Byler one shots

21

The loud music drums in Will’s ears and he keeps pushing himself through the sea of drunken bodies. He finally makes it out on the other side of the room and squeezes himself into the kitchen.

A tap on his shoulder makes him turn around. Blue eyes framed by red hair look into his.

“Will, join us for truth or dare!” Max half yells over the music and tugs on his sleeve. Will pulls his arm back.

“I was just about to steal some snacks, I’ll be there in a second,” he replies. “Where are you playing?”

“We’re sitting in Kathy’s bedroom,” Max says and reaches behind Will to grab a red cup from the counter. “Bring some extra chips for me?”

Will nods as Max takes a six pack of beer from the fridge and then slips out of the kitchen. He takes two cups from the counter as well and fills them with chips and popcorn. He goes after Max, careful not to spill anything.

He finally makes it to the stairs and starts walking up them to get to Kathy’s room. He’s been here a million times before, chatting with Kathy about anything and everything, things he hasn’t told anyone else.

After asking him to dance at the Snow Ball, Kathy had become his first friend outside of the party. They quickly grew close and now they’re inseparable. They are always each other’s dates to school dances but they’re clearly no more than friends. They aren’t best friends either; no one can replace Mike in Will’s life.

Will and Kathy had realized something about the other very quickly that made them stick to the other. Now, several years later, Will supposes his first clue should have been Kathy’s rainbow hair clip at the Snow Ball. She kept fiddling with it the whole evening, but he hadn’t understand why until about a week after the Snow Ball, when he heard one of the other kids call her a queer.

His mind had quickly put two and two together. After bumping into Kathy not even a second later, he grabbed her jacket sleeve and quietly asked her if the rainbow clip meant anything. Upon her shy nod, he told her about the rainbow ship he had drawn a few years prior.

Will smiles as he walks up the stairs, thinking about all the long talks about themselves he and Kathy have had since that day. He remembers coming out to the party, he remembers Kathy calling him that night, he remembers his happy tears as he told her how well it went, how accepting the party was.

“Earth to Will!” a voice says in front of him. Will snaps his head up and comes face to face with El.

“Sorry, what?”

El laughs from where she’s standing in the open door to Kathy’s room. “Come on, we’re waiting for you.”

She walks back into the room and Will follows, sitting down between Mike and Kathy.

“Alright, let’s get this game going,” Max exclaims as she leans over to grab the cup of chips from Will.

“Everyone clear on the rules?” Dustin asks and drinks from his bottle. “We spin, the person it lands on chooses truth or dare, and if they refuse to answer or do the dare, they drink.”

“What about me and Will?” Mike asks. “Designated drivers?”

“You have to drink twice at the next party?” Dustin suggests. Mike looks at Will who shrugs. “Fine by me.” Mike nods in agreement.