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It’s been a year since the party last saw each other and a year since Mike and Will had even spoken. Mike was writing about all of their adventures that they had been in. He had basically sat there for the whole year writing though he wasn’t very good at it he still wanted to try. “Mike, have you packed anything?” Mrs. Wheeler said while giving Mike more boxes that seemed to have piled up by now. “No, not yet mom.” he yelled back. He got up and started packing quickly. Soon Mike was headed to college.
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Will was packing the last of his stuff. “You know me and Hop are so proud of you, will.” Joyce said hugging will. “Yeah I know thank you” will said with a smile. Joyce looks at will a little more seriously “No you don’t you have been through so much will we are so proud of you for dealing with all of this we know how hard it’s been since..” she stops tearing up a little.
“Since El” will tear up too, looking at Joyce and hugging her back more. “Yeah, she meant a lot to us, to you.” joyce smiled and patted wills back. “I mean she was basically like a sister to me even though I didn’t know her that long. We used to talk and hang out while I painted.” will says as he smiles remembering how he and El used to talk about everything, the upside down, boys…mainly Mike, music Jonathan showed them.
Suddenly Jonathan comes in. “hey will, mom you guys ready to head out soon?” Jonathan says as he came back just to say goodbye to Will until he wouldn’t see him for a longer time. “Yeah we will be right there” will says getting up. Joyce and will make their way to the car and hopper is in the driver seat.
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Mike sees his new dorm room and starts hanging some stuff up on his new walls. He hangs a one way sign up and the painting that “El told Will to make” he smiles at it remembering what Will told him about El. Finally he lays and waits for his roommate to show, pretty easy day so far.
-
Will arrives at college, Jonathan and Joyce help will carry some boxes in. “okay im good from here” will says as he says his last goodbyes. Will gets to finally see his room and new roommate in room 117. He opens the door and he completely freezes.
Mike is right there. He didn’t even know Mike was considering college. They haven’t talked since Mike told that crazy story about El still being out there that he hesitantly said he "believed" it was a bad way of grieving at that time. He could notice those glasses anywhere though not to say he didn’t like them and that he thought mike had looked like an idiot and like ted when wearing them he did find them sort of charming.
Mike looks up and first is shocked and then calms down and slightly smiles. “Uh hey will.”
“Hi.” will steps in placing a box down on the bed on the other side of the room. “It's been a while.” Will tries to not look at mike to be fair he hasn’t been really able to talk to mike that well with out dustin or lucas or max around since the whole best friends shit mike pulled.
“Yeah” mike says smiling while reading a comic.
-
“I can’t do this” will thought to himself “he’s doing that stupid tone in his voice I hate it when he does that.” will starts unpacking his things while thinking how he was going to try and avoid mike for however long he has to, maybe change rooms.
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Mike is swinging his feet around and trying to get comfortable in the most uncomfortable bed he has ever felt in his life. Will finishes unpacking and while he sits to rest he sees it. That stupid painting. Mike looks up from his comic. “Oh remember this.” he points “I keep it up for El you know” mike smiles. Will wants to crawl into a hole he forgot he lied about that. “Yeah El..” will turns around and faces the wall maybe if he doesn’t pay attention to mike he won’t say anything anymore.
“So you haven’t called..” mike says. Will turns around and rolls his eyes a bit. Neither has Mike. “yeah I just haven’t had time it’s been a lot without..El around the house” he pauses a little before saying El but he remembers that he was taught to talk about her to feel better and says it anyways. “Shes still out there you know” mike says looking at will hopeful. Mike hasn’t really coped with losing El his family is a little less supportive in emotional stuff. Will doesn’t respond he looks away “in a way yeah” he says hesitantly.
Mike smiles. Will frowns “sorry for not calling though I should've.”
“It’s alright I forgive you there is no reason for us not to talk now am I right.” Mike smiles more dumbly.
-
“Seriously how did I like him” will thinks but kind of smiles will him looking at mike more. “Maybe the glasses are growing on me” will thinks more. He starts to blush a bit.
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“Are you okay you're quiet now” mike says while looking at will. “Yeah just thinking” will looks away. Mike is looking at will now though will doesn’t notice.
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Mike is looking at wills new haircut he likes it and his new clothes he looks great. Mike bites his lip out of habit. He never felt like this with El he never really understood why. El was a great girl-friend. Girl. friend. Mike always saw El as more of a friend though he never told anyone El felt like someone in the party, always maybe even a little sister he loved her but not really romantically.
He didn’t even know not liking girls was an option until Will came out to him. He knew kind of but he would always over hear his father talking about how men liking men was wrong so had not put much thought into it. He thought if you felt close to a girl as a boy you kissed them though no matter how many times he had tried to enjoy this with El he just never did. He would sometimes imagine what it felt like kissing will.
His heart starts to beat he doesn’t get why he feels like this he would never tell anyone though he wishes he could tell will but how could he what if he is wrong and it’s just a mistake and then he hurts will. Though several times he came close to telling him he ended up just telling will they we’re best friends.
-
Will finally looks at mike and sees him zoned out.”hey mike you okay?” will stands up. Mike snaps out of it and looks up at will “yeah uh” mike looks around to put his mind on something else and sees Will's necklace. “Nice necklace” mike says smiling.
“Thanks I got it from a guy i’ve been talking to” will smiles remembering the cute guy he met. Mikes heart sinks “What guy.”
“Uh well I met him like a month ago and he’s really sweet he sends me letters and I send him drawings” will smiles more. Mike is freaking out now. Will gives drawings to other people. Mike thought that was just a him and will think not whoever this random ass guy is thing.
“Nice.” mike says. Will notices a change in mikes voice it’s not the way he usually speaks to him.