𝐡𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐥; byler

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

That time when they fell asleep cuddled under Will's tree, and when they woke up it was the next morning and Max stood over them, laughing.

That day, this day- every single day he had with Will. Were they gross? Maybe. Did he care? Not in the slightest.

It should've been an obvious decision, after Max and Jane's "intervention", to go back to Will. But even though he could finally admit that he wasn't mad, not at all, something felt different. Even if he did forgive Will, he didn't think he knew him anymore.... All the things he had told him, all the things he had told him as a girl, all the feelings... Everything made Mike's head so confused he couldn't understand quite who Will was anymore.

"And you have to admit, he does make a pretty girl," Max laughed, but Jane nudged her in the ribs.
"Ow! Too soon?" She complained, and Jane sighed.

From the corner of his eyes, still intent on Will, he saw Dustin and Lucas approaching- but that didn't matter, because Will had gotten his food and was making his way out of the cafeteria. 

And behind him, walking too closely to him for it to be a coincidence, were James and Troy.

"Excuse me," Mike said, quickly grabbing his bag and pushing his way through the filling cafeteria. He didn't care that he still didn't know how he felt about Will, he wasn't about to let those fucking assholes break his nose again- or worse. He'd figure it out when he got there.

"Hey, man, hold up!" Lucas put a hand on him, willing him to stop, but Mike pushed him away. Will was disappearing from sight, and he had no time for this right now.

"Listen, I'll catch you guys later," He tried, but Lucas kept talking. Mike was getting annoyed: Why couldn't he let him go?

"Wait, I need you to help me with my biology homework-" Lucas tried, but at this point he couldn't see Will or Troy at all.

"I said later!" He aid, finally breaking away and continuing down the room. He'd deal with him later.

12.47 pm

He looked for Will in every classroom, but the boy was nowhere to be found- and neither were James and Troy. Mike was really worried now- what if something happened to him? 

He was literally in the last classroom he had left, and extremely anxious- but through the little glass window on the door, he finally spotted the three boys standing by the back exit to the school.

He was about to burst through the door, run to Will's aide, but he noticed it didn't seem like Will needed his aid. They seemed to just be... talking, and from what Mike saw there were no tears on Will's side.

He swallowed his urge to protect Will, and instead opened the door a tiny bit so he could hear their exchange.

"....shouldn't wear that unless you're a fucking woman," He heard Troy's voice- and suddenly it was hard not to run and hit him. 

He was tense, ready to spring up and run the moment Will started looking distressed, but to his surprise Will just sighed.

"What do you want, Troy?" He said- not seeming scared at all.

"-are you a woman, with those fucking dresses and makeup? Or are you just a fag, or a transvestite, or what?"

At these words, Mike let out a soft, animal like growl. His sight turned red. This stupid idiotic bullies who thought they had any right to call Will-

"I'm Will, nice to meet you,"Will said, his voice chilly and unaffected, "Now- if you'll excuse me."

And with those words, Will Byers turned around and exited the school.

Mike didn't look at Troy or James anymore. He slowly slid down to the floor, his head ringing with that last sentence Will had said. One sentence, a simple sentence, a sentence not even aimed at him, managed to clear all his anguish and confusion.

He was Will.

It didn't matter what he said as Hazel and what he said as Will, because both these times it was Will. It wasn't Mike's job to try and explain him, to try and label him as this or that or whatever. That was Will's business.

He just had to remember that he was Will.

And stupid as it sounded, that was enough for Mike to get up, open the door and start walking after him, his heart bursting with anticipation.

[AUTHOR SAYS]

Yup..... next part is the last one:((