Keep it between us | byler

Chapter 8

TW: S3LF HARM BRO

Mike laid back in his bed, eventually dragging Will down with him to lay on his chest. Mike played with the boy's hair, trying to say something to Will but couldn't seem to find the right words to start a conversation.

"Will?" Mike finally started. "Hm?" Will answered, now slightly looking up at Mike. "Will, I want to ask you something and I'm gonna need you to be completely honest with me." Will didn't respond. Mike took his hand and slowly dragged it down Will's arm. "How long have you been doing... it? And I need you to tell the truth this time."

...

8 months prior: Beginning of junior year:

*SLAM* The sound that Will Byers' head made when it hit the locker behind him. "Fucking queer. That'll teach you for checking me out." A mysterious voice chuckled as they walked out of the locker room. Will put his back to the locker he had injured his head on and slid down. He put his face in his hands and started to sob loudly.

"Will Byers?" A boy asked, walking into the locker room. "Just go away!" Will attempted to yell, but his voice too broken to get anything above a whisper. "Hey man, a-are you ok? You're bleeding!" Will looked up to see none other than Lucas Sinclair. Why was Lucas talking to him? Why did he care? He's way too popular to be talking to someone like Will right?

"I'm fine, j-just- you can just go." Will answered, voice still trembling. "Was it Troy?" Lucas asked, ignoring Will's request. "How did you know?" Will wondered with hope in his eyes. "I mean it's not that hard to miss. He treats you like shit just because you're a-" Lucas trailed off. "Well, he has no right to treat you the way he does and- Just let me know if he does something to you again and I'll handle it. Ok?" Will didn't want to play the 'damsel in distress' but then again he also didn't want to continue getting beat up by Troy. Again, why was Lucas talking to him?

"Ok?" Lucas had to ask again, pulling Will out of his thoughts.

"Ok." The boy replied with a painful smile. That's when Will first realized that maybe not all the popular guys were stuck up assholes.

It didn't take long for Troy to get angry again and start messing with Will. And of course it was in the locker room again. Away from all the teachers and other students. "Hey little fairy? Staring at the guy's asses while they change again?" Troy laughed. "Just leave me alone." Will said, eyeing the nearest exit. "Just admit it Byers, you're fucking disgusting and you know it." Troy started getting closer to Will and pinned him against the locker.

"P-please, just stop." Will pleaded with tears in his eyes.

"Stop what? Isn't this what you fantasize about, you fairy?" Troy said, putting his hand on Will's waist.

"LUCAS! LUCAS HELP, PLEASE!" Will yelled suddenly, making Troy slightly move back.

"What're calling him for? What's he gonna do?" Troy asked with a wide grin on his face.

Just then, Troy was pulled by the neck from behind. "WHAT THE FU-" It was Lucas, following up on his promise. Troy broke free and turned to punch Lucas but missed. Lucas swung back and landed his fist right on Troy's nose which immediately started to bleed. Troy got serious then. He quickly grabbed onto Lucas and threw him on the floor. He got on top of the boy and punched him repeatedly while Will just screamed and sobbed. "GET OFF OF HIM! TROY PLEASE JUST STOP!" Luckily, a teacher heard Will's pleas and went in to break up the fight.

While the two were escorted into the principal's office Will just stared at Lucas who looked like he could drop dead at any moment. It was very clear who had won that fight.

The whole time Will stared, he couldn't help but blame himself. Will should've just stopped being a bitch and stood up for himself. Lucas would've never felt like he needed to help and he wouldn't be in this situation right now. Will was always getting others to stand up for him. Rather it be his mom, his older brother Johnathan, or some random bystander like Lucas Sinclair. Why was he so weak? Why'd he have to go and ruin everybody's life just to spare himself a slight discomfort? Will didn't just blame himself... he hated himself for it. Seeing Lucas, whose only intention seemed to be helping Will was just the icing on a crappy cake.

Will went home that day to an empty house. Of course, the one day he just needed to vent to his mom, she wasn't there. So instead, Will went to his room, he screamed as loud as he could, thinking the bad thoughts would go away. But they didn't. And Will, deep down, knew that he deserved to be in pain. After all, what happened to Lucas was his fault wasn't it?

Will thought that the pain wasn't enough. He needed more. He needed to suffer like everyone else did for him. He quickly left his room, running across the hall to the bathroom.  He went through the medicine cabinet, knocking over anything in his way and pulled out a small razor. He sat beside the toilet, staring at the blade on his arm. (a/n deja vu fr) He slowly slipped the razor into his skin, tightly closing his eyes and wincing. He watched in horror as the bright, red blood dripped down his hand and onto the floor.

How could he have done such a thing? But Will couldn't help but feel some type of satisfaction afterwards. He quickly cleaned the razor and the floor and went to bed early feeling like he had accomplished something. Of course he wouldn't do it again. He just felt bad and had to get it out of his system. It was a one time thing. One time.

I mean that's what Will told himself.