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HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA: WHEELER SIGNS RECORD-BREAKING CONTRACT WITH MONTREAL
By: Jean-Luc Tremblay, Sportsnet
August 15, 2027
Canadian hockey is officially entering a new era: Mike Wheeler has signed an eight-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens worth $98 million, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league.
But as Montreal celebrates, the hockey world is asking: what truly drives the young superstar center?
The answer, according to rumors, has been skating at the Toyota Center for years in figure skates and a sequined costume.
We're talking about Jane Byers. Along with her twin brother Will, Jane is the reigning World Champion in women's singles. But it's their pairs number, "Echo," which the brother and sister perform at galas, that drives fans crazy and, apparently, one particular hockey player.
Wheeler's connection to the Byers family isn't a secret. His older sister, Nancy, dated the skaters' brother, Jonathan, for a long time. But cameras consistently catch Mike in the stands during Jane's practices and competitions. They've been seen together after tournaments. Gossip about a romance between the hockey superstar and the "Ice Princess" of figure skating has been fueled by tabloids for the second season in a row.
Wheeler himself is typically evasive in his answers.
"I support talented athletes," he stated in a brief interview after signing the contract. "What Jane and Will do on the ice isn't sport, it's art. It's inspiring."
This season, the pressure on Wheeler will be immense. The Canadiens have made him their captain and the face of the franchise. They need the Cup. They need a leader.
But the question remains: can Mike Wheeler win hockey's ultimate trophy?
Comments:
@habsfanatic89
People talk about hockey, but the fact that Mike Wheeler wears number 11 on his jersey, which matches Jane Byers' start number, speaks for itself. #Shipping
💬 342 comments
@figureskatingtea
Jane and Will Byers are simply a genetic gift to figure skating. And the fact that the hottest hockey player in the league watches them from the stands is just the icing on the cake.
@mikey_wheels_37
Come on, Wheeler is dating Jane, it's obvious. He goes to ALL her events. My boyfriend doesn't go to my performances like that.
@byler_real
So, guys, did you see how Mike HUGGED Will after he and Jane won gold at Worlds? Held the hug for a while, right?
@el_hopper_fan
Because Will is her brother's boyfriend, idiot. Don't make things up.
August 2027
If you ask Mike Wheeler when he first fell in love with hockey, he'll answer without hesitation: "When I was five. Dad put me on skates, and I knew it was for me."
But if you ask him when he first fell in love with the ice, the answer is more complicated.
When Mike Wheeler first came to this rink three years ago, he came because of Jonathan. More precisely, because of Nancy, who begged him to support her boyfriend, whose brother and sister perform in some "figure skating" thing. Mike rolled his eyes then, but he went.
And then they stepped onto the ice.
Jane and Will.
They didn't just skate. They existed on the ice in some parallel reality, one that Mike, with his stick and physical play, was barred from entering. Their movements were synchronized to the point of chills, as if one mind controlled two bodies. They looked at each other with such absolute faith and trust that it was almost unbearable to watch from the sidelines.
Mike watched Will.
Will Byers didn't look like a hockey player. He was too graceful, too slender. When he spun, his hands traced such smooth trajectories in the air that Mike forgot to breathe. And when Will, flushed after his performance, wiped his neck with a towel and met his gaze, Mike felt his own heart skip a beat, then race to catch up.
That's when Mike knew he was lost.
Jane was beautiful. Mike admitted that. She was strong, talented, with fire in her eyes. That's why it was so easy for everyone to believe in their romance. It was a beautiful, logical story: a hockey player and a figure skater. They didn't need the truth. They needed a narrative that sold tickets and generated clicks.
Mike didn't deny the rumors. He stayed silent because the truth was far more complicated and dangerous.
The truth was, he wasn't watching her.
He was watching him.
September 2027. Skate Canada International.
CBC Sports report:
— Unfortunately, we have to report shocking news. Our correspondent is with us live right now. Anna, what happened?
— Thank you, Mark. Yes, the official representative of the Figure Skating Federation has just confirmed: reigning world champion Jane Byers is forced to end her amateur career as of today. A back injury sustained during warm-up turned out to be more serious than previously thought. Doctors have forbidden any jumping load. This is a catastrophe for the world of figure skating.
