Chapter Text
Pencil ran across blue lined paper with practiced ease. With each graphite line came the development of a familiar form. A shield held in hand, a large heart hidden in the center of intricate detailing that trailed the edge of the wood. Shaded hair fell past the delicate smile that was framed behind strong cheekbones and wide eyes.
A soft giggle snapped Will out of his distraction from the boring class ahead of him. Will felt something rub against his ankle, the brunette jolting in his seat and turning his head towards the desk that sat parallel to his own. He looked down to his sneaker, the girl's foot sliding up his pant leg. He whipped his head back up, a growing smile and tilt of the girl's head telling him everything he needed to know. Will pulled his leg away, his body stiffening as he heard a sigh of annoyance from the girl, who had now crossed her legs back under her own desk.
Will felt heat rise in his cheeks, his palm rested on his forehead as he tried to focus on the sketch below him that he had now ruined with shaking hands. Only then did Will notice exactly what he had been idly doodling while trying to ignore the squealing voice of his English teacher. His face flushed even more, the boy practically sending off waves of anxiety.
It was no wonder why he didn't hear the squawk of his name from the woman in the front of the class.
“William Byers!”
Her voice was shrill, the other students turning to cast a quick glance towards the boy who was usually on top of every question the woman spouted out of her big mouth.
“Oh, um,” Will threw his sweating palms over his notebook haphazardly, tripping over his words as he struggled to collect himself. “I'm sorry, what was the question?”
Giggles rippled throughout the classroom, the woman's face beating as she stepped closer towards will. “If you gave up scribbling inside of that book of yours then you might know, isn't that correct William?” She sneered down at him. Her eyelashes were clumped together with cheap mascara. Her eyeshadow did nothing to compliment her eyes Will had noticed while avoiding answering the woman.
“I asked you to read the next two pages, William. How about we start that before the bell rings, hmm?” The woman stepped back towards her desk, sitting on top of the worn out wood as Will was looking to the desks next to him to see what page they had gotten to while he wasn't paying attention. He turned towards the girl who had bothered him before but as soon as he turned his head towards her she rolled her eyes and lifted her book out of view.
“What page are we on?” Will finally managed to squeak out as the entire class had the time to turn towards him. The teacher's cheeks were bright red, flustered that the boy had been paying no mind to her entire lesson.
“Let's have a chat after class, William.” Will shrunk under the eyes that followed him, praying to anything for this interaction to end and for the teacher to move onto some other kid who had the pages open. His prayers were finally answered as the woman picked out another girl who had her hand raised high into the air. She started reading in a bright and clear voice almost immediately, the class seemed to let out a big sigh as everybody turned back to their own books and forgot about Will’s stuttering voice.
Will rolled his eyes at the blonde who had read in place of him. Why had he even been picked to read if the teacher's pet had her hand raised the entire time it didn't make sense to him.
The bell rang as Will slipped his notebook into his bag with caution, the book in front of him closed without a placeholder and shoved in after it. He slung his bag over his shoulder, rushing to follow the crowd out of the classroom and into the screaming hallways when he heard an ugly throat clearing from behind him.
Oh right. Will turned around sheepishly to a smug faced woman who hadn't gotten up from her desk.
“Come over here William.” She had an underlying anger in her voice, Will knowing that he was in for it now. As he walked back towards the woman he tried calculating how much time he would have left for lunch after he was scolded.
“I don't want to see that notebook out again inside of my classroom. If it is so much as looked at I will confiscate it and take joy in tearing out each page, do you understand?” she didn't even take a breath before continuing “Your grades are high within my class but this gives you no reason to ignore my lessons. I don't stand up here in class for fun you know!” Will nodded along politely. It's not as if she stood during class at all.
“Your friend Michael?”
Oops he wasn't listening. What was she talking about now?
“Mike?”
“Yes, the Wheeler boy. He excels within my class. Have you read his work? It's brilliant! I want you to speak with him about absorbing my lessons. If I can't get to you, maybe one of your own classmates can.” Will nodded along, shrinking under the teacher's booming voice.
“I will speak to him and I won’t sketch in class anymore, I’m sorry ma’am.” Will's voice was soft with a genuine apology. He knew how frustrating it must be for him not to pay attention during her lectures but he didn’t understand why she was so adamant about reaching out for help.
“Can I go to lunch now? I’m afraid I won’t have enough time to even eat-“
“Yes run along” the older woman cut him off, her voice filled with impatience for the boy. “I expect you to be fully attentive as soon as you step into this classroom, boy.”
Will slung his bag over both shoulders, the short boy quickly making his way out of the class while trying to ignore the muttering from the teacher behind him.
