Chapter Text
"You sure you can't come to next fridays game, Will?" Lucas asks, almost pleading for Will to change his answer. He never said no, and this game was one of the big ones. Will flushed a little, "I'm sorry Lucas, but my mom wants me home early next Friday, she wants a family night, you know how she is"
Lucas sighed, accepting defeat, and turned to open his locker. Will turning to do the same, apologizing again. He felt bad for not being able to come to the game, he knows how important it is to Lucas. But his mom comes first.
His thoughts and body freeze as he notices a folded paper on top of his science textbook. He pushes away the intruding memories of finding papers with cruel names written on them and grabs it quickly. He hasn't went missing recently so there's only one other thing he could be bullied for.
But it's been a while since he's gotten one of these. People had been so focused on the hell spilling into the town that they forgot about their local gay boy. "Hey Byers, what's that?" Dustin asks, coming up from behind him, causing a slight jump from Will. "It's nothing just some trash. " He responds, sliding it into his back pocket.
"So where's Mike? " Lucas asks, looking at Dustin, recently they had been closer. Lucas and Will figured it was their bond with Eddie. It didn't matter too much anyways, there was a lot going on recently anyways.
Dustin just shrugs, "probably with El" and makes smooching noises. Will rolls his eyes, Mike was always with El or obsessing over El. It was annoying, it was too much, It drove him mad.
Lucas sighed, "I'm serious Dustin, I need to ask if he's gonna be at the game next Friday, I have to get you guys' tickets before they go on sale. "
Will groaned, "you know you can't rely on him to be there. He never goes. He's always too busy with El."
Lucas opens his mouth to say something but the bell rings, and the three of them scattered off to their next seperate classes. Will wasn't usually late. Very few times, and even then it's usually just a few seconds so it doesn't count too much. But it was only 12:00 in the afternoon and the day had already been a downhill slope, so what did he expect? Being late should have been expected.
He sighed and looked at the floor, then back up, he didn't feel like running or walking fast. He wasn't in a rush. He wasn't in the mood to do anything. There were very few students left in the halls, just the normal rebellious kids or couples sucking face against lockers. He tried not to stare, he believed that if he didn't stare, they wouldn't say anything to him or about him.
But he when he passed a corner in the hall, familiar eyes met him. Recently, he had noticed a ever more increase of looks and smiles? But they were long, and bold with precision. And when Will would look back, he would look away after a few awkward seconds.
Will Byers, the gay zombie boy, wasn't sure why the popular junior and one of the star players on the Hawkins basketball team, Chance, was giving him seemingly flirty looks, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to find out. He didn't feel like being called a slur or being jumped by jocks.
So today, like every day for the past few weeks, he looked back down at his feet. And didn't look back up until he reached his class, ready to be scolded for his tardy.
Science class was interesting to Will. He was a nerd after all, and he thrived with Mr. Clarkes passion for teaching science. But Mr. Pennel, was a boring, monotoned man, that made science feel the same. He still loved science but it wasn't the same. He missed being young. When everything was still fun and unserious.
But he had rolled a seven. And the demorgorgan got him. Not much had seemed interesting after that. Not much except AV club, and his friends. But where was all of that now? He was close with Lucas, but Dustin and Mike seemed to be getting farther from his each day, so wrapped up in their teen romances. He was lucky that Lucas was actually sane and could still handle life and a relationship.
Suddenly he remembered the note he had shoved into his back pocket. He looked around quickly, making sure nobody would see what he was about to read, but nobody seemed like they were really focused on anything except their friends and work.
He pulled it out, taking a deep silent breath, and held it under his desk, unfolding it slowly.
"I wish you kept your head up longer in the halls ♡"
he almost jumped out of his seat, but he did however, gasp a bit too loud. A few people turned their heads towards him, so he tried to non-chalantly put his head down, as his face flushed red. After a few seconds everyone went back to what they were previously engaged in.
Now, Will was left back to the note. He took one look at it and crumpled it up in his fist and threw it in his bag. It must have been a prank or something cruel. He couldn't waste another thought on it.
But Mr. Pennel was the absolute worst teacher on earth, and class was boring so he couldn't help but let his mind wander and dream. What if it wasn't a prank? Could he possibly have a secret admirer? What would it be like to finally experience the teenage love that his friends are so consumed by?
