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All in Good Time
Spending a Saturday afternoon trawling around a busy shopping centre had never been Will’s idea of fun. But since it was a rare occasion where all four of them were available for a weekend hang out, he’d resolved to grin and bear it.
Part of him was already regretting this decision. They’d barely been here an hour, and his senses had already been bombarded with the echoey din of chattering shoppers, the unrelenting grip of thick warm air, and dazzling fluorescent lights reflecting off brilliant white floors.
As if all that wasn’t enough overstimulation, he was currently stood just inside the entrance to Lush, trying not to wince as an aggressive blend of floral scents stuck at the back of his throat. Beside him stood his one saving grace; Jay, who looked as irritated as Will felt. He sneeringly prodded at a bath bomb in the shape of an axolotl, then folded his arms impatiently.
“You gonna be much longer?” he called out to Neil, who was scrutinising the shelves with a surprising level of focus.
“Anyone seen Unicorn Poop?” he replied absently. “It’s Kerry’s fave.”
Jay rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall beside Will. “This place fucking reeks.”
“The smell of soap offends you?” Will said with a teasing smirk. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Oi! I’ll have you know, I’m the cleanest thing in here. Showered this morning and everything.”
“Miracles never cease. I bet you’re exactly the kind of person that pisses in the shower.”
Jay shrugged. “Saves time.”
“Disgusting.”
“Well, what ‘bout you, Mr Punctuality? You tellin’ me you’ve never taken a cheeky shortcut?”
“I assure you, I have never and will never piss in the shower.”
“Yeah, right! Bet you’d rather shit in the shower than show up late for anything.”
“Shit in the shower?”
“Yep! I can just imagine you; looking at your watch all flustered, pinching one out onto the enamel before waffle-stomping it down the drain like some mental speccy caveman.”
“Please stop imagining that. Immediately.”
They heard a snigger as Simon walked by then, arms loaded with fragrant items, presumably for Tara or his mum. He eyed them both, as baffled as he was amused.
“Is this an example of those deep intellectual discussions you were telling me about, Will?”
“I don’t believe I used the word ‘intellectual’,” Will replied.
As Simon continued on his way towards the checkout, Jay nudged Will’s shin playfully with his toe. “You been talking about me behind my back, Briefcase?”
“All good things, I promise.”
Jay made a cartoonishly suspicious face, but Will caught the subtleties within it. The almost imperceptible smile, the amused twinkle in Jay’s eye, the slight flush of his cheeks.
God, he was gorgeous…
For a second, all the synthetic demons assaulting Will’s senses faded into the background. He barely resisted the urge to lean in for a kiss before Neil’s jubilant voice cut in, a stark reminder of where they were. Will rolled his eyes in annoyance. Not at Neil, necessarily. Just at feeling generally inhibited. Jay seemed to catch on, eyes flicking in Neil’s direction before shooting Will an impish grin. Navigating each other while in company was challenging at times, but also strangely fun.
After they finally escaped from Lush, next on the agenda was lunch. The majority vote was for McDonald’s. Will didn’t object. Despite still feeling sickened by the concoction of perfumes lingering in his sinuses, he could never say no to a McFlurry. As the group made their way through the bustling crowds, Will felt his lungs give a protesting squeeze. He slowed his pace slightly, drawing in a slow stabilising breath.
Any concern he felt was quickly forgotten as Jay strutted passed him, deliberately brushing Will’s hand as he went.
The restaurant was predictably busy, but they eventually managed to get served and find a table. Neil immediately started demolishing his food as Simon launched into a story about his dad embarrassing him in front of Tara. Will nodded along where appropriate, but his focus drifted. The tightness in his chest had never really left. He drew in another breath, deeper this time. He swallowed, instantly recognising the thick sensation creeping down his throat. He tried to clear it discreetly but couldn’t help letting out a soft string of coughs as he did so.
“Y’alright?”
Will looked up, meeting familiar eyes and silently wondering how long they’d been observing him for. He forced a smile, waving off Jay’s concern.
“Yeah, just… chest feels a bit tight. It’ll pass.”
“That stinking soap shop set you off?”
“Most likely.”
“Got your inhaler?”
“It’s really not that serious.”
“Do you, though?”
“Of course.”
“Then use it, you stubborn twat. Better safe than sorry, yeah?”
