High School Musical | w. lenney [✓]

ten

TRIGGER WARNING:
mentions of manipulation within a relationship.
[ plus, Will being sad and hurt, which kills me so I'm sorry in advance ].
+ Before anyone comments about them literally being 15/16 during this, please remember that the things mentioned are very common with teenagers, and sometimes people who are younger, so just bare that in mind.

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CHAPTER TEN

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Upon entering the McDonalds William had told her to meet him at, Bree took a few seconds to look for him, when she saw him sat at one of the booths, his signature black hoodie covering his torso, and a tray of food in front of him. She smiled, wondering why he could possibly love black jumpers that much, and shook her head, as she made her way to his table.

"Will?" Bree said, and he raised his head, watching her as she took a seat on the other side of the table, facing him.

"Hey, Bree," Will replied. He looked down at food on the table, and gestured towards it with his hand, "I didn't know what you'd order, so I got you a double cheeseburger and a milkshake. I hope that's okay? Couldn't really invite you here without buying you food."

Bree smiled at him, and she watched as he placed her burger and drink in front of her, "Thank you, but you didn't have to do that."

He shrugged, taking a sip of from his own drink, the wrapper of his burger screwed up and discarded on the tray. The two friends - if they could even call themselves 'just friends' anymore - sat in silence for what seemed like minutes at most, but was really only a few seconds, when Will suddenly spoke, "I'd just like to start by saying that I'm sorry, Bree. I've been a bit of a dick to you these last couple of days. It's just," He paused, his eyes staying fixed on Bree's eyes, as she watched him intently.

He'd never seen anyone look at him the way she was in that moment. It wasn't a look of anger or disappointment. It wasn't a look that said it was all his fault. It was a look that showed care and comfort, and right there, in the uncomfortable, McDonalds booth, he felt safe. Safe enough to let the words he'd been wanting to tell her, spill out of his mouth, "Lilly is a very difficult person. When I first met her, she was amazing. I really, really liked her, and she seemed to like me too. We were both 15. We were both too young for a serious relationship, but that was what it was. It was serious. In fact, it was almost too serious."

Bree didn't want to interrupt him, for she feared that he'd retreat back into his shell if he stopped talking, so she just listened. She listened to him talk from his heart, knowing that she probably wasn't prepared for whatever he was about to tell her. All she knew was that she was ready to be there for him.

"The first few months of our relationship were great. We went on dates, spent time with each other, met each other's friends. It was all going great, and I was so happy because she was my first proper girlfriend," He paused, as if thinking about to say something, before he started speaking again, "We must have been dating for at least five or six months when Lilly suddenly changed. At first, I didn't notice as much. It was just little things like asking me to ditch my friends for her or texting me during the day to see where I was. I thought it was just her way of showing that she loved me, and wanted to be with me all the time, but then, it got worse-"

"Will, you really don't have to tell me if you don't want to-" Bree tried to tell him, but he just grabbed her hand, their fingers accidentally interlocking.

"No, please, I just, I want to," He muttered, and she nodded, "So, Lilly started texting me accusing me of cheating on her with different girls. Baring in mind, we were 15, and we hadn't slept together yet, so why she'd think I'd have slept with other girls was strange to me. Even though I'd reassure her every time, she'd still continue to get angry with me. She soon calmed down with accusations, but that was when the other things started happening."

"Other things?" Bree asked, her voice soft and caring as she watched him pressed his lips together, their hand still interlocked.

"I turned 16, and we both decided that that was the day we could finally sleep together. Obviously I was excited. I was a hormonal, just-turned-16 teenage boy who was about to lose his virginity to the girl he believed could be the love of his life. We did it, and it was great, but there was something about Lilly that made me nervous. It had been a few days since that night, and Lilly was acting strange. I thought that I must have done something wrong or that I'd hurt her, so I went to her house to speak with her. When I got there, a girl answered the door. One of Lilly's friends. I asked to see her, and they let me in. I walked into the living room to find her making out with a boy on the couch."

"As soon as she saw me, she tried to act like she was innocent, but I knew. I saw right through her," Will looked down at his hands, as they tapped on the desk, "I left her house, and later found out that she'd been sleeping with that guy for a couple of months, which really sucked for me, I guess."

"Oh, Will, I-" Bree thought about what to say. What could she say, except, "I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault she was a bitch, Bree." Will added. He looked up at her, and smiled at her, letting her know he was okay.

"If she's a bitch, then why did you get back with her?" The girl asked. She was confused as to why he'd willingly get back with his ex after everything she'd done to him.

Will lowered his head, "You." He wasn't surprised by Bree's expression. She looked confused. He could understand why.

"What? Me? What do you mean, Will?"

Will sighed, "Look, I got back with her to protect you, okay? She said that if I didn't, she'd hurt you. I don't know how she would have done it, but I couldn't risk that."

"Why? Would you put yourself through that for me? We're not exactly friends, Will, are we?" Bree replied, before she quickly realised what she'd said. She saw Will's face fall, a frown now present on his face. She'd completely forgotten that they were holding hands, until he suddenly pulled his hand away.

"Oh, right, yeah. We're not friends, I forgot," Will muttered. He'd thought after everything, such as the kiss and this heart-to-heart that she'd at least thought of him in the same way that he thought of her, "Sorry, but I've got somewhere to be, so I should get going. Thanks for meeting me and everything. I'll see you at rehearsals, I guess."

She opened her mouth to apologise to him, but he'd already got up and left. Why did she have to open her stupid mouth and say that they weren't friends? Of course they were friends. Why wouldn't they be friends? They'd been spending so much time that she'd started to see Will in a new light. She didn't understand what she was feeling entirely, but she did know one thing: she'd never felt so angry with herself in all her life.

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