The bell rung for class to end. Ahh whatever, he thought to himself. He needed to stay grounded with reality and not get way ahead of himself.
He went to his next class, just trying to get the day over with as soon as possible. English class wasn't that bad, it was boring but he had the class with Lucas.
"Will" Lucas whispered, will nodded, silently responding, not wanting to get in trouble for talking. "Don't you think Mike is going to get in trouble for missing so much school?"
Will missed his best friend, it wasn't hard to see. But Will had always loved Mike more than a "best friend" so everytime he heard about Mike and El, his heart broke a little more. He was starting to move on. Mike no longer brought him joy but anger and irritation. He was a horrible friend now.
"I doubt it" Will whispered, looking at the teacher to make sure she wouldn't catch them, then continued, "a lot has happened this past year, there's a lot of people who haven't really come back fully yet. I think the school board would understand the situation"
Lucas nodded, seeming satisfied with the answer. Every time Will was asked about Mike, he grew more annoyed, Lucas could tell, so he laid off as much as possible, not wanting to set off a bomb of endless arguments and friendship breakups.
"Will" Lucas whispered again. "Yes?" Will whispered back, slight annoyance in his voice, but he exhaled and repeated, "yes?" with a softened tone. "Oh sorry man, I was just wondering if you want to stay for my practice for a little bit today. Since you can't come to the game." Lucas said, a hopeful expression on his face as he smiled at will, waiting for an answer.
Will thought for a second but quickly said, "sure" and offered a genuine smile before going back to his assignment. Lucas smiled back. "Thanks man"
The bell rung and they both grabbed their bags and began the walk to the gym, it wasn't too far but they walked kind of slow so they could talk. "So is Dustin going to the game?" Will asked. Lucas sighed sadly. "He didn't give me an answer, I don't even know. He rarely comes. You're the only one who actually does Will, well besides Max, depending on how she feels."
Wills chest tightened. He was glad he was there for Lucas when their other friends weren't even though it was something that was so clearly important to him. But he felt bad, knowing that Lucas will probably be alone next Friday, besides Max of course, if she's feeling up to it.
"It means a lot to you, Lucas. Its nice to see you happy" Will says, smiling at him.
"You know, it would be nice to see you happy too sometimes, Will." Lucas says stopping and turning towards him. "I am happy Lucas. Vecna is gone for good and everyone is safe, life can finally go back to normal." Will says, reassuringly, he doesn't want anyone to worry about him, everyone's had a tough few years.
"I mean, are you really though? Our friendgroup is falling apart and you just don't really seem here these days. "
"Seriously, Lucas. I'm fine, and it's not falling apart were just growing up. It's gonna be okay. " Lucas smiles, only half genuinely. And they continue walking to practice. When they get there will takes a seat in the bleachers, he's the only one sitting.
After a few minutes the players come out and spilt into two opposing teams, and the match begins. As the game progresses, Will tries his best to keep his focus on Lucas. But his eyes keep wandering off to watch a certain junior.
The note flashes in his mind again,
"I wish you kept your head up longer in the halls ♡"
What would he do if he really did have a secret admirer? And that secret admirer was Chance? A junior and a sophomore? Even more a outcasted nerd and a popular jock?
His mind began to wander as well. He imagined being asked out by Chance.
WAIT. He imagined being asked out by Chance?
Im losing my mind, he thought to himself and almost slapped his own face from shame. What on earth was he thinking. The empty feeling that was momentarily replaced by butterflies sinks back into his stomach. It was probably just a prank, he reminds himself. He would be crazy to think anything like that could ever happen.
A loud buzzer wakes Will from his thoughts, and he looks down to see Lucas's team celebrating, chance as well. And as he makes eye contact with Lucas, those familiar eyes peer at him again. They burn into his soul, his face flushing a deeper shade of pink then red by the second. But he fights everything in him not too peer back.
Instead he smiles and waved at Lucas, then throwing up a thumbs up. He grabs his bag and heads down the bleachers, still feeling the gaze of a junior burning into him. Lucas jogs over, "hey, you leaving? "
Will smiles gently, trying to not imagine how red his face must be, "yeah my mom's gonna be worried if I don't get home soon. I'll see you tomorrow!"
He walks out the school feeling the cool breeze hit his warm face. What was he going to do?
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