The firm but gentle scolding made Will’s heart flutter. He didn’t hesitate, reaching into his trouser pocket and obligingly producing his inhaler. Admittedly, after two quick puffs, he did feel better. Jay nodded his approval, before once again remembering that they weren’t alone. His expression shifted, slipping back into something safer.
“Good,” he declared, loud enough for the others to hear. “Can’t be doing with whisking you off to A&E all blue in the face, you wheezing drama queen.”
He needn’t have bothered with the bravado. It was clear by the intrigued look on Simon’s face that he’d caught the full interaction.
“You know, I wasn’t sure at first. But it’s sort of nice, how close you two are now…” He smirked teasingly. “Cute, almost.”
Will and Jay exchanged a knowing look, then grimaced as rehearsed.
“Barely tolerating another person’s existence can hardly be classified as ‘close’,” Will replied flatly.
“Or fucking ‘cute’,” Jay muttered.
“Whatever,” Simon shrugged. “Mum said she saw you in Tesco the other day. Just the two of you with your little basket, browsing the aisles. Sounded very cosy.”
“It wasn’t,” Will said firmly.
“Yeah, that was strictly business,” Jay cut in. “For that charity thing, yeah? You got a problem with charity now?”
Unbothered by their defensiveness, Simon quirked an eyebrow. “I remember Will volunteering for that. You, on the other hand…”
“Well, excuse me if knocking about in Briefcase’s kitchen is preferable to listening to my dad fart and yell at the fucking rugby all Sunday!” Jay retorted.
Neil shook his head, shoving another fry into his mouth. “Nah, it’s ‘cos you’re mates now. Whenever we hang out these days, you’re always goin’ on about Will.”
Will forced back a smile.
Jay looked aghast. “Do I fuck!”
“You do!” Neil insisted. “It’s ‘Will this’, ‘Briefcase that’. Don’t think you even realise you’re doin’ it, to be honest. But you do.”
Simon grinned. “How sweet.”
Jay flipped them off. “Get fucked, both of you.”
“Don’t be embarrassed,” Simon added. “It’s not like Will doesn’t talk about you all the time too.”
Will scowled at him. “Like Jay said; kindly get fucked.”
Neil and Simon laughed, clearly thrilled with the effects of their teasing. Jay hurled a few fries at them both as Will returned his attention to his McFlurry. He took a sizeable mouthful, silently praying for someone to change the subject. Still chuckling, Neil answered his prayers.
“Aw, bet you’re gonna miss each other when Will buggers off to uni soon.”
Fuck…
The line hit like a fart at a funeral. The ice cream suddenly tasted sour in Will’s mouth. Beside him, Jay went very still, like he was scared to take a breath.
Oblivious to the shift in mood on the opposite side of the table, Simon continued bantering.
“Oh, I’m sure they’ll keep in touch. Will’s gonna need someone to assemble his IKEA furniture when he’s too busy being successful to do it himself.”
Jay didn’t respond, still motionless.
“I’m sure Jay will have far better things to do with his time than be my errand boy,” Will offered on his behalf.
“Nah, he’d love it!” Neil interjected. “He could live in a cupboard under your stairs or something.”
“I’m sitting right here, you know?!” Jay snapped.
Again, Simon and Neil laughed. The moment passed for them. But it wasn’t going to pass for Will and Jay any time soon. This was something that they’d been meaning to discuss. Eventually. But the timing had never felt right. They both knew they’d have to do it eventually. To face reality. To break the spell. But right here and now certainly wasn’t an appropriate opportunity.
Hopefully, they could move on from the subject for now…
“So, what uni did you win in the end, Will?” Neil asked.
Clearly not…
Will’s brain faltered for a second, too distracted by the storm brewing by his side.
“Umm… Bristol.”
Neil frowned. “Where’s that then?”
“West of here. Pretty close, actually.”
Simon pulled a face. “Wouldn’t want to be dragged by my bollocks that far, mate.”
“Well, my second choice was Edinburgh,” Will said, feeling oddly defensive. “Bristol is certainly close by comparison.”
“Still a good three hours by car.”
“Yeah, and what are you?” Jay said sharply. “The fucking ‘Rough Guide to Poncy British Uni Towns’?”
Will glanced sideways. Jay wasn’t looking at him.
Simon shrugged. “Got family there. Been a few times. It’s full of eccentric weirdos and pretentious shit. You’ll love it, Will.”
“Thanks very much,” Will said dryly.
Jay didn’t laugh.
