Trigger: Homophobia is present in this chapter. I'm sorry.
Saturday 15th August, 1987-
As the night before's deep, dreamless sleep finally released me from its firm grip and I slowly began to awake to the blissful morning light, I reached out my hand in search of what was missing from my arms: my boyfriend of over six glorious months. However, to my dismay, the side of his small bed he always reserved from himself was completely empty and my hand clutched at the bed sheets as I unsuccessfully attempted to pull Will back into my clasp.
My heartbeat quickened within my chest and my eyes snapped open, all feelings of drowsiness and grogginess vanished with haste as I automatically began to worry for the boy I loved who was no longer sleeping by my side. Though I knew the fear was irrational as nothing seemingly supernatural had occurred in the town of Hawkins ever since Nancy and Jonathan had shut down that god forsaken lab., panic welled within my chest like a disastrous, unwelcome beast as horrifying thoughts of what could have happened to Will swarmed through my head.
Relief washed over me as my eyes locked on the small boy perched by his open window, wearing nothing but his briefs, as he gazed out into the world beyond. The summer had been scorching, some had even thrown around terms such as "record breaking", so it wasn't unusual for Will and I to sleep in nothing but our underwear. Naturally, however, knowing that the boy I loved was barely dressed as I held him close to my chest every night had made it difficult to sleep as ideas swirled through my head of what I wanted to do to him and I had to use all of my will power to keep them at bay.
"G'morning, beautiful." I announced, my voice travelling towards the window yet barely affecting the boy it reached. His attention was clearly elsewhere as I spoke to him.
"Morning." Will responded in a distracted, unfocused tone of voice. As I regarded him with confusion, I noticed his eyes seemed a little glossed over and I understood that he wasn't actually seeing whatever it was that he was looking at outside. His mind was deep in thought but nothing about his demeanour gave me any clue as to what these thoughts could possibly be.
Silence washed over the room for a minute or two as I stretched my tired limbs and tried to shake off the stiffness that always came along with sleep. I hoped that Will would be the first to speak up, to share his thoughts with me, yet I found myself disappointed when I came to the conclusion that he would not be the one to destroy the peaceful quiet that had surrounded us.
"What are you thinking about?" I enquired politely as my interest levels became far too high to ignore.
The brown-haired boy let out a heavy sigh before finally turning completely to face me and look me in the eyes. I witnessed as his eyebrows knitted themselves together slightly and worry line appeared just above them before he spoke to me: "Your parents."
"Wha-what?" I gasped out in shock. Of all the unusual and unlikely things I thought could have made their way into Will's mind in the early hours of the morning, my parents certainly hadn't been anywhere near that list.
The boy gazed intently at me, the worry line creasing even deeper into his brow as he did so. "Baby, aren't they starting to question anything? You know, about the two of us? It's been months and to top that off, you've practically lived here for the whole summer and you haven't even been back there in almost two weeks."
"Will, please, you know they don't ever notice whether I'm there or not. I bet you they haven't even been in my room once to check if I'm still breathing. Unless it's about their own petty little dramas, they don't notice a thing about me." I forced out as I began to scratch the back of my neck awkwardly, hoping to avoid the remainder of this unexpected conversation.
The boy let out another sigh, this one much smaller however I sensed the exasperation that was laced within it that he tried and failed to hide from me. "I think you're underestimating them. They're not stupid, Mike. Despite the fact that they're both pretty absent in your life and they kind of always have been, your mom loves you so much and I'm pretty damn sure she's aware that her son seems to have moved out without telling her."
"What are you saying?" I asked as anxiety slithered up my back and entwined itself around my neck, cutting off my air supply and almost choking me.
"I'm saying it's about time we told them. I don't want to be your little secret anymore." Will muttered, his eyes downcast and a look of true sadness weaved its malicious way through his facial features and broke my heart as it did so.
I was up like a shot, running to the boy I loved and lifting his chin so that he was looking up at me. Gently, I ran my free hand through his soft hair as I hoped to soothe him. "That's not what you are. You're everything to me and it's not because of you that I don't want my parents to know about us. It's because of them. You're my whole world, darling, and they're not even the slightest part of it. I don't have a real relationship with either of my parents so I've never felt like I've needed to tell them about what goes on in my life. They're the people who clothe me, they feed me and give me somewhere to stay whenever I'm not here which is practically never. Please don't think that it's because I don't want you in their lives, it's because I don't want them in ours."
