Summer Savings [Byler]

Chapter 19

Will stopped at a small coffee shop, using some of his cash to buy himself a drink and a chocolate muffin. He sat in the window seat, taking in the scenery and trying to think of where in the small town he hadn't been, as that would be where Family Video was. Which wasn't very helpful as the town was riddled with small back alleys that you could miss if you blinked.

He came back to reality, out of his muddled thoughts, just in time to see a vaguely familiar looking person stride by the window. Abandoning the empty mug and half-eaten muffin, Will rushed out of the shop and into the street, catching up to the taller figure.

"Hey, Mike!"

Mike turned around, his face echoing the shock he felt at seeing Will. "Oh- uh- hey, Will," he stumbled over his words. "What're you doing?"

Will shrugged. "Not a lot. But what are you doing? B and B's that way," he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, and though the scentence sounded cold, his expression and tone showed Mike it was only an attempt at a joke. It made him feel a twinge of guilt either way. "Sorry, Will, I was-"

But Will never found out what Mike was, as he was cut off by another voice calling his name. A girl sidled up to the two boys, brushing long brown hair over her shoulder, and waving at Mike. "Hey," she said to him again, flashing her teeth in a smile and linking her arms through his. "Glad you're on time, for once."

She seemed to see Will for the first time, and her carefully shaped eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Who's this?" Her tone was accusatory and slightly hostile, and Will involuntarily took a step back.

"Oh, nobody," Mike winced, he hadn't meant to say that. Will's face flushed bright red, and Mike knew he was rightfully furious, and cringed even more. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that. Um- this is Will. He's-" Mike started trying to fix the mess he'd made.

"Leaving," Will finished. "I'm leaving, see you later." He seemed to practically spit the words at Mike, an insult to him, and Mike couldn't say he blamed him. "Don't, Will, I'm sorry. Uh- Will this is Masie, she's my," he paused, and his eyes flickered between the the girl and Will, both glaring daggers. "My friend," he finished weakly.

Masie looked taken aback, and her arms fell from Mike's. She let out a delicate laugh, as though Mike had just said something funny, and her face softened. "Friend? God, Mike, you can be so stupid sometimes. I'm your girlfriend, I have been for ages, stop trying to be funny to impress your friend."

Wrong move.

Will's mouth gaped, and he shouldered his backpack more firmly and stormed off. Mike pushed Masie's arms from him, promising her to "Be right back!" and ran desperately after Will. He cornered him in the next street over, grabbing his shoulders to force him to make eye contact.

"Will, I'm sorry, but I don't get why you're so mad!"

"Oh, you don't, do you?"

"No! Please, tell me!" Mike's voice was begging and desperate.

"Because you kissed me! You told me I could kiss you, then you did kiss me, then you took me on a picnic that could be very easily interpreted as romantic!" Will waved his arms wildly as he spoke.

"I don't get it," Mike replied softly and quietly, knowing he was treading on eggshells.

"Are you really that stupid?" Will spat in disbelief.

"Ouch, Will."

"You did all that while you had a girlfriend."

"I don't get it," Mike repeated again. "I don't like you like that, none of that meant anything to me." He winced once more at his own words, not sure if they were exactly true or not.

"But what about me, Mike?" Will raged. "You led me on! And you still initiated those acts, whether they meant jack shit to you or not."

Mike attempted to soften the blow of his previous scentence. "But you don't like me like that either."

"No, Mike, I never specified. I told you I didn't know," Will was glaring daggers at Mike, who's mouth was open in shock as the penny dropped over what he had done. Then, to make matters worse, Will added, "And wether I like you or not doesn't matter. You still kissed me, whilst having a girlfriend. That doesn't change no matter how you defend it."

"I never agreed to be Masie's boyfriend, she just sort of assumed," Mike said quietly. "There's nothing really going on. I don't think I want her as my girlfriend."

"Good for you," Will snapped. "But that still doesn't change anything, and your relationship dilemma is a you problem. No need to tell me, because I could not care less."

Both Mike and Will knew that Will in fact could care less, he could care a whole lot less, in fact. And Will couldn't figure out if Mike not wanting Masie was a good or bad thing for him. He wasn't sure why he even cared so much about it to begin with. Mike could date who he wanted. Maybe it was the prospect that Mike had led both he and Masie along. But how could Will be led along if he didn't like Mike? He didn't know. And what hurt most was that Masie's throwaway comment about Mike's timing gave away exactly what he'd been doing when he was 'tired and busy' and didn't come back to Cedar. Mike had known each time he'd told Will he'd be back that he wouldn't be, yet had made the promises anyway. That left a sharp sting coursing through Will, hurt and embarrassment and shock.

Will turned to leave, pausing to see if Mike called him back. When he didn't, Will continued walking, storming back down a side street, and conveniently running into the one that contained Family Video.

Author's Note

last chapter sappy = this chapter they argue
i like writing arguments its so fun like yes fight little gay people fight

also ty for 1k reads on this fic !! i hope youre all enjoying it :)