bella’s landfill

okay imagine epilogue byler: “i hate myself for loving you” or “don’t you (forget about me)” comes on in a bar in NY as they’re dancing with their respective partners at opposite ends of the dance floor / Will’s there, moving fully after going to study at NYU; Mike’s visiting there for a small book launch / The lights move around the room until they finally shine on the other for them to see / Time stills - it’s been years - contact lost with the weighted silences that found themselves echoing between the telephone line / Mike hastily excuses himself from the girl he’s now suddenly forgotten the name of / His feet pulling him through the crowd and back to bar, sulking as he orders a quick shot - a frankly futile attempt to try and drown out the racing thoughts - confusion, overwhelm, but most notably the sheer fact that he was NOT prepared to see him again / Will is stuck in place. Eyes still glued to the spot where he last saw Mike / Will’s partner’s confused remark brings him back and pushes him into action, excusing himself after a moment moving to follow where he thought he saw a mike-shaped blob moving / He finally sees him - allowing himself to study him from the other side of the bar / After critically overthinking it he calls the bartender over and buys him a drink / Mike downs it before he realizes he never ordered another shot, nevertheless a mixed drink - The bartender confirming this pre-paid item / Confusion and mild panic hits him as he looks around to see who ordered him one - a ache churning in his stomach of confusion? Maybe hope? He can’t tell / Then as the final chorus hits their eyes meet again from across the bar…