Chapter Text
The next morning, Mike barely slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, he heard Jane's voice.
"You need me."
"No one else would understand."
"Those thoughts are wrong."
The words repeated in his head until he couldn't tell whether they were hers or his own.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the journal hidden beneath his mattress. For a moment, he considered throwing it away. Burning it. Pretending none of it existed.
Instead, he left it where it was.
The hollow space inside him felt heavier today.
School wasn't much better.
Mike kept his head down through every class, barely hearing what the teachers were saying. He could feel Will looking at him from across the room more than once.
By lunch, Mike was exhausted.
"You're doing it again."
Mike looked up.
Will sat across from him with his arms crossed.
"Doing what?"
"Acting like everything's fine when it obviously isn't."
Mike sighed.
"I'm okay."
"That's a lie."
Mike looked away.
Will lowered his voice.
"Mike, you're my best friend. You can tell me if something's wrong."
The words hit harder than Mike expected.
For a second, he almost told him.
Almost.
Then Jane's voice echoed through his head.
Don't.
"I'm fine," Mike said.
Will's shoulders dropped.
"Okay."
But the way he said it made it clear he didn't believe a word.
That afternoon, Mike found Jane waiting for him outside.
She was leaning against a fence, watching him.
Waiting.
His stomach tightened.
"You talked to Will today."
It wasn't a question.
Mike froze.
"How do you know that?"
Jane ignored him.
"What did you tell him?"
"Nothing."
She stepped closer.
"Nothing?"
Mike nodded.
For a long moment, she simply stared at him.
Then she smiled.
"Good."
But there was something wrong with the smile.
Something cold.
"Remember what happens if people start asking questions."
Mike swallowed.
"I know."
"Do you?"
The hollow space inside him opened wider.
Later that night, Will couldn't stop thinking about Mike.
Something wasn't right.
He knew it.
The problem was that Mike wouldn't talk.
Which meant Will would have to find answers another way.
As he sat in his room, he remembered something.
A notebook.
Months ago, Mike had mentioned keeping one.
A journal.
Will sat up.
If Mike was writing things down, maybe there was something in there.
Maybe enough to explain what was happening.
Maybe enough to help.
Will immediately felt guilty.
Reading someone's journal was wrong.
But if Mike was in trouble...
What if it was the only way?
Will stared at the wall for a long time.
Finally, he made a decision.
Tomorrow, he was going to find out the truth.
No matter what.