Don't You Love Me? (Jeremy X Michael)

Chapter Two

    Michael smiles back at Jeremy and goes to set up the game. He moves some bean bags together to form a huge cushion, providing plenty of room for them to flay around when they lost.

    "You order the pizza! The one we love!" Michael yells at Jeremy and chuckles to himself. He sits on his side of the beanbag pile and waits patiently for Jeremy.

    Man... I was being so emotional... I feel so bad, I mean, Jeremy's starting to feel better... Michael thinks, but...

    He just couldn't shake the feeling that his crush on Jeremy was pointless. Jeremy's straight; Michael's gay.

    I can't start crying, I have to be strong... for Jeremy..

    Right after he finished ordering the pizza, Jeremy walks over and sits next to Michael.

    Michael couldn't help but steal this little look at Jeremy, who's looking through the game pile. He would catch these glimpses every chance he could; either when Jeremy was looking at him and was just too straight to realize the more-than brotherly love Michael had for him, and when Jeremy was too focused on something else.

    Jeremy's hair falls slightly into his face and Michael resists the urge to push it back. Jeremy looks at Michael with a goofy grin, hinting that he has just found their favourite two player game; Apocalypse of the Damned.

    Jeremy's grin breaks into a smile when he notices Michael chuckling to himself and doesn't wait for any kind of approval from Michael. Instead, he puts the game in the console with the smile still lingering on his face. Jeremy climbs back into his spot, and Michael grins at him and chuckles to himself.

    "Ready?" He asks

    "Of course I am!" Jeremy laughs slightly.

    Michael bumps Jeremy's shoulder with his and presses start. The screen popped up reading, "Level 20." Michael almost feels pride wash over him, remembering when he thought level 9 was difficult.

    "I told you that guys like us are cool in college-" Michael finishes his rant right as the door bell rings.

    Jeremy laughs and goes to get the pizza.

    When Jeremy came back, they paused the game and start to talk about high school, and they both found themselves trying their best to leave out Christine and the Squip.

    "Man, and we thought level 9 was hard," Michael laughs.

    Jeremy laughs along with Michael, "I know."

    Michael suddenly realizes that he had pushed up his hoodie sleeves up to reveal his Pac man tattoo and his scars he had. He finds himself staring intently at them. He tries to shake the feeling.

    No, Michael pulls down his sleeves, not now... I promised Jeremy that I'd stop, and it's been so long... I just need to have fun with him...

    With the pizza gone, Jeremy stands up and smiles at Michael. Jeremy takes the box and goes to throw it away.

    Michael stands up as well, "Uh-... Jeremy?"

    Jeremy continues to go throw the box away, "Yeah, Michael?"

    "Come here after you're done, please..." Michael sits back down on his beanbag and waits for Jeremy.

    Why did I say that? What am I going to say?

    "Alright."

    I wonder what he wants to talk about...? Jeremy thinks. He does as Michael asked and walks back over to the beanbag pile when he finishes throwing the pizza box away.

    "What's up?" Jeremy asks Michael.

    "I-... uh... I don't know how to say this, but... I'll try my best," Michael hugs Jeremy. He feels tears welling up in his eyes.

    Jeremy is taken aback by the random hug, but he hugs Michael back awkwardly due to the fact Michael's hugging Jeremy around his waist.

    Michael starts crying and hugs Jeremy tighter, "I-I'm sorry..."

    "S-sorry? About what?" Jeremy asks, he's not only confused, but he's worried about his friend.

    T-this is the second time he's cried today, did... did I do something?

    Before Jeremy could truly comfort his friend, Michael pulls away and wipes away his tears.

    "I'm sorry about getting all... like this when you're still recovering from Christine. I'm sorry that I feel this way... I'm sorry that I'm involving you in all this when you.... don't... feel.. the.." Michael trails off and sniffles. "I shouldn't have... I should've.."

    Jeremy blinks, still struggling to grasp everything, why Michael was upset. Jeremy just has so many questions but no idea where to start.

    "... Feel what way?" Jeremy asks, he decides to stay broad, no matter how many questions he wants to ask.

    Michael sighs as the silent tears roll down his cheeks.

    Why did I get myself into this..?

    "I-... I love you, and you'll never love me. Never love me more than a brother... I feel like a monster for loving you this way.. You're still probably hung up on Christine, and I know you're straight... you probably won't ever love me, the way I love you..." Michael turned away from Jeremy and hugged himself.

    Jeremy blinks again.

    How...? How could I be that blind? Jeremy thinks. My best friend had a crush on me.. It... it must've been terrible... watching the one you love, fall in love with someone else and end up with them...

    Jeremy suddenly felt absolutely horrible. 

    I can't believe I was so blind. How could I not notice that anything was off? I guess I just brushed them off as nothing... but now I know that it is something....

    Jeremy looks off to the floor, "No..."

    Michael widens his eyes, but he turns to face to the wall on the left of him. He tries his best to hold back his sobs.

    Before Jeremy could just apologize for everything, Michael starts talking again, "I-I've loved you ever since Freshman year... maybe since the first time I met you, and that is so sick. To love your best friend! And it's worse when you're gay...."

    Jeremy looks towards Michael to see his back facing towards him.

    "I-I... I'm the one who should be sorry!"

    Michael turns to Jeremy, he looks confused as the tears kept streaming down his face.

    Jeremy continues, "I was the one who was too blind to notice it... I'm sorry.. you must've felt terrible when I fell for Christine-"

    "You have no reason to be sorry... you were just liking who you were attracted to.. as a best friend, I had to help you..."

    "But you, you always helped me talk to her in general.. and you... loved- love me like that," Jeremy recently realizes he had started crying.

    "I couldn't just ignore you whenever you talked about her.. I wanted you to be happy, even if I wasn't the one who was making you happy..." Michael wiped his tears away, "I understand if you don't want to be my friend... I mean, it must be awkward now..."

    Jeremy didn't know what to do, so before he could think about what he's doing, he grabs Michael and pulls him into a kiss.

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