Winter ➳ Byler ♡

December 1986

2 years later

Dear Mike,

We did it!!! It's been two years and I can't wait to see your face. In only a week I'll be hugging you again. There isn't much left to say, so see you very very soon!!

              Love,
                Will

Will put his last 20 dollar bill into his jar. Then picked up his last finished letter to Mike, and stamped it with a smile. He was so proud of himself. After working for months and months he was finally able to come up with the money he needed. The brunette rushed down the steps and into the living room ready to tell everyone, everyone meaning his mother and Bob.

"I did it mom, look." Will smiled widely at Joyce while waving around his clear jar filled with cash and coins.

"And what's all this for" Joyce made a questioning face which was also tied in with sarcasm knowing all too well what this jar business was about.

"Mom I've literally been telling you about this for two years now. This money is for my plane ticket to Hawkins"

"Will are you kidding me? That money should be for college, cause that's where you're going" Joyce crosses her arms across her chest.

Will was about to go off on his mom again for this same conversation. Though, there was no use so he stopped himself. He knew it would just lead to yet another screaming match which his mother always won.

Joyce constantly put shame on the idea of Will skipping out on college to see Mike. Just recently Will was accepted into Pratt. She believed greatly that colleges in New York provided the best education. Yet Will had other plans in mind, and that was to be with Mike and worry about college later.

Will was ecstatic on the idea of going to Pratt or any high end art school since he's been so passionate about art lately, but he wanted to be back in Hawkins. That's what the money was for in the first place. He was gonna go through with the plan wether his mom liked it or not.

"Forget it my mom, I really don't want to have this argument again. I made this money and I'm gonna do what I want with it. I'm eighteen now, I'm allowed to make that decision." Will scoffed and grabbed his jar heading out the door to take his car for a spin.

His plans with Eddie never changed. The boy still very much wanted to see Richie. Today both boys were going to take in their money for the plane tickets. Right now Will was on his way to pick up Eddie from his house.

Will's mom wasn't the only person against the entire idea of going to Hawkins. Eddies mom as well hated the decision, and just wanted him to be put into a good college that would get him a decent career in the long run.

Will parked up his car, got out and walked up to Eddies front door, then rung the door bell. The door opened revealing Eddie.

"Ya ready to get our tickets" Will happily grinned shaking the full jar in front of him.

"Umm can we maybe talk for a minute...." Eddie closed his front door and took a seat with Will on his front porch. Will's smile soon vanished once he realized where this conversation was probably leading to.

"I don't think I should go" Eddie exhaled deeply, letting go of a breath he had been holding in from being so nervous to break the news to Will. "I know we worked our asses off and we sure did achieve our goal with all our money......but I just can't do it.....I cant disappoint my mom and I think she might be right about college being more important."

Will knew that there would be a great chance Eddie was going to back down on the plan. Whenever the boy would bring up the plan or anything to do with going to Hawkins, Eddie would get quiet and not say much in response.