. Or both.

Suddenly, there were some loud knocks on the door and the teens heard Joyce opening the door. "Mike?" they heard. Both Will and Max opened their eyes a lot. Shit. Will quickly got up and muttered, "I'm not here" as he ran inside his closet. "What?!" Max muttered. This was Will's home, not hers! If she was here and Will was not, it didn't make any sense!

The door suddenly opened and Max's head shot up, trying to look as calm as she possibly could while a confused Mike entered the room. "Max? What are you doing here?" he asked. "Uh, I..." Max stuttered. She had no idea what to say.

"Whatever. Where's Will? I need to talk to him," he asked. "Uh, he actually isn't here! I was waiting for him to come back!" Max replied, suddenly coming up with an excuse. "Oh, I'll wait with you then," Mike said, as he sat down next to Max, and Will facepalmed inside the closet.

"Uh, no, don't! He's not coming back! He's visiting his dad in the city!" the girl quickly made up, and it was too obvious that it was a lie. "Didn't you just say that you were waiting for him?" Mike asked, crossing his arms.

"But..." Max said, realizing her mistake. "Oh my god, can you stop lying for Will? I know he's hiding in the closet. I was just waiting for him to man up and face the truth." Mike suddenly said, and Will gulped. Shit.

"Get out of there" he demanded, but Will didn't move a muscle. He had a feeling, he knew that if Mike and him had a conversation today it would only make everything worse. Suddenly, Mike got up and walked fast to the closet, opening the door aggressively.

"Hello, Will," he fake smiled, and the closeted one didn't think stuff could get any worse. "Now, Max, could you please get out? Will and I have some talking to do," Mike said. Max looked at Will like she was asking for permission, but he was staring at the floor so she just grabbed her stuff and left, though she really wanted to be by her friend's side in this hard moment.

"Mike, I don't think..." Will started. "Shut up," Mike snapped. "I get to talk today. You listen." Will nodded like he actually had a say in this and sat down on the bed. Mike started walking around the room like he still had to think what he was going to say and Will just stared at him.

"You had no right to do what you did the other day," he finally started. "I had absolutely no say in it and that's not fair. We've been friends for forever, Will. I don't even remember not being your friend. You've always been there. The shy kid who opened up when he was with his friends. Now, I have absolutely no idea why you did what you did. So before we continue, you're gonna explain to me why in the world you ended our friendship."

Will didn't know what to say. What excuse was he supposed to make up? It was true that it didn't make sense he'd just ended their friendship like that. Mike arched his eyebrows, getting impatient to listen to Will's point of view, but Will didn't say anything.

"So you're not gonna say anything now either? If you could just open your mouth and speak up, everything would be much easier! Your lack of communication is so annoying!" Mike yelled, and he instantly regretted it as he saw tears rolling down Will's cheeks.

It seemed like the only thing Will was doing these days was cry. Mike sat down next to him and put his arm around Will's shoulder. "Shit. I'm sorry, Will... I didn't mean to talk to you like that. But you should try to get my point of view..." Mike softly said, and Will just exploded.

"Well maybe you should try to get my point of view! All you do is complain about how you didn't get a say in my decision and how you miss me and blah, blah, blah, but you have no clue the hell I've been going through this year," Will snapped, and Mike was so surprised by Will's sudden desire of explaining everything to him. "Just imagine how you'd feel if Jane was dating Lucas. Imagine how you'd feel having to see them together all the time, doing couple stuff while you just wish you were him..." Will said, and he knew for a fact he shouldn't be saying this, but he had already started and couldn't stop.

"How do you think you'd feel keeping such a huge secret every day? You'd be in love with your best friend's girlfriend, and you knew you had no chance but you couldn't possibly lose hope. You'd feel like a traitor. All you could do was wonder, how would have it been if Lucas never were here?" Will had got up and was walking around now.

"You like Max?" Mike asked. He's talking about Lucas, and Lucas is dating Max, so that must mean he likes Max? "Ugh" Will said, rolling his eyes. "You're really the most stupid human being I've ever met."

Mike opened his eyes a lot. "Do you like Jane? That's why you ended our friendship? Because you felt like a traitor for liking my girlfriend?" Will was nervously walking around as he thought a million thoughts at the same time.

He could tell him that yes, he liked Jane, and Mike would say that it was okay and he'd get over her, and they'd go back to being friends, but then Will would go back to hurting every time he sees them together. He can't tell him he's in love with him, he definitely can't, but- what would he be losing? Your entire friendship. There was nothing to lose! He needed to tell him, to finally say the secret he's been keeping from himself and the others out loud.

"Will? Is that it?" Mike asked, while Will kept thinking. "Is that the reason you ended our-"

"Of course it isn't you dumbass!" Will suddenly yelled, leaving Mike in shock. "How can you possibly be so oblivious? I can't believe you thought I liked Max. I can't believe you thought I liked Jane! I'm never gonna like any of them! Or any other girls at all! Wanna know why? Because I'm fucking gay! I'm gay and I'm in love with my straight best friend who doesn't know shit about anything!"

"You're in love with Lucas...?" Mike asked. "I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, MIKE WHEELER!"

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okay so i'm probs gonna make a book of short byler imagines cus y not, but just maybe

anyways, fyi, i'm almost finished writing the next chapter so don't worry, it'll be posted soon! :)