— My god, just incredible. And what about her brother, Will Byers? They always competed in different categories, but they were preparing a joint exhibition number…
— There's no official information yet, but sources close to the family say Will plans to continue his career in singles. This is also a colossal blow for him.
Comments:
@figureskating_gossip
Jane Byers is leaving the sport. This is the saddest day. Video: her brother Will leaves the arena. Next to him, we notice… Mike Wheeler? The Montreal hockey player? Did he fly to Vancouver in the middle of the season? For Jane?
@habsfan_1999
Saint Wheeler! He rushed to support his girl in a tough moment. What a man! What a move! Love this guy!
@mikeelst
Are we blind? He's looking AT WILL. He's holding WILL'S HAND. Jane isn't even in the shot. I don't know what's happening, but it looks very strange for a guy who's "dating" the sister.
@jane_hopper_truther
Mike is just a family friend. They've all been friends for years. Don't make up nonsense. The girl is going through a tragedy, and you're building conspiracy theories.
@willerup86
puts on tinfoil hat
@mike_wheeler_updates
OFFICIAL FAN CLUB ACCOUNT
Mike Wheeler at the Toyota Center practice today! Season is in full swing, Montreal is in great form! Check out fresh photos from practice!
Attached: 10 photos of Mike in hockey gear on the ice.
Comments:
@habsgirl_97: 🔥🔥🔥 King!
@will_byers_edits: guys, who's that in the background in the 4th photo? On the far bench?
@mikeys_number_one: don't see anyone. probably a janitor.
@sinnerwheeler: I zoomed in. That's NOT a janitor. He has dark curls and he's sitting in the same pose Will Byers sat in at the last championship when he was waiting for his score. BINGO.
December 2027, Hawkins
Three months had passed since Jane left.
Three months during which Mike never stopped going to practices.
Only now, he didn't come to the ice where Jane trained. He came to the sessions scheduled for Will Byers.
At first, it was chalked up to habit. Then, to supporting a family friend during a difficult time. Jonathan said Mike was just a very loyal person. Nancy was suspiciously silent.
But the truth was simple and complex at the same time. Mike couldn't not come.
Will fell. Will got up. Will, time and again, honed his singles skating, pouring so much emotion into it that Mike's throat tightened every time.
Today, Mike sat in his usual spot—high up in the stands, where he was almost invisible. But Will, of course, knew he was there. He always knew.
Will finished running through his short program. The music faded, and he held his final pose, breathing heavily. His coach was saying something to him, but Will was looking up, towards the dark opening of the stands where Mike sat.
Mike didn't move. He just looked back. A hundred meters of empty seats stretched between them, but the tension was so thick you could almost cut it with a skate blade.
Will looked away first. He nodded to his coach and slowly skated towards the boards. Mike exhaled, not realizing he'd been holding his breath.
— Here again?
The voice came unexpectedly. Mike turned. Next to him, in the adjacent seat, sat a girl with short hair and intelligent, knowing eyes. Max, Will's best friend.
— Hockey season hasn't started yet. Gotta stay in shape? — he attempted a joke.
Max snorted.
— Staying in shape by sitting on your ass right here? — Max smirked.
Mike was silent.
— You know, Mike, — Max also turned her gaze to the ice where Will was talking to his coach, — all these years, everyone thought you came here because of Jane. I did too, actually. — She paused. — Does Jane still not know?
— Doesn't know what? — Mike tensed.
— Doesn't know that her brother has been in love for half his life with a hockey player who watches him from the stands.
Mike whipped his head towards her. Max looked at him with a slight smirk, but her eyes were serious.
— I'm not... — Mike started.
— Oh, please, don't, — Max interrupted. — I'm not blind. And judging by how you're gripping the armrest right now, you're not blind either. So what's the problem, Wheeler?
Mike looked back at the ice. Will was just taking the guards off his skates and heading for the exit. He didn't look back once. But just before disappearing into the tunnel, his hand, free of his bag, paused in the air for a moment. A short, almost imperceptible movement. Like he was waving goodbye to someone.
Mike knew that gesture was meant for him.
— The problem is, — Mike said quietly, not taking his eyes off the empty tunnel entrance, — that I don't know why I'm here if he's leaving. And I don't know where to go when he leaves.
Max looked at him for a long time. Then she shook her head and stood up.
— God, you guys are such idiots. — She patted him on the shoulder. — He'll be here tomorrow at the same time. Come. And maybe this time, try not just watching, but going down there and saying something to him besides 'great skate'.
