AN- As for the vote thing I put up earlier, I've decided (since everything was almost 50/50) I'm just gonna do both AUs! Just remember nothing is set in stone, so while that probably won't change, it might.
~
I gasp and sit bolt upright in bed. I look around and think:
Did that really just happen?
"Hello?" I tap on my head. "Are you on? Hellooo???"
"Jeremy?" My dad calls. "Are you talking to yourself?"
"I... Guess I am. Huh." I shrug and reach for my computer, which is still slow.
C'mon... c'mon, go-
A shock of pain stabs me. "OW!"
What did we say about masturbation?
I was just going to... check my email.
You can't lie to me, Jeremy. I'm inside your brain. We're going to devise a system. I tally every time you think about sex, and that's how many push-ups you do. If this morning is an indicative sample, you'll have pecs in no time.
My dad walks in.
"Coming through, private."
That's the source of your genetic material?
That's my dad, yeah.
We should double those push-ups.
I step outside and am immediately hit with a gust of cold air.
Was it such a good idea to wear this Eminem shirt?
The benefits of wearing this shirt outweigh your slight chill. Now get on the bus.
"Yo, tall-ass," Rich approaches me the second I step on the vehicle. "Where's my money?"
Crap, what do I tell Rich?
Up, up, down, down, left, right, A.
Rich flinches and blinks rapidly several times.
"You got one!"
"Yeah. Sorry, I meant to go through you but- Don't hit me!"
"Jeremy! This is awesome! I mean, I coulda used the money. Things are kinda rough at home if you know what I'm sayin'..."
Yeah,
"Yeah," I nod my head.
My dad,
"My dad..."
Drinks, too.
"Drinks, too...?"
Where did that come from?
Rich grins. "Yo, fucking dads, right?! He usually passes out by nine. You should come over, play X-box. You know with a squip, the only controller you need... is your mind."
He walks away, leaving me alone.
What was that about?
I synced with his squip. Now his desires are compatible with your own.
And that makes him act like we're friends?
What is a friendship but a bond between two people? Now you and Rich have a bond. It's just digital. Now get ready to more than survive.
More than survive... right. I mean, all in all, it's been a not too heinous day.
The bus rolls to a stop and everyone rushes to get out. The second my feet his the sidewalk the squip speaks up.
Jeremy. It's time to get popular. Tear ducts activate.
Wha-
Tears start to form in my eyes, and I feel them slowly slip down my face. After just a few seconds, my eyes look like I just smoked weed with- never mind.
"Jeremy! I've been looking for you!" Brooke calls out to me, running over.
"I-I'm sorry! I don't, I dunno why I'm crying!"
"Well, I do."
"You... you do?"
She puts her hand on my shoulder. "I totally understand. They're all saying it was a freak hockey accident." She pulls me close to her, and I bite my lip. She holds me close to her, um, chest, and my face lights up.
I am so bisexual right now.
"I, uh, what are you talking about? A, a hockey-"
"Oh my god, you don't know!" She lets me out of her grip to gasp and cover her mouth with both manicured hands. "Eminem's dead!"
"Eminem's dead?!"
"I mean, I was never super into him because he was like, super old, and kinda mean to women, but I know you liked him, so..."
Did you know this was going to happen?
Of course not.
So it's a complete coincidence that you told me to wear this shirt?
Of course not.
Wait, what? Did you-
My eyes widen in horror, but Brooke doesn't seem to notice, distracted by her own rambling about the gory details.
Did you kill Eminem?!
Not exactly... My quantum processor allows me to envision probable futures. While I did not know that, today, Eminem would be impaled by a rouge hockey stick, I was aware of the probability of a... favorable outcome.
Favorable for WHO?!
Suddenly, I'm wrapped back up in Brooke's arms, in the same position as not but two minutes ago.
"It's okay, Jeremy. You don't have to be alone right now."
You need to get popular. Here's a popular girl who has somehow taken a liking to you. You need to go where she takes you.
Brooke grabs my hand and my immediate thought is: she should really trim her tails. They're really long. And pointy. Strange, right? She leads me to a place where I've seen people do... certain... things.
"This is my favorite place behind the school..." she trails off, and we sit down on a concrete bench. "Being here with you, it makes it seem like our future is so close and clear. You know?"
"I guess,"
Listen: I can guide you though this. Just let me have full access.
