Winter ➳ Byler ♡

January

"Wheeler? are you jealous. Do I hear jealously" Max smirked teasingly, poking at his sides the other one squirming at her touch to his ticklish spot. Only Will knew about where he was most ticklish, and I guess now Max too.

"Cut it out, I'm not jealous ok" Mike swatted her hand away and nervously chuckled holding the back of his neck that was now burning from the sight of Will and Richie with interlocked fingers and all the teasing Max was doing.

Max shook her head staring at Mike's uncomfortable state. She dropped the jealousy thing. She definitely will bring it up sometime in the future for the fun of it.

"I don't want him around that scum bag. You know better then anyone how I feel about Richie, he really hurt me" Max looked over the book again. She was fuming. Mike took notice of this and laid a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"Richies dangerous Max, you gotta tell him what happened"

"I've never seen him so happy though, the last time he smiled like that....well he was with you Mike" Max nudged his side making the boy shift uncomfortably.

"I don't know about that Max, I've been an asshole to him lately.He probably wants nothing to do with me" Mike let his thoughts consume him. He missed his best friend, he missed the way they held hands whenever Wills small hands grew cold and he would use Mikes hand as a means of warmth. His eyes would twinkle like stars when he talked to him, Mike adored those moments almost as much as he adored the boy himself. It was a bitter mistake letting Will go the way he did. This heartrending feeling burned him from the inside like shock waves. The saddened boy shook the memory's and thoughts from his mind brining his attention back to Max who was waving her hand in front of his face.

"Hm what?"

"Earth to Mike, they left. We can go now" the red head already had her backpack on skateboard in her left arm.

Mike grabbed his bag too heading out the library walking side by side with Max. He was still lost inside his thoughts.

Max put a hand on Mikes shoulder and softly  squeezed it, she could see he was hurting about something. Max definitely isn't the soft sentimental one of the friend group consisting of Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin but when it came to her friends or the people she loves the most. She'll become a puddle of hugs and kisses for them, and the fiery red head will burn out and be nothing but pure love no sass talk no roughhousing just complete and utter love. "Don't worry Mike I'm gonna talk to Will about Richie"

Mike didn't want to seem like he cared about the friendship between the two, or perhaps something more he rather not take it in that direction, he does care though more then Will will ever know, but he is the one who pushed a huge space in between their friendship for just one girl in his life. It would be pathetic to go running back and Mike was afraid of somehow getting turned down. "You don't have to tell him anything, it's not like I care anyways Will can talk to whoever he please"

"Mike he's your best friend you have to help hi-

"Max he'll be fine alright, they look happy together may as well leave them be" Mike opened his locker fiddling with the lock then pulling it open tossing his books in carelessly.

Max crossed her arms. She was furious but Mike still wasn't ready to release his bottled up feelings. "Fine Wheeler that's just so great of you to forget about someone who's been there for you through thick and thin, seriously Mike you don't deserve Will as a friend" She spat hurtful words but it was nothing but the truth. With rage she pushed the school doors open and took off.

Mike closed his locker and rested his forehead against the cold metal.

Just as he was about to leave, a pair of hands were over his eyes that were brimming with tears that he wouldn't let fall.