Work Text:
Chance Romanillos sat with the Tigers team during a very busy lunch. Everyone was bustling in their seats about some tittle-tattle the athlete didn't bother learning.
—‘If it ain't trash mouthing me, why would I care?’ Chance thought as it reminded him of the time he chatted with Will Byers, his lover; who was currently not present.
The athlete couldn't channel even a single thought, all the yapping regarding the silly grapevine gossip broke the words in his head.
“Would you guys cut it out and focus on something important? I don't get why you're all so obsessed with rumors—” Romanillos was interrupted.
“Holy… I'm guessing you haven't heard?” His teammate cut in along with a chuckle from the surrounding crowd. Chance, being bothered by his groupmate's foul-mouthed intrusion, rolled his eyes at the other jock's words.
“C’mon, this one's about Zombie boy and that Wheeler. You'd love this, Chance!” Andy Harver mentioned, and Romanillos' dark optics along with any and all focus he had quickly motioned to the bully.
“The whole team knows how you're so obsessed with Byers’ business..” The jerk whispered with an irritating laugh as he leaned into Chance.
With an annoyed grunt, the jock questioned nonetheless; “Shut it, Andy. The only thing I want to hear from you is that rumor about Will and…” Chance's thought drifted. ‘Matthew, Mark..?’ he wondered, ‘Ah—!’ Romanillos snapped back at his epiphany. “Mike! Michael Wheeler, no?” Chance added, his voice containing question at the end.
“Oh whatever, Romanillos.” Harver grumbled. “—As I was saying…” the bully said as he looked over to Chance in annoyance, “Stacey overheard a fight between Byers and Wheeler.” He began and the athlete's focus increased. “She couldn't hear what in the hell they said but, Mike grabbed Zombie boy's hand hard enough to leave a bruise…” Andy
murmured to the group with his irritating laugh following.
“Did she at least know what the fight was about?” Chance asked with a certain seriousness the team couldn't help but mock.
“Eh… all she heard was a regular argument that resorted in violence. Like all fights do, y'know?” The player in front of him answered, his words; vague.
“And like the fuck we care!” His teammates started, “Probably some gay bullcrap between the two, why would we care ‘bout their lovers’ quarrel!?” Andy teased in addition to the group's laughing fit.
Romanillos couldn't help but scoff in rile as he held back fists, ‘lovers’ he thought. “Oh, go screw yourself, Andy.” the jock snapped before getting up and leaving. He knew how little time was left until next period but he knew how important Will was to him, so understanding was more important than any grade could ever be; Chance rushed over as fast as he could to Byers's DnD party.
As he finally got to the table, his breath was unsteady and sweaty. ‘God, I don't run that fast even on track' the athlete thought before looking over to see who he knew that sat with the party.
As Chance observed the table he managed to recognize the entire group; there was Dustin who he had apologized to last week, Lucas and Max who waved to him when he got there; Then Will's nice sister Jane, and of course… Mike.
With an awkward pause to catch his breath, Chance spoke. “Uh, hey guys. And… Wheeler.” He stammered before he turned to El, “Jane, did you see Byers? I haven't seen him all day..” Chance asked as a nervous chuckle followed. Romanillo's eyes looked around the group to exhibit their reactions, only Jane and Mike seemed off though.
“Oh uh…” The girl stuttered, “No. Will didn't go to school today, he's um… sick.” Jane added with a hesitance to her voice.
“Ah, really?” The jock started. “How'd he get sick? I mean… if you don't mind me asking.” Chance questioned again as his thoughts went all over. ‘Sick, huh? I'll stop by the pharmacy to get medicine. Though, I'm sure Mrs. Byers already has—’ his thought was cut off by the bell, signaling the next class.
Romanillos saw as Henderson opened his mouth to speak before Mike interrupted by getting up, his swift motion being intruding. “C'mon guys, we gotta go.” Wheeler ordered with a stern voice, giving Chance a vexing side eye before he left.
‘Shit.’ The jock swore in his head, ‘at it again, huh Wheeler?’ he thought with an infuriated look on his face. Chance pinched his nose bridge and furrowed his eyebrows with a sigh despite the swarm of students passing him, stressing because of how frustrating Mike is.
—
After school, Chance suggested walking with Mayfield and Sinclair on the way home; a strategic choice since the two were the only people besides Jane that he could go to for answers about Will.
The jock's curiosity couldn't help itself as he broke their conversation with a question that was eating at his every thought. “Hey, have you heard the rumors about Will?” Romanillos asked with his eyes focused on the floor and his ears open.
Lucas and Max quickly turned their heads to Chance and looked back at each other with a nod, the two whispered something the athlete couldn't catch and after a while; they eyed him again.
With a hesitant breath while he motioned his head back to them, Chance questioned again. “It's probably just another word-of-mouth, right?” he muttered with a concealed nervous.
An awkward silence passed before the two replied. “Okay, look.” Sinclair said with a stress in his voice. “I've known Mike for years, you got it?—” Lucas stated. “And sure, the man has been a little too… much.” The basketball player admitted with a face of uncertainty, the “ehhh… well, not really but—” type.
“That hasn't driven him to something as extreme as this but—” Sinclair's words broke with Maxine's interruption.
“What he's saying is we both think it might be true!” Mayfield said with an annoyed groan, her words held no filter.
Romanillos appeared speechless, his eyes open as he looked to Sinclair for confirmation. Lucas saw Chance's look and with a sigh he answered. “Yeah, basically.” Sinclair confessed.
