Chapter Text
July 3, 1989
The afternoon sun hung above the trees like a hot shadow of light, burning lightly against the back of Mike’s bare neck. He absentmindedly scratched at the already flushed skin and pedaled hard, sending large clouds of gravel flying up around him.
A huge blue backpack weighed heavily on his back, filled with all sorts of necessities for the planned two-week stay. He, Max, Lucas, Jane, Will, and Dustin were going to spend two weeks at Hopper’s cabin in the middle of the woods outside Hawkins. They had already planned their evening swims in the lake and D&D games, and all of them were determined to make the most of what might be their last time together. After summer break, they would all be going their separate ways.
Max and Lucas had both been accepted into a college in Cleveland and had already found a two-bedroom apartment near campus where they would be living.
Dustin had, to no one’s surprise, gotten into a top college in California, where he would be studying chemistry and the natural sciences.
Jane, on the other hand, had decided to repeat a year of high school to make up for everything she had missed while she had been “busy saving the world,” as Dustin liked to call it. Hopper had also helped her get a part-time job as an assistant at the police station in Montauk, where he worked now.
And Will…
Honestly, Mike didn’t know exactly what Will’s plans for the future were.
Things between them had been different over the past few months, and Mike was largely to blame for that. After Will’s unexpected confession the year before, and his admission that he had once had a crush on Mike, their dynamic had changed drastically. Sure, they were still friends, but for some strange reason, it had become harder and harder for Mike to talk to Will.
Not because he thought it was strange that Will had liked him. He had gotten over that a long time ago.
But still, sometimes he found it difficult to look Will in the face.
It was almost as if there was something left unsaid between them, some kind of silent agreement that they both knew about but never mentioned.
Mike seemed to remember that Will was going to attend some big, prestigious college in New York. He was happy for Will, but that nagging feeling in the back of his mind refused to go away. They had been friends since they were seven years old. The thought of suddenly going their separate ways seemed impossible.
At the same time, it felt like there were still so many unspoken words between them—words that might never be said if they each went their own way now.
Mike shook the thoughts from his head and pedaled harder on the rusty bike. The straps of his backpack dug into his shoulders, and a stubborn bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.
He turned onto a narrow gravel path that led straight into the forest surrounding the small town of Hawkins. The bike bumped awkwardly over the uneven ground, and Mike let out a groan of effort. He caught sight of a narrow chimney behind the treetops and let out a relieved breath.
A few seconds later, he skidded onto the grass outside the little wooden cabin, which looked invitingly cool in the sweltering heat. He spotted Will’s and Dustin’s bikes lying in a pile beside the steps leading up to the front door. He dropped his own bike next to theirs and ran up the creaking steps.
Mike pulled the door open and was greeted by two familiar, smiling faces wiping down the kitchen counter.
“Mikey!”
Dustin walked over with his arms wide open, and Jane clapped her hands excitedly, droplets of dishwater splashing lightly from her fingers. Mike hugged Dustin before receiving a warm—if slightly wet—hug from Jane.
“We’re just doing a little cleaning. It’s amazing how much dust has collected here in just a few weeks!” Jane said cheerfully.
“There are a ton of spiders too. Jane really wanted to let them all out into the woods, but I killed every single one and pretended I’d set them free outside. Don’t tell her though,” Dustin whispered into Mike’s ear, nudging his shoulder with the dishcloth.
Mike started laughing, but before he could say anything, the bedroom door opened.
Standing in the doorway was a brown-haired boy in a button-up shirt, holding a mop. Mike had to blink a few times before he realized who it was.
Holy shit.
“Hey, Mike!” Will smiled and brushed his newly found middle part out of his face.
Mike suddenly felt his stomach turn, like a washing machine. He smiled faintly at him and cleared his throat awkwardly after realizing he’d been staring for far longer than was normal.
“Hey, Will. It’s been a long time,” Mike said.
And yeah—it really had been.
The last time Mike had seen Will was at their graduation, almost two months ago. They had never been apart for that long before. Before Mike had time to think, Will stepped forward and hugged him, just like Jane and Dustin had done earlier.
So why did his stomach twist like that the moment he felt Will’s arms around his shoulders?
Will let go with an embarrassed smile, and Mike realized he’d been standing there like a statue, staring at Will like an idiot. He gathered the courage to ask about Will’s plans for the fall, but just as he opened his mouth, the front door was thrown open again and Max came rushing in with Lucas close behind.
“Max!”
Jane ran over, and the two girls hugged each other between bursts of laughter. Lucas dropped two suitcases onto the floor with a thud and hugged everyone before speaking.
“It’s so freaking hot, and her”—he pointed at Max—“suitcase practically has rocks in it.”
Lucas let out a breath and wiped his sweaty hand on his T-shirt. Max rolled her eyes.
