𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞

𝟐𝟕.

Mike Wheeler

I lie down on my stomach on Will's bed, even though I shouldn't since I've just eaten, taking a superman comic from his desk and inviting myself to read it. He's doing the same by the head of his bed, and we're basically both just reading in a comfortable silence.

My attention snaps towards the bedroom door when a knock echoes from the other side of it. "Who is it?" Will asks, raising his voice a little to make sure that he's heard properly.

"It's El. Can I come in?"

"Oh, sure." He answers. El slowly turns the knob and fixes her gaze on me, causing my brows to furrow.

"What is it?" I question her.

"Can I talk to you?" She says after a few seconds.

Me and Will exchange glances, and he shrugs in approval. I get up and miserably stumble my way out of the room.

I'm caught by surprise when she continues to walk down the stairs, initially expecting to simply converse with her here. I follow her down and cock a brow as heads out. I shrug it off and do the same, joining her on the stair of the front porch.

"So... what is it you wanted to talk about?" I ask her.

"Mike..."

"Yeah?"

"We... we need to break up." She says, meeting my gaze.

The confession causes my intestines and organs to instantly feel as if they've been ripped out and mercilessly wrung like a soaking towel. This gut-wrenching feeling is getting progressively worse and worse, starting to physically hurt inside.

What did I do wrong this time?

She can't leave me. It's going to make everything so much harder for me to deal with. You know- Will, and just generally who I am. God knows I'm already a mess when I'm around him, and it'll probably become more obvious if El isn't there to help me shield myself.

"It... it's not you." She turns her attention to her lap. "It has a lot to do with myself, I guess."

"But El... I like you so much." My lips start trembling. "Where is this coming from?" I ask.

"It's just... you don't know me. And I think that if you did, you'd probably stop liking me immediately anyways."

"What? That's not true. That will never be true." I say and I mean it - platonically.

"You know how Max and Lucas hang out with each other more than everyone else in the group?"

Why is she changing the subject?

"I- yeah? Sure."

"Well- I guess I've been a little jealous." She pauses to take a deep breath. What could possibly be so difficult to reveal? "Not because they hang out, but... because I'm scared that she's catching feelings for him."

What?

"Why? Do you... like Lucas?" I question her, trying to read her face for an answer.

"Mike..." She exhales.

It takes a moment for my eyes to widen in awareness, at last.

Oh my god-

"You're..?"

"Yeah." El admits breathlessly, her expression faltering in shame as she looks at her lap.

"Hey." I place my hand over hers. "It's okay."

"Seriously?..." El's face brightens a little as she turns to me.

"Totally. In fact, I'm relieved." I flash her a small smile.