She left, leaving Mike alone in the empty stands, under the hum of ventilation and the quiet glow of the lights above the hockey rink, which was no longer the main ice in this building for him.
r/FigureSkating
Discussion: Will Byers after his sister's retirement
User u/quadgodess:
Is anyone else noticing that Mike Wheeler keeps showing up at ALL of Will's practices? I get support, but he was at every damn open practice in LA this month. Doesn't his contract with Montreal require him to, I don't know, PRACTICE WITH THE TEAM?
Comments:
u/curlingfan99: He comes to LA on his days off. Do hockey players have days off? Apparently yes, if you really want to see one specific figure skater.
u/edgework_queen: I was at the rink on Tuesday. They barely even talked. Will just skated, and Mike sat and watched. The whole hour. Like a dog, seriously. It's kinda creepy, honestly.
u/byler_skating_witch: It's not creepy, it's ROMANTIC. Look at the video of how Will looks towards the stands before he leaves. He's looking for him with his eyes. They're both looking for each other. How can anyone deny this?
u/sasha_trusova_fan: You can deny it because Will Byers has never given any reason to think he's gay. He's just a very talented and sensitive guy. And Mike Wheeler is her sister's boyfriend. Stop shipping real people.
u/teamjane: Jane is going through a tough time right now, and you're spreading gossip about her boyfriend and brother. Shame on you.
u/okay_but_why: Has anyone considered that maybe MIKE WHEELER WAS NEVER JANE'S BOYFRIEND? Maybe it's just PR to distract from the fact that the only person he can watch, roaming the stands, is WILL? Just a thought.
Sports Illustrated: ICY SILENCE — HOW WILL BYERS IS LEARNING TO BE ALONE
By: Alice Morgan. December 2027
Three months have passed since Jane Byers announced her retirement. Three months that have changed the landscape of world figure skating.
But for no one have these changes been as destructive and simultaneously constructive as for her twin brother.
Will Byers, 22, stepped onto the ice alone for the first time in his career. Without his sister. Without their famous number "Echo," which brought them millions of views on YouTube and the title of the most mesmerizing skaters of their generation.
"The first weeks were hell," Will admits in a rare interview. We meet at a café near the Toyota Center after his morning practice. He looks tired, but his eyes burn with the fire that distinguishes champions. "I would step onto the ice and instinctively look for her. My body knew where she should be, would turn towards her. And she wasn't there. And that vacuum... it just consumed me."
Will's coach, the Byers' long-time mentor, says that in the first weeks after Jane's departure, Will fell more often than in his entire previous career. "He tried to skate for two. He put pain, anger, despair into every movement. It wasn't pretty. But it was honest. And we decided to keep that honesty."
Will's new program, "Phoenix," which he will debut at the national championship next month, is built precisely on that—on rising from the ashes. Choreographers say it's the most emotionally challenging work of their careers.
"There's one moment in the program," Will shares, his gaze becoming distant, "where I reach my hand out to the side, to where Jane always was. And instead of her, there's emptiness. And I have to freeze in that emptiness and not break. It's... it's harder than any quadruple jump."
When asked about support from loved ones, Will noticeably brightens. "My family is everything. Jonathan flies in whenever he can. Max, my best friend, basically lives with me at the rink. And..." — he pauses, as if weighing every word — "and Mike. Mike Wheeler. He's... he's always there. It... means a lot."
When I cautiously inquire about the nature of this closeness, Will deflects. "Mike is part of our family. He's been with us from the beginning. Jane... we all appreciate his support."
He doesn't say "Jane and Mike." He says "Mike" separately.
Curious.
Comments:
@figureskating_updates
EXCLUSIVE: Will Byers gives first big interview since sister's retirement. Says Mike Wheeler is "always there." What do you think?
@habsfan_1997
My captain supports figure skaters! That's team spirit!
@byler_real
"Mike separately" and "Jane and Mike" are DIFFERENT THINGS, guys. Did he deliberately emphasize that???
@el_stranger
You're reading too much into it. Will just said his family supports him. Mike is practically family.
@mikeelst
Yeah. "Practically family." The one who watches him from the stands every day while his "girlfriend" sits at home with a back injury. Very family-like behavior.
