𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐛; byler

f i v e

he stepped out the room quietly, carefully walking past the closed doors and making sure he wasn't making any noise. it was only seven in the morning, and he doubted anyone but him was up.

but when he got to the staircase, the sliders he was wearing slapped across the marble so loud he actually winced. he forgot how much he hated wearing sliders.

he took them off, walking down barefoot- and seconds later he was outside.

but he didn't put the shoes back on, because the warm sand was actually really nice against his feet. standing barefoot in the sand brought back nice memories of beach days with his mom and brother, back when they could afford to take those kinds of trips. back before the divorce.

he thought about building sand-castles with jonathan: well, jonathan built the castles as will collected tiny sea-shells to decorate it with. 

how his mom managed to be even slightly surprised when he came out was beyond him. even as a kid, he screamed gay.

he was so invested in those nice memories, that he had forgotten to start walking. he only came back to his senses when a voice called behind him,

"hey! wait up!" 

will turned around, and sure enough mike wheeler himself was emerging from the beautiful house. today he was dressed in a more toned-down blue button-down, with black swim trunks, he was looking straight at will, waving frantically.

oh hell no.

will moved his gaze back to the water as he started walking, fast as he could in the sand sinking his feet. he wasn't going to talk to this asshole this morning.  

"hey! wait!" mike's voice called again, and to will's disappointed the dark-haired boy appeared next to him, tripping over the sand as he jogged.

"umm, hey, i just wanted to-" mike started as he slowed to a walk, but will continued walking without looking to the side.

"sexually harass me again? no thanks," he said coldly.

"woah, i didn't- look, it was just a stupid joke!" mike said. will just didn't respond, fastening his pace.

"i wanted to apologize. that's why i followed you, um, i'm really sorry..." he trailed off, and will realized mike still didn't know his name. like he was about to tell him.

"anyways, i really am sorry. i can be a bit of an asshole sometimes, that was super out of place and inappropriate of me and a super bad impression. i hope we can still like, start over?"

he seemed to realize how unimpressed will was, because he continued immediately.

"it's just... i tend to talk without thinking first and things like this happen... i really am sorry, and since we're basically roommates now i really hope we can be, umm, friends?"

will hadn't expected that. mike sounded actually genuine: like he actually meant his apology. it didn't mean that he was forgiving him, but he couldn't help glancing towards him.

the boy's dark eyes were staring straight at will, empty of that mischievous glint but full of actual... compassion. will genuinely didn't know what to say.

"how about i try this instead. hi, i'm mike wheeler. nice to meet you." mike said, smiling a hopeful smile.

will thought about if for a second, and then responded,

"will."

then he continued walking. the ominous descriptions of mike's character from max and jane, in addition to that encounter, made this one sweet apology seem kind of empty. he had promised max, he had promised himself- fuckboy free summer.

no matter how pretty his eyes were, or how his apology was really kind of sweet-

and before mike could respond again, or before he could let his thoughts continue running, he took a sharp turn towards the restaurant. he really didn't want to spend time with this boy- and it was beyond a doubt that if he was to continue to the beach mike would follow. he doubted the rich boy would want to help him set the restaurant up for opening, so it seemed like a good opening.

"oh, okay- i guess i'll see you later, will," mike said as they reached the restaurant, and smiled as he said will's name. not that condescending smirk, but a nice smile.

a pretty smile.

"bye," will muttered, and stepped into the restaurant.

and he really, truly, couldn't understand how he was feeling about mike at the moment.

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𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡. 𝟏𝟑𝟏𝟕 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬.