Spider-Man and The Esper

105. More Trauma On Michael's List

"Michael, the Pizzas here!" May called from the kitchen.

"I'm not hungry," Michael said, not looking up from his notebook.

He heard her feet coming down the hall and he quickly covered up any papers that didn't have his name on the top. Seconds later when she opened his bedroom door, he looked up from his work. She looked worried as she frowned at him.

"Are you feeling okay?" She took a few steps into his room and placed her small hand on his forehead.

Michael swatted her hand away. "I'm fine," he fibbed.

May eyed him dubiously. "You didn't eat breakfast today and last night, you barely picked at your dinner."

Michael looked back down at his papers because he was so not good at lying. "I've, uh, been snacking all day." He started scribbling on the notebook paper hoping she would leave but she didn't.

"Biology?" She read off of the worksheet in front of him and he cringed. "You haven't taken Biology since middle school."

"I'm helping out a friend."

"Uh huh. Yeah, sure. And I'm guessing this friend also needs help with his Algebra seeing as you're enrolled in Calculus." May lifted up the textbook that was definitely not his.

Michael rushed to grab it back before she could read the name on the cover. "Midterms are coming up, he needs some help to boost up his grades."

May rolled her eyes. "Why don't you worry less about this friend and more about yourself? You're 15 and already close to graduating by this year, and you're not even 18 yet. You need to eat. Come out before it's cold."

Michael just grunted as he turned back to the homework. If he didn't have Tyler's homework done by the first period, he was a dead man.

He never did make it to the kitchen, even after he finished both his and Tyler's work. May came in and left a plate on his desk.

The next morning, she came back and it was still untouched, she couldn't help but get a cold chill run down her spine, ‘What the hell is going on with you, Michael?’

~~~

Michael kept his head down as he walked through the hall. He had three minutes to get to Tyler's locker. But he knew he'd make it. He'd been taking this route every day for the past week.

"Hey, Michael."
Michael felt a chill run down his spine at his voice. He felt himself breathing quicker and quicker. He wanted to shove Tyler his books and get the hell out of there.

But Tyler never let him. He liked to see Michael squirm.

"You did all three pages right?" Tyler asked. "Because last night you forgot the last and let's just say… if a mistake happens like that again...I wouldn't want to be you."

Michael was going to be sick. And he couldn't blame the alcohol this time.

"E-everything is done. And correct. I, uh, checked it all."

Tyler's snarl was replaced by a large smile. Before The Party, Michael would have thought it was just a smile but now he knew better. Now he knew that smile meant trouble.

Michael couldn't help his flinch when Tyler wrapped his arm around his shoulders and spoke directly into his ear. "Thanks, Michael. I owe you one."

Michael nodded, already feeling the bile creeping up his throat. He jerked his head to the other side of the hallway. He wanted to tell him he had class but he didn't trust his mouth right now.

Tyler's hand gripped him tighter. "What's that, buddy?"

Michaels wide eyes went from Tyler to his two friends laughing beside him. They knew. Of course they knew. Michael looked away, ashamed. He wanted to get out of here. Because they all knew. And it was only a matter of time before everyone did.