Chapter six

"Will?  Why don't you like your dad?"  We were in my basement.  He had come over unexpectedly, apparently he walked all the way to my house.  It was the summer between first and second grade.

His face had this emotionless but terrified look.  Like he wanted to disappear.  Like he just witnessed something he wanted to forget.

It was a look you could never forget.  He looked small, confused, hurt.  He looked so spaced out and emotionless to the world around him.  Like he was dazed.

"He hurts me."  Will says quietly while looking to the floor.  We were sitting on the new couch that my dad had just bought.

"On purpose?"  I ask, beyond confused.  Why would someone's dad want to hurt their own kid?

Will nods silently.

"Why?" 

"I don't know."  He sighs.  "It's scary.  He hurts my mom and brother too and I just want it all to be over."  I knew he was crying and I felt my chest get heavy.

I wrapped him in a hug and he hugged me back, crying into my shoulder.

"I want it to be over, Mike."  He repeats.

At the time I didn't understand what he meant by that.  I was to young to understand.  He grew up to fast and that fact always made my heart break even more.

I would only find out what he meant two years later after his first attempt.

Will moves back to where he was sitting.  He had a smile on his face but it wasn't the same one as before.  It was a fake one.

"You alright?"  I ask him.  He shakes out of whatever trance he was in and nods.

"Yeah, sorry."  He takes a sip of his drink.

"You know you can talk to me."  I say quietly while looking at him.

"I know."  He nods.  "My mom will be here soon, let's go."

Not pushing the subject any further, we get up from the table and take our drinks with us.  We walk outside and found Joyce waiting for us.

The ride home was quiet.  Same as when we got home.

Will almost immediately went into his room and shut his door.  I didn't want to bother him anymore so I went to see what El was doing.

She was writing in her notebook, she always left her door open a crack so I knock and open it all the way.

"Hey, can we talk?"  I ask her.  She nods and pats her bed, motioning me to sit down.  I close the door behind me and sit down on the bed.

"I hate Ezra."  I sigh. 

"He told you?"  She assumes.  I look at her.

"You knew?" 

"I was the first person to know."  She grins proudly.  "Not the point though.  Why don't you like him?"

I explained what happened at lunch and how Will was acting.  She shifted uncomfortably towards the end.

"I'm sure he wasn't expecting to see him there."  She finally shrugs. 

I didn't buy it.  Mainly because of the way she was acting now.

"You know something, El.  Tell me."  I tried to not sound mean but it didn't work.

"You have to talk to him, Mike.  I can't tell you.  I promised I wouldn't."  She says quietly while picking up her notebook and pen once more.  I sigh and stand up, knowing I won't get any answers out of her.

I leave the bedroom, shutting the door a little bit behind me.

I walk to Will's room and knock on the door.  I heard movement before I heard a 'come in'.

I open the door and Will was sitting on his bed staring at me.  He had that same familiar look on his face.  I shut the door and walk over to him, sitting down next to him.

"Tell me what's wrong, Will."  I say, almost desperately.  He sighs.

"Nothings wrong, Mike."  He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.  He looks so exhausted.

"Is it something with Ezra?"  I ask quietly.  Will shakes his head.

"I'm fine, Mike."  He repeats.

"Did he do something to you?"  I ask, already knowing the answer.  Will doesn't move or say anything, but he started crying.

I'm not good at dealing with peoples emotions.  I never have been.  Even when we were younger.  I tried my best to help him when we were younger.  I was never sure how much I really helped though.

I didn't know what else to do other then to pull him into a tight hug.

So that's what I did.

We stayed like that for a long time.  I don't know how long it had been until Will finally pulled away. 

"What did he do?"  I subconsciously grabbed Will's hand.  Something I haven't done in a little over a year.  It felt weird.  My heart was racing and it felt hot.

Will looked down at my hand as he began talking.  "The same thing my dad did."  His voice broke.

I didn't know what to say.  He looked so hurt.  How did I not notice?

"Does you're mom know?"  I ask him quietly.  He shakes his head.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"  I ask him, "why are you still with him?"

Will was quiet again as he wiped his face off with his sleeve.

"He said he would kill me."  He shrugs.  "It's not easy to just leave."  He says quietly.

"Why not?  If he's hurting you...you can't live like that anymore."

"I'll still see him all the time in school.  You can guess he's popular so that won't go over well either with bullies or whatever.  It's just safer to stay with him, even if he's been doing shit."  His voice sounds exhausted and strained.

"Who else knows?  Abou you two?"

"I've told Jonathan and El but I don't think Jonathan remembers.  He was probably high when I told him."  He says quietly while looking down at our hands. 

I wanted to help him.  How am I supposed to help him?  It's Will.  He won't let anyone help him.

He must have seen the look on my face because he smiled softly.

"I'm okay, Mike."  He said softly.  "I'm okay."

"It's not okay.  How can he treat you like that!"  I say frustrated.  Will only shrugs.

"It's not like I'm not used to it."  He says jokingly.  "Besides, in a few months it'll be summer and we're going to Hawkins for the summer.  It won't be so bad."

"Can't you press charges or something?"  I ask while looking at him.

"I could."  He says quietly.  "But no one would believe me.  I mean everyone knows who he is, you know?  It's just one of those situations."

"You could move back to Hawkins."  I say desperately.

"How?"  He asks.  "Everyone's happy here.  Mike, I'm fine.  Really.  I'm fine."

It stayed quiet for a few minutes as I tried to think about what to say.  He pulled away his hand and I move mine back.  He sighed.

"Don't do anything stupid, Mike.  Please, don't."  He says quietly while looking at me.  He wasn't crying anymore which was surprising to me.

"I promise."  I say quietly. 

It was quiet for a few minutes as I pieced things together.  The way Will was acting yesterday, the way he hadn't written to me, called me, the short responses through the mail.

"What does he do to you?"  I finally ask quietly.  "If you want to talk about it."  I add shortly after.  He sighs.

"It's mostly emotional and verbal so it isn't so bad.  Occasionally he'll hit me or push me but it's nothing to bad.  That's another reason why I haven't really told anyone."

"That's still bad, Will!"  I say to him.  He doesn't believe me.  I know he doesn't believe me.

"I can live with it.  I'm okay, Mike."  He grabs my hand with a smile and looks at me.  "I'm okay."  He repeats.  I nod as I felt heat rush to my face.  He smiles and pulls his hand back.

"I'm going to go to sleep."  I say while standing up.  "Night."  I say before leaving the room.

I heard Will say goodnight back before I shut his door and walk to my room.

I really hate Ezra.

***

Word Count: 1,385Date Published: 2/22/23