“Wait, really? I didn't think Wheeler would be the type to do that…” Chance said with a shallow awe. Sure, he knew Mike was a headache, but it's not like it was because he was violent.
Max sighed in disappointment, “I mean, we're not sure but Mike gets… different,” Mayfield basically muttered with her eyes facing the floor, avoiding any eye contact. “Yeah, different— when it comes to Will. Y'know?” Lucas added as he pulled in Maxine in an effort to comfort.
—
Chance wasn't shy of skeptic when it came to anything about Byers, not in the way Mike was but concern tends to conquer anything and everything Chance does.
So Romanillos couldn't help it when as soon as he got home, the jock swiftly checked the phone book for a certain Byers. Not Will or Joyce, but the eldest son— Or “town stoner” to others.
“Jonathan Byers, local photographer…” Chance mumbled under his breath as his hands searched through pages until— Ah! He found it.
The basketball player's fingers fumbled over the dial as he entered the number, and while waiting for an answer he planned out what he could say or at least, a good opening over the sound of each beep.
A few rings in, Jonathan finally answered. “Hello, this is Jonathan Byers— local photographer, what can I help you with?” The other said as if he were reciting the words.
“Uh… Yes! This is Chance Romanillos and I'm asking about Will Byers, can I have a second of your time..?” Chance stammered as he tried to sound as confident as he could.
He heard a sigh coming from the other lane as the photographer’s voice changed from professional to tired. “Leave my brother the fuck alone or else I'll—” Jonathan was interrupted.
Chance's eyes widened at hearing what Will's older brother said, “what.!? No— no, I don't mean it like that in any way imaginable!” The jock stutter-shouted out. Almost jumping out of his seat at the sudden threat.
“I'm Will's boyf— I mean, friend..! I just wanna know why he didn't come to class today.” Romanillos admitted with his voice stern despite his obvious fright. “I'll let him borrow my notebooks since we have the same schedule and stuff…” the athlete added as he doubled down with a pretty white lie.
Okay fine! It wasn't the most morally right thing to do but it's not like he was hiding murder, just something many people tend to hide… Something he'd love to be honest about but— Chance's internal monologue cut off.
“Friend? Will doesn't have any friends named Chance—” Romanillos heard as the photographer's audible epiphany stunned a silence between the two. Well, if you ignore the “ohhhh…” Jonathan spoke.
“Right, Chance. You're the kid who snuck into Will's room last week.” Byers spoke, and Romanillos’s embarrassment only increased. “What in the hell were you doing in there?” Jonathan added with a distinguishable irritation to his voice.
“Oh, I apologize sir— I mean Will's brother!” Chance stammered as his words jumbled in themselves. “Fo— for what happened the other night…” The athlete professed as the embarrassment in his voice only now started to wear off.
“But I'd really like to know about Will, since he's a good friend of mine.” Romanillos admitted with his heart skipping a beat from the lie, ‘really good friends…’ the jock thought.
Even from Chance's line you could hear the photographer flipping open a lighter, probably igniting a cigarette as he heard a big exhale follow, ‘damn, this is awkward…’ the basketball player thinks.
“Okay, fine. But I'm not telling you this over the phone.” Jonathan ordered, the unwavered annoyance in his voice only scared Chance more.
“Oh, well… are we able to talk today?” Romanillos asked with fright in his voice. ‘Will I love you, and your brother killed me!’ Chance said in his head as if he were a dead man.
He heard another inhale and exhale before Jonathan answered. “... Fine, it's 5:00 right now so meet me at Benny's Burgers in 30 minutes.” The photographer commanded like those fantasy generals Will talks about before hanging up the phone, right when Chance was about to speak.
Romanillos quickly got up to leave before his mom came from upstairs and saw the athlete clearly sneaking out. Chance awkwardly froze at the sight of his mother and stood up straight.
Mrs. Romanillos eyed Chance up and down with her arms crossed, standing at the foot of the stairs before she spoke;
“Saan ka nanaman?”
[—where are you going this time?]
The woman asked with a serious tone to her voice.
“Ah, uh… Pupunta ako doon kay Benny's, may asikasuhin kasi ako, ma.”
[—Ah, uh… I'm going over to Benny's, I have something to attend to, mom.]
Chance answered with nervous in his voice as his eyes moved from his mother to the wall clock and back.
“Pero promise, balik ako ng 6:30!”
[—But I promise I'll come back at 6:30!]
Romanillos' mother uncrossed her arms and put a hand on her hip, with a sigh she looked at chance with a smile before she spoke again.
“Sige na, basta balik ka ng 6:30, ha?”
[—fine, but be back by 6:30, okay?”]
She permitted before returning back upstairs. Chance smiled at her then waited for her to be all the way up the stairs before he made his move, and as she walked he checked the clock. ‘5:10, yes! Thank God the drive to Benny's is only 20 minutes!’
Romanillos' mother has finally gone up to her room and chance didn't let any second go to waste, he quickly grabbed the keys to his car that only cost six months of work and way too many errands to get but I mean, it was worth it. Chance sprinted out the house to his dark red Cadillac Seville while he almost broke his wing mirror on the way, the athlete propped himself into the car seat as he clumsily started the car and just drove off.
Note from Author:
dear reader,
The fic you are currently reading is sadly, discontinued. I, the writer have no plans on ever continuing it. So, kindly I beg you to buzz off. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed this somewhat fic.
— From, Loser_134.