Chapter Text
Will slammed the Wheeler's garage door and jogged over to his bike, kicking the stand and sitting on it. He could hear commotion inside, and knew inside that it was him. He wanted to leave, but something told him not to. Not yet.
Rain pounded Mike's driveway, and Will clutched his bike handlebars. He grinded his jaw. The rain beat sideways, and his hair became dripping wet within seconds.
The door slammed shut.
"Will c'mon man, it's raining outside. Come back inside."
"No, I'm going home. I don't want to be around your bullshit right now."
Will wiped his forehead of the rain, and the perspiration from his eyes. He couldn't cry in front of Mike.
Mike looked at Will angrily. "Just come on! This is dumb!"
"Whatever! I'm sick of you treating me like shit." Will yelled, tears bordering his eyes.
"How!? How do I treat you like shit. I try to make everything just great for you,even playing the dumb campaign!" Mike threw his hands up in the air, annoyingly exasperated.
Will felt the deja vu. This was just a repeat of last summer.
"Because while you're doing that,you're also taking every chance to throw me aside or ignore me!" Will wiped his eyes. Don't cry. "I want to be your friend, I want to be around you,but you don't want to be around me!"
"Oh, I'm so sorry I can't pay all of my attention to you. Lay off, I'm not your fucking queer! "
Will looked taken aback.His eyes widened and his lip started to tremble, but he bit it so hard he tasted blood. He wiped it away with his hand and it left an obvious smear of shocking red against his pale skin.
Micheal slowly stepped forward in horror."Wait, Will. I didn't mean it. I'm sor-"
"Don't even fucking say it. You don't mean it." Will's shaggy hair covered his blank expression as water dripped down his face, mixing with salty tears.
Now it was Mike's turn to be shocked.
"If that's how it is, fine. Party's over. You can count me out. Find a new Will the Wise to be your punching bag." Will put his foot on the pedal and watched him, brow furrowed.
Mike took a step forward. "You're not- you can't be serious, Will-"
Will sighed. "Goodbye, Micheal." He put his other foot up and started to pedal down from Mike's house, back to his own.
Mike just watched him, a sickening feeling starting to fester.
___________________________
Will had made up his mind.
Everyone was treating him like he was still a baby.
Mike couldn't even form a sentence anymore that didn't seem sarcastic or annoyed. Lucas and Dustin both had girlfriends, and were usually distracted with sports or clubs.
Will felt like the odd man out, with nobody to love, and nothing to do. He was tired of feeling left out, like life was being decided for him. He needed to get out, or he was going to suffocate to death.
They say you should never make decisions angry.
Will slammed the door behind him and immediately went to work, fuming. He bundled up clothes around tapes and a walkman, along with books tucked with a few pictures of his family.
As he was busy shoving things in a bag, someone entered the room.
"Will," El asked softly, "What are you doing?"
The sight of his sister was the first thing to make him falter. Will set a book on the ground, and his harsh demeanor melted.
"El, I'm-" He swallowed. Be honest. "I'm leaving. For good."
"Why?" She asked, a little startled, tilting her head to one side slightly.
He took a deep intake of breath. "Hawkins… is not a place I want to be anymore. I love everyone here very much, but I need to leave. For my sake and for everyone else's."
She nodded her head understandingly. "Where would you be going to?"
That kind of caught him off guard. He didn't really know. "I think, a city. With lots of art. Like maybe- Chicago." He shook his head enthusiastically. "Yeah, Chicago. I'll go to Chicago. That sounds nice."
She sat on the ground next to him softly. "Will? Could I leave Hawkins to go to Chicago with you? Please?" She begged, pulling on his arm slightly.
Will sat up a little straighter in shock. She was the last person he expected to want to run away.
"El... Are you sure? What about Mike?" Saying his name made Will's heart ache, and he winced. She shook her head.
"We're broken up. For good this time. He does not understand me, he says. I think it is better if we are apart." She looked at the ground, picking at the rug. "I have a little money that I've found. If it will help us."
Will smiled, finally disturbing his tear-stained cheeks. "Yeah. You can come. I'll get lonely without a buddy anyways. Just go make a bag, and don't forget your toothbrush."
She pumped the air with her fist, just like she did after she won a video game at the arcade. "Yes!!"
Will sat on his bed, legs crossed, and watched his sister try and attempt to zip her backpack closed.
"One! More! Pull!" El yanks the zipper hard.
Will chuckled. "Be careful there hotshot, you might break the zipper. Do you want help?"
"I am not a 'hotshot'," She paused. "But yes, I would like some help."
Will hopped off the bed. He leaned over the backpack, pulled the sides together, and told her to zip.
This time when she went through with it, it went all the way. "Yay!" She bounced. "Thank you Will!" El hugged him tightly and he hugged back.
"Are you ready to go?" He questioned. "You have everything, clothes, toothbrushes-"
"And all my money!!" She held out her hands, filled with dollar coins, quarters, and crumpled up bills. Including one twenty dollar bill, somehow.
"Where did you… get these?" Will raised his eyebrow suspiciously. He hoped she didn't steal it, but that didnt sound like her.
"Mostly the ground, and in the water fountain in Starcourt, when it was, you know, still standing." She grinned wide.
"Great." He laughed. "Can I take it to put in my bag?"
She nodded her head, and dumped all of the money in his hands. He put the bills in wallet, stuffed it farther into his bag, and zipped his bag shut.
"So…. What do we do next?" El asked, rubbing her arm. "How do we get to Chicago?"
"I was thinking about that.. There's a train system from Indianapolis to Chicago. Direct line. I think it's maybe 5 or so hours."
"So we just need to get to Indianapolis." El confirmed.
"Yeah. Pretty much."
"We would need to ask someone to drive us there."
Will sighed and leaned back. "Yeah, I know."
They both sat silent for a moment.
He sat up. "Wait, I think I might have an idea."
"What is it?"
"My dad lives in Indianapolis." Will smiled.
"And you're thinking about asking your dad?"
El looked queasy. She had heard some obviously choice things about him, Probably from Mike, who had been friends with Will since before Lonnie moved out. Mike.
"No, no, not him. Get someone to drive us to 'see him'." Will used heavy air quotes with his fingers, and El got his drift.
"Who is someone that would actually believe that, Will." El said sarcastically.
Will grinned mischievously. "You know exactly who."
El stared at him, the gears turning in her head visibly. All of a sudden, she got excited. "Steve. Totally Steve."
Will laughed out loud. "Yeah, Steve. 100%."
"Well,what are you waiting for? Let's go!" El hugged Will, and grabbed her umbrella.