Strange Happenings

6

Will's POV

Stars, I could see them everyone, I could even feel them tingling in my body. I was burning, itching, and I didn't know why. All I could do was sit still and patiently as my friends chattered around me. I felt alienated, like I was no longer a part of the party.

El could sit and nudge her way back into the group. Hell, her and Max were already deep in conversation. But I just felt alone surrounded by friends.

"Will, are you okay?"

I looked to my right, meeting Mike's hard gaze. He was easy to read most of the time, all of his emotions showed plainly on his face. For example, at that moment his brows were drawn together an his mouth tilted downwards. Worry. An emotions he often had towards me.

I sighed and nodded, "just tired." I was only half lying. I was still tired from the travel, but I wasn't just tired.

Mike didn't believe me, he still knew my tells well enough to see the lie.

"Will, I know when you are lying." He had lowered his voice to not draw attention, which I appreciated, "tell me what's really bothering you."

He was looking at me so earnestly, his rich eyes wide and sincere. His gaze was warm, comforting.

But I couldn't tell him what was bothering me, not now. Maybe not ever. I hadn't even told El yet, and she would be the one to understand the most. I had lived with her for years, I knew it counted for something. And with Mike, the last time we had honest discussion we fought.

So I looked away from his eyes, feeling colder and lonelier, and just shrugged. "It's nothing," I mumbled.

I knew Mike well enough to know he wouldn't stop pestering me until he knew the truth. I wondered if his next words would be 'friends don't lie.' So instead of facing him, I stood from my chair and walked to the kitchen.

All of my friends had lifted boxes for over almost an hour. Then they all decided it would be fun to stay over for the night since it had been so long since our last 'sleepover.' My mom was still unpacking stuff in the kitchen with Jonathon and Nancy. I would have thought that the couple would run off somewhere to suck faces but they were still dutifully helping my mom unpack.

"Hey kiddo," Jonathon greeted, "everything alright?"

That was the second time someone asked me that. Why do people need to know my emotional status all of the time? Can't I keep feelings inside to dwell and not to escape into the open air before I even know how I actually feel?

I shrugged as always and said, "yeah, just thirsty."

My brother smiled kindly at me and ruffled my hair. "Well you came at a perfect time, Nancy just opened up the cup box."

I looked over to Nancy as she slid a cup free from the stack in her hands and handed it to me. She seemed quiet, deep in though. I gave her the curtesy to think and thanked her quietly.

I got tap water and left the kitchen, but I didn't go back to my friends. Instead I walked down the hall to were my new room was. There were multiple boxes stacked around the room and I walked to the one I had set gently on the end of my bed. I opened it up and grabbed out colored pencils and my sketchbook. It was new, I had only gone ten pages into it since my mom had gave it to me after I got overall A's on my last report card.

The colored pencils were a gift from El for my birthday the previous year, she even gave me a hand held sharpener with it. I placed the pencils and book in front of me and I plopped myself onto the floor.

I always drew when stressed. If it was possible, that it. Now was no different. I was drawing because my friends were stressing my out and it made me more stressed at the fact that my friends were stressing me out. I wondered if it had anything to do with what had happened at my high school in the city. If I was ashamed of myself....

The bottom line was, I wasn't worried about my friends knowing. We had gone through hell together, we were all losers one way or another. We had all gotten bullied for something. My friends wouldn't hate me.

What I was scared of was that fact that I hated myself for it.

And I knew this as I stared down at my drawing that this fear was taken over me.

A boy in chains

surrounded by friends

who all held the key

and were reaching to unbind him,

but the boy kept tying himself up

more and more.

Tighter and tighter

Until the boy couldn't breathe

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dark shit woah. I vibe obviously. Slow burn relationship guys, I'll tease you lots tho lol

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