✓ The Games We Play ⇔ Mileven {2nd - "Wake Up, Mike" Trilogy}

Five

...sorry :\
(Please don't be mad, I'm just being realistic)

edit, 2-9-22: ok, trigger warning, there's mention and talk about self harm from this point on.
And I just want to say that this is one of the plot points in this book I heavily wish I didn't put in, but I can't change it now. It was unneeded and poorly executed, so I just ask that you go easy on me. I was young and dumb when I wrote this.
Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the book because it's truly very good, despite a few bad plot points.
-Apple

Will.

I'm honestly so annoyed. Everyone is occupied with other things, and I'm just here. All I want to do is play some Dungeons and Dragons and spend time with my friends. None of them want to do that anymore. I have been forgotten, basically, and it sucks.

But, surprisingly, Mike invited us over today. He finally made up with Dustin right before break started, so there wasn't much to be worried about. I think.

I was the last to get there, my mom drives me basically everywhere now. She's too scared to let me go out alone, which is expected. She's already lost me once, she couldn't go through that again. But I couldn't, either, to be fair.

I was the last there, but not by much. They were parking their bikes in the garage when I pulled up. Mike was there, looking just as tired as always. Maybe worse, considering it's break for school. We don't sleep as much, obviously, but he just looks exhausted. Why'd he invite us over two days before Christmas, anyway?

I walked up and we all greeted each other. It was strangely awkward, which is new for us. We haven't seen each other in almost a week, yeah, but that doesn't mean it should be awkward. I hate to say it, but Mike is making our group awkward. He's just...different.

We walked inside slowly and I could hear Nancy and Mrs. Wheeler talking in the kitchen. We started to walk past, and apparently everyone decided to tune in.

"Did you ever find your razor, by the way?" I heard Mrs. Wheeler speak up, and it grabbed my attention for some reason.

"Not really. I found part of it in the garbage, but it was broken," Nancy answered, and my eyebrows furrowed.

"Will, let's go," Mike spoke up, his voice holding emotion for the first time in a while. Fear.

"What's she talking about?" I asked, and he looked at me with pleading eyes.

"I have no idea, I don't talk to her," He rushed out, and that's when Nancy entered the hallway.

"Hey, Mike, do you know what happened to my razor?" She asked nonchalantly, and he looked at her guiltily.

"I'm sorry, I should've told you. I was rushing in the morning and knocked it down, then accidentally stepped on it," he explained slowly and quietly, and she just shrugged.

"It's fine, I was just wondering." She smiled, beginning to walk up the stairs. I looked at Mike and we made eye contact briefly before he spun around and went downstairs. I followed before anyone else could, I just knew something was up.

"Mike, what the hell was that about?" I rushed out as I reached the bottom, and he was pacing around the room.

"Nothing, I just accidentally broke it. It's nothing," he also rushed his words out, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than us. I shook my head as I heard everyone thump down behind me.

"Yeah, that was really weird, Mike. You sure it was nothing?" Lucas spoke up, and Mike only paced more.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he rushed his words again, almost too fast to comprehend, staring at the ground as he walked.

"That's not what I asked," Lucas pointed out, and I started walking closer to Mike.

"That wasn't nothing, Mike. What's going on?" I spoke firmly, and he finally stopped pacing. He looked at me with wet eyes and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, can you guys leave?" He rushed out, and my eyebrows furrowed immediately.

"What? Why?" Dustin spoke up that time, obviously not wanting to ride all the way back home.

"I just need to be alone." His words were jumbled and he started rubbing his hands together quickly. This is starting to scare me.

"Uh, no, I'm not leaving you alone. What's going on?" I replied hesitantly, and he shook his head quickly. "Mike, stop this. What's going on? We want to help you," I practically scolded, and he was looking around frantically now. He was practically crying, his eyes glazed over. I could tell he was gonna talk, so I gave him time.

"I know you'll all be mad, I'm just really sad. And broken. I don't mean to be like this, I wish I wasn't. I wish I could be happy and fine but I've just been hurt too much. It's been over a year since the first time she went missing and I lost her again. At almost the same time. It's been so hard on me and I can't deal with it any other way," he rambled, but we all listened. He stopped then, his body tensing up. "I don't want to tell you much and you have to respect that, ok? I just can't, this is such a big step."

He looked so scared, it kind of softened me up a bit. This is hurting him more than we thought. I knew he wasn't ok, but I didn't know it was this bad.

"Mike, just say it. Whatever it is, we'll handle it," Dustin assured, but it sounded a bit too nonchalant. I know he meant it in a good way, though. Mike was freaking out again, but I could tell he was gonna tell us. He had that face.

"I'm not saying anything more than this, ok?" He asked, and all three of us nodded. "Basically, I...well, I hurt myself."