✓ | 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (BYLER)

𝒙𝒙𝒙𝒊. HYPOCRITE

━━━━ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 !
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄

After an hour of being submerged in the basin of salt water, El's clothes were entirely drenched. They clung to her skin like glue, causing her to feel like she was trapped behind the fabric. She shivered from the sensation of the cool air striking her wet clothes.

Luckily, Argyle came in clutch with a brilliant idea: using the pizza ovens as a heat source. While the long-haired teen prepared the ovens, Mike frantically scoured the establishment for a towel to wrap around the girl's shoulders.

Soon enough, the ravenette spotted a clean towel in the back of the storage closet. He snatched it from its designated spot on the shelf and raced back into the kitchen to deliver it to El.

"Thanks," The girl weakly smiled at him, her eyes still red and puffy from crying.

"Do you need anything else? Food, water?" Jonathan chimed in, crouching down so that he was at El's level.

She promptly shook her head in response. Her appetite was practically nonexistent after the traumatic events she experienced that night. The only thing she truly needed in that moment was to be alone.

˗ˏˋ꒰ 🎱 ꒱

Once he felt confident that his sister was alright, Will stormed out the doors of the establishment. After everything that had happened in the span of approximately sixty minutes, he desperately craved fresh air.

Minus the artificial lighting sourced from street lamps and neon signage, it was pitch black outside. A gentle breeze swept through the air and made it feel ten degrees cooler. The Byers boy sharply inhaled a breath of fresh air, closed his eyes, and focused on his breathing patterns. He finally felt at peace. That is, until the door flew open.

"Will? What the hell are you doing out here?" An all-too-familiar voice inquired.

In the doorframe stood the last person Will wanted to talk to in that moment: the tall, lanky boy with dark hair and a stippling of freckles etched across his cheeks. The boy he had been secretly pining for since he was twelve. The boy who would never reciprocate his feelings.

Will gritted his teeth together and somehow managed to keep his mouth sealed shut. After hearing what Mike unashamedly blurt out during his pathetic attempt of a speech, the brunette had no desire to speak to him.

Mike's expression instantly softened once he turned the corner. The infuriated look spreading across his best friend's face was more than enough to signify that something was wrong.

"Hey," He frowned, giving the boy's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Is everything okay?"

Will carelessly smacked Mike's hand away. The ravenette sighed, shifting himself so that he stood directly in front of the shorter boy. He proceeded to look him dead in the eyes, unbothered by the fact that his eye contact wasn't reciprocated.

"Will," He spoke with emphasis. "Talk to me, man. What's wrong?"

"You lied," Will dryly mumbled.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."