Strange Happenings

19

Will's POV

My mom wasn't home and Jonathon was absent too. I assumed he was with Nancy somewhere. 

Regardless, El and I waltzed to the kitchen for a snack. A few minutes later and apple slices in our hands, we made our way to the living with plans of catching up on some shows. 

But the home wasn't empty after all.

Mike stood awkwardly in the middle of the room.

All this time spent wondering and conspiring just for the boy to show up in my own house.

"Mike?" El spoke while I was speechless.

He looked up and met my eyes and then El's. "Sorry for bursting in I just, uh, need to talk."

I sighed and turned to go to my room so that the two could talk.

"Will wait."

I turned. Mike was hugging his arms to his body, obviously upset.

"I actually wanted to talk to you, um, if that's okay?"

I nodded, confused by what he wanted, then watched as El left the room.

The soft sigh escaping Mike's mouth made me turn back to him. Conflicted, if I had one word to describe Mike's face, it'd be conflicted. With his arms hugging his body but his eyes wide and scared. 

I wanted to hug him, to stop him from shaking, but I didn't have the guts.

He cleared his throat, then he was suddenly very close to me so that he could whisper. I was guessing anyways, I was hoping that maybe he had come closer to kiss me. But I wasn't that stupid, I think.

"I need to tell you something," he whispered. 

"Is everything alright?"

Mike didn't respond for awhile and I realized he wasn't going to. So I reached for his shoulder and grabbed it reassuringly.

"It's okay if everything isn't alright Mike."

I was looking into his eyes, seeing them start to water. Mike sniffed and rubbed his face. I dropped my hand back to my side.

"I'm so confused," he whispered. 

"About what?" I prompted.

Mike swallowed thickly and shrugged. "I guess I just thought I had figured myself out, I thought I knew who I was."

I wasn't sure what to say so I just waited for him to continue. 

"I don't know who I am anymore, I changed."

"We all changed, and we will keep changing. Life is never consistent so we can't expect ourselves to be." I was grasping at straws trying to figure out what he was saying but also trying to support him. "You can tell me anything," I assured.

Mike's eyes shifted from mine to the floor. He was shameful of something, but what?

"I don't think I like El anymore."

I blinked. My heart rate rose then fell, I felt like he shouldn't be telling me this. Of all people. 

I just nodded, unsure of what to say.

"I know it's weird for me to be telling you this," at least he knew, "but Dustin and Lucas are busy and you usually give the best advice. I don't know, maybe I'm stupid for telling you this but-"

"You're not stupid," I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah but El is your sorta sister and I feel like I might make things weird by telling you this but-"

I groaned and cut him off. "So what you don't like El anymore, you guys haven't properly hung out since we were fifteen. So long as you make it clear you aren't interested in dating nothing is going to be weird--"

"Are you going to listen to me or what?" Mike was frustrated, his voice was near yelling. El could probably hear us. 

I had the sickening thought that she had heard the whole conversation and was now heart broken, but then Mike opened his mouth again.

"The thing is, it's not just El." His eyes met mine again.

I raised a brow.

More shaky breaths drawn in before he spoke again. 

"I don't think I like any girls anymore."

"Wh-"

"I think I'm gay."

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Whoops

Later update than usual cause my internet disconnected and fucked up my whole life and academic career.