“Oh, come on, Lucas. Weren’t you the one saying you were super strong and could carry anything?”
Jane giggled.
“Come on, Jane. Let’s unpack. And talk about… a couple of things.”
Max winked at Mike, and she and Jane disappeared into the bedroom, giggling as they dragged the suitcases behind them.
Lucas sighed.
“Girls.”
The three boys looked around the dusty cabin.
“Guess we’d better get started. Here, Mike.”
Dustin tossed him a dishcloth, and Mike began wiping down the TV. He couldn’t help stealing the occasional glance at Will.
Will was sweeping the floor in the corner of the kitchen, his old sneakers buried in dust. There was something different about him—something Mike couldn’t quite put his finger on. Maybe it was that his hair looked longer and was cut differently now. Or that a whole bunch of new freckles had appeared across his cheeks.
Will’s arms…
Had they always been that muscular? Had he started lifting weights?
“Wake up, Mike.”
Dustin waved the dishcloth in front of his face, snapping him out of his trance.
“Your dishcloth!”
Mike looked down and found it lying on the floor in a freshly formed puddle of dirty water. He picked it up, his cheeks burning red.
What was he doing?
Looking at Will like that.
Dustin looked amused and flicked a little dirty water at him.
“Get it together, Wheeler. We’ve got a tight schedule. No distractions.”
~
Three hours later, the six friends stood in the kitchen, dripping with sweat, their T-shirts completely soaked. They proudly admired their work—the little wooden cabin was now spotless, its furniture gleaming in the evening sunlight.
They all sat down on the couch, with Will leaning against one of the armrests, almost dangerously close to Mike’s shoulder. Mike swallowed and tried to ignore the fact that Will’s knee was only half an arm’s length away.
“Alright, guys, we need to decide who’s sleeping where. If two people sleep in Jane’s room… and one person takes the couch… then the rest of us can sleep in Hopper’s room.” Lucas clapped his hands together, looking extremely pleased with his calculation.
“Jane and I are sleeping in her room!” Max immediately got to her feet, earning a disappointed look from Lucas.
“Okay… then I’ll take the couch. I have bad memories of sharing a bed with you guys,” Dustin said.
Lucas looked offended once again before finally letting out a sigh.
“Guess the three of us will be sleeping in Hopper’s room.”
Lucas threw his hands up dramatically, and with that, the decision was made.
Mike dragged his backpack down the hallway and into Hopper’s small bedroom. The window was covered by a thin, slightly yellowed curtain, through which the last rays of sunlight filtered in, casting a warm glow across the wooden walls.
Mike dropped his backpack onto the rug with a thud before throwing himself onto the bed. He lay there with his arms folded beneath his head, staring at a mosquito on the ceiling, when the door quietly opened and Will walked in, carrying an overstuffed backpack of his own. He looked amused to find Mike lounging on the bed as he set his bag down.
“Trying out the bed?” he asked with a grin that made Mike feel slightly dizzy. “I don’t think anyone’s slept in that thing in ages. Hopper always fell asleep in front of the TV with a beer in his hand.”
Mike laughed, and for a few seconds, everything felt normal between them.
Two best friends, laughing about old memories.
But now, somehow, the dynamic between them had changed, and even harmless joking felt… different.
Mike cleared his throat, fully aware that Will was expecting him to keep the conversation going.
“So… New York, right?” Mike said, letting out a low whistle and smiling cautiously.
Will looked relieved that Mike had finally broken the silence.
“That’s right.”
Mike nodded slowly.
“What about you? I completely forgot to ask what your plans are after the summer. Sorry…” Will said, looking almost embarrassed that he hadn’t brought it up sooner.
The truth scraped against Mike’s stomach like a sharp knife.
“I… I don’t really have any concrete plans. I was mostly thinking about continuing to write, maybe getting a part-time job. College just isn’t really my thing.”
The last part was a stupid, completely untrue lie.
The truth was, Mike had always wanted to go to college—maybe somewhere in a big city, together with his friends. He vaguely remembered a plan he and Will had once come up with. They were both going to graduate with top grades, then go to NYU together, the same college Mike’s favorite cousin had attended. They were going to stay with Mike’s cousin, Devon, until they found a place of their own.
Of course, that “future plan” had only been a meaningless childhood dream.
But deep down, Mike had always hoped it would come true.
It just… hadn’t.
At least not for him.
He felt a sharp sting of jealousy at Will’s success.
Will looked slightly surprised, but quickly shook off the expression and gave him an encouraging nod.
“I always pictured you as a college guy, but I guess I was wrong. If you ever need an illustrator for your books, I’m here.”
He smiled.
“Just don’t get so famous that you forget about the rest of us.”
Mike smiled back.
“That’ll never happen.”
~