The late afternoon sun now hung low in the sky, staining the suburban streets with washed-out shades of orange and pink. It should have felt calming but instead felt ominous.
The walk home had turned disturbingly silent since they’d split off from Simon and Neil barely five minutes ago. Their footsteps remained out of sync, with Jay slightly ahead. From where he dawdled behind, Will was trying to conjure up a fitting opener, some elusive magic words to restore normalcy. But every time he looked up at Jay’s slumped shoulders, none of his ideas seemed like good ones anymore.
Eventually, Jay beat him to the punch.
“So… Bristol sounds exciting.”
Will glanced over, wincing at the edge in Jay’s tone. He hesitated.
“…I suppose…”
Both slowed to a stop in the middle of the pavement, just sort of lingering there awkwardly. Will noticed the way Jay wasn’t quite looking at him, and it made his heart ache.
“Look, I know it’ll be a big change,” he began. “But this has always been the plan, Jay.”
“Your plan.”
Will’s jaw tightened. “Well… yes. It’s always been my goal to go to uni. You know that. You know how hard I’ve worked for this.”
Jay finally looked him in the eye.
“So where does that leave us then?”
There it was.
Will exhaled, slow and heavy.
“It doesn’t have to leave us anywhere. You heard Si. Bristol isn’t far. Only a few hours’ drive, or on the train. We can still see each other every weekend.”
“That’s not the same though, is it? If anything, I was hoping once A Levels were out the way, I’d get to see more of you, not less.”
Will nodded slowly, acknowledging rather than agreeing, his mind searching for the best way to explain this.
“I get that, Jay. I do. And I want that too. But we knew life would get in the way eventually. We’re growing up, after all. Change is inevitable. There’s nothing we can do to-”
“Alright!” Jay cut him off irritably. “I get it, Will! Enough of your patronising politician voice, yeah?”
Will faltered, thrown by the outburst, before pressing on.
“I’m not trying to patronise you,” he said, sharper than he meant to. “I’m just saying we can’t expect things to stay the same forever. Things are going to change. Like where we are, or what we do.”
“Or who we want.”
Again, Will was taken aback. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Gaze drifting away again, Jay shrugged.
“Well, it’s like you say, innit? You grow up, you move on. Go new places. Meet new people. People who listen to Radio 3. Or read for fun. Bristol’s probably full of posh queers. You’ll have your pick, won’t you?”
Will just stared at him. Incredulous. Dismayed. Offended.
“Sorry? ‘Have my pick’? I’m going to uni to study, not… whatever it is you’re suggesting! If you honestly can’t trust me to be faithful to you after all we’ve been through, then-”
“I do trust you to be faithful!” Jay cut in, voice rising. “What I don’t trust is for you not to realise that you can do better!”
The admission lingered in the air between them, hot and horrible, for a strained moment. Then Will’s expression hardened.
“Don’t be so ridiculous!”
“Oh, I’m ridiculous, am I?” Jay shot back immediately.
“Yes!” Will threw up his hands, frustration bleeding through. “What do you mean, ‘do better’? I don’t want to ‘do better’! As far as I’m concerned, there is no one better!”
“Oh, right! Like being around loads of stuck-up smartarses isn’t gonna highlight what a fucking loser I am?”
“You’re not a loser, Jay!”
“You don’t get to decide that!”
“Well, I at least get to have an opinion on it, don’t I?” Will cried, exasperated. “You’re my boyfriend! I’ve made the choice to be with you, remember? What about all that stuff we talked about? About having a future together? Living together someday?”
Jay’s expression faltered, flickering between frustration and sorrow. His Adam’s apple bobbed, eyes seeking out anything but Will.
“It sounded good,” he murmured. “When it felt possible.”
Shaken by the hopelessness in Jay’s voice, Will felt all the fight drain out of him.
“But it’s still entirely possible,” he reasoned. “We can still have it.”
Tentatively, he reached for Jay’s hand. Ignoring the gesture, Jay took a step back.
“No. We can’t.”
“Of course, we-”
“No, we can’t!” Jay repeated, any attempt at forcefulness lost to his voice cracking. He retreated another step. “’Cos life doesn’t work like that, does it? Not when…”
“When what?”
“…when everything’s already been decided.”
The words were practically whispered, but Will heard them loud and clear. For once, he had no idea how to respond. So, he didn’t. They both stood, silent and motionless, the early evening air cooling around them.
Finally, Will opened his mouth. “Jay, I-”
“It’s fine. I get it.”