Instagram Story @nancywheeler
Photo: cozy living room, Mike, Will, and Jane sitting on the couch. Mike and Will sit slightly closer to each other than can be explained by chance. Jane looks at the camera with a slight, knowing smile.
Caption: When everyone's finally together and no one's running from anyone ❤️🏒⛸️
Story comments:
max_mayfield: OOOOOH, JANE IS SMILING. This is a historic moment!
dustin_henderson: Someone save this post for posterity. Our kids will study it in schools.
lucas_sinclair: Dustin, we don't have kids.
dustin_henderson: NOT YET.
Post-competition interview. Will Byers.
Reporter: Will, incredible silver! You looked very emotional after your skate. We saw how you were greeted in the kiss-and-cry. Is this season special for you?
Will: (smiles, blushing slightly) Yeah, this season... is different. I'm getting used to skating alone. It's still hard, but I feel the support. Very important support.
Reporter: We couldn't help but notice Mike Wheeler in the audience section. Is his support also important?
Will: (pause, looks away, slight smile) Mike... he's always been an important part... of all this. We've known each other for a long time. He's a very loyal friend.
Reporter: Just a friend?
Will: (laughs, but there's something warm in his eyes) You don't waste time. Let's just say for now that I'm glad he's here.
Comments:
@willerup86: HE DIDN'T DENY IT! HE SAID "FOR NOW"! IT'S A WIN, GUYS!
@byler_real: That look when he talked about Mike... God, I'm melting. Someone just let them get married already.
Social media explodes:
X (Twitter):
@hawkineyewitness
Just saw MIKE WHEELER in Hawkins! In person! He's hanging around that ice rink again. Dude, you have a stick and a puck, why do you need figure skating?! 🤔🏒 #Hawkins #MikeWheeler #NHL
💬 1.2K retweets 4.5K likes
@chicagosportsfan
Okay, Hawkins folks, explain this to me. Is our Mike actually dating that skater who retired? Or is he just a really devoted fan of her brother? This whole thing is weird. #MikeWheeler #Blackhawks
@elmaxforever
He and Jane Hopper are the main couple, she's just out of the media spotlight now. He's supporting the family. Don't see anything strange. ❤️
@willthewise_defender
I do. The sister left the sport, and he's still here. And he never looked at Jane from the stands THE way he looks at Will when he does his spins. Just saying.
@mikeyboy88
Dude, you've watched too many cheap soap operas. They're childhood friends. You seriously think an NHL player is secretly in love with an 18-year-old male figure skater? 🤡
@willthewise_defender
I don't think anything. I just look with my own eyes. Mike Wheeler's eyes don't lie.
@sinnerwheeler
Jealousy is a terrible thing. Jane Byers is beautiful, Mike Wheeler is handsome. They're beautiful together. Deal with it.
Reddit: r/HawkinsMysteries
Theory: Mike Wheeler doesn't come for Jane. She was the cover.
u/vecnas_weakness
Okay, let's gather the facts.
-
Mike Wheeler starts coming to Hawkins long before Jane announces her retirement.
-
The press immediately latches onto them, seeing an "ideal couple" (NHL star + beautiful figure skater).
-
Jane retires from sports. Logically, Mike's visits should stop. The likelihood of him flying halfway across the country just to hang out with a girl in Hawkins is extremely low given his schedule.
-
But the visits do NOT stop. They become even MORE FREQUENT.
-
The only constant factor at this rink is Will Byers, who is still training.
I'm not saying nothing happened between Mike and Jane. Maybe they tried dating. But I'd bet my Stranger Things card that the real reason Mike Wheeler can't stay away from Hawkins has the last name Byers. And it's not Jane.
Comments:
u/eleven_point_oh
Damn, you made me think. But that's too bold. Mike Wheeler? He was the star of the school basketball team and dated a cheerleader. That's too much of a "left turn."
u/mileven_is_life
This is just a conspiracy theory from people who don't understand true love. Mike and Jane are fate. And Will is like a little brother to him. Period.
u/byers_brother
Like a little brother. Classic. Soon you'll realize that "like a brother" in the mouths of such fans means nothing. I've been following this story from the beginning. Look at their childhood photos. Mike is always looking at Will. ALWAYS.
u/hawkins_pd
I work at the arena. I've seen them a couple of times. The tension between them when they're near each other... it literally cuts the air. I don't know if there's something going on, but it doesn't smell like "just friends."
