[byler] fight or flight

4. Will

Hey if someone knows who the artist is please tell me so I can give credit <3.

The neon lights surrounding a familiar Surfer Boy Pizza sign shine above the building Argyle is pointing at, proudly.

"You gotta be shitting me."

"Kids, stay in the car, we have to talk to whoever's in there," said Jonathan, opening the door next to him. Argyle does the same and they both walk away to the pizzeria.

There's no way they're leaving me here with Mike and Jane. I'm about to beg them to take me with them or whatever. I need to run away from Mike's stupid smirk. Right when I'm about to follow them, I see Argyle coming back to the van.

"Hey super-powered girl, you're coming with us," he says, opening the back door. 

"But why her and not me? I could help".

"Just in case things get ugly in there. Jonathan's idea, I don't wanna hurt a Surfer Boy fella."

El nods,  jumps off the van, and leaves us alone in the back seat, facing each other, the painting between us like some sort of accusatory proof. 

I want to disappear from the face of Earth. We just stare at each other. I know Mike's waiting for me to start explaining the reason behind the lie I told him, but I can't start the conversation. I don't even want to look at him, but I can feel his eyes, fixated on me, and, for the first time in my life, I don't want his attention.

"So, Jenna?" he starts. "You didn't tell me about that".

"I... didn't even know she liked me or whatever".

"Are you going to do something about it?" he asks.

"About what?"

"About her, you dumbass!" Oh, so he doesn't know then? 

"Mike, I don't like her back."

"Oh, okay," he says, awkwardly.

Okay, then. He forgot that I lied to him. Everything's fine then. He finally gets his eyes off me. And right when my breathing gets back to normal, Mike speaks again.

"Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you lie?"

He caught me off guard. I can't look at him, I can't look at him. I can't explain it. "Look at me, Will. Why'd you lie?" I play stupid.

"About what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Look at me, Will. Look at me."

But I can't do it. Mike slides his hand under my chin and lifts my head to face him. He's only a few inches away, so close I can detail the small freckles on his face. And suddenly I get the weird feeling that if I lean in we might...

I suddenly come back to real life. I've unconsciously bit my lip and I realize I'm blushing. I can't make this worse. Mike smirks. 

"Why did you lie, Will?" he repeats, slowly, enjoying every word.

He knows what he's doing to me, doesn't he? Well, we can both play the same game. I lean in forward, closer, and stare at him, in silence. And now he's the one blushing, for a millisecond. "Answer me, Will".

"Why do you think I lied?"

"You said El commissioned the painting. She obviously didn't. Why wouldn't you tell me it was your idea?" he seems disappointed, somehow, and he backs away a few inches.

"Because I knew you wouldn't like it that much if you knew I wanted to paint it and give it to you!"

"No! What! I loved the painting before you told me El commissioned it"

He loved the painting. "Yeah? And after I told you?"

"I... I still... liked it".

"Now you're the one that's lying."

"I am not! I liked it so much! And, to be honest..."

"To be honest what?"

"I wish you hadn't lied to me," he whispered.

"Why?" I whispered back, as we leaned in, closer. And I felt him running out of breath.

The back door opened and Jonathan's face appeared from nowhere.

"Alright, kids. It's time."

Mike jumped off the van immediately and I followed him under the neon lights, into the pizzeria.

As I entered, the lights flickered. Just for a second.

******

Hi, how are you?

Sorry if this was a short chapter, but I'm busy with exams right now, wish me luck. Don't forget to vote though, you'd make me happy :)