I dunno... I really think-
Oh come on! Your life was so pitiful before you got me! It's time to let me in control. You've gotta get an upgrade.
An upgrade?
An upgrade, yes. Don't worry about that guilt. Come on, seal the deal. You gotta get an upgrade, Jeremy.
I gotta get an upgrade...
Can't you see? We've got a plan, and soon success will be in your grasp. Don't you want that?
Of course I do, I just-
Upgrade, Jeremy, upgrade! Nothing can go wrong. I've planned this out too well and-
I stand up abruptly, scaring Brooke who had made herself comfortable on my shoulder.
"I have to-"
I slap my hand over my mouth and ran around the corner to a spot way too familiar to me. I drop to my hands and knees, and roses drop from my mouth, scratching up my tongue and inner cheeks. It takes only a few seconds for me to start tasting metal. Blood slowly drips from my mouth, decorating the flowers and grass I'm leaning over.
I immediately begin coughing, which brings up more petals, ergo scratching up my mouth more. A trail of the crimson liquid begins to steadily flow down my chin and onto my shirt. I get off my knees and sit down on the damp grass.
Of course I'd instinctively run to this place.
I feel myself about to cry again, but this time it's not because of the squip. I'm sitting in the place I used to skip class and get high with M-...
Wouldn't it be nice if that didn't happen? The whole Hanahaki thing. Wouldn't it be nice if you could get over this silly little crush of yours? Wouldn't be nice to date a pretty girl? How about one of the ones on the volleyball team? I'm accessing footage of their last game, and they look good. I could easily get you a girlfriend. Don't you want to stop bleeding for this boy? Literally. Wouldn't it be nice to finally have a spot on the school's social network? Think about how popular you could be. Think about-
"Stop!" I yell out loud, not really caring if anyone heard me. "I-... I need a minute to... process. Can you leave me alone, for just like, five minutes?"
Of course.
The whole world flashes electric blue for a split second, and I look around. Everything is the same except-
"Michael?"
He glances over my way, his eyes bloodshot, whether from tears or weed, I don't know. He stands up, and tries to leave, but I grab his arm.
"We need to talk."
"You don't fucking say?" He spits and yanks his arm away.
"Hey, don't get pissy. I got the short end of the stick and-"
"Did you really? You're the one with a god damn super computer in your head! And apparently that's pretty great, seeing as you clearly don't need me anymore."
"Need you," I silently laugh. I clench my fists tightly so my knuckles turn white.
"What's so funny, asshole?"
"Need you?! You think that I don't need you?! Of course I need you!" I snap, bits of blood infused spit flying out of my mouth and onto his face. He doesn't even try to wipe it away, his mind racing too quickly. His face contorts into one of sheer anger, and it reminds me of some years ago, back in sixth grade.
We've only fought like this once before, and neither of us lasted a week before we began apologizing to each other.
"Michael!" I shouted. "We finally won!" I jumped up, pointing at the screen which read: Level Complete.
"Cool..."
My grin faded and my excitement melted away. "What's wrong? Aren't you excited?"
"I am."
"Hey," I sat down back where I was, only significantly closer. We were practically hip to hip. "What's wrong? For a few days now you've been acting really weirdly..."
"Jere, I'm fine. I just-... never mind."
"Michael, you're my best friend. You can tell me what's wrong."
"See, that's the thing. I don't know if I can-"
"Please?" I interrupted. "You always say me that you feel better after telling me."
"This thing's different from all the other things."
"I bet it's really not-"
"Yes it is!" He stood up, staring down at me. "This could change how you see me completely!"
"Michael, I don't think it's really that big of a deal-"
"YES IT IS!" He was fuming. "But of course you wouldn't fucking understand, now would you?!"
"Hey!" I stood up to match his height, and we met eye to eye. Not but a month or two later I'd have another growth spurt, making me the few inches taller than Michael I currently am. "Don't yell at me! I'm just looking out for you!"
"Don't yell at me! You have no idea what I'm going through or how hard it is!"
"I would if you'd just tell me!"
"I fucking can't, Jeremy! I just can't!"
"And why not?"
"'Cause you'd hate me!"
"Michael, I could never-"
"Take a look in the damn mirror. I wouldn't say that's the expression of a loving best friend, now would I?"
