He really wants to get a scholarship, but not at the cost of his high school life. He knows his family is well-off enough to pay for his dream college or university, but he loves the feeling of earning it by himself. Even with his part-time job, he doesn’t really need the money, but he loves the sense of accomplishment it gives him. It feels like he’s achieved something.

Aside from that, when Taylor notices he’s there, he almost slips. He looks twice at Will to make sure his eyes aren’t playing tricks on him. Will smiles and waves at him, and Taylor nods in response. The girls are touched by Taylor’s reaction and say that Will and Taylor are a match made in heaven. If only they knew, Will thinks.

So, basically, that’s how the rest of the week at school goes. Between school, work, and being a buffer, Will tries to find his place in the school. He knows that the role of Taylor’s boyfriend won’t last forever.

He knows he needs to talk to Taylor about it. Maybe this weekend will be a good time. Both of them alone (thank God) in the car—maybe Will could have a heart-to-heart conversation.
Because so far, Taylor had been a good friend to him. Maybe they could have a mutual breakup and stay friends. He really hated the thought of losing him.
The weekend finally came, and Taylor was planning to pick him up at 12 noon. When he came downstairs 15 minutes before 12, his mum examined his choice of clothes: a black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and his favorite—though not-so-much-now—white sneakers.
"That's what you choose for your date?" she asked. Will looked at her. "You’re well aware that it’s not a real date. I’m just helping a friend," he said, pouring himself a glass of water. His mum made a noise, clearly not believing him. "So, do you need money for your ‘not a date’ thing?"
"No thanks, I have money from my job," Will replied, checking his phone for a text from Taylor.

His mum came over to him and gave him a big hug. "My baby’s growing up so fast!" she said, but Will wasn’t paying attention when his mum took his phone from his pocket. "Now, go grab a jacket; you don’t want to get cold at the theater."
"It’s a drive-in," Will replied, but he still went up to his room to grab a jacket.

Meanwhile, his mum opened his phone and sent a message to Taylor: "Come into my house." She was quite pleased with herself, especially when she heard Taylor’s footsteps at the front door. Before he even had a chance to knock, she opened the door.

Taylor was shocked when the door swung open and he saw a woman smiling at him. "Hey, I’m Will’s mum. Welcome to our home!" she said, taking him by the arm and practically pushing him into the house.

Taylor was dragged into the dining area, where Will’s mum sat him in a chair beside her. She rested an elbow on the table and leaned her head into the palm of her hand. With big brown eyes—just like her son—she stared at him, making Taylor feel incredibly uncomfortable. He didn’t know where to look.

Will’s mum noticed his discomfort, straightened up, and said, “I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Her talent for reading people was one of the reasons she was such a great lawyer. “Will tells me everything; you should feel more open with me.”

When Taylor opened his eyes in shock, she added, “He told me about your first meeting, so imagine our surprise when we ran into you at school. But what I really want to tell you is, if it gets tough, you can always contact us. Our home will always be open to you.”

Taylor didn’t know what to do. Never in his life had anyone said something like that to him the first time he met them. He blushed deeply. “Thank you, Mrs. Copper,” he said, his voice low.

Will’s mum smiled at his embarrassment, pinched his cheeks, and said in a voice like she was speaking to a little kid, “You’re so adorable.”

“Mum, what are you doing?” Will appeared from behind, and Taylor jumped in his seat a little. He wasn’t sure how much Will had seen or heard. But it didn’t seem to bother Will’s mum. She let go of Taylor and said, “Nothing much, just getting to know my son’s friend, right, Taylor?” Taylor nodded quickly.

Will, skeptical about the whole situation, glanced between them. “Okay... I think it’s time we should go.”

Taylor stood up from his seat. “Thanks for the warm welcome.”

Will’s mum smiled and said, “I like him,” as she pointed at Taylor.

When they reached the door, Will’s mum stopped them. “Wait, baby, don’t forget your phone!” Will, now knowing how his mum managed to lure Taylor in, grabbed the phone and walked out the door with Taylor. His mum waved to them from the doorway.

In the car, Taylor drove in silence, biting his lip, unsure of what to say. “So, how have you been?” Will asked.

Taylor glanced at him but didn’t answer, then turned his focus back to the road. Will couldn’t read Taylor’s expression. “I’m sorry if my mum said something out of place—”

“Who knows about us?” Taylor interrupted.

“What?”

“Who knows you’ve been helping me and that we’re not in a real relationship?”

Will looked at Taylor, noticing he seemed a bit off, his face pale. A million thoughts were running through Taylor’s head. Will tried to understand what was going on inside Taylor’s mind. He really liked him as a friend. So far, Taylor had been supportive and considerate. As a new student, it was tough to find someone who not only shared his interests but also offered guidance and advice. Taylor was truly one of a kind.

Will remembered the first time he saw him and the odd request. He’d agreed because he was bored, though he thought Taylor was hot. He never expected to see him again, but now, getting to know Taylor, Will wanted to help him. He wanted to understand the source of Taylor’s anxiety and find a way to fix it—he just wanted to make him smile, because that smile never seemed to leave his face.

“Well, after the first time we met at the shake shop, I told my parents and my friends from my old town,” Will explained.

Taylor exhaled in relief. “You don’t need to worry. They won’t say a thing. My parents know how to keep a secret, and my friends—though they find it amusing—never say anything.”

Taylor gave Will a hopeful look. “Really? You mean that?”

Will’s eyes lit up with conviction. “Yeah!! I mean that.” Then he added, “They’re waiting to meet you.”

Taylor blinked in surprise. “Me? Why?”

They were halfway to the drive-in, where Taylor and Morgan had planned to meet. The only things along the way were a few exciting refreshments and a restaurant.

“Why not? After all the things I said about you, and the pictures and videos I sent to them, my friend Anna told me to let you know if you ever want to ‘teach someone a lesson,’ you can call her.”

“What?” Taylor laughed. “Why does she say that?”

Will responded in the most serious tone, “Because you're my friend, and that makes you her friend. She’s logical like that. But you should take her words seriously. She can be feisty.”

Taylor laughed again, and Will felt good about himself. He loved hearing him laugh. He wanted to know Taylor inside and out.

“I think you’ll like them. Maybe I’ll—OMG, that is the best burger I’ve ever eaten!” Will interrupted himself, pointing at a restaurant with a big billboard shaped like a burger.

Taylor looked at where Will was pointing. “You like burgers?”

“I love that burger. They have the best sauces—more than seven different kinds, and all of them are perfect. And don’t get me started on the burgers. Yummy! My mouth’s watering just thinking about it.” Will waved his hands in front of his face, trying to cool down.

Taylor laughed hard. “I guess you didn’t have breakfast.”

Now, Will laughed too. “I’m always in the mood for a burger,” he added, remembering, “and a chocolate milkshake.”