Can't Fight This Feeling - Byler

twenty two - date

Three weeks had gone by; Will had gotten out of the hospital, his leg healed.

Will and Mike hadn't talked about if Will meant what he said when he was practically drugged, but Mike stayed with him all the time.

Much had happened during those weeks.

Troy had been sent to juvie.

They had a picknick on the big rock they had decided to call their spot.

"That one looks like a cat!" Will had pointed up. They were watching clouds and listening to the radio they had taken with them.

"No, it looks like a giraffe." Mike had snorted. Since that night Mike had been teasing Will with the word giraffe.

"Stop!"

*

"Do I look alright?" Will asked.

"You look better than alright." Mike smiled warmly.

"Thanks."

"Ready?"

"Yeah." he sighed. "Think so."

They walked outside and got into Mike's mom's car. In silence Mike drove to the fancy five-star restaurant about five minutes from Will's house.

When they were there Will opened the door and turned to look at Mike.

"Good luck on your date." the black-haired boy said.

"It's not a date! She said it was a business meeting!"

"Bye!" Mike said and the car door closed.

Will was going to meet up with Evelyn, the girl that was scarily similar to Mike. He walked inside and saw her right away. She was wearing a red dress with a small gold necklace.

"Hey Will!" she waved.

"Hi."

"So, we have a small problem..."

"What is it?"

"They said it's full."

"Oh, that's alright we can just take a walk."

"Sure!" Evelyn said and both walked outside. It was a bit awkward but Will tried to ignore it. It was just a business meeting. Plus, it always is awkward in the beginning, it will get better.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Actually... think of this as more of a... date."

So, it is a date. Mike was right.

"Okay..."

"Look, I really like you Will and I didn't know if you would reject me if I asked you on a date so I said it was a meeting."

"It's okay and I think you're pretty nice too." Will forced a smile.

"Will... I have been wanting to do this since I first saw you actually..." Evelyn said as she leaned in and connected her lips with Will's.

WOAH.

What is he supposed to do now?

He doesn't like her back romantically. He shouldn't kiss back.

But when he looked at her, he saw the black raven hair Mike has, the freckles Mike has, the nose Mike has.

He saw Mike.

It was almost like Mike was kissing him. If he imagined Evelyn was Mike the kiss wouldn't be so bad after all, right?

Will closed his eyes and kissed her back but he could feel guilt and disgust build up in the back of his head, in his whole body.

It felt like he was going to throw up.

How much he tried thinking it was Mike kissing him he knew he was kissing a girl, a girl he didn't want to kiss, a girl he imagined was Mike Wheeler.

Shit.

It was like Evelyn was pressing him again her, trying to have his lips on hers as long as possible. She was forcing him to kiss her.

Will couldn't move.

He wanted to.

But Will couldn't move.

If only he knew his crush, who he imagined he was kissing, was watching them.

Was watching him kiss someone.

Kiss a girl.

-

Will had asked Mike to stay, he said it would be quick. 

Mike stood by a lamppost and watched all the happy couples walk by. Some young, some old, some middle-aged with children, some people alone with a dog. 

Many people walked by. Mike had even talked to some drunks that looked around the age of 50. Not willingly, but he knew that if he didn't talk to them it would most definitely not end in a good way.

He saw Will and Evelyn stop randomly. Curious, he continued watching. Why weren't they in the restaurant?

Mike watched as Evelyn explained something. They were talking. She was talking, at least. Will's back was turned to him, so he couldn't really see if it was a conversation or if Evelyn was just babbling.

To Mike's surprise Evelyn suddenly leaned in, touching Will's lips with her own.

They were kissing.

Will was kissing Evelyn.

Of course he was kissing Evelyn; she was beautiful and this 'meeting' was obviously a date. Mike couldn't help but feel disappointed; had he really been this dumb to think he had a chance with Will?

Will was straight after all.

Sighing, Mike walked to the car and went inside, locking the door. How could he have been this stupid?

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid.

*

"Hey." Will said as he sat down on the passenger's seat, sighing. The radio was playing faintly in the background.

"How was your date?" Mike tried putting a smile on his face.

"It was so bad!" Will exclaimed covering his face with his hands.

"Really?" the raven-haired boy couldn't help but grin.

"Yes! Oh my god. I didn't know she was this- I don't know. But she said she wanted to kiss me since the first second she saw me, which is kind of creepy. Then she kissed me!"

"Yep, saw that."

"Oh." Will's tone shifted as he carefully said, "You did?"

"Yeah, I did. Continue." Mike said trying to distract Will so he wouldn't notice the sadness and disappointment on his face.

"It was the worst kiss ever! It was slimy and weird and uncomfortable. She held onto me and I couldn't pull away. Because, trust me, I really wanted to." Mike noticed that Will was choosing his words carefully. "But I pushed her away and told her I don't like her that way."

Mike smiled, "So it's safe to say that the date was catastrophic?"

"One hundred percent." Will grunted.

"What do you say about a late-night picnic with me then?"

Will's face immediately lit up and a smile creeped onto his face. "Yes please!"