Heartbreak Story - Byler

XVI - What's Done is Done Now

Note: This one is for my friend Hannah (who has no idea that this chapter nor this book as a whole exists and tbh I don't really plan to tell her) because I always sing 'We Built This City' to her and she hates it and tells me to stop so, yep, that happens in this chapter and it reminds me of her. Also, another little time skip. Welcome to January 1987, the year (and month) 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now' by Starship came out which is an ACTUAL BOP! I'm sorry, I just love my cheesy 80s tunes. Also, this is the year one of the greatest albums in existence, 'Tango in the Night' by Fleetwood Mac came out which includes my second favourite of their songs (after 'Rhiannon', o' course) 'Seven Wonders'. Shit, and 'Everywhere' and 'Little Lies' YES YES WHAT AN ALBUM, WILL AND MIKE YOU ARE IN FOR SUCH A TREAT WHEN IT COMES OUT, I'M JEALOUS! Okay, I'll hush.

Warning: Homophobic slurs and mentions of past self-harm.

Will's POV:

Anxiety was causing me to gnaw heavily on my bottom lip as I sat in Jonathan's car. The taste of blood filled my mouth and attacked my senses as I bit down too harshly and made a shallow cut there. Once again, I would have to face the judgement of all my peers as it was time to return to school after a couple of weeks spent home with my brother, my sister and my mom when she wasn't working.

Since that day when my siblings discovered me on the bathroom floor, Max hadn't left my side and had slept on my sofa all Christmas Break to keep tabs on me. She hadn't visited any of our friends and even turned Lucas away when he wound up at our house telling her how much he missed her. Lucas hadn't been the only one to visit, Mike had been discovered crying on our doorstep on a number of occasions but Max, under my careful instruction, had told him to go home every single time he came.

My heart ached whenever my red-headed sister would inform me that Mike had been to the house and more than once did I have to find the strength to not go out and run after him. I missed him more than I thought possible and it took everything within me to keep reminding myself that this distance was for the best but now I'd once again be forced to see his beautiful face and those luscious, dark curls that framed it so perfectly. I couldn't help but want to beg Jonathan to turn back at the agonising thought of seeing Mike.

Get him out of your head, Will. Get him out before he hurts you again. I silently screamed at myself but it seemed the gods were against me as the car radio began to play an all too familiar tune and then the words picked up: "Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and wouldn't you love to love her..."

Without further ado, I reached my arm out and switched the radio off with a loud, obnoxious snap. I couldn't bear to listen to Mike's song...our song...anymore. "What's up, Will?" Max asked from the backseat, an anxious tone to her voice clearly indicating that she'd picked up on my odd behaviour.

"Nothing." I airily responded, trying to pass off my actions as insignificant. "Just don't really like that song."

Jonathan wrinkled his face in disdain. "How could you not like Fleetwood Mac? I thought you had good taste."

"Yeah, Will." Max chirped, "Aren't you the one who teases everybody for liking 'We Built this City'? and says we all have bad taste?"

"God, that song is so cheesy." I moaned, rolling my eyes at my two companions who, in return, began singing it at top note and dancing energetically in their seats.

"Jesus, guys. I don't care if you're knee deep in the hoopla, just make it stop!" I begged of them and they both burst out laughing. "You suck." I said to them before I ended up giggling along with them, my fears that had been so prominent only minutes before had now somehow almost entirely vanished.

When we pulled up at school, Max and I hopped out of Jonathan's car and he rolled his window down. "Have fun you two." He said with a genuine smile. "I'll pick you both up in a few hours, okay?"