“You’re in love with him.”

It wasn’t a question but Will contemplated the possibility of just denying it, maybe if he was casual enough about it she would leave the topic alone and Will could go back to breathing a little easier. However, Will was also aware to whom he was talking to, he knew that she would probably see right through him, wouldn’t give him a chance to sneak his way out of this conversation so he sighed, preparing himself for what would most likely be a painful talk and said, “Yes.”

Will had to admit that saying it out loud felt quite good, like something heavy had lifted off his shoulders, his body slumping in relief. He stopped drawing the intricate picture of him and his friends as the characters from D&D, averting his gaze upwards and looking straight at her. She was squinting at him, different emotions passing through her eyes; curiosity, amusement, maybe even a little confusion but Will was glad he didn’t see any judgment or annoyance, as he was sure he probably wouldn’t have been able to handle it if he had.

“Are you going to tell him?” she asked, not looking at him anymore but in her school bag, rummaging inside and taking out some papers Will guessed were homework.

He tore his gaze from the items in her hands to give her an incredulous look, “Are you crazy? Of course I’m not going to tell him.” Will huffed out, before taking a shuddering breath and continuing, “He obviously doesn’t feel the same way I do.”

She raised a single perfect eyebrow, “Really? And how exactly do you know that, hm?”

He rolled his eyes, moving his body sideways so he had a better view of her. “I’m not sure you remember, but the last time I checked he was still happily in love with El.” He paused, moving a little in his chair, picking at his shirt and letting his head hang forward, a tad defeated, “And I’m happy for them, really. I’ve grown to love her a lot. Just…”

He hadn’t noticed her moving at all, too caught up in his own emotions that he startled a bit when an arm came up around him. He glanced to his right, saw her sympathetic smile, and let his weight slump towards her. “Just what Will? You know you can tell me anything.”

“Just… it hurts, you know? Seeing their smiles and how content they look when they’re together. I… I have no idea when this started, really. One day I wasn’t feeling anything out of the ordinary and the next I felt my heart beat a little faster in my chest each time he was around” Will paused then, reorganising his thoughts, “It’s been small things, small changes. I can’t help but grin even when he says the stupidest things, and my eyes always wander back to him as long as he’s near, it’s automatic. I have this incredible urge to see him joyful, ever, which has made me do a lot of dumb stuff but hey, at least Mike’s cheerful.” He laughed then, humourless, before going on, “I just love him, so much. The way he worries over every single one of us without regard of his own problems, the way he tries to help and just be there for you because he’s afraid of losing anyone. He’s way too overprotective honestly. The fact that he’s salty as hell,” Will laughed, this time genuinely, when he heard her muttering under her breath about how ‘you don’t even know the half of it’ before he got back on track, “The way he’s so unathletic, like he can’t do shit without getting tired 5 seconds later. The fact that he never tells anyone about his fears and insecurities because he doesn’t want to burden you. The way he’s such a dork, and a mess, an adorable mess?” He phrased that as a question, glancing to his right to see her make a face at him. Will giggled but went on, “he just has no idea what to do with his life, but yeah he is adorable.”

She rolled her eyes, interrupting him from his tirade, “Only you would think he’s adorable even when he’s a complete disaster.”

“Hey, don’t you also feel the same about Lucas?”

Max looked sheepishly at him, “Okay, you got me there. But seriously Will you really should tell him. If anything for yourself, get some closure maybe, I don’t know, but you will definitely feel better.”

Will sighed for what felt like the ninth time, “I don’t want to lose what we have now. What if he feels awkward around me and becomes distant. I know he will probably still be my friend but there’s no way he’s going to feel as comfortable around me as before. I don’t think I could be able to live knowing I made us awkward.”

While Will talked, something caught Max’ attention. She looked over her shoulder, tensing a little at what she saw before turning her gaze back on Will. She let him finish before she hesitantly spoke up, “Um, look Will, I’m not sure how to say this, but you may have lost your chance.”

Will frowned, “What do you mean?”

Max grimaced and pointed over her shoulder. He turned around, a gasp leaving his mouth at seeing Mike just a few feet away from them. “Mike…” Will whispered, “how long have you been there?”

Mike gave him an apologetic look, “Long enough, and before you say anything else I was not spying on you two. I wanted to surprise you but then you kept on talking and I, I just lost my timing.”

A tense silence fell upon the three of them and Max cleared her throat, diverging some of it, “So I guess you guys may want to talk so I will spare myself from this talk. Bye.”

She squeezed Will’s hand, giving him a meaningful last glance, before she glared at Mike, trying to put into that heated gaze exactly what would happen to him if he dared make Will unhappy.

Mike gulped but just nodded, and he moved to take Max’ position next to Will, leaving a small distance between them, not knowing if Will would appreciate him being in his personal space.

“I guess we have to talk about this.”

“Yeah, that would be great.”

Will sighed, ‘here goes everything’ the last thing going through his mind before he opened his mouth.