Chapter Text
Chapter 2: Fireworks
MIKE´S POV
Finally, away from chaos.
Mike spent the whole day shopping with his family, so it feels good to finally have a moment of peace.
The whole bike ride was quiet. Sure, they talked here and there. But again.
It wasn’t like before.
Mike also feels it. And he’s just as confused, ever since last year.
Ever since the van.
The painting.
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(FLASHBACK)
“You make her feel like she’s not a mistake at all”
“El commissioned it”
“You’re the heart”
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He feels…. weird.
And Mike doesn’t know why.
Now, there chilling in Lucas living room.
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You would expect it to be quiet since Erica isn’t home, well it’s not.
There’s pizza boxes on the floor, Pepsi cands, candy wrappers. The core 4 are sitting on the couch bonding while Lucas tells them the story of when Max argued with a delivery guy-
For the 32th time.
Still hilarious after all this time.
Mike likes it.
It’s different to his family. More peaceful in a way. He doesn’t feel swallowed by everyone, especially his dad.
Lucas: -“And then Max flipped him off I was laughing so hard”
Dustin: -“The delivery guy wasn’t even her cousin!”- he’s losing it.
-“EXACTLY!”- Mike and Will scream in sync. Will gives him a little smile has the other two laugh.
He couldn’t return it for some reason.
It’s like time froze and he suddenly couldnt speak.
He snaps out of it and they all continue talking.
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It’s about 9 pm when it starts getting darker.
Dustin and Lucas are asleep wrapped around the blue and yellow blanket Joyce gifted to the Sinclair’s.
“Heroes” by David Bowie plays in the background. Faintly.
Wills favorite.
Mike still remembers back in Lenora when he would play it on blast every morning. Jonathan and Argyle hated it.
Mike didn’t mind thought. Because it made Will happy.
And he loves seeing Will smile.
His smile.
He’s a special friend to Mike.
Speaking of Will, he’s been awfully quiet. Mike looks across the room to find Will fidgeting with his fingers.
What’s wrong with him? Is he tired? Uncomfortable? Did they say something that hurt him?
Oh, if they did.
The chorus of the song starts playing has they lock eyes.
Hazel.
A bit of green. Bit of brown.
Theres hope in his eyes. Mike swallows hard.
Then, he looks away.
What’s happening? They’re just looking at eachother.
Sometimes Mike thinks Will isn’t as interested in him anymore. And that scares him. It’s difficult to explain, but since the breakup, it’s like they both changed around one another.
But neither can explain why.
All Mike knows is that it’s been happening for awhile now and it’s getting too big to ignore.
Like a snowball rolling down a hill.
But at the end of the day, he’s too fucking oblivious to know what’s actually happening.
He gets up to go grab a glass of water.
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It’s a bit colder in the kitchen, even though its still summer. Theres a bunch of magnets on the fridge and a picture of Erica with Dustin and Steve in the middle. It’s like they’re all this big family of outcasts and weirdos.
In a good way of course.
Mike keeps looking at the colourful magnets until he hears a voice.
-“Mike?”
Its Will.
Mike still can’t believe how much his voice changed. He doesn’t want to look back, but he does. Will´s hair looks messy and his shirt is rolled up.
Oh.
Mike doesn’t know what to say. He hasn’t for awhile now. So, he doesn’t say anything. He just prays he doesn’t sound like a jerk.
Deep down he is acting like one but doesn’t realise it.
M: “Need anything?”
W: “You seem quiet.”
M: “Yeah well im fine so”- he says like he’s trying to defend something.
Will just looks at him.
W: “Sorry.”- Mike can just feel that knot inside his throat.
Before he can say anything, Will leaves. Mike just stands there in guilt.
He hurt Will.
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-“How was it sweetie?”- Mrs Wheeler asks.
He’s back home now.
Mike: “It was good, but I think im going to bed.”
Holly: “Already?? What about our movie night?”- weekly tradition.
Mike: “Sorry.”- he says, before rushing upstairs.
He can’t stop thinking about what happened earlier.
About Will.
They’ve been friends since kindergarten, so they’ve obviously gotten into arguments, but they always made up. Now, it’s like Mike can’t say the words. But he feels it like a normal human being would.
Its not that deep, but at the same time it is.
Its not even a simple “maybe”.
He knows him.
He. Hurt. Will.
And Mike doesn’t know what to do. Which is weird. Because they’re bestfriends.
Right?
It’s like fireworks. Its fine but when you light it up….it explodes. That’s how it feels. Fireworks.
Fun.
Loud.
Messy.
Yellow.