Jay didn’t look at him. Just shoved his hands into his pockets, turning away.
“Jay-”
But he was already walking. Faster by the second. As if he didn’t keep moving, he might stop. Or come back. Or say something he’d regret.
“Jay!”
He didn’t turn around.
And Will found he could do nothing but continue to stand there, their parting words still echoing in his ears as he tried to work out what the hell just happened.
Will didn’t see himself sleeping much tonight. Every time he closed his eyes, the conversation from earlier replayed itself.
No. Not conversation.
Argument.
He and Jay had argued before, of course. But never like this, never so viscerally. The aftermath had lingered for hours, playing words on an endless loop in his mind. In that time, one thing had become clear; they had a major problem.
The solution seemed obvious. He knew what needed to happen, the most logical step to take. But as usual, his brain kept turning it over, like some horrible pancake of uncertainty. And rightfully so, perhaps. This was a huge decision, after all. But was it the right one? Was it really for the best?
He couldn’t be sure of anything. Only that he knew he couldn’t just leave things the way they were. Not after hearing Jay’s tortured words, or seeing the defeated look on his face before he walked away…
His phone buzzed, cutting through his whirring thoughts.
hi
Hi.
that was shit
earlier i mean
I know.
sorry for stropping off
It's alright. It was probably for the best. We weren’t exactly having a productive conversation.
can we talk?
Of course.
now?
Tomorrow, please. I'd like some time to think.
yeh. np
see u @ the bench? 8?
Alright.
see u then
See you.
Will’s thumbs hovered, like there was something else he ought to say. Something that might make tomorrow easier.
In the end, he locked his phone and set it aside. He’d said enough for now.
Tomorrow, he’d say the rest.
It wasn’t where Will had imagined they’d have this conversation. But he had to admit that it was oddly fitting.
As he passed through familiar iron gates and turned the corner, he could see that Jay was already there. Perched on the very same bench where, months ago, Will had intended on ending things between them. The irony wasn’t lost on him.
Jay was on his feet before Will could even reach him. There they stood, at opposite ends of the bench, unsure what to say or do.
Similarities to yesterday…
The uneasiness, the hesitance, the distance…
It sent a chill up Will’s spine.
“Um… hi,” he tried.
“Alright?”
The words landed flat, both of them aware of how inadequate they sounded. They continued to stand there, just looking. Taking stock. Assessing the damage.
Then, almost at the same time, they stepped forward. Jay pulled Will in tight, holding on like his life depended on it. Will returned it just as firmly, one hand sliding to the back of Jay’s neck, anchoring him there. Jay tucked his face into the crook of Will’s shoulder.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t.”
Jay pulled back just enough to make eye contact, not daring to let go entirely.
“Seriously, I am. I acted like a proper dick yesterday.”
“Neither of us behaved particularly gracefully,” Will murmured. “I shouldn’t have been so flippant about what you were saying.”
“I shouldn’t have said most of it.”
“Well, I’m glad that you did. We’d danced around the issue long enough. There was stuff that really needed to come out into the open.”
Jay let out a soft huff. “Suppose.”
As much as it killed him to do so, Will took a small step back. Just enough to give them both space to think.
“In the spirit of that,” he said carefully, “We do need to talk. Calmly this time.”
“Yeah.” Jay nodded. “Fair enough.”
Both still slightly sheepish, they took a seat, side by side on the bench. Their bench. Their awful, special, bird shit-encrusted bench. Will drew in a breath, steadying himself to begin.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said, and you’re right. I was unilaterally making a huge life decision without fully considering how it would impact you and our relationship. That was selfish.”
Jay shrugged. “Yeah well, it was selfish of me to expect you to change your life to suit me. Like you said, I’ve always known that you were gonna go to Uni. And you totally should. You’ll absolutely boss it.”
“Thank you, and I intend to. ‘Go’, that is. Not sure about the ‘bossing it’ part.”
“You will.”
Will gave an appreciative smile. Just a small one. Then sighed.
“But as things currently stand,” he continued, tone solemn, “we still have a huge problem. You’re right that long-distance isn’t workable. We’re both just so intense, and… needy, I suppose is the word? It would inevitably leave both of us frustrated and unfulfilled. It wouldn’t be fair. So, I think-”
“Wait!”
Jay’s grip tightened around his hand before Will had even realised he’d taken it.
“Before you say anything else, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Jay, I-”
“Please! Just…let me say it.”