The brunette made quick work of getting to the cafeteria, his table sat tucked away in the corner, filled with familiar faces.
“Will where were you dude?”
Lucas was on the opposed side of the table to Will, noticing the boy before anybody else had.
Will walked around the side, ignoring the other voices that chimed in their questions as he sat beside Lucas and El.
“Well?” It was Dustin who spoke up now, the boy eager to hear what had happened to make Will so late to the party’s table.
“Mrs.Durch called on me during class and I was distracted with,” Will recalled the girl who had slid her foot down his leg, cringing at the mere thought of it. “With a girl, and when I didn’t know where we left off in the reading-“
“A girl?” El asked in an unusually intrigued tone. The party gathered closer, everyone joking about Will having his first crush or how Will got in trouble for talking to a girl during class.
Will tried to continue but he felt a little drowned out with everyone making jokes. He understood that they meant well but it’s hard to speak up when everyone is dead set on-
“He’s still telling the story guys.” Mike’s voice rose above the others. The party quieted down quickly after the leader had spoken up on behalf of Will, who in turn gave a small smile towards the black haired boy. Mike covered his mouth with a hand and Will couldn’t help but notice him avoiding his gaze. Had he done something to upset him? Maybe-
“Come on Will! The lunch period is almost over, hurry it up!” Max’s voice cut through Will’s focus and he quickly turned back to the party.
“So I was distracted because this girl touched my foot and it was… creepy to say the least. And then when I pulled my foot away she got upset about it I guess. Mrs.Durch called on me, you know how she loved to pick kids who never have their hands up.” Everyone groaned in unison, clearly sharing his frustrations. “When I turned to the girl to tell me where we were left off in the book she rolled her eyes and pulled her book away. Anyways Mrs.Durch kept me after class and told me I needed to be more like Mike and be a perfect writer and pay attention.”
Everyone stifled their laughter, Mike's cheeks flushed a bright pink.
“I'm serious guys! She said- you know that wheeler boy?” Will was faking a squeaky voice as he spoke “you need to speak to him about paying attention in class! You should read his work. He's magnificent! His writing is the best I’ve ever had in my entire career of teaching!”
Laughter erupted throughout the table, Mike leaning forward with flushed cheeks.
“She did not say all that!”
Will laughed along with his friends, smiling at Mike as he answered with a simple nod.
“Mike is a very good writer. I have read his diary while waiting for Jonathan and Nancy and it is very fancy.”
El stated it matter of factly, the party turning to Mike who was red. The black haired boy threw his hands over his face as everyone laughed even harder.
“What did it say El! I bet it was something like, Dear Diary, Nancy and Jonathan were irrevocably laughing at an ear piercing volume this past evening-“ Lucas was cut short by Max who shoved his shoulder playfully “He's not a Victorian child dude, even Mike wouldn’t write like that.”
“El! El! You’ve got to tell us!” Dustin’s laugh was becoming a wheeze as he tried to squeeze the truth from the innocent girl.
“One of the entries I read spoke a lot about when he was younger he had a huge crush on-“
Will clasped a hand over his adopted sister's mouth.
“Okay okay come on guys there’s no need-“
He ripped his hand from El’s mouth as she licked his palm. The boy let out a loud ‘Eugh’ as he wiped it on her shirt.
The party continued to try and squeeze the truth out of Eleven but after Will told her not to tell she was unreachable. Lucas’ face lit up as he remembered what the team had been talking about after practice the night before.
“Guys get this. The boys after practice told me about this band that’s going to be playing in one of the rich kids houses later tonight. There’s going to be a shit ton of drinks and everyone is going.”
The table grew quiet as everyone planned how they could sneak out.
“Why don’t we all say we’re sleeping over at each other's houses. We just tell each of our parents somebody different that way it’s not too suspicious.” Max stated it simply. She knew she wouldn’t have to come up with a lie because her mom was working a night shift so she could just meet up with the gang whenever.
Everyone started making plans amongst themselves. Who was telling who’s parents that they were staying at this house to not get it confused when the time came to execute the plan.
“I don’t know guys. Parties just aren’t really my… thing. You all can have fun without me this once!”
Will knew he wouldn’t enjoy himself but he also knew his friends would convince him to go anyway. That was until another voice spoke up
“I can’t go tonight. Nancy just snuck out with Jonathan and Steve the other night and now my Mother is on high alert. She wouldn’t even buy my lie for a second. She would end up calling your parents up and then nobody would be able to go. I'd rather it be just me not able to go than everyone being in trouble. Sorry guys.”
The party groaned in unison. They knew they would have to convince Will, but Mike too? That was a new problem.
