mute- byler

part 8

mike wheeler
omg he said yes!
"does your mom and brother know?" i ask.
"yeah. i'm bad at secrets. how about your parents?" will responds.
"nancy knows. i may come out to my mom sometime. i think my dad is homophobic," i state.
"can i hug you?" will asks.
i nod, i take will's small, fragile body in my arms. i don't let him go, i haven't felt real love in a while.
"why did you ask if it's okay?" i ask.
"sometimes people don't want me to hug them because they think i'm a freak. i still can't believe i'm with you," will writes.
"will, jonathan, i'm home!" mrs. byers yells, walking into wills room.
"i-i'm sorry boys," mrs. byers.
"mrs. byers, come back!" i yell.
"is it okay if i date will?" i ask.
"of course. i just want will to be happy."
*one week later*
this past week has been one of the best weeks of my life. i've been spending my whole time with will. i can tell he's happy, i am too. there's one weight on my shoulders though, coming out to my parents. i'm not going to tell them about will yet, not just yet. i walk downstairs to the living room, where both of my parents are, holly is there as well.
"m-mom, dad, can i talk to you?" i question.
"sure. what's up, mike?" my mom responds.
"please don't be mad, but i'm gay," i manage to say.
"we're not mad, mike. we support you, right karen?" my dad says.
"yeah, i just want my son to be happy," my mom responds.
it feels like a 100 pounds is lifted off my shoulders.
"what does gay mean?" holly asks innocently.
"it means when a boy likes another boy in a romantic way," i explain.
all of a sudden, there's a knocking on the door. i rush to open it. it's will, he looks beaten up.
"will, what happened?" i ask.
"some kids named troy and james kept chasing me and you were the house closest to me," will explains.
"my mom will patch you up. it'll be okay, i promise."