𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞

𝟔.

Mon. 9th September 1985 | 12:13pm
Will Byers

"—and she couldn't talk to me because her stupid dad said she should read the bible rather than 'foolishly—"

Dustin rants on about his girlfriend, from Utah, and I just nod in agreement, staring at the table. It's not like I don't care about what he has to say but sometimes, like now, I get too deep in thought to really think about anything else.

"Isn't that bullshit??"

"Yup... definitely..." I say, not meaning to lack emotion.

"Will, is something wrong? I can sense that you don't seem the... most enthusiastic today?"

Quick. An excuse.

"Yeah um... it's just, I didn't finish tomorrow's history homework yet and I can't be bothered to do it today. I'm fine though." I assure Dustin, looking away from the table and towards him.

"Eh, yeah... same though. I'm probably gonna do it during lunch tomorrow since it's not that much."

Mood.

"Anyway, so what lessons do we have next?" I ask.

"Uhh we don't. Geography was our last-"

"And you didn't tell me??" My jaw drops.

"I don't know! I was gonna go somewhere with Steve later and assumed you would come!"

I facepalm myself then move my fingers to my temples, rubbing both sides to try and rid from this forming migraine.

"I have a headache so I'd rather take a nap if I'm being honest. You can come over when you're done with your outing, though?..." I suggest, brushing my brown hair out of my eyes.

"Yup! Sure."

. . .

On my way back to my dorm room, I remember that I have groceries to do and walk back down in frustration that I've gone all this way for nothing. As I go down the path, imminent to arriving at the store, I'm pulled into a dark alley-way by an unknown figure.

"Guess who?" He says in a jokingly-psychotic manner while I'm frozen in fear.

I can sense the male's eyes rolling before I'm slammed against the brick wall, revealing who it is.

Troy Walsh.

"You can very much understand why we're both here, can't you?" He asks as if he's stating the obvious, but I'm oblivious to the reason he's targeting me now - all I know is that Troy was sent to hospital because of the fight, but I don't know why it happened in the first place.

I gulp and try not to make eye contact.

"Your boyfriend, Mike, hates me. And you're the reason for it."

"B-boyfriend? He's not my-" I try to formulate, failing miserably before he interrupts.

"I was simply just reminding him that he's friends with a fag and he got mad about it. Why is that, Will?"

He defended me?

I was always bullied for being different to other people, and I guess I'm just used to having to deal with it by myself. Never would I have thought that... Michael Wheeler cared about me.