It was a typical Tuesday afternoon at the Wheeler's house in 1987,
Nancy was on the phone with Jonathan (who was now living in California) Talking about how lucky he is to have escaped Hawkins.
Holly was playing with Mike's old toys as Karen couldn't afford to buy her new ones, due to the divorce she had just gone through. But Ted wasn't any of the Wheeler's concerns anymore.
He never loved any of them anyways.
Mike was out at the arcade versing Max on the newest arcade game that just came out called 'street fighters' surprisingly, Mike was actually beating Max, which made her furious. But Mike would just laugh it off.
"You cheater, you nudged my arm to make me lose!" Max lies, not wanting to admit her defeat.
"Oh come on, just admit that I'm better than you. We all know it!" Mike responds with a smug look on his face.
Mike was really missing the Byers, well not just the Byers. He was missing Will Byers.
over the past year, Mike had understood himself more than ever. he understood that El wasn't ready for a relationship at the moment. He understood that El just wanted the two of them to be friends (thanks to the letters that they would write to each other.) And if Mike was being honest, he was glad. He was glad they could still be friends after that awkward, awkward relationship that they had. It just didn't seem right, to either of them. they had broken up and gotten back together so quick the relationship became unhealthy. But Mike was happy that he could finally experiment a little without knowing if they were going to get back together or not. It was finally over. For good.
Mike had called Will the other day, after not speaking to him since his birthday, which was in April. It was now September. He had told him some things that he regretted. He told him things that even he didn't fully understand, he told him that he loved him. And Will said it back. maybe he just thought it was platonic. But Mike wasn't saying it in a Platonic way. Not at all.
Mike had been in love with this boy since he first laid eyes on him, on his pretty face. He was in love with him.
"Mike, you good?" Max asked Mike, waking him up from his daydream about Will.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm just... Hey, do you ever like... Miss the Byers, or like, El? Mike stutters.
"Yeah, dude. Like all the time. I miss El, like a lot." Max blurts out. "Why do you ask?"
"Huh? Oh. I dunno." Mike utters.
"Hey. Come on! You can tell me anything. You know that right?" Max says knowing something is wrong.
"It's just..." Mike sighs "I love Will"
"Oh." goes silent.
"Just to clarify, when I say love I don't mean platonically, I'm in love with him Max" Mike vents.
"Oh... Ok well, I support you and all but Mike, I don't know if it's safe to say something like that you know... In public."
"Right. Shit. Sorry, I-"
"All good, let's take this to my house. I think I can help." Max interrupts Mike.
"What do you mean by 'Help'" Mike asks, almost scared.
"Come on" Max grabs Mike's arm pulling him out of the arcade.