Tumblr
@byler-is-real-challenge
[Photo of Mike sitting in the stands, and Will practicing a step sequence on the ice. Mike isn't looking at his phone. He's only looking at Will.]
I know our tag is usually about something else, but LOOK AT THIS.
This is not the look of a guy waiting for his girlfriend to finish practice. This is the look of a hungry man staring at a work of art. Or at his one and only purpose in life.
Just think about it:
-
Mike Wheeler, with his multi-million dollar contract and pre-season training, spends his day off flying to Indiana.
-
He sits on a cold bleacher and watches Will Byers do a triple toe loop. Again and again.
-
He could be anywhere. New York. LA. On a yacht. But he's here. Watching Will.
-
Jane is no longer on the ice. The reason is gone. And he's still here.
I'm not saying he's gay (though, look at those eyes). I'm saying this man is in love. And the object of his love is currently breaking the ice with his skates.
#mike wheeler #will byers #au #hockey #figure skating #this is not platonic #look into his eyes #he's gone #we're all gone
💬 1,432 notes
December 2027, Hawkins
Mike hated the cold.
Strange, right? A guy who makes a living playing on ice hates the cold. But it was true. He hated the clammy feel of sweat-soaked thermal underwear, hated when his cheeks went numb in the freezing air, hated when his fingers stiffened so much he could barely grip his stick.
But the cold of the Hawkins Ice Arena stands was different.
This cold was filled with anticipation.
Mike sat on a plastic seat that remembered him from back when he was a gangly teenager, watching a figure in a black-and-blue training suit glide across the ice. Skate blades hissed, cutting the surface, leaving graceful patterns behind.
Will Byers didn't look like a hockey player. He didn't crash into the boards, wave a stick, or yell at referees. Will moved as if the music playing from the speakers was in his blood. Every move—smooth, fluid, precise to the millimeter. He would finish a spin and hold a perfect pose, and even from here, in the stands, Mike could see his chest heaving.
— Here again, — a voice came from behind.
Mike startled and turned. Steve Harrington, part-time local lifeguard, now a hockey instructor for kids, and just a ubiquitous guy, stood behind him with two cups of coffee.
— I'm working, — Mike muttered, taking the coffee. — Taking a break. Day off.
— Uh-huh. A day off in Indiana. Instead of hanging out in Chicago with supermodels, you're stuck in this ice box drinking crappy vending machine coffee. — Steve plopped down next to him. — Watching Will.
— I'm watching practice, — Mike corrected, not taking his eyes off the ice. — Supporting young talent.
— Young talent that your support seems to be distracting a little, — Steve smirked, nodding towards the ice.
Mike shifted his gaze. Will had stopped. He stood in the center of the rink, cheeks flushed from exertion, dark hair escaping from under his cap, plastered to his forehead. And he was looking straight at Mike.
Even from this distance, Mike saw the corners of his lips twitch into an embarrassed but warm smile. Will raised his hand and waved.
Mike's heart did a somersault. He raised his hand in response, feeling like a complete idiot. Almost spilled his coffee.
— Oh yeah, — Steve snorted. — Very platonic support. Takes my breath away.
— Shut up, Harrington, — Mike hissed, but he couldn't suppress a smile himself. He was looking at Will again, who had turned away, refocusing on his program.
— Listen, — Steve suddenly became serious. — I'm not butting into your business, but that article in the Herald... about you and Jane.
Mike winced as if from a toothache.
— That's crap.
— I know it's crap. We all know. But she was your cover while she was here. And now she's not. And the whole town sees how you look at her brother. People are going to start asking questions, Mike. More direct ones than 'are they dating?'.
Mike squeezed the cup. Coffee burned his fingers.
— I don't care about questions.
— And what about him? — Steve nodded towards Will. — Will's got regional comps in a month. Scouts will be there. Press. You think he needs a scandal with headlines like 'NHL Star and Skater: Secret Romance'?
Mike was silent. The coffee in his mouth suddenly turned bitter.
— I just want to be there, — he said quietly.
Steve looked at him with sympathy.
— I know, dude. I know. But be careful. This ice is slippery for more than just figure skaters.
When Steve left, Mike stayed until the very end of practice.
He watched Will practice his signature element over and over—a complex jump combination. Watched him fall, get up, brush himself off, and do it again. Watched him get angry at himself when it didn't work, and how his face lit up when his coach praised him.
