Chapter Text
The boys used to cycle home everyday, but since Lucas was the first to pass his drivers’ test, he gave them all rides. It was difficult fitting Mike, El, Dustin, Max and Will in the car but they manage. (This was before people were too concerned with safety, so El would usually just sit on Mike’s lap in the back, whilst sharing the seat with Dustin and Max)
This time however, it was just Will and Lucas. Mike and El were going on some date straight after school and Dustin had offered to tutor Max in science since she was failing- miserably.
Will had been crushing on Lucas for some time now, but he noticed how Lucas seemed to get more attention from girls nowadays. He knew it was because Lucas was charming, funny, witty - the list goes on. And he wasn’t so bad on the eye either - who was he kidding, Lucas’ smile was so bright and honestly it sent Will weak at the knees.
But that didn’t matter. Lucas was surprisingly talented at sports - which had surprised the group. He had joined a few times since starting high-school a few years ago and now he was one of the most popular boys in school. Sure, he still hung out with the guys, that hadn’t changed - but it meant that Lucas had pick of the entire school, almost every girl had a crush on him.
Will couldn’t help thinking if only they were in some high school movie- one of those John Hughes movies he loved watching with El. That way, Lucas would realise that the person right next to him was the one he belonged with. He’d realise he’d fallen in love with his best friend, perhaps a dramatic confession of his love and-
Will caught himself and blushed realising his daydreams were becoming cheesy. It was stupid, Lucas would never feel the same way. He was doomed to watch the one person he’d ever felt that way for fall in love with someone else.
“Will?”
Lucas’ soft voice brought him out of his daydream.
“Oh, sorry. Thanks for the ride, I’ll see you tomorrow right?” Will said as he hopped out of Lucas’ car.
“Will,” Lucas called after him.
“Yeah?” Will turned around, heart beating fast.
“You forgot your biology text book.” Lucas handed it to him and Will felt his heart drop a little. Of course it was only that. What was he expecting? Lucas to declare his love?
“Oh uh, thanks.” Will took it and started up the path. Lucas always checked that Will got inside safely, he wasn’t making it easy on poor Will. As Will reached the door, he tripped and fell inside. Why did he always make such a fool of himself in front of Lucas?
The only other person who knew about his crush was El. They were like siblings so of course he told her everything. It was hard to tell her at first but her reaction was everything he'd hope for. After explaining what it meant, her eyes welled up and she pulled Will in for the tightest hug. She was so happy because it meant everyone in the group was together.
"Max and Dustin aren't..." Will was confused.
"No, but Max likes him and I'm pretty sure he likes her. You can see in the way they look at each other. Like how you look at Lucas." she smiled.
"Am I that obvious?"
When El got back in from her date with Mike - Hopper was still not quite on board with these but he couldn't think of a good reason why they shouldn't be together, Will immediately asked her for advice.
"You do have a habit of looking like a dork around him." El confessed when Will told her about the whole falling through the doorway incident earlier.
"I just... don't know what to do."
"Tell him."
"El, life isn't some movie. You can't turn up outside someone's window and blast a Peter Gabriel song through a boombox thinking everything will work out. Because it doesn't."
"But...maybe it could." she had a habit of seeing the good in everything - tried to stay positive when it felt like there wasn't any hope.
"Sadly, John Hughes didn't direct my life." Will flopped down on his bed and sighed.
"Whoa, hey. Oh, Will I'm sorry." Lucas bumped into Will in the hallway causing him to drop all his books.
"You in a rush?" Will joked as he bent down to pick them up.
"The coach said he wanted to talk to me about next week's game." Lucas knelt down as well to help.
"Thanks." Will smiled as Lucas handed him his book. This time though, instead of looking away, Lucas' gaze lingered on Will.
"Hey Sinclair! Is that your boyfriend?" one of the jocks sang as they walked past.
Will blushed and looked down, turning away in the other direction.
"Hey! Shut up Reggie!" Lucas shouted after them and with a sad smile he turned to Will. "Sorry, they uh... well, you know what they're like." he said awkwardly but it was too late, Will had already left.