"Foolish Dreamers" Michael Afton x Reader

𝓢𝓸 𝓐𝔀𝓴𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭. . . (Ch.24)

Thursday
November 29, 1984 8:13 A.M.

Y/N sat cross-legged on the gym bleachers. Next to her was Jeremy, whose gym uniform slightly wrinkled from being stuffed into her locker too many times, her coworker from Freddy's, chatting animatedly about something funny that had happened on one of his shifts, he worked everyday while Y/N still being new only worked on weekends.

The boys in class wore their gym uniforms as usual, but the girls never really bothered—Coach Riley only ever made a fuss over the boys. Today, though, Coach Riley seemed to be taking it easy. The boys weren't even doing drills, just half-heartedly dribbling basketballs and chatting among themselves.

Y/N smiled, grateful for the distraction. It was nice to talk about normal things for once. Jeremy was easy to talk to—goofy but not overbearing, and surprisingly good company. She glanced at Joyce, who was furiously scribbling through her Pre-Calculus homework beside them, balancing her notebook on her knees. Joyce hadn't even noticed class had started; math was clearly a higher priority than checking out the guys here.

As Y/N laughed at one of Jeremy's jokes, a small wave of relief washed over her. It seemed that Michael hadn't told anyone about what happened Tuesday—not Jeremy, not anyone at Freddy's. It was comforting on one hand, knowing her personal drama wasn't making its way around the friend group. But that relief quickly twisted into guilt.

If Michael hadn't said anything, it wasn't just about keeping things private. It meant he didn't talk about stuff like that with anyone. He had trusted her enough to share pieces of himself, and in return... she'd judged him. She hadn't given him the compassion he probably needed.

Her smile faltered for a second, though Jeremy didn't seem to notice. He was too busy launching into another story about a malfunctioning animatronic, making exaggerated hand gestures to keep her entertained.

Y/N tried to focus on the conversation, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Michael. Maybe he really didn't have anyone to turn to—and that made what happened between them feel even heavier.

"Hey, you good?" Jeremy's voice broke through her thoughts, and she blinked, realizing he was watching her with a concerned look.

"Yeah," Y/N muttered, forcing a small smile. "Just tired."

Jeremy nodded, satisfied with the answer. "You and me both," he said, stretching his arms overhead. "They really need to cancel gym first period. No one has the energy for basketball this early unless they're desperate for attention."

Y/N gave him a half-hearted laugh, glancing at Joyce, who was still lost in her equations.

I'll make things right with Michael, she thought, almost like a promise to herself. But not now. Not yet.

______________________
10:07 A.M.

By the time 3rd period rolled around, Y/N found herself sitting at a desk next to CJ. The class had a substitute teacher today, which meant most of the students were chatting away, ignoring the worksheet the sub had half-heartedly handed out. Everyone knew they could just turn it in tomorrow, so no one saw any reason to focus.

Y/N twirled her pen between her fingers, sneaking glances at CJ. She wondered if CJ knew about what had happened between her and Michael. Considering the events of last Sunday, Y/N had assumed CJ might be someone Michael confided in—after all, she and Jeremy were the only ones who seemed to know about the bruise on his ear that day. If anyone knew how Michael was really doing, it would probably be CJ.

As Y/N leaned in to chat with her, the conversation flowed easily, and for a moment, Y/N's nerves began to settle. They talked about the sub, the worksheet, and random gossip swirling around school. But CJ didn't mention anything suspicious or hint at knowing about what had happened on Tuesday between Y/N and Michael. She didn't ask if Y/N was okay or act like she knew Michael had been hurt.