“Are you sure there’s no way we could convince her? Your mom has always loved me!” Dustin whined as he tried to coerce his friend into agreeing to fight.
“I would if I could but she’s super serious. I haven’t even been able to go to Will’s after school this week.”
Will looked at Mike with a flash of confusion in his eyes. He was lying. They had hung out after school on Tuesday. But when he saw Mike wide-eyed staring him down with a quick scrunch of his brows, Will knew what he wanted him to say.
“He’s telling the truth, I even tried to talk to her and she sent me home.”
The party continued to pry, and Will couldn’t help but look at Mike with confusion written on his face. Michael once again refused to meet his eyes as he bashfully apologized to the group who whined around them.
“I’ll come then without needing to be coerced into it this time. How does that sound?”
The puppy whining turned into loud hooting as the party cheered for Will deciding to come. The bell rang overhead, final plans being made between party members as everyone waved goodbye and headed to their final classes of the day.
Will walked alongside Mike in an awkward quiet. He wasn’t sure how to bring up the lie he had told during lunch to cover for… cover for what? He didn’t know that either. Mike seemed fidgety, the black hair framing his cheeks nicely as they matched each other's strides. Will always liked how Mike was just a few inches taller than him. He liked how the boy had grown into his cheekbones and how his lips had-
“Thanks.”
Will was caught off guard for the second time today. He needed to pull himself together and fast.
“Oh, uh, yeah no problem.”
The awkward silence fell between them once again. Will opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. He wasn’t sure how to even ask, or what to even ask. The brunette was glad when Mike finally spoke and filled the quiet between them
“Nancy did get in trouble, just for the record. I didn’t lie to the party. I didn't lie.”
He repeated the last sentence as he usually did to emphasize his own words
“I just… extended the truth? I just didn’t feel like going out tonight is all. And you know how the party can get, they’re always begging and up your ass when you say no. I just didn’t want to have to deal with them for the next six hours until this party, yknow?”
Will let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. He understood completely what his friend was trying to get across to him. He knew first hand how persistent the group could be.
“I get it. I’m sure you could’ve just told them to not ask about it. You are the leader after all they listen to every word that comes out of your mouth.”
Mike laughed and Will finally let his shoulders droop and released the tension he had been holding onto. The couple walked into their math class together, much more at peace then when they had left the cafeteria, and sat down in the back of the class next to each other.
The class continued on without interruption, that was until the classroom’s lights were flicked off for the projector to be read more clearly. The teacher spoke enthusiastically about her topic, even though only a handful of students were keeping up with her notes.
Will was one of those few until a hand came into his view and dropped a crumpled sticky note onto his desk. Will’s head shot towards Mike who had shifted back into his seat. The black haired boy nodded towards the note and turned back to the board.
Will looked up cautiously to the teacher, not needing to know what was on the note badly enough to get in trouble within a second class. The woman was at her desk, writing down notes frivolously and explaining a topic Will had already learned months back.
He shifted his hands under his desk, the colorful ball of paper quickly being unfolded as he took one last peek above his desk to ensure his safety.
‘You don't have to go to the party if you're unsure. I'll tell the party that something came up.’
Will looked to Mike who was already staring back with furrowed brows.
Mike was always looking out for everyone within the group. He was the motherly friend to them all even if he didn't want to admit it to himself. Will thought it was sweet, the party always teased Mike about it but they all took comfort in knowing they had somebody to rely on no matter the situation.
Will placed the note on his desk and began writing his response.
‘It’s okay, really. Somebody will need to babysit everyone after they drink themselves to sleep.’
Will giggled to himself as he flipped the note over to the blank back. He began sketching stick figures of all his friends, stifling a laugh as he added their defining features. It was far from anything to be proud of but he knew Mike would think it’s funny.
Will slipped the note to a concerned looking Mike who quickly read his response.
The boy relaxed into his seat at the joke written. He looked to Will who cocked his head in a motion to try and get Mike to flip the paper over. The black haired boy quickly understood and followed the others instructions.
A poorly hidden laugh sounded throughout the classroom like a gunshot. Everyone whipping around to see a stunned Mike who had clasped his hands over his mouth.
The teacher gave a stern look towards the back of the room before continuing where she had left off.
Will had his head on his desk, his shoulders shaking with hidden laughter as Mike kicked his leg in response. The brunette looked over to him, noticing the other boy's wide smile and squinted eyes. Will knew it was worth it to spend those extra minutes scribbling the dumb stick figures on that note. Those extra minutes of time allowed Will to watch him. His wide smile and defined cheeks. The blush that snuck onto his cheeks as the teacher corrected him under the watchful eyes of the classroom.
Will shook his head of the thought, turning quickly back to the board and continuing to work on his now far behind notes.