Sn. 3

-𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 (?) : 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 -

MIKE GLANCED OVER at Will on the adjacent couch.

He was throwing one of the ping pong balls Mike had found in Click's drawer at the ceiling, his throws completely rhythmic and mechanic. 

Mike could see the boy was deep in thought, his face was slightly puckered and his eyes staring at a a world far away, a world Mike couldn't see.

He looked down at his comic book, then up at Will's left hand. The throws made his sweatshirt sleeve slide up a bit, and the tissue-paper bandage was exposed.  Even though Mike had seen Will wrapping it just a few hours ago, it was bloody again. 

They had been sitting in the room for over 2 hours. He had read all his comic books, and avoided asking it. He knew if he cared about Will, and he truly and very bizarrely did, he had to ask.

And this was the best opportunity he was going to get. 

"Will?" Mike asked, sitting up. Will's staring eyes finally blinked, and he turned his still unfocused gaze to Mike.

"Can I ask you something?"Mike's voice was slightly higher than usual. Will seemed to understand the seriousness in Mike's question, and ceased throwing the ball. He sat up, and Mike knew he was going to answer him. This was it.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" 

Will's huge eyes filled with confusion, but then his eyes landed on his wrist. The confusion turned into shock.

" No! god, of course not!" But Mike didn't believe him.

"Will, the painting with the flower... and I saw it bleeding... Please don't lie to me. Not about this," mike tried to make his voice soft as possible.

"Mike, I swear! I- I - Never!" Will was rendered speechless. He stared at Mike with desperation in his eyes."You have to believe me!" 

"Then what's on there?""I-I-I-I," Will turned white, "I don't want to show you."

But Mike couldn't accept it. Not when he was even more sure than before that Will was lying. He didn't say anything, just stared at Will.

Waiting.

Will sighed in defeat. Mike got up and came to sit by him. His heart was beating out of his chest as Will started unraveling the layers of tissue.

                                                                                        ✴ ⁕ ✴ ⁕ ✴

As the layers came off, Will's hands started shaking even more. By the very last square, his hands could barley grab it. He pulled it off, and this time Mike couldn't contain a gasp while Will whimpered softly.

Will's fair skin was tainted by sharp knife-cuts, red and frighteningly deep, still gushing blood. 

But, they served as confirmation for Will's denial. There was no way Will could've done these to himself.

The cuts were arranged as a word, the blood like glimmering red ink in some sick horror movie.

                                                                                    ғᴀɢ

A single word. A word that wasn't even spoken. One word that drained all the air from the room, and with it the little color remaining in Will's face. He seemed just as appalled of the gruesome view as Mike was.

"Do you think it'll scar?" Will's voice was barley audible. How Mike wished he could say no, but the depth of the cuts left little doubt. 

Will let out the heartbreaking whimpering sound again. Mike struggled to tear his eyes away from the scratch, and saw Will was looking everywhere but the arm. His eyes were red, and Mike saw he was trying very hard not to cry."Troy and James?" Mike asked, his voice flat. He knew they were assholes, but he never in a million years would've thought they would do something like this!

But Will nodded, his mouth still closed tightly. Mike could see how close he was to tears, and he wanted to hug him... except couldn't really move.

"Will, I- this is really serious. Like, police serious. They can't do this to you! I think this might need stitches!"  Mike called, a surge of anger coursing through his body.

" I go to the police, and their rich daddies get them out of it and the bullying gets worse. I go to the hospital, and then everyone in town will- will know about me. My dad will find out..." Will finally lost the battle to his tears, and Mike knew he was right. Terrible, sad, frustrating as it was, Will was right.

"We need to wrap it tighter then you did. We need to stop the bleeding, or you'll loose way too much blood." Mike was up, searching for something that would stop the still gushing blood. 

"they must have something here!" Mike was frantic now, opening every drawer in the room. It was the teacher's room, they had to have some kind of band aid or-

"here!" Finally, he found a bandage. He hurried back to Will, wrapping it super tight around the cuts and tying the ends. "Better?" he asked.Will nodded slightly, tears still streaming down his face.

Mike couldn't imagine what he was going through, couldn't fathom having an actual knife pulled out on him, having those words embroidered on his body forever... 

"I'm- If you don't mind, I'm going to go draw a little. I need some time to- some time to think," Will said. "I'll meet you back in Click's class whenever your'e ready," Mike replied. He squeezed Will's right hand slightly, and in the slight second their hands were laying he thought maybe, just maybe, he could hug Will... maybe a kiss...

But then Will was up, and the moment was over. Mike stared at his back as he left the lounge, the whole school silent.

And just then, he realized he had missed something Will had said. "The whole town would find out about me..." Know. Not think.

 Had Will just- come out to him?