I pressed my lips to my boyfriend's in a tender kiss that was so full of love and adoration that, had there been any witnesses to it, not a single one of them could have mistaken the warmth and fondness involved. I wanted to reassure him, I needed him to know that I wasn't and could never be ashamed of him. I loved him beyond anything.
Will simply nodded his head at me, brushing away the tears that had welled in his eyes as I pulled away from the kiss. Searching my boyfriend's face for the truth, I grasped that he'd decided to give up the conversation but he still didn't seem entirely convinced.
"You know I love you, right?" I demanded gently and I received another nod from my boyfriend.
"Fine," I unsurprisingly yielded to the boy I was incapable of saying no to, "We can tell them today."
For a moment, Will's face lit up and I swear my heart almost shot out of my chest at the look of happiness on that beautiful face. "We don't have to if you don't want to." Will informed me, attempting to plaster a more neutral expression on his face but it was too late, I'd already seen his smile that was so mesmerising it would probably stop my heart beating one day.
"Nah, you're totally right. It is about time. Besides, knowing me, if I don't go through with it and tell them today, I probably never will and then I'll have to deal with awkward questions when our wedding invitations get sent out. Who has the time for that?" I joked and I was rewarded with a bright giggle that made me light-headed from the boy I loved more than anything and I beamed back at him.
Will reached out a hand to me and, automatically, I responded by pulling him into my chest and lacing my arms tightly around his back. "What do you think they'll say about us?" Will's quiet voice spoke timidly from my chest.
"I have absolutely no idea." I sighed, the familiar feeling of anxiety returning as I spoke.
~
"So, Mike." My mother began as my family, Will and I all sat around the dining table eating dinner. "You said there was something you and Will wanted to talk to us about?"
A clatter broke the silence I found myself in as my heart rate increased and I began to panic knowing that now was the time I'd have to tell my parents about my relationship. Looking around, I noticed that the sound had come from Nancy who had dropped her fork on her plate, clearly in shock as she realised what was coming.
I gasped, unable to articulate actual words for a moment until Will's left hand slipped beneath the table and squeezed my right in support. The action spoke silently to me as the two of us knew each other so well that we didn't have to verbally communicate to know exactly what the other was thinking and I understood automatically that my boyfriend was telling me I could do this, I was strong enough but, if needs be he would take over. I returned the squeeze, suddenly feeling more confident and I knew I only had one person to thank for that.
"Erm...yes there is." I stated as I glanced beside me at Will who gave me a proud, reassuring smile and I instinctively smiled back. "These last few months, I've been the happiest I have ever been and everything in my world has suddenly become perfect. Maybe you've even noticed the change in me, I don't know, but it all links back to one sole cause. That cause being this boy right here."
My boyfriend blushed heavily as I continued to grin at him before turning to face my parents sitting opposite who looked bewildered at my declaration.
"Mom...Dad...Will and I are dating and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love him and how grateful I am that he's in my life."
I waited expectantly for my parents to respond in any way whatsoever however they continued to stare at us in silence. The first person to speak was the little girl sitting cross-legged on her chair at the end of the table. "Does this mean you're my brother now, Will?" Holly gasped, her little face glowing with excitement and glee at the thought of her favourite person in the world joining our family and I couldn't help but love her all the more for it.
The high-pitched squeal of my sister was enough to break my mother out of the daze she was in and, just as my boyfriend was about to open his mouth to respond to Holly, she snapped: "Don't be silly, Mike. You can't possibly love a boy."
"What?" I spat back at the woman who pursed her lips as she looked at me disapprovingly.
"Michael, please, you're talking nonsense and I don't think anyone at this table wants to hear it. Especially not whilst we're eating."
"This isn't some kind of joke, Mom. I love him and that's completely the truth."
"William, are you finished eating?" The brunette woman asked as she abruptly turned from me to speak only to the boy next to me.
Will looked down at his half-eaten plate of food in confusion as it was obvious to us all, especially the woman who had spoken to him, that of course he hadn't finished. An awkward, hurt expression reached his face, causing anger at my family to flare within my chest, and he lied to keep my mother happy: "Er...yeah, I guess."
"Thank you, would you mind leaving the room so I can discuss this issue with my family?"
