𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝; byler

- ¢нαρтєя 9 -

MIKE STARED AT Will's back, moving further and further from their group. Why had he left? 

Mike had thought he approached Will the right way, speaking to him privately, not pushing... but Will was acting so weird! He didn't speak, his face was so pale and his leg had kept twitching, and then he just gets up and leaves? He wasn't being himself.

"Guys, did Will seem weird to you?" Mike asked, interrupting Lucas.
"What do you mean?" Dustin asked.
"I don't know, just - weird," Mike  responded. Dustin and Lucas exchanged confused looks. Then, Lucas shrugged.
"Not really." He said.
"But he didn't say anything!" Mike said, getting defensive. Did they really not see it?

"Will's always quiet," Lucas persisted.
"Yeah, but like-" Mike didn't know what else to say. He just knew in his heart that something was off about Will.
"Maybe you're right, he did seem a bit... panicked, kinda pale." Dustin said, and Mike's shoulders slumped in relief. Good, he wasn't imagining it. 
"Why would he be pale?" Lucas asked, still not convinced.
"Maybe it's that time of the month," they heard Troy said as he passed them, and Dustin turned to give him the middle finger. "Fuck off, Troy!" He called after the bully, with no response.

And that's when Mike understood.

"He's right," Mike mumbled, feeling the color draining from his face.
"Wha-" Lucas raised an eyebrow,cocking his head sideways.
"Mike don't be stupid. Boys don't get periods-" Dustin started, rolling his eyes.
"No, no! That's not what I meant!" Mike called.
"Then how is he right?" Dustin said again, and he was definitely looking at Mike with the "you're totally crazy" eyes.

"It's not Will's time of the month, but it is his time of the year!" Mike said, and Dustin immediately  understood.
"shit," he said, clasping his hands over his face. 
"What?" Lucas called out in anger, still not in the clear.

"It's March 22nd. WE FORGOT WILL'S BIRTHDAY!"

                                                                                    ✴ ⁕ ✴ ⁕ ✴

"Come on, pick up, pick up, pick up!" Mike yelled, thumping his fist against the cold metal box of the payphone of their school. He had barley 20 minutes left until school started, and if he wanted his plan to work he needed them to pick up. the phone rang again, then again, and just when Mike was about to hang out he heard Max's voice.

"Yeah?" she said.
"Max, don't hang up. It's Mike," Mike said.
"El doesn't want to talk to you," Max responded, her voice sharp with annoyance.Mike could hear her voice get further from the receiver, knew she was about to hang up.
"Just- this is not about the breakup Max! It's really important!" Mike tried to keep his voice even.
"Fine, talk." Max sighed, and Mike tried not to get angry. What was she mad about? he hadn't hurt her!
"Just give me Eleven already!" Mike said, and for a moment there was silence.
"Hello?" El's soft voice sounded from the other side, and she sounded like she had been crying. 
"El, did you make anything for Will's birthday?" Mike said. He felt bad that she was sad, but this was Will's 17th birthday for god's sake!
"Birthday?" El's voice was confused now.
"It's Will's birthday today. Did you make anything?" Mike said. He hoped so; after all, Eleven was Will's sister. For every birthday she had at the Byers' house Will always got up extra early and made her the triple layer eggo extravaganza she used to eat with her father, Hopper. Every birthday for the last three birthdays. 
"I forgot," El mumbled, her voice thick with shame. Mike heard Max's voice asking what happened, and El explaining the situation in a quick, hushed voice.

"Fuck! I don't care what you have to do, be at school in fifteen minutes with a cake." Mike said as he hung up, and rushed back to Lucas and Dustin on the other payphone.
"Well?" He asked.
"They're out. New supplies coming next month." Dustin said, his voice quiet and sad. Mike remembered how for his birthday last year Will had drawn Phoebe Cates aside Suzie as a joke about Dustin always compares the two. It had taken him two weeks.

"The fucking art store is out of fucking pencils! what the fuck!" Lucas called, kicking the stand. For his birthday Will had ordered a special wrist rocket, the real kind, the nice ones. 

Mike tried not to remember how for his birthday Will had made him a mix tape with what was about every song Mike ever mentioned to Will he liked, how perfectly the songs transitioned. How it was still ready to play in his house, how it was basically the only music he listened to. He had basically forgotten it was Will who had made it. 

Will always put so much effort in everyone's gifts, each gift full of thought and consideration. And they had managed to fuck up his birthday. Mike didn't think he could feel any worse for Will. That's why Joyce had called and said she'd take Will and El to a special dinner today! That's probably the reason Will had gotten alcohol in the first place the night prior, as a celebration! and he had woken up all alone in the house...

Mike turned from his friends towards the school building. His plan had failed. He had to find Will, he had to say he was sorry.

He had to make it up.

[AUTHOR SAYS]
This is more important than my math grade right? right?!

Lmao anyway sorry this is kinda crappy it's a transition chapter kinda and also I had to study most of the day so yeah...