When Will finished and, removing his skates, headed to the locker room, Mike came down from the stands. He knew where to wait. By the exit, near the small coffee maker, stood Will. He had changed into loose jeans and a warm sweater that made him look softer and cozier.
— Hey, — Will breathed out, smiling. He smelled of frosty air and mint. — You're early today.
— Day off, — Mike shrugged. Words stuck in his throat. He just looked. At the damp strands of hair, at the still-flushed cheeks, at the eyes where sparks of reflected ice danced. — You were... amazing.
Will rolled his eyes, but his smile widened. — I fell three times on one element. That's not 'amazing', that's 'disaster'.
— That's perseverance, — Mike countered. — That's beautiful. The way you get up.
Silence hung between them. Awkward? No. Tense. Filled with what they both left unsaid.
— Mike... — Will began, and in his voice was the same uncertainty Mike felt in himself.
— I know, — Mike interrupted quickly. — I know I should be in Chicago. That this looks strange. But I... I can't not come. You understand?
Will looked at him. His gaze swept across Mike's face, lingered on his lips, and returned to his eyes. It lasted only a second, but Mike felt it in his entire body.
— I understand, — Will answered quietly. — I also can't help but ask you to stay.
Those words hung in the air between them, heavy and sweet at the same time. Mike looked at Will and felt his familiar world—the world of hockey, contracts, steroids, and grimy locker rooms—shrink to the size of this little coffee maker and the scent of mint.
He wanted to take a step. Just one step.
But instead, he shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets, squeezing the keys to his rental car so hard they dug into his palm.
— Practice tomorrow at seven? — he asked, his voice surprisingly steady.
Will blinked, as if returning from some distant journey.
— Huh? Yeah. Yeah, seven.
— I'll be there.
— Mike, — Will stepped closer, closing the distance Mike hadn't dared to cross. — You don't have to... I mean, will you really be here tomorrow at seven in the morning? You have a game in Montreal in two days.
— On Saturday, — Mike corrected. — And I'll make it. Charter at five.
Will shook his head, but those same sparks danced in his eyes.
— You're crazy.
— Tell that to someone else, — Mike snorted. — I'm just a figure skating fan.
— Uh-huh. — Will smiled, bit his lip, and that gesture sent another jolt down Mike's spine. — Well, see you tomorrow then, fan.
— See you.
Mike left the locker room, passed the dozing security guard, walked out to the parking lot where the cold December Indiana air hit his face, and only then allowed himself to exhale.
God.
He got in the car, started the engine, and just sat for a minute, staring at the dim light of the streetlamp.
He was twenty-three years old. He was the captain of the Montreal Canadiens. He'd just signed a contract most guys in the league could only dream of. He had an apartment in downtown Montreal, a sponsorship deal with Adidas, and an agent who called three times a day to make sure he wasn't doing anything "stupid."
And here he was, sitting in the parking lot of an ice rink in Hawkins, Indiana, hands trembling because some figure skater in a goofy sweater had bitten his lip.
Idiot.
Mike smirked to himself and pulled out of the parking lot.
Saturday, Montreal. 2027. Bell Centre.
— AND HE SCORES! MIKE WHEELER WITH HIS SECOND!
The arena erupted in applause. Mike raised his stick, accepting congratulations from teammates, and skated to the bench. The crowd chanted his name. Red lights flashed on the scoreboard. He felt this moment with every cell of his body—the moment he lived for.
I should be happy. I should be on top of the world. I'm in Montreal. I'm scoring. Everything's going according to plan.
He sat on the bench, the equipment manager handed him a water bottle. Mike took a sip, glanced at the scoreboard, then at the section behind the bench where players' families and guests usually sat.
You were waiting for him, idiot? His competition is in two weeks. He trains every day. He's in Hawkins.
— Wheeler, you with us? — the coach tapped his shoulder. — Next shift.
— Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.
But he wasn't fine. He was here, in Montreal, in a packed arena, but a part of him—too large a part—was stuck there, in the cold stands of the Hawkins Ice Arena.
