In the next couple days, Michael gets to go home. That next Monday, both of them going back to school. They get weird looks. They get whispers. Christine is very concerned.
"I've been worried sick about you two!"
"Y-you have?" Jeremy's a lot more quieter than normal.
"Yes! You're both so pale and weak looking... What happened?"
"..."
"Well, I mean.. Its kind of private, unless Michael is okay with it."
"... It's just Chris, tell her..."
"W-well Rich did..... have intercourse with me a-and....... and Michael got mad and he t-tried to.. to off himself..." She looks at Michael, expression terrified. He shrugs.
"And now-" Rich walks up to him. Jeremy doesn't look at him. Rich opens his mouth and Michael slams him against a locker, spooking Christine. Jeremy goes quiet. He regrets ever even letting him touch him. Michael growls.
"You listen here and you listen good, Goranski. Touch him again and you're dead. I'll tear your throat out, I swear to God."
"I didn't do anything he didn't let me, freak."
"At first..."
"And then you fuckin let me, don't lie, you damn slut!"
"Don't you EVER call him that!" That shuts him up. Reminding him of when Michael had called him that..
"That is not what he is, don't you ever call him that. You've fucked up, Richard, you damn fucked up." Jeremy stares at the ground.
"tch, whatever. It's not like I fuckin care." he gets Michael off himself and heads off. Michael is pissed. Christine is shook.
"Michael...."
"He does it again and I'll kill him."
"I know..." Jeremy takes his hand before wrapping his arms around him.
"Gosh... At least... At least you're still together?"
"Mhm. "
"I'm sorry you saw that Chris..."
"No, no, it's fine..."
"We gotta go to class Mikey, c'mon." Michael allows himself to be lead away, feeling sick and angry.
"You gotta be more careful with yourself.. You just got out of the hospital and I don't want you to have to go back"
"I'd gladly go back if I got a few good hits in."
"Michael please."
"I'm fuckin serious!"
"I am too!! I don't want you to go back! I don't want to go back there at all! It'll jut remind me of all the lost hopes I had of you never waking up!"
"..." he looks away.
"Sorry." Jeremy hugs him again, tight.
"I love you."
"I love you too..." the rest of the day is filled with more whispers and strange looks, especially at Jeremy. He hates it. At the end of the day, he just wants to get out of there. And Michael escorts him, as well as Jared and Evan, to the Cruiser, getting them the hell out.
"They were all staring at me. I hate it.."
"I know, baby, I know. I do too."
"I wish I didn't have to come back to this shit hole."
"Me too." Evan and Jared talk quietly in the back seat.
"Connor is coming up this weekend."
"O-oh, he is?" He still hasn't told Evan what happened before they left. Evan nods.
"told me yesterday."
"Huh. He hasn't told me about that."
Ja: [You didn't tell me you were coming to NJ this weekend]
"Weird."
C: [Thought you wouldn't want me there, really]
Ja: [Why in the world would you think that? I'm actually EXCITED to see you]
C: [That's a first. Guess I thought. considering what I did]
Ja: [Speaking of, I haven't told him yet....]
C: [Jared. JARED]
Ja: [Relaaaaax I'll tell him when we get home alright? Unless you want me to wait until you get here?]
C: [depends. which do you think will make him less upset?]
Ja: [...... probably when you're here.]
C: [Okay. You should have told him way earlier]
Ja: [Believe me, I've tried]
C: [explain]
Ja: [The tree boy has been putting it off as well as me. I try to bring it up and something happens that stops the conversation or he just "isn't in the mood"]
C: [........ Think he already suspects it?]
Ja: [He doesn't even know it involves you.]
C: [Shit]
Ja: [yeah...]
C: [it'll be fine. He'll be fine]
Ja: [Get here soon]
C: [I'll try]
They get home and Jared tries his best to not act suspicious. It probably doesn't work. Evan is concerned.
"Jared, everything okay?"
"Everything's fine. Why?"
"You're acting.. . A little weird."
"Weird?"
"Like you're nervous."
"Well.... I'm not."
"You're doing the thing you do though. When you get nervous you play with your hands. What's wrong, Jared?"
"Nothing's wrong." He forcefully stops playing with his hands.
"... You're sure? You're starting to worry me. I need you to tell me if something is wrong, because I cannot handle much more with everything going on right now." He's starting to sweat a little. He's v stressed.
"Nothing is wrong, Ev. I've just got a lot on my mind."
"Then tell me about it. Let me help."
"Most of it is just about Michael and Jeremy and you.."
"Well... You shouldn't worry about me. I'm all right right now."
"But I still am with.... the thing that happened.." Jared still worried Evan's Preggo
"I... I'm sure it'll be okay. I can't imagine..." without thinking about it, his hands slowly move to rest on his stomach.
"I don't think it'll... It'll be okay, all right?" Jared pulls him in to hug him. Evan clutches him tight.
"If... If anything, the one who's scared should be ME, okay?
"Both of us.."
"...I'm... I've been trying to get an appointment to the doctor? Get tested? He could've given me much more than a baby..."
"......." he just holds Evan tighter.
"...And I am scared. Terrified. I... I didn't want... Not like this. I wanted... Yours." Jared takes in a deep breath.
"It's gonna be okay.."
"Not if... Not if I'm..."
"Even if you are. Everything will be fine.."
"No, because then you won't want me, you won't, I know, because HE did this and because I'll be ruined, and I can't - all because I was stupid and I did what you told me not to and-"
"Evan, listen to me.. I still want you, no matter what happens. And I plan to beat this guy's face in when so go to work with you next." Evan nods. Is he starting to shake?
"I'm scared to even test myself though, Jared, because what if?"
"Then... we'll figure out how to deal with it. What to do"
"I'm going this weekend. I don't know if... If I want you to come with me." he takes a breath.
"I'll only come if you want me to baby.." he kisses the top of his head.
"I want... I want you to come." he swallows. Jared nods, continuing to hold him.
"I hope we get it over with before Connor shows up..."
"Yeah.... well speaking of, when's the
You go back to work?"
"Thursday."
"Alright." Jared leads him to their bed, cuddling him in his arms.
"I don't... I don't want to worry you about all this. You or Connor. And... And it does worry Connor. And it does worry you. And... And it's my fault and... It works ME up enough to make me sick sometimes."
"Well Connor and I are never gonna stop worrying about you. Ever. And we just have to deal with this like adults."
"Okay..." Jared kisses his forehead and strokes his hair.