Beyond the Canvas || BYLER || ⚠️ INCOMPLETE ⚠️

3.

Will returned home after a fulfilling lunch and the uplifting conversation with Robin, feeling hopeful about Mike. He genuinely believed that Mike might reciprocate his feelings, and this possibility filled him with hope. As he entered his house, he paused momentarily before proceeding to his room, his gaze drifting towards the telephone on the wall. He finally decided to call Mike and check in on him, his heart racing with anticipation. Taking a deep breath, he tentatively picked up the phone and dialed Mike's house number, a nervous yet hopeful smile playing on his lips as he waited for an answer. The phone rang several times, but there was no response. It continued to ring until a flat beep indicated that Mike wasn't going to answer. Will's smile faded, replaced by a growing sense of concern. "Why didn't he answer?" he wondered, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. He attempted to reassure himself, thinking, "Maybe Robin's right... Mike must be really busy..." Will hung up the phone, his movements slow and defeated as he walked back to his room, feeling disappointed and uneasy.

After the phone stopped ringing, Mike, who was frozen in place to the point he wasn't breathing, finally let out a deep sigh and relaxed his body. Mike knew the call had to be from Will and decided to purposefully ignore him. It's not that he wanted to, he had to, he reassured himself. "I'm sorry, Will..." Mike thought to himself before leaving his room to freshen up in the bathroom. As he entered the bathroom, he splashed his face with cold water and looked at himself in the mirror with an uneasy look. Almost like a mix of fear, disgust and disappointment in himself. He didn't want to hurt Will, not at all especially his feelings. Mike deeply cared for Will but he couldn't bring himself to accept what he was feeling deep inside. After staring at himself in the mirror for some time, he decided to take a fresh shower to keep things off his mind.

While Mike was showering, Will paced around his room, his mind racing with endless possibilities as to why Mike hadn't answered his call. He had been convinced, or at least he thought he was, that Mike shared his feelings, but now he was plagued by self-doubt. Maybe it really was just Mike's way of showing affection for his friends, or maybe it was all just a casual, harmless interaction. "So... stupid..." Will whispered to himself, his voice trembling as he collapsed onto his bed, tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had misread the signals — they meant nothing more than friendship. As he wiped away his tears, Robin's words echoed in his mind, he didn't need Mike's validation to be happy, all he needed was to love himself. But that was the hard part — his undying love for Mike was stronger than anything.

Fortunately, school the next day brought a glimmer of hope, as Will was determined to speak with Mike and get some answers. Mike, on the other hand, was having second thoughts about attending school, his mind racing with ways to avoid an uncomfortable encounter with Will. He considered pretending to be unwell, but his grades were too important to sacrifice. "Mom, I'm kinda sick... I don't think I can go to school tomorrow." Mike called out from his room, his voice laced with uncertainty as he dried off and changed into fresh clothes after his shower. "Sick? Are you sure, honey?" Karen replied, her voice carrying from the other room where she was busy with household chores. Mike finished dressing and shouted back, "Yeah, I don't feel so well." As he began to dry his hair, Karen suddenly burst into his room, catching him off guard which startled him a little. "Let me just check your temperature, honey. It won't take long," she said, inserting the thermometer into his mouth. Mike's eyes darted around the room, a growing sense of unease washing over him as he realized he was about to be caught in his lies. As Karen removed the thermometer and glanced at the mercury level, her expression changed, her head tilting slightly. "Well, your temperature is perfectly fine. Are you lying to me, Michael?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at him. "Um... it must be broken or something..." Mike stammered, forcing a nervous chuckle. "Honey. Really? Now, I don't care what you say but you're going to school tomorrow," Karen said firmly, turning to leave. "But, mom!" Mike protested, but Karen had already shut the door, leaving him to his annoyance and resignation. He sighed, knowing he had no choice but to listen.

the next day - at school

Mike trudged through the school corridors, his enthusiasm for the day sorely lacking, until he caught sight of Lucas, Dustin, and Will standing by the lockers with a bunch of other students. His eyes widened, and he suddenly felt more alert, hastily deciding to keep a low profile and avoid detection. Mike was intent on dodging Will, so he ducked behind a wall to collect himself before briefly making his way to his classroom. Fortunately for him, his first class wasn't shared with Will, a fact that brought him a measure of relief. Meanwhile, Dustin and Lucas engaged in a heated debate over a small matter, while Will stood silently, his thoughts fixated on Mike. He scanned the corridors, growing increasingly concerned and puzzled as to why Mike hadn't arrived yet. Cutting short the argument, Will interjected, "Guys! Stop arguing over dumb things. Where's Mike? He's supposed to meet us here by now." Will's anxiety was palpable, whereas Dustin seemed unbothered by Mike's absence. "Hey! It's not 'dumb things', okay? It's crucial to know that snakes are obviously stronger than geckos." Dustin retorted, slowly turning to Lucas to prove his point. "Oh, yeah?" Lucas responded, his tone dripping with sarcasm, and it seemed another argument was brewing until Will intervened, "Guys! That's not the point right now! Has anyone seen Mike?" He was clearly annoyed with their constant bickering and got increasingly worried about Mike. "Jeez, man. Who cares if Mike isn't here anyway. He's probably sick or whatever." Dustin said with a shrug, displaying a lack of concern. "I mean, yeah. He's probably still not over El's death." Lucas added, and Dustin nodded in agreement. Will let out a disappointed sigh, rolling his eyes as he turned away from them. Concluding that it was pointless to continue the conversation, he decided to abandon the discussion and head to class.

After a few classes, break time arrived, and Dustin, Lucas, and Will were already seated at their usual table, enjoying their food. Will, however, couldn't muster an appetite, his concern for Mike weighing heavily on his mind. He scanned the cafeteria, his eyes searching for a glimpse of Mike, until he spotted him walking by outside. Mike seemed just as disinterested in eating as Will was. A surge of hope and relief washed over Will as he hastily got up and rushed towards Mike, calling out, "Mike!" Mike froze, realizing he'd been found. He slowly turned around, avoiding eye contact with Will, who was approaching him with a mix of concern and urgency. "Mike? Are you okay? Why didn't you meet us by the lockers? A-and what happened yester-" Will's words tumbled out, but Mike cut him off. "Listen, Will. I-I.. don't wanna talk about anything or whatever. I think we should-" Mike took a deep breath, his voice laced with a hint of regret, "I think I need some space. So it'd be great if you don't bother me anymore." Will's smile vanished, and he stood there, momentarily stunned, his eyes welling up with emotion. Mike turned and walked away, his expression transforming from indifference to sorrow as he disappeared from view. In that instant, Will's hopes of reciprocation were shattered, and he was left standing there, with the painful realization that maybe Mike had never felt the same that way.