Social media after the game:
X (Twitter):
@habs_insider
Wheeler was a machine tonight. 2 goals, assist. Player of the game. Captain is carrying. 💪🔥 #GoHabsGo
💬 3.2K likes
@byler_real
Did you see Wheeler looking at the stands after his second goal? He was clearly looking for someone. Only, his girlfriend Jane Byers wasn't there. She's not even in Montreal. I wonder who he was waiting for? 🤔
💬 234 retweets
@mikey_wheels_37
@byler_real Stop talking nonsense. He was just looking at the scoreboard. He's hyped up on adrenaline. Stop making things up.
@el_hopper_fan
Guys, seriously. Jane Byers is currently preparing for her ice show in Japan. She has a schedule. She can't just travel to every one of his games. They're adults.
@willthewise_defender
She can't. But who could? And more importantly, who was he really looking at with such hope?
Jane Byers' Twitter account @janebyers_official:
[Photo: Jane at Narita Airport with a huge cup of coffee]
Landed in Tokyo! Preparing the show with @yuzuru_official. Incredibly happy! 🗾✨ #IceShow #Tokyo
Comments:
@figureskatingfan: The Queen is back in Japan! ❤️
@mikeywheelerupdates: Mike Wheeler not involved here, apparently, long-distance relationships are hard...
@habsfanatic89: @mikeywheelerupdates She's an athlete, he's an athlete. They understand each other.
December, Hawkins. One week later.
This time Mike came on Friday evening, right after an away game in Detroit. The Canadiens had given the team two days off before a tough home stand, and without a second thought, he got in the car and drove south.
He hadn't told Will he was coming. Just hoped to catch him at evening practice.
He did.
The arena was almost empty. Only Will on the ice and his coach, Brenda, yelling something from the boards. Mike quietly slipped into the stands and took his usual spot.
Will was practicing his program to music Mike didn't recognize—something melancholic, string-based. He moved differently than before. More sharply? More... desperately?
— No! — Brenda shouted, and the music cut off abruptly. — Will, stop. Stop!
Will froze, breathing heavily, hands on his knees.
— What was that? — Brenda stepped onto the ice in her coaching boots. — You're not focused. Your mind is somewhere else. This program requires tenderness, and you're skating out there like you're about to kill an opponent.
— I don't know what's wrong with me, — Will's voice echoed through the empty arena. Mike shrank back in his seat, realizing he was eavesdropping on something private. — I just... can't concentrate.
— Because of him? — Brenda didn't turn towards the stands, but Mike went cold. — Because he's here again?
Will straightened up abruptly and looked at the stands. Their eyes met. Even in the dim light, Mike saw Will's eyes widen, saw the blush rise on his cheeks, unrelated to physical exertion.
— Mike, — Will breathed.
Brenda turned, looked at the stands with an expression of "of course," shook her head, and without another word, stepped off the ice and headed for the exit. As she passed the stands, she shot Mike a heavy look but said nothing.
When the door closed behind her, the arena fell silent. Only the hum of the refrigeration units and Will's breathing, standing in the center of the ice.
Mike slowly descended from the stands and approached the boards. Ice separated them. A white, cold, slippery surface.
— I didn't mean to interfere, — Mike said.
— You always interfere, — Will replied without malice, almost in a whisper. — Don't you understand? You always interfere. I can't think about anything else when I know you're here. I fall on elements I've been doing since I was five. I forget my sequences. I...
He trailed off, running a hand across his damp forehead.
— I don't know what to do, Mike.
Mike leaned over the boards. His fingers gripped the plastic so hard his knuckles went white.
— What do you want to do?
Will looked up at him. There was so much in his eyes—hope, fear, despair, desire. And the answer he couldn't bring himself to say aloud.
— I want to skate, — he finally said. — I want to win these competitions. I want to be noticed. This is my chance, Mike. Mine, not Jane's. And I can't miss it.
— You won't miss it, — Mike said firmly.
— You don't understand! — Will's voice cracked. He skated closer to the boards; now only the low plastic barrier separated them. — Every time you're here, I don't think about the program. I think about how you look at me. I think about what you'll say after practice. I wait for that moment like... like an addict. It's wrong. I should be focused on the ice.
— You think I don't understand? — Mike stepped closer, now face to face, separated only by the boards. — You think I haven't tried not to come? I tell myself: 'Mike, you have a game in two days, you can't drive to Indiana, it's eight hours, you'll be dead.' And then I wake up at four in the morning, and my car is already on the highway. I can't control it. I can't control myself when it comes to you.
