jealousy

Mike watched as Robin and Will discussed something in the corner. His fists clenched when he saw Robin rest her head on Will’s shoulder. He knew he had no right to be jealous; Will was just his best friend. “Can I talk to you?” he asked, walking up to them. Will and Robin turned their heads to look at Mike. Robin looked up and glanced at Will before standing up. “Sure,” she replied, mouthing a signal for Will to stay seated. Robin followed Mike into the next room, and he quietly closed the door. Mike crossed his arms over his chest, trying to speak calmly, but a note of tension trembled in his voice. “You and Will… you’ve become too close lately.” Robin blinked, surprised by his tone. “We’re just friends, Mike. Like you and Lucas or Dustin.” He snorted. “That’s not the same thing.” "Mike, you're jealous," Robin said quietly, so no one would hear. Mike felt his cheeks flush with shame. He turned away abruptly, not wanting to show his true feelings. "Don't be silly," he muttered, but his voice wavered. "You're seriously jealous of me, Mike—it's incredible." Robin had long noticed that Mike and Will had some chemistry. Mike frowned, finally turning to face her. "You don't understand," he insisted, his words sounding pathetic in his own ears. "I know Will better than you. He's my best friend!" Mike wanted to object, but the words died on his lips when he realized she was right. He swallowed, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Robin sighed and stepped forward, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Listen, Mike," she began softly. "Will's a big boy." He can have friends besides you. Mike knew she was right, but that didn't stop him from feeling it. He wanted to be Will's only one, the only one who knew him best, the only one Will could turn to for comfort when he needed it. Robin sighed quietly and walked away, leaving Mike alone. Mike remained in the room alone, feeling lost and confused. He knew Robin was telling the truth, that Will had a right to have friends, but he also knew that wasn't what he wanted deep down. Robin returned to Will. Will immediately noticed the confusion on Robin's face. He sat up straight, frowning in response. "Is everything okay?" he asked, concern in his voice.Robin leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. "Yeah, everything's fine. What were you talking about?" "It doesn't m      atter," Will said. Will noticed Robin seemed upset, but he didn't press the issue. He knew that if she wanted to share, she would do it herself. Robin settled down next to him on the couch, and they sat in silence for a moment. Will stole a glance at her, noticing the tension in her expression. He wanted to ask a question, but Robin broke the silence first. "Mike's jealous," she finally said. Will frowned in confusion. "About you?" Robin nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. "He thinks we've gotten too close. He's very possessive, you know." Will stared at her, his eyes widening in astonishment. "Mike? Jealous?" He shook his head, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "He's my best friend... but are you absolutely sure?" Robin chuckled, glancing toward the closed door. "He looked at me like he wanted to turn me into a statue with his gaze. So yes, I'm 100% sure." Will chuckled softly, shaking his head. Robin grinned, leaning toward him. "You know what else I noticed?" Will looked at her carefully. "What?" Robin leaned even closer, her voice quieter. "He's jealous of more than just me. Don't you see how he acts with anyone who gets too close to you? He's very protective of you. Like you belong to him alone." Will frowned, considering her words. He'd never thought about it before, but now that Robin mentioned it, he really noticed how Mike had been acting lately. The way he looked at Lucas when he touched his hand. The way Mike glanced sideways at Will while he was chatting with someone at school.