Slamming my hands down on the table in fury, I leapt to my feet. "Will is a member of this family now so whatever the fuck you've got to say to me, you can say it to him too!" I yelled, ignoring my father's rebuke about my language.
My mother shook her head at me as she responded to my outburst: "Michael, he is absolutely not a part of our family. He is a guest in this house and if I have asked him to leave, it is only polite that he does so."
Will, always the most thoughtful and caring person on the planet, became aware that I was about to retaliate so he rose to his feet with grace and placed his gentle fingers on my shaking arm and spoke directly to me: "Mikey, it's fine. If your mom wants me to leave, I'll leave. I'll be waiting for you just outside." The boy I loved held his head high as he spoke to my mother with dignity: "Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Wheeler."
"But I don't want Will to go!" Holly shrieked from her end of the table, her bottom lip trembling as she threatened to burst into floods of tears. Nancy reached out to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder in an attempt to console her but the only thing that seemed to quieten her down was Will himself.
My boyfriend made his swift way over to the distraught little girl and knelt down to her level, embracing her. "It's okay, Holly Bear. I'll see you very soon, I promise. I'll make sure of it."
My heart broke as I watched the boy I loved give both of my sisters and I sad smiles before walking right out of my house.
My mother stared at me with a pity in her eyes however I knew the pity wasn't for me or for my boyfriend but for herself. The selfish woman felt and as though she was the one hard done by, despite how she had treated Will and I'd never been more repulsed by her. "Listen to me. You're not to pursue this...this...experiment anymore, do you hear me? You wouldn't want to put your family through the shame of having someone like that in their household, now would you? How about I get in touch with the Ratcliffes? I'm sure they'd be thrilled if I could set you up with Kelly."
I'd always known that how others perceived us was more important to my mother than her actual family but never in my life had I expected her to be so cold and unfeeling when it came to my happiness, especially when that happiness meant Will whom she'd known and cared for almost all of his life. My mouth hung open in shock and a toxic mixture of horror, despair and confusion clamped down on my chest, making it impossible for me to speak.
"Mom, I would never be ashamed of him." Nancy spoke slowly and seriously, as if trying to force some sense into our mother's head. "Mike is truly happy and I couldn't think of a better fit for him than Will. The two of them belong together, I can see that and I am ecstatic for them. Will is the loveliest person I've ever met and I've welcomed him into the family with open arms. You should do the same."
My mother glanced to her side, to my father for support and I suddenly realised he'd been very quiet throughout all of this and I dreaded the opinion I knew he was about to share. The man cleared his throat as he finally looked up from his dinner plate and into my eyes, "Well, Michael. This is not what we had planned for you and your future. However, that being said, your sister speaks well enough and she's correct when she says that Will is a good person. I know that he will treat you right and, ultimately, your happiness is the priority here and if this boy is the one who makes you happy then I think nothing more should be said on the matter. As far as I'm concerned, Will has been a member of our family for years and now he has a more legitimate place."
My head felt heavy and drowsy from the intensity of the conversation so it took me almost a minute to fully understand what my father had said to me. "So...you're saying you're fine with me and Will?" I asked, hardly daring to believe it. If I'd have had to put money on which of my parents would be against and which would be in favour of my relationship with Will, it's safe to say I'd have received heavy losses for my efforts that night.
"Yes, I am." My father said simply as he nodded before falling silent once more.
"I can't believe this!" My mother cried, throwing her arms up in the air in exasperation as she knew she'd been overruled by every other person gathered around the dinner table. "Well, I guess that's that then. Our son has a boyfriend."
"Yeah," I grinned. "I do."
"And if you don't mind, he's waiting for me outside so I'll be off. I guess I'll see you whenever I next decide to come back." I announced, kissing my sisters on the cheek and smiling at my father before leaving the house, an air of victory following as I waltzed through the door and into the arms of the love of my life.
*
So, this was Epilogue I and there will be more to come. Each epilogue will be set with a few months in between them. The aftermath of all that has happened and how Will and Mike and coping with it all. Thus far, pretty well.
Karen Wheeler can't get Byler down, nahuh. She does love her son very much, she just loves her reputation more. That bitch.
And I feel like Ted wouldn't care, as long as he gets enough chicken and no one is using bad language, he's cool with whatever the hell is going on around him.
It's just hit 5 in the morning, SHIT I GOTTA SLEEP.
G'night.
- Niamh.