"Well you-..." I looked at his face a bit closer. Truthfully, he looked scared. Tears threatened to spill, despite the menacing expression he wore.
"I've gotta go," he said, grabbing his backpack. He brushed past me as he left, but I grabbed his hand.
Without making eye contact, I said, "You know you can confide in me, right?"
"Fuck off with your bullshit lies,"
I let go of his hand. "Well fuck you too, then." And he left.
Michael didn't come back to my house for a little while. At school we didn't sit next to each other at lunch, and, if at all possible, in classes too. In the hallway, we'd shove each other or make snide remarks. I don't know how long we would have kept up our arguing if I didn't have to go to the bathroom during third period on January seventh.
I opened the bathroom door, my tennis shoes squeaking against the tile floor with every step. I did my business and began washing my hands when I heard a sniff and muffled sobs.
"Hello? Who's there?" I called out, looking under the stalls for a pair of shoes to indicate which stall the person was in. I saw busted up kids light-up Sketchers stretched out so much that they still fit the wearer in the last stall.
"Michael?" I knocked on what I hoped was his door. He unlocked the stall and revealed himself to be a complete mess.
"I'm so sorry, Jeremy."
"It's okay. And I'm sorry too. I was a prick and-"
"Do you remember back in first grade when I told you I wanted to be a boy?"
"Michael, you know that I'm cool with you being trans, if that's what this is about."
"Not exactly... You see, I..." Tears fell down his face as he choked on his words.
"Jeremy, I..." He was trembling. "Jeremy, I'm gay."
"What?"
"I know you're pro-LGBTQ+ stuff, since I already told you I was- I was trans, but... I was worried that, maybe, you'd start treating me differently and I was-"
I cut him off my wrapping my arms around him. "Michael you will always be my best friend until the end of time, no matter who you end up being. You're my player two, and I need you just as much as you need me, if not more. Michael... Michael please don't cry." I rubbed small circles on his back.
"I was just so worried..."
"If I ever start to treat you differently because of who you are, then I am no longer worth your time."
"I love you, Jere," he said, gripping onto my shirt. "But no homo, though,"
I smiled a bit. "Love you too. But no homo," he let go of me and he wiped his tears on his sleeve.
"Better?" I inquire and he nods.
"We should go back to class, shouldn't we?" He asked.
"Yeah,"
We walked back to class, shoulder to shoulder, just like always.
"And besides," I said before entering the classroom where our teacher was no doubt giving everyone a pop quiz or a lecture. "It was beginning to get lonely at lunch."
"Sit with me?" He looked over at me, awaiting a response. His eyes were still red from crying. The simple question had a deeper meaning than just 'will you sit by me in the cafeteria?'. It was asking if I would never leave his side. The answer was simple:
"Of course,"
"YOU FUCKING LIAR!" Michael screams in my face. "You don't need me, seeing as I've just been replaced with some newer, cooler version of me!"
"I didn't replace you! You rejected me, and I knew that was going to happen! That's why I didn't tell you for four years!"
"But you wanna know what I did after you ran after out of my house in tears?"
"You sat on your ass and stayed inside!" I cough again, drawing up more blood and petals.
"Dammit, I tried to fix things between us, you idiot! And then you come to school the next day acting like you can't even fucking see me!"
"It was either that or never have anyone in this entire god damn school notice me!"
"What, so was I not good enough for you? Am I still not good enough for Jeremy fucking Heere?! I noticed you, Jeremy! I knew you were there! I've always known you were there! For twelve years!"
"Well maybe I want more than just you!"
"At least give me the time of day-"
"I've given you all my time! For twelve years!" I copy him. "Can't I give someone else that attention?!"
"Just don't pretend I'm invisible!"
"You know what?! Fine!"
Reactivate.
What kind of mess have you made while I was gone?
"Turn off optic nerve blocking. Make sure I see him every day."
I go inside the school before Michael can respond. I cough a small bit, but only a few flowers come up. I barely even notice the change. All I know is that starting tomorrow, things are looking up.
For me, that is.
I wasn't sure before, but now I wanna go all the way. I want the upgrade.
You want the upgrade without optic nerve blocking?
Yes.
Let's get to work.
~
AN- you guys are in for a treat in the next chapter ;)
aLSO I WAS PLANNING OUT THE PLOT AND HOW DO YOU GUYS FEEL ABOUT SMUT OK GTG BYE