MIKE POV-

---- Monday 8:24 AM ----

The raven-haired boy sat alone in his office, periodically checking his phone for any texts from Will, ignoring them, thinking of a plan pulling a tuft of his hair; getting absolutely no sleep for the past two days laying his head on the table; feeling like death.

"Good morning!" Lucas chirped skipping into the room cheerfully grinning, excited to hear about what Mike wanted to tell him, having a feeling that the ravenette had finally met someone he wanted to date and needed advice. Lucas stepped around the office two coffee mugs in hand sitting on the couch placing them on the coffee table

"It is not a 'good' morning" Mike frowned lifting his head

"Geez! I just came to give you some coffee" Lucas pouted

"Bite me" Mike joked.

"Woah! Someone woke on the wrong side of the bed" Lucas retorted, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. Mike scowled rolling his eyes, honestly not wanting to work today, but knew he would just mope around at home; he shook his head slapping his face standing up, flopping over to the couch, knowing that Lucas would help him clear his mind and give him someone to rant to.

"So, what exactly did you want to tell me? You seemed very eager to tell me on Saturday, but then didn't answer any of my texts" Lucas judged the ravenette, adding sugar to his coffee

"Umm so... I like someone" Mike replied

"You have a crush? So, I was right?" Lucas eyes widened almost choking on his coffee, slightly cheering under his breath

"Had!" Mike emphasized

"You don't like them anymore?" Lucas furrowed his brows sympathetically

"Yeah, something hap-" Mike answered running both hands through his raven locks

KNOCK

KNOCK

The pair switched their attention to the door frame slowly opening to reveal the person Mike wanted to see the least right now- Will Byers. The ravenette squinted his eyes angrily observing him strut into the room nervously.

Will's palms sweat; writing and rewriting his essay multiple times over the past week trying to get the best work possible as the deadline for the competition is this Friday. The bulk of the essay was to prove to the board why he was the best person for the apprentership course, Will had to write everything about himself; his life, his childhood, his ambitions and dreams down to the smallest details. He really aimed to get this apprentership as it would help him in the future, acting as work experience giving him a head start in front of the other applicants when the course is over. The bonus to this is getting paid therefore being able to help his mother pay off his father's debt.

Shaking his head peacefully handing the essay into Mike's hands, nervously fidgeting his fingers, hoping that Mike would give the constructive criticism he needs to help his paper be even better than it is now, coming early to University just for this, but also unconsciously here just to see Mike, worried for the ravenette after not responding to his text since the date, feeling happy around him even if he was unable to date him, thinking he's an amazing person who deserved someone better them him

Mike flipped through the papers in his hands spreading across four separate pages; double sided. Mike glanced at the face of the chestnut-haired boy; his face red, if this was Saturday, he would've been fixated on his face the whole time but not today, not after what he had discovered, feeling betrayed Mike refused to read the paper

"It's too many pages" Mike plainly stated throwing the essay to the table,

"I know, I thought about that but there actually isn't any lim-" Will informed speaking fast waving his arms around proving his point

"Listen" Mike cut off standing up, picking up the papers crinkling them,

"I don't think you realise who the professor here is" Mike circled around Will like a vulture hunting his prey, feeling powerful in that moment

"I told you what you're supposed to do, and you do it, no questions asked" He added

"But you haven't even read-" Will defended himself; a hint of anger painting his face

"Did I say you could speak?" Mike stopped behind Will

"I-I know but-" Will struggled through the conversation, turning around to face him

"What did I just say? Are you incapable of doing anything I ask you?" Mike threw his hands in the air hitting them against his thighs when they fall, the paper rustling in his hands

"Lower the number of pages by half like I'm asking you too, not any of this bullshit of you waffling on about your life. The essay is supposed to convince them why you're the best for a place on their course, if I received it would go straight to the trash, it's obvious one of your core strengths isn't your listening skills" Mike spat walking towards Will towering over him domineeringly, the back of his knees hit the coffee table forcing him to sit down, intimidated; unable to move away

"Do you understand?" sharply adding lowering his head to Will's height, both staring eye to eye

"..." Will remained silent looking down scared of being shouted at for speaking again

"I said; do you understand?" Mike spoke harshly, a taste of venom on his tongue handing the papers back to him almost crumpling them completely,

"Ye-yes sir" Will nodded nervously, honestly the way Mike spoke frightened him more than anything and being close to his face only added to the intimidation,

"Good" He responded "Now go to your lesson" stepping back from the smaller boy to his desk, sitting down. The chestnut-haired boy nodded again; collecting himself, stumbling up from the table almost knocking over Lucas's coffee; calming his breathing hoping he wouldn't show any weakness in front of Mike,

"Are you- are you okay?" Lucas stood up placing a hand on Will's shoulder concerned

"Yeah" Will mumbled, pushing Lucas's hand off him scurrying out the room holding his paper close to his chest; minutes passing by with Lucas still confused by the whole situation watching vigilantly at the doorframe, turning his attention to Mike furrowing both eyebrows disapprovingly

"Mike what in the hell was that?" Lucas frowned

"Oh Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, you don't know the half of it" Mike chanted, tapping his fingers on the desk

"Come again?" Lucas stuck out his bottom lip

"That boy over there is pure evil" Mike spoke pointing at the doorframe

"Pure evil?" Lucas sarcastically raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms

"His name is Will Byers" Mike spoke

"Okay..." Lucas stretched

"Does that sound familiar to you?" Mike asked

"No" Lucas replied

"Will Byers is Will Woodland" Mike blurted

"The one I met the other day? But that can't be; Byers is Byers and Woodland is Woodland" Lucas questioned standing up, pacing around the room mumbling to himself, trying to connect the dots

"Are you sure?" He added, turning on his heel to face the ravenette

"It is... I've confirmed it" Mike plainly said, furiously typing on the keyboard, sifting through the class records to pull up Will's school profile picture, enlarging it to fill the whole screen, then pulling up the anniversary photo from the other day zooming into Will's face placing them both on screen side by side.

Turning the monitor to face Lucas, his face deadpanned. Lucas's eyes widen realising that his friend was right, these two people were definitely the same person; being side by side basically indistinguishable

"Holy shit" Lucas stated, mouth agape titling his eyes between both images

"So, what are you going to do now?" Lucas added placing both hands on the top of his head

"I'm going to make him realise how big of a mistake he just made" Mike smirked leaning both arms on the table, staring at the door frame

"Prepare yourself Will Byers" He added, sinisterly chuckling 

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1336 Words

Stay Safe <3