There was something in his voice that made Will stop. Urgency. Like getting it out mattered more than getting the timing right.
Jay inhaled. Exhaled. Each movement of breath as shaky as the other.
Hazel eyes shimmering, Jay looked at Will. Properly looked at him.
“I love you.”
The words came out fast, but not careless. Will felt his throat tighten, his eyes prickle, his heart thunder. But he remained silent. Jay continued.
“More than anything. And I’m not just saying it to stop you finishing with me. I’m saying it ’cos it’s true. Has been for a while. I’m telling you now so you understand where I’m coming from when I say…”
He paused, nodding as if internally psyching himself up. The grip on Will’s fingers felt almost vice-like, but he was too engrossed in Jay’s determined expression to register any discomfort.
“Go to uni.” Jay said evenly. “I won’t stop you. ’Cos I’m coming too. Be it Bristol or the fucking moon, I don’t care. I’ll follow. I’ll get a job. Sleep in my car. Rob a bank, if I have to. Doesn’t matter. ’Cos I fucking love you. And some stupid posh old school isn’t gonna fuck that up, alright?”
Silence followed. When Will was sure that Jay had finished, he broke into a soft smile.
“Well… what you lack in forethought, you certainly make up for in passion.”
Jay blinked. “Eh?”
“And while I appreciate your attempt at troubleshooting,” Will continued, warmth creeping into his voice, “Sleeping in your car isn’t exactly a practical solution.”
“I don’t give a fuck about what’s practical!” Jay shot back, frustration flaring. “I’m telling you, I-”
“Jay, shut up.”
It wasn’t harsh, but firm enough that Jay did indeed shut up. He studied Will cautiously, looking ready to bolt if necessary. Will held his gaze.
“What I’m trying to say, is that I love you too.”
Jay’s eyes widened. Will squeezed his hand affirmingly, then continued.
“Which is why I want to defer my place at Bristol.”
For a moment, Jay just stared at Will like he’d sprouted a second head.
“…you want to what?”
“Defer. It means I won’t be going until next September.”
“No, I know what ‘defer’ means, you knob! I meant… are you serious?”
Will nodded. “Absolutely. A gap year makes total sense. I can get some life experience, strengthen the old CV… and stay here. With you.”
Jay’s mouth opened slightly, then closed again.
“You’d do that… for me?”
“For us.” Will corrected gently. “If that’s okay with you, of course.”
Jay let out a heavy breath that could have almost been a laugh if it wasn’t so shaky. He cradled his forehead with his free hand, staring down at the other that still entwined with Will’s.
“…fuck… that’s mental…” he murmured, then met Will’s eyes again. “You’re mental! You’ve worked your arse off for your place!”
“And we’ve worked just as hard for what we have.”
Jay shook his head, still reeling.
“But… since day one, all you’ve talked about is ‘uni, uni, uni’. You said it was your number one priority!”
“I did,” Will admitted. “But as we’ve established, things change. You’re my priority now, Jay. And giving us time to see where this goes is what I want, first and foremost.”
Seeing that Jay looked ready to voice another protest, Will lifted his hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it. That did it. Jay was far too busy blushing beautifully to form a coherent thought. Will smiled, fond and affectionate.
“Bristol will still be there next year. And if by then you still want to follow me, we can plan it properly. Get somewhere together. Just like we said.”
Jay let out a disbelieving laugh, eyes shining despite himself.
“Shit… this is real. You’re serious.”
Will nodded, resolute. “Deadly. So… what are your thoughts?”
Another borderline-hysterical laugh escaped Jay. He scrubbed at his cheeks, annoyed that his eyes had decided to betray him.
“Did I mention I fucking love you?”
Will grinned. “At least three times already. I love you too.”
Jay’s expression softened, something blissful emerging from beneath the excitement.
“Say it again?” he breathed.
“I love you, Jay.”
No sooner had the words left Will’s mouth, Jay closed the distance between them. They kissed deeply with no hesitation. No edge of urgency or fear. Just a notion of all-encompassing certainty, like everything that mattered was finally slotting into place.
Will was the first to pull back this time, though not by much. He could tell by the look on Jay’s face, the tension in his posture, that he was contemplating saying something else.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked softly.
Jay hesitated.
“…If I ask you something, will you answer honestly?”
Will nodded. “Always.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you, but… you’re not doing this ‘cos of that shit I said? About me being a loser and you being able to do better?”
