Crescendo || Steddie

Chapter 7

-Steve's perspective-

I wasn't ready for Monday to be here and yet here we were. Supposed to be in school. Supposed to pay attention with whatever Eddie told me?

   That's...nearly impossible.

   I knew it was counter productive but I needed someone to take my mind off of it...and something that normally helped with that was ditching with Tommy, Carol, and Stacey.

   We were just about to leave when we heard the sound of quick shuffling.

   All of our gazes fixated on Will almost running down the hall. Sheer concentration painting his face.

  I cup my hands over my mouth to yell over to him "HEY!"

  Will turned on his heels to look over to us with a smile as he looked at all of us individually. It was kind of weird that he looked at us for so long, but I'll give him a pass because he doesn't know any of us minus me.

   I slowly walked up to him with a smile so that he'd stop the dreaded staring "What's the rush, kid? Wrong bus again?"

   "No, I just forgot my binder is all" Will let out an awkward laugh before pointing down the hall "was on my way to... hey... where's your binders and stuff? Aren't you running late too?"

   "Nah I was actually planning on ditching with these guys..." I pointed behind me with a small laugh. Then an idea hit me like a truck. "HEY! You should totally join us! We're going to the mall...what do you say?"

   Will's face contorted in worry. There was a long pause before he finally cut the silence with a question "Won't we get in trouble?"

   He was right. But most people didn't have anything to worry about getting caught. That and we wouldn't be. We never do. I forced a smile before shrugging "Potentially...but I mean, I do this all the time and I'm fine...that and we'd really like to know you more."

   Will was quiet again as he thought over his options. Finally, he answered with a smile "Okay! I'll go!"

   "Really?" I felt my smile become genuine before wrapping my arm around his shoulder. "You won't regret it. I've told the group only good things"

   Will nodded back in response, it was obvious that things were still swirling around his head. I slowly grabbed on a little firmer to try and confirm that we wanted him here and to not worry.

   As we walked up to the group, there was a few laughs. "Who's this?" Tommy had a stupid smirk on his face before pointing over to Will.

   I felt my eyebrows furrow as I took a big sigh. "Will. The guy I've been telling you guys about?"

   "Can't say I remember that" Carol looked over her nails and lightly picked at her cuticles.

   "Oh come on guys. Steve's talked about Will before..." Stacey butts in with a smile: "You know the cool kid he gave a ride home to?"

   "OHHHHH that kid..." Tommy and Carol looked at eachother with wide eyes before looking back over to me "yeah not really an interesting story there, Stevarooney." Tommy let out a light laugh. "I mean come on we get it you're a saint."

   I shrugged again before pointing over to Will "let's give him a chance, yeah?"

   Tommy and Carol shrugged in return before heading for the door again. Stacey hesitating before eventually making her way behind them.