✓ The Games We Play ⇔ Mileven {2nd - "Wake Up, Mike" Trilogy}

Twenty

Nancy.

I was walking out of the school, about to head to Jonathan's, when Billy showed up again.

"So, Nancy, you on your way home?" he asked with a smooth voice. I looked over at him, and I swear he's only gotten more attractive in the past few hours.

"No, actually, I'm on my way to a friend's house," I still don't know why I'm so open with him, but I can't seem to stop. He's just so mesmerizing, it's hard to keep stuff from him. He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Aren't you friends with that Byers guy?" he breathed out, looking at me with wide eyes.

"Yeah, he's my best friend. You know him?" I asked skeptically, and he shrugged lightly, turning to me when we reached my car.

"Not really, I just heard about him from my sister. Max, she's friends with your brother." He smiled darkly when he said that, and I nodded slowly.

"Yeah, Max is a lovely girl." I nodded a bit more enthusiastically. He nodded along, then patted the top of my car and walked away. I watched him stride away, smiling at every girl in sight. I smiled involuntarily.

"What're you up to?" a voice boomed from behind me, and I spun around quickly. I came face to face with Steve, who was smirking at me a bit.

"Nothing, just heading to Jonathan's house," I mumbled, my heart still racing from his loud voice. I heard him chuckle, but he didn't seem very amused. "What?"

"I should've guessed. You dating him now or something?" He shook his head, looking around with squinted eyes.

"What makes you think that? He's my best friend, I'm allowed to go to his house. And I'm in a hurry, so please step away from my car," I demanded, but my voice wasn't as hard as I wanted. It came out kind of weak and fragile, which bothered me.

"In a hurry, but you stop to talk to that new kid. Got it." He nodded briefly, turning around and walking towards his own car. I frowned in his direction, but got in my car anyway. I'm not chasing after him, he didn't chase after me.

-

"What do you mean you can't tell me?" I rushed out, looking at Jonathan with wide eyes. He sighed, rubbing his eyes a bit.

"I just can't, Nancy. I will someday, just not right now." He breathed out, sounding exhausted.

"You just completely ditch school and can't tell me why? And where's Will?" I demanded, looking around him, into his house. He rolled his eyes, grabbing my wrist and pulling me inside. He pushed the door shut, then turned to face me.

"Trust me, Nance, I want to tell you. I can't, it's not my secret to tell," he rushed out, looking at me with frantic eyes, but they held sadness.

"Are you ok? What happened, you look ready to cry!" Now I'm just worried about him.

"Yes, I'm ok. Just stuff going on with Will has gotten me down. I'll be fine, really," he rushed his words out just as quickly as before, doing what he always does. He's shutting me out.

"That is bullshit, and you know it. What's wrong with Will?" I spoke with a hard face, and he sighed deeply again. He closed his eyes tight, looking pained.

"He likes boys, Nancy, and he can't tell anyone. He's showing it lately, though, and I'm afraid of what will happen to him," he explained quickly, and my mouth dropped open.

"Will is queer?" I rushed out, then covered my mouth.

"He likes both! He's not even gay, and definitely not a fag and not queer." He huffed out, his face angry but full of pain.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that. It just came out, I know it's not a bad thing to like boys," I rushed my own words out, stumbling over them. "Is he ok, though? Why is that a problem?"

He shook his head at that, looking discouraged again. He went and plopped down on their new couch, looking completely defeated.

"He likes one of his friends. A lot," he spoke quietly, and my face fell.

"Do they know?" I whispered back, and he shook his head quickly.

"No, they don't, but he's making it obvious," he mumbled, and my face fell more.

"It's Mike," I stated, it wasn't a question. It's obvious, Will is always around now. He calls every day, and he seems the most worried. "And Mike loves Eleven."

I looked at Jonathan, and we made eye contact. We both had sad expressions, and I slowly went to sit next to him. We just sat there, there's nothing to say. We both know how this will end, and we both know there's no way to fix it.

-

Heyo my dudes. This story is coming along nicely, there's some big chapters ahead!