i was at track practice with max, we've always played track with each other since we were in the 5th grade. It was our favorite thing to do together. They let me join last minute since I had just moved. Max and I ran around the field with the rest of the team, talking and still catching a bit.
-"so, mike? We've talked ever since I've moved about anything, I didn't hear anything about him."
-"that's because I didn't want you to feel like we were replacing you! and besides that's when you were still grieving what happened.. I didn't want to tell you."
-"it's fine, I just wish i was prepared and it wasn't awkward between us."
-"oh, shut up. You guys will connect, he's very very verbal and loud. but in a good way."
i chuckle, staring to run faster.
-"pick up the pace, mayfield!" I say running ahead of her.
-"you prick." She laughed before catching up with me.
as we were running around the track over and over, our coach blew his whistle and we took a water break.
max and I walked up to the bleachers and sat down.
-"I'll give it to you, you're fast. But not as fast as me."
-"uhm, I don't know about that one." I shake my head.
-"whatever." She rolled her eyes.
we looked behind us from all the talking and sound of metal pressing against concrete.
-"it's the baseball boys." Max sighed.
-"didn't Lucas play baseball?"
-"still does, mike too."
we turn around and wave at both of them, they wave back before walking to the baseball field.
The sun started to set and our coach talked with us as we packed up to go home.
Max and I walked to the baseball field after to watch the baseball game.
as we were on the bleachers, I was watching a girl talking to her boyfriend that was on the team from the gates of the dugout. i started to get light headed from a flashback.
7th grade spring -
I walked to the baseball game with max, to celebrate my birthday. Lucas and the rest of my friends were there already, they were gonna take me to the diner down town after. But I insisted that I see the game first. We all saw Lucas warming up and watched, until I saw him. Wyatt Dean. I'm so in love with him. i never knew i could think that way about a guy, or think it was okay. He walked out and motioned for me to come with him. I got up from the bleachers, which thankfully my friends didn't notice I was gone. He took me behind the bleachers.
-"hey, happy birthday will." he smiled.
-"thanks! Good luck today. I'll be watching you."
-"don't make me nervous!" he laughed.
i kissed him after that, briefly. But it meant something to me. It meant everything to me.
I got out of my head when Dustin slapped my back as he was climbing up the bleachers.
-"what's up, Will?"
-"hey, dustin."
-"how has it been? is it strange being back? i mean, after-"
max slapped his shoulder, he shrugged acting like he didn't think he was being rude.
-"it's fine. And yes, its a bit weird. Everything looks like it got older. This place looks abandoned."
-"for sure, it's a dead town. They just opened the mall up. That's why." El stated.
we stopped talking to pay attention, Lucas was pitching as usual, and mike was catching. Now that I could get a better look at him without him looking at me back, it made me feel weird to look at all his features. His curly hair, his pale skin, his tall legs. It all looked so familiar.
.
after the game ended, they one 4-1, we all walked home together to go out to eat. Somehow, purely coincidental, me and mike ended up alone together since they went ahead without us. Great. We lost them.
-"hey, I'm sorry this has been super awkward between us. Considering we don't know each other, I'm not usually that quiet and I never got a full opportunity to introduce myself to you. I'm Mike wheeler, I-"
-"wait, what? Wheeler? From preschool?"
-"wait, no way. You're will Byers? Shut up! It's been so long!"
-"no shit, where have you been? You disappeared after that."
-"well, my dad had to put me in a preschool here because in my town it's basically a nun school. My family isn't extremely Catholic or into the idea of me being super religious. So we moved, but we eventually moved here to this school."
-"wow, that's so crazy."
-"yeah, now that our problem is solved, we should find where they went." He started walking into the parking lot, which I followed. After walking all the way around, Lucas honked the horn of his car. Mike stuffed his bag into the trunk and we all left.
maybe now, things won't be so weird between us.
