WILL POV-

---- 6:54 PM ----

The chestnut-haired boy glanced at the clock, sitting in the taxi; adjusting the mullet on his head, thinking his days of pretending to be Will Woodland were over. The wig felt awkward atop his scalp, continuing to glance at his phone hoping to be there on time. Rolling up to the restaurant to meet Karen he opened the door, thanking the driver; paying him. Walking quickly, he took a few steps in the front garden of the establishment, scanning the area he felt underdressed as usual in his clothes being eyed up by the security, he awkwardly smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Mike spat; startling the chestnut-haired boy to spin around on his heel

"Your mum asked me to be here! I know you don't want to fake date, but I couldn't ignore her, so..." Will awkwardly explained trying his best

"So... You came behind my back?" Mike retorted crossing his arms, putting on a tough demeanour but happy to see Will again

"I didn't know you would be here... I thought you'd get angry at me again." Will explained, nervously finishing his sentence. Mike's heart broke, was Will scared of him? His face softened his hands falling from his side; wanting to just hug the chestnut-haired boy after that.

"Will- I wouldn't get mad at you... I'm actually really glad you're here" Mike smiled, putting his ego aside

"You are?" Will's eyes widened

"I'm not heartless Will" Mike giggled, hoping the smaller boy would believe it

"Sorry" The chestnut-haired boy muttered

"You did nothing wrong" The ravenette smiled placing a hand on his shoulder

"Yeah, I know" Will mumbled

"We should probably go, before my mum gets worried" Mike suggested

"Yeah, we should" Will nodded

"By any chance would you give me the pleasure of being my boyfriend for the night?" Mike joked extending his arm for the smaller boy to accept, secretly wishing they could amend their relationship.

"I'd love to" Will chuckled accepting the hand. Walking in, Mike scanned the area knowing the restaurant like the back of his hand, he talked to one of the waiters who smiled directing the pair to the Wheeler table. Will in a good mood; hoping this evening would just go well for once. Upon seeing them, Karen stood up from the table strutting over to them giving Mike a hug, the chestnut-haired boy twiddled his thumbs praying he didn't look unfit for the situation. Karen smile grew seeing Will, pushing Mike out the way enveloping him into a hug

"I'm so glad you were able to meet today... Mike said you were busy" She pulled away holding both the shoulders of the short boy

"Oh, did he?" Will bashfully smiled casting his gaze to the ravenette scratching the back of his neck

"In my defence, I thought he was" Mike lied knowing the real reason he told his mother that

"Well, I'm glad to be here Mrs Wheeler" The chestnut-haired boy smiled back

"Let's all have a seat, hmm?" She smiled taking a seat next to Mr Wheeler who mumbled an inaudible greeting not even bothering to get up, Will passed a wave over the old man nodding in reply.

Well, that was weird.

He sat down, next to Mike facing the Ravenette's parents, to say this was an awkward situation was the least. Although Will had met them before what would he say in this formal situation? For how long will they think he and Mike are dating? Snapped out his thoughts as Mike tapped his shoulder, directing his attention to Karen calling him

"So, Will?" She gleamed

"Yes?" Will replied

"I was going to ask when the wedding is" Mrs Wheeler smiled

"T-the wedding?" Will stuttered, who's wedding? She couldn't possibly be talking about-

"You and Mike of course?" Flipping her eyes between the two boys, already planning the wedding reception

"Mum we've just sat down" Mike gritted through his teeth, knowing Will was freaked out by the question seeing his face blush a reddish hue, if he didn't already destroy this relationship with Will; his mum was going to do it with all this wedding talk.

"Oh, come on! I can ask. Will doesn't mind, do you Will?" Karen pouted, smiling bright at Will

"Umm no" Will stiffly replied unable to say no to his elders, Mike slumped in his seat sighing

"So, when do you think you two are going to set the date?" Karen tilted her head

"Well, I guess it depends on what we both think, I'm ready whenever Mike is" Will lied hoping the answer satiated Mrs Wheeler's questions for the time being.

"See Mike why can't you be like that! I've been asking yo-" The old woman continued to lecture her son, Mr Wheeler looked more interested in what the table next to them where doing and Will was preoccupied in something a little more deadly, as from across the room seeing the man he hoped to see the least this moment

His father; Lonnie Byers

They made eye contact, Will's gut twisted, feeling as if something bad was going to happen; wanting to run away and hide, but knew he couldn't, not in front of Mike's parents. They would find out the truth or think he was absolutely bonkers. Mike tapped his leg

"Is everything alright?" He whispered only quiet enough for the smaller boy to hear

"Yeah... umm yeah!" Will answered, shuffling restlessly in his seat

"I'm sorry but I need to go to the bathroom, to freshen up" he added standing to address the whole table, wanting a few minutes to think about what to do. He stepped to the bathroom almost stumbling, Mike looked over knowing something was wrong, but couldn't put his finger on it

"I'm going to go freshen up as well" He excused himself quickly leaving from the table searching which bathroom Will had gone to