Ah…
“While I certainly didn’t like the way you spoke about yourself, it wasn’t a factor in my decision, no.”
Looking relieved, Jay exhaled deeply, some of the tension in his body leaving with the expelled breath.
“Okay. Good. It’s just… I don’t want you feeling like you need to prove anything to me, you know? You were right. I was being ridiculous.”
“No, you weren’t,” Will said, slightly more firm. “You were telling me how you felt. And I’m sorry I was so dismissive. I was just… shocked that you thought I’d give up on you.”
Jay shrugged, slight and uncertain. “Well… to be fair, you being so set on Bristol kinda made it feel like you were already halfway out the door.”
Will winced. “Fair point.”
A brief silence settled between them. Not tense. Just thoughtful. Jay cautiously glanced at Will again.
“You do have to admit it, though.”
“Admit what?”
“That you could do better than me. I mean, that’s just a fact.”
Will frowned. “What exactly do you mean by ‘better’?”
Jay shifted, suddenly self-conscious.
“Dunno. Just… someone smart. Who likes books an’ that.”
“Okay. And why would someone who likes books be better for me than you?”
“Because that’s your thing, innit? You wanna be a writer, yeah? I’m not exactly well-read, am I?”
“Well, I don’t like football.” Will countered. “That’s one of your ‘things’. Would someone who likes football be better for you than me?”
“Course not!” Jay scoffed. “That’s different, anyway.”
Will tilted his head doubtfully. “Is it though? The fact is, I knew you weren’t into literature long before I decided to be with you, Jay. It doesn’t matter to me. It hasn’t stopped me wanting you. Or loving you. Same way that me thinking football is a colossal waste of time and resources hasn’t affected your feelings for me.”
“Might do, if you keep spouting such blasphemy,” Jay quipped.
Will chuckled, shifting a fraction closer, snaking his arms around Jay’s neck.
“Besides,” he added, “where would be the fun in being with someone exactly like me? Sounds tedious.”
Jay snorted. “So, what you’re saying is, you like a challenge?”
Will smirked. “You know I do. But more than that, I like us. How we work. How we balance each other out. How you can so effortlessly calm me down when I’m catastrophising over something trivial.”
Jay huffed a self-deprecating laugh. “Or how your weird little pep talks make me feel like I’m worth something after all?”
Will didn’t hesitate.
“You are worth something,” he said earnestly. “Everything, actually.”
Jay dropped his gaze, eyes lingering on Will’s lips as he quietly mulled those words over. Will hoped he believed them. Or at least that he would someday.
“I just…” Jay started, then trailed off, looking somewhat embarrassed. “I dunno. Sometimes I just don’t get what you see in me.”
“Do you want me to tell you?” Will mumbled huskily.
To his delight, Jay’s face flushed again.
“Umm… dunno about that, babe. I mean, you’ve already put Bristol on the backburner for me. My ego’s critically overinflated as is.”
Seeing Jay’s jokey derailment of their discussion for what it was, Will decided to show him mercy. For now, anyway.
“Okay. Then I’ll show you instead...”
He closed the meagre distance between them again, kissing Jay slower this time, letting him know that he meant every second of it.
Eventually they pulled back but remained close. Jay’s arm settled around him as Will let himself lean in, resting his head on Jay’s shoulder. They sat in silence for a time, just being with each other as they processed the past 24 hours.
Before long, Jay let out a bright laugh.
“Holy shit! You realise this time next year, we could be flat-hunting together?”
“I know!” Will said, beaming. “Exciting, isn’t it?”
“Yeah! I can’t believe we’re doing this. Like, properly doing this! I still think you’re off your head, but I’m glad that you are.”
“I think my mum will be relieved too,” Will admitted. “She wasn’t keen on the idea of me leaving her so soon.”
Jay looked thoughtful for a moment.
“So, what you gonna tell her? About why you’re staying? And what about Si? That nosey twat’s bound to ask questions.”
Will considered it for a moment.
“I suppose I’ll say something about wanting to experience real life before committing to three years of academia. It’s not entirely untrue anyway.”
Jay nodded slowly.
“Or… you could always, like… tell them the whole truth? Eventually, anyway.”
Will turned to look at Jay. He looked somewhat dazed, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he’d just suggested. But also strangely determined. Brave, even. Will squeezed his hand and smiled, warm and reassuring.
“Yeah. That’s definitely an option too.”