Boyf riends: A New Chapter

Chapter Twenty Two

There is going to be so much musical-ception in this

~Jeremy's POV~

I finished making making my prop as I heard the bell ring, indicating that lunch was over. I looked over at Christine, who was just waving at a couple of people that had also decided to help. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see it was Rich, holding his bag by one strap. "You done yet, tall ass?"

"Yeah, just finished up." I grabbed the fake cast and set it aside, careful not to ruin it. I saw Christine approaching me with the normal bounce in her step as I picked up my bag and put it on my shoulders. We had agreed to stay friends so it wasn't awkward when we spoke to each other. "Hey Christine, you ready to go?"

"Yup!" She also picked up her bag and the three of us headed out towards our lockers. Christine was about to go to her locker until she seemed to remember something and took a pile of posters out of her backpack, handing some me and same to Rich. "Can you put these up around the school?"

"Sure, no problem!" I gladly took the posters and so did Rich, giving her a solid nod before she headed to her locker, waving at us as she left. I waved back and looked at the posters in my hand, I couldn't wait to tell Michael all about it.

~

I was half asleep when I saw my teacher, Mrs. Stone, walking around the class and handing sheets of paper which I was assuming was homework. I took the sheet and placed it in my binder, examining the page quickly before closing my binder right on the bell. I smiled as I saw the whole class stand up, rushing to get out of class. I shoved my binder in my bag and did the same, wanting to meet up with Michael.

I headed out of the class and saw Michael at his locker, bopping his head to his music. I felt a smile on my face, he was just so adorable. He even started to twirl around to his music when I noticed something. He was walking on his left leg with what looked like no pain, without his crutches. I rushed over to him and tapped him on the shoulder, making him take off his headphones and turn around to me. "Jeremy! How are you?"

"Great, but where are your crutches? I thought your leg was still in pain?" I said, clearly confused as Michael gave a little chuckle.

"It was weird, I was sitting down for a while, eating my lunch, and when I got up, my leg was better!" He said, shaking his leg as to prove his point. I felt like that wasn't was happened, but what else could have? I smiled and hugged him, Michael quickly hugging back.

"That's great Micha!" I pulled out of the hug and he smiled, shutting his locker before I remembered something. "Oh my gosh Michael, I have great news!" His smile got bigger, clearly excited.

"What is it?" He exclaimed, bouncing up and down as we headed down the crowded halls.

"We're doing a musical this year and the musical is your favourite, Dear Evan Hansen!" I saw his eyes sparkle and his jaw drop.

"WHAT?!" He said extremely loudly, making a coupe heads turn to us.

"Yup, and I bet you you would make a great Jared!" I said, chuckling nervously when I felt all those eyes on me. For some reason though, when I looked back at Michael, he was laughing his head off. "What's so funny about that?"

"N-nothing, it's nothing!" He calmed himself down from the sudden outburst of laughter and we finally got to the end of the halls, leaving the school. I realized I hadn't gone to my locker to drop everything I didn't need off but I left it, I was too lazy to go back through the crowded halls.

"Alright, if you say so!" I said with a light chuckle, Michael still smiling. We were walking down the path to my house until all of a sudden, his smile fell and he turned his head the other way. "Hey, is something wrong?" I asked him in a calm voice and turned his head back to face me, Michael still avoiding eyes contact with me.

"I-I gotta meet up with my dad, he w-wants to talk with me..." He said quietly, immediately filling me with concern.

"About what?" I noticed that he had turned his head back to look at the ground, clearly uncomfortable. I reached for his hands and intertwined our fingers, making him look at him as I flashed him a warm and comforting smile.

"M-my mom got a d-divorce with my dad" He said quickly, his watery but no tears falling out. I stopped walking, surprised by the news. He stopped as well, still looking at the ground until I leaped onto him for a hug. He was hesitant to hug back at first, but when he did, it was a tight one.

We stood there for a while, enjoying each other's comfort. I hated seeing him like this, but he would usually let out his emotions, it seemed like he was keeping himself from crying. Nonetheless, I was extremely worried that Michael would get hurt again, that I might have to risk losing him again, so I spoke up as soon as he let go of me

"Are you going?" I asked calmly and he nodded his head slowly. "Then I'm going with you"

"What? N-no way, I don't want you getting h-hurt because of me!" He told me quickly, making me sigh.

"Michael, it's not because of you, it's your father. In my option, we should report him. Then he'll be gone and everything will be okay, don't worry" I moved my arm to put my hand on his cheeks but he quickly moved away from me. I looked up at him and he seemed to be..  angry?

"No, it's not going to be okay! I've been telling myself that for years now, and nothing has ever changed! My family has remained broken, ruined, shattered, disconnected for so many years now! Sure, you have gone though what it's like to see your parents get divorced, but have you gone through abuse?! You don't know what's it like to be physically and emotionally abused for years! And to top it off, I had to keep it all in! I never told anyone because I felt like a disgrace to this world, like I wasn't worth anything! And you say it's going to be okay?! SAYING THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY WONT FIX MY FAMILY!"

I was shocked. I had taken a couple steps back in fear when Michael had shouted. Tears were finally falling down his cheeks before his express changed from anger to fear. "I-Im so sorry, I should go..." He said quietly before taking off, giving my a moment to take in what he had said. Had he really been hurting so much? I felt extremely guilty for not noticing until I realized that he was halfway to his house.

"Michael wait!"