Will however was in the bathroom on the second floor just to avoid any chance of seeing anyone he might know. Hovering over the sink washing his face feeling the hot water sting his skin; worried his father would act horrible around people just for his son to be miserable, he listened to the sound of the running faucet. Hanging his head low, peacefully breathing in and out to calm himself, he looked up, seeing his reflection look back at him, his face red from the hot water, he switched off the tap looking at himself again, but this time saw a figure towering behind him

"I know he paid you to date him" Lonnie scrunched his face

"W-What? How?" Will turned around facing his father

"I have proof" Lonnie chuckled sinisterly

"I-I you don't know what you're talking about" The chestnut-haired boy attempted to save himself

"You're selling yourself" his father spat

"I'm not" The small boy defended himself

"I bet you enjoy it" Lonnie scoffed

"So, how much is he paying you for tonight?" He questioned, only interested in anything if it could give him a few bucks

"I'm not selling myself" Will repeated loudly

"Listen, I saw it! Tell me how much he paid you now, or else" Lonnie threated coming closer to the smaller boy cowering in fear taking a step back till his back hit the wall, Lonnie grabbed the collar of his shirt, bawling it up to intimidate Will. It worked; the chestnut-haired boy squirmed unable to get out of his father's grasp.

Suddenly, Lonnie let go; falling to the floor wincing in pain, Will felt a hand encompass his looking up he saw Mike a concerned look on his face

"Let's go Byers!" He said dragging the smaller boy out the bathroom

"Wait huh?" Will remained shocked, pulling his hand away, standing idle in the hallway

"What are you doing? I said let's go Byers" Mike repeated

"W-What did you just call me?" Will stammered, the ravenette just stared into his eyes unable to reply

"I mean... how did you? When did you?" He continued to ask questions

"I know that you are Will Byers, the same boy from my class" Mike replied

"Uh" Will took a step back, his eyes widening

"I'll explain everything later. Let's just finish the dinner now" The ravenette suggested

"Uhm yeah, we wouldn't want to keep your mum waiting" Will awkwardly smiled, honestly how was he supposed to react to this situation, was he happy he isn't lying to Mike or sad because Mike knows the truth. He followed the ravenette's lead sitting back in his seat; Mike tucking the chair for him. Will fiddled his fingers.

"You both took so long" Karen chirped Winking. Gross! What did she think they were doing in the bathroom? Will felt repulsed but not completely opposed to the idea. He knew that probably wouldn't happen but joked at the thought, thinking this would be the last time he met Mike in this way, seeing as the ravenette finally found out

Lonnie stumbled from the bathroom; his walking jagged from the fall. He held his nose walking over to the table, the blood dripping from his busted lip and banging both fists onto it. They looked up seeing Lonnie's dishevelled state, Mr and Mrs Wheeler scrunched their noses in disgust as Will coward in fear afraid of what his father would do; Mike on the other hand ready to pounce.

"Did you know that your son's boyfriend is extorting money from him" Lonnie shouted, causing almost everyone on the floor to turn their head

"That- That's not true" Will stood up from his seat, struggling for words

"YEAH" Mike followed, protecting the chestnut-haired boy

"Oh really?! because I have proof" taking out his phone Lonnie threw a video on screen, appearing to be from this morning, containing some crystal-clear footage from only a small distance away, being able to record the faces and voices of the two boys, hearing Mike openly discuss the payments to Will.

Karen's eyes widened; Mr Wheeler indifferent to the whole situation just annoyed that he was stopped from eating his chicken. He looked unimpressed by the situation already guessing something suspicious was going on between the two boys. Mrs Wheeler on the other hand was shocked to say the least. Thinking her son's relationship was authentic, unknowing if she could trust this random man, she remained defensive

"Will Woodland isn't like that" She spat

"Will what? His real name is Will Byers" Lonnie emphasised

"Is that true?" Karen's eyes widened. Will's vision became blurry almost as if he couldn't see colour, his eyes scorching seeing the world around him teary eyed; his throat closed up; unable to talk, his anxiety kicked in unable to defend himself

"That's not true" Mike backed up, angrily shaking his fist in front of his face

"Really then what if I do this-" In an instant, Lonnie reached over, grabbing the wig off Will's head ripping off the wig-cap with him. Will stood confused, Mike tried to cover the smaller boy, now even more worried than ever that Lonnie would do something worse, defending him stepping forward; pushing Will behind himself prepared to fight Lonnie if he even so much as takes another step. Angrily, the pair argue, Will watched them; unable to do anything casting his eyesight across the table.

"MRS WHEELER!!?!?" He screamed running over, the woman felt dizzy, placing a hand on her head; her body went limp. Will checked her pulse, seeing that she was still breathing he thanked the heavens, screaming

"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULENCE" Lonnie and Mike stopped to look over, a crowd forming around them. Mike pushed people out the way; kneeling next to his mum resting her head on his lap, even Mr Wheeler panicked moving people away stopping them from crowding attempting to get some privacy for his wife, they waited not expressing any words. Mike looked frightened, periodically checking his mother's pulse, seeing it stable. He took a deep breath

"It'll be okay" Will comforted, placing a hand on the ravenette's shoulder 

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2028 Words

I don't know what the title is

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Stay Safe <3