after finally eating lunch, mrs. wheeler calls for mike.
"yeah, mom, i'm coming. $20? that should be enough. thanks, mom," and he hangs up.
i watch as he leans against the doorframe and sighs.
"what's wrong?" i ask, walking up to mike, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"nothing, i'm just relieved." he smiles, putting his hand on top of mine, which is still on his shoulder.
the gesture made butterflies appear in my stomach.
mike notices the silence that has grown between us and says, "she said we'll have the house all to ourselves tonight. but, she wants me to go home to order the pizza and start setting up the basement. she also said "michael wheeler, if you don't get your ass home to clean your room, your friends will all be sleeping on that old pull out coach in the basement." so, i kinda have to go."
i smile a sad smile.
we say our goodbyes and he is out the door.
i suppose now is a good time to start getting ready.
"hey, will." johnathan says, entering my room, where i had previously been packing my bag.
"hey." i say, clearing off a spot for the two of us to sit.
"can i ask you something?"
i nod while slipping on my converse.
"you and mike, how have things been?" he asks.
i blush a little and say, "me and mike? um, we're good, i guess. i'm actually headed to his house tonight for a sleepover."
johnathan smiles and says, "i'm glad you have a friend like mike. i'm so glad he's not an asshole."
a little confused, i ask what exactly he means.
"can i just be honest, will? i love you, more than anything, you know that. but, i know you like boys."
my eyes widen and i begin pulling at my sweater nervously.
i don't say anything.
"i see the way you look at mike. it's the same way i look at nancy. i was so worried for a while when you started being more open about your feelings. i didn't know how he was going to react, if he was going to hurt you. but, when i saw you guys earlier, i knew everything was going to be alright. i'm just really glad that's how this all turned out."
i smile, and cry a little bit not realizing exactly how deeply i buried the idea that maybe the way mike acted with me was a little more than how friends act.
i guess i just accepted some time ago that we never had a chance, although i wanted so bad to be more than friends.
"johnathan, do you this mike likes me?" i ask, a deep scarlet appearing on my cheeks.
"will, i think you're the only one in hawkins who doesn't."
i giggle happily.
"one more thing before i go, if you ever need a wing woman, nancy already told me that she would happily volunteer." johnathan said, standing from the bed.
i look down at my hands, "thanks."
"oh, and maybe don't wear mike's sweater in front of the rest of the party. they might assume things."
i look down and realize i am, in fact, wearing mikes sweater that he left in my bed 4 sleepovers ago.
"thanks, johnathan."
"good luck, will."