Disgust
Will knocked at the big fancy door. Just then, it opened for Adrienne Kiriakis "Will! I'm so glad to see you! I'm on my way to meet your aunt Jen." She took his hand "I wanted to thank you Will. Sonny said he wouldn't be alive without you. I owe you so much." Will put on a smiling facade and brushed the compliment away "I mostly panicked and acted without thinking. Your son is really brave and strong." Adrienne had a proud smile. "I wanted to see him, actually. Do you know where he is?" Adrienne frowned "Oh, honey, he didn't call you? He left town." A chill hurt Will's spine. "He did...?" "Yes. Did he tell you about his boyfriend, Andrew? He's woken up. Sonny wanted to be by his side of course. He left yesterday night." Will forced himself to answer "Well, that explains why he forgot to tell me. It must be such a relief for him."
He didn't answer Abby's phone calls and ignored Gabi's texts. He refused Tyler and Neil's offers to hang out at The Rainbow.When his childhood friend T passed him and started yelling at him for being gay, he didn't react. He had asked Marlena for a good psychologist. He had talked with her about the loneliness and the attack and all that stuff. But he hadn't brought up Sonny. He couldn't. As if discussing what happened between them would put it in the past. He knew it was stupid but he clung to hope. Maybe when he would be back. If he dressed sharply enough...
But Sonny did come back. Abby mentioned it. She said she had asked him to join their group for New Year's Eve but he declined and said he already had plans. Will came home crying. He remembered Sonny saying he and Andrew and him were casual. So, he didn't want serious. And Will had to let go. He asked his mother for sleeping pills. She gave it to him with a worried look. Then she said "By the way, I wanted to ask you what you plans were for New Year's Eve. Are you going out?" "Yes, with Abs and Chad and Gabi and Mel." Sami smiled "That's great! Well, I hope you'll be kind with me when I say that... I don't have a date... I couldn't... But EJ has offered to spend the night having a little fun... Do you think I should? I mean... I miss Rafe horribly but he wouldn't have want me to despair and..." Will took a deep breath. How did things turn out so complicated? This wasn't his year. Let's hope the new one would be better.
Well, it didn't bode well. Gabi was being hit on by a suave Italian she met at the party. Abby and Chad were kissing non-stop, as if rehearsing for midnight. Mel was supportive and funny but her dad came and whisked her away to the hospital celebrations. Will had gone out and was sitting in a dark corner. Alone in a crowd. As opposed to alone in the forest. But he wasn't alone then. Sonny was there, talking and laughing and... He got up and walked away aimlessly. The Pub was busy and his grandma Caroline had gone to bed. There was no one he knew and he walked into the cold, steely kitchen where employees ran efficiently, purposely. Will felt broken. He had trouble readjusting and his life was on hold. He would start college in a month only. His parents were busy. His family was getting used to seeing him again and stopped fussing as much. Martin had sent back all their stuff. He had forgotten his drawings though. Maybe he thought they were here before. Will thought about calling him. It would feel good talking to this stranger who'd been so kind to him and Sonny. He opened the little fridge in the staff room. He'd worked here the last summer and Caroline had told him he could always help himself here. It was empty though. He searched a little around and in a cupboard, he found a vodka bottle. The need for the peace that alcohol could bring hit him like a ton of brick. He put one hand on a table and closed his eyes, fighting against himself. He managed not to open it but still opened his backpack to put the bottle in. He saw the envelope. He had forgotten about it. Slowly, he took it out and stared at the photo.
There he was, drawing the lake. Berry was seated on the table behind him, her eyes on the paper, as if she was judging its quality. Sonny was standing at the door, hand on the handle. Will remembered that moment. They were about to eat dinner. For a fleeting moment, he thought he could smell the air of that day, of that minute. Fresh and pure and filled with cat and raviolis and Sonny. And it came back to him. Sonny taking care. Listening to him. Making sure he was OK. Kissing him in the forest just before... He took the bottle out and replaced it in the cupboard. Then he took his cell and prepared a New Year's message. He heard shouts and yipees but didn't go outside the room. He sent the text to all his friends and family. And to Sonny. Time to be friends. Of course he only got notifications that said the texts were delayed. But he had time. He walked to his grandma Marlena's home. She wouldn't be there but he had the key. He had so many keys. Each for a place he was welcomed. But none to his own world, his own decisions. His happiness.
He lied down on the couch. With the noise outside, it was impossible to sleep. The notifications were arriving too. And the answers. It felt good to have all these friends. Sonny wrote 'Happy New Year. Sorry about earlier. Hope to CU one of these days. I'll explain.' Will sighed. He sent back 'Come to my bthday, plse?' 'When's your birthday?' 'Twas November the 27th. Was with U then. Party is next wedn' 'K I'll bring a gift. So 17, hm?' 'No 18.' Then the flood of messages stopped and the tumult died down. Will slept. He dreamt that Sonny was wearing antlers on his skull and Nick had rabbit ears and hid in a hole in the ground. Then Sonny turned to him and he was normal and he said 'Will. I need you.'