Will stared at him, eyes wide. His chest heaved with rapid breaths.
— Mike...
— I'm not asking you to choose, — Mike interrupted, his voice hoarse. — I'm not asking you to sacrifice your career so I can sit in these stupid stands and watch you fall because I'm a distraction. I just... I just want you to know. Whatever you decide, I'll be here. After practice. After competitions. After everything.
Will was silent. The ice under his skates crackled softly.
— Is that why you came today? — he asked finally. — To tell me that?
Mike shook his head.
— I came because I couldn't not come. Because I saw your face after yesterday's practice in a video Jane sent me. Because you looked like you were in pain. And I thought: if he's in pain, I need to be there.
Will exhaled shakily. His eyes glistened.
— You're impossible.
— I know.
— Do you realize if someone finds out... If the press...
— I don't care.
— But I do, — Will cut him off, but there was no anger in his voice, only fear. — I do care. About you. About your career. You just signed a hundred-million-dollar contract. You're the captain of Montreal. If it comes out that you... that we...
— Let it come out, — Mike shrugged, though inside he clenched at the mere thought of the consequences. — I'll handle it.
— And me? — Will stepped right up to the boards. — Have you thought about me? About my competitions? About the fact that if a media storm starts, no decent school will take me? That I'll become not a 'promising skater' but 'that guy the hockey player sleeps with'?
Will's words hit Mike like a stick to the helmet. Painful and sobering.
He was silent for a long moment.
— You're right, — he said quietly. — I didn't think. I only think about myself. About how good I feel when you're around.
Will sighed and placed his hands on top of the boards, next to Mike's. Only a centimeter separated their fingers.
— I'm not saying I don't want you around, — Will whispered. — I'm just... I'm scared. Scared that if we take the next step, everything will fall apart. And I won't just lose my career. I'll lose you. Because sooner or later, you'll get tired of hiding.
— I won't get tired.
— Don't promise something you don't know, Mike.
They stood there, separated by the boards, separated by the ice, separated by the fear of what would happen if they let themselves fall.
Somewhere down the hall, a door slammed. A voice called for Will.
Will stepped back, and the distance between them became insurmountable again.
— I need to finish practice, — he said, not looking at Mike. — Brenda's angry.
— I'll wait.
Will shook his head. — Not today. Please. I need... I need to think. Without you in the stands.
Mike nodded, though everything inside him rebelled against it. Every cell screamed: stay, fight, don't go.
— Okay, — he said. — I'll call.
— Okay.
Will turned and slowly skated to center ice. The music started again. He began his program, but Mike no longer watched.
He turned and walked toward the exit, feeling on his back a gaze that burned even through his thick jacket.
Later. Text exchange.
Will: Did you leave?
Mike: No. Sitting in my car at the Starbucks parking lot across the street. Can't bring myself to leave.
Will: Mike...
Mike: I know. I'm an idiot. But if I leave now, I feel like I'll lose something.
Will: What?
Mike: I don't know. You. Us. What could have been.
Will: It's not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere.
Mike: Promise?
A long pause. Mike stared at his phone screen, afraid no answer would come.
Will: I promise. But right now, I really need you to leave. So I can do this program. For us. For a future where I'm worth something on my own, not just 'Jane's brother' or 'Mike Wheeler's guy'.
Mike: You're already worth it. You're worth everything.
Will: You know what I mean. Will you leave?
Mike: I'm leaving. Right now.
Will: Thank you.
Mike: For what?
Will: For listening. For understanding. For being you.
Mike looked at those words and felt warmth spread in his chest, something no pucks, goals, or contracts could ever give.
Mike: I'll call tomorrow.
Will: I'll be waiting.
Mike put his phone away, started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. In the rearview mirror, the ice rink sign glowed dimly.
I'll be back, he promised it and the one who remained inside. I always come back.
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@sinnerwheeler
[Blurry photo of Mike Wheeler's car parked at the Starbucks across from the Hawkins rink. Photo taken from a second-story window.]
Guys, I work the night shift at the Starbucks across from the rink. And I JUST saw Mike Wheeler sit in his car for a solid hour after the rink closed. He didn't come in. He just sat and stared at his phone.
Then he left.
I don't know what's happening, but it looks really strange. And really sad.
#mike wheeler #hawkins #what is happening #he just sat and stared at his phone #my heart can't take it
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