The Answer Lies in the Truth

Chapter 7

"Dude?" Michael groaned rubbing his eyes. I was caught trying to get out of the bed. I blushed and grabbed a pillow to cover me. "You okay?" He asked looking at me with half ladled eyes. His hair was everywhere and his nose was scrunched up in a cute contortion. I blushed harder when I thought about it.

"Yah, I just have to go to the bathroom. I might take a shower." I said trying to calm down. It didn't make matters better.

"It's three in the morning Jeremy. Was it a nightmare? Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head frantically.

"Nope, I, I just need some time." I squeaked. He narrowed his eyes and then widened them.

"Dude-" and that's all I heard when I ran into the bathroom and shut the door.

I took a deep breath and let the pillow drop. I looked down. "You are the most annoying thing." I whispered. I immediately felt like such a loser.

I "dealt" with the issue as quickly as possible. I felt humiliated. I just got a boner at my best friends house in his bed, with him right next to me! What was wrong with me?

I eventually realized that I'd have to get out of the bathroom and face Michael again. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but I managed to open the door.

When I went back into Michael's bedroom he wasn't there. I looked around his room. (He sometimes likes scaring me by waiting until I'm not paying attention and jumping out.) After a thorough inspection, I concluded that there was no Michael in the room.

Maybe he went to the kitchen. I waddled down the stairs and padded quietly to the kitchen. He was there in his Retro Tee and blue boxers gulping down the houses supply of milk.

"Hey." I said quietly. He looked up and gave me a bashful smile. Like he had anything to be shy about.

"Hey, milk?" He asked raising the tub he was drinking out of.

"Sure," I said taking the now quarter gallon and chugging the rest. I didn't do a very good job of keeping it in my mouth so trails of white lined my face as I tried to hold the milk in my mouth. Once I swallowed it all I caught Michael starring. Was it something on my face? Duh, oh yah, the milk; He handed me a napkin and I thanked him while scrubbing my face vigorously.

After that we went upstairs again. Michael had to pee so he left me in the room again. I climbed into to covers, got really comfy, sat there for a bit, and decided that I had to pee too. Great.

I stood and walked to the bathroom. Michael was still in there. I heard him talking to himself, and like the nosy friend I was I pressed an ear to the door.

"Oh my God, I don't think they even realize that they are doing it sometimes. Calm down Michael, just go back there and relax. Calm Down? They almost found out! You can't let that happen. Not when you've come so far..." his voice cracked. I heard him take a shaky breath. I backed away from the door and pretended to be just opening the handle. The door swung open to revel Michael with bloodshot eyes and a surprised and shameful smile. "How long were you here for?"

"I just got here, don't worry dude, I'll be back."

"No, no I just got out." He said sniffing and passing by me and into his bedroom.

I nodded and went into the bathroom. I have a system. Whenever something seems difficult to work out it can be easily solved this way. I made a list of things I know.

• One, Michael has a secret.
(And it seems like he progressed in it somehow)
• Two, he doesn't want them to know.
• Three, whoever "They" are they're hurting him.
• Four, I need to help him through this as a best friend.
• Five, the list of suspects are as follows: that girl from Bio class, some weird stalker, or maybe Red
• Six, Maybe Michaels problem is that Red is talking to him too! Maybe this is all a prank? But Michael doesn't have a Squip...but he has an email.
• Seven, new plan objective, see Michael's email so I know what I'm up against. Find the bad guy, destroy them, then move forward. Plan Player Two protection Squad is Go.

I gave myself a little pep talk in the mirror while washing my hands. I walk to the bedroom. No one's there. "Michael?" I call out getting into the covers. I feel a little worried so I looked over in his side. No one was there. "Michaeeel?" I say whisper-hissing.

I look back and his face is right there I scramble backwards and make a little yelping noise as my butt hits the ground on the other side of the bed. My heart is pounding a mile a minuet as he laughs at me. Michael Mell is the devil, I swear it. To top off the likeness he's wearing little red devil horns. "I got you good man! You shoulda seen your face, you were all like AhhhhhHhhHH! And I was all like Boo!" He laughed. I stood and rubbed my butt.

"Ouch..." I groaned and he laughed harder.

"Jer, are you a little....butt hurt?" He snarked and laughed harder as I glared at him and pushed him off my side of the bed. He landed with a thud. "Ouch!"

It was my turn to laugh now. "Who's the butt hurt one now asshole?" I taunted. He stuck his tongue out and tackled me on the bed. We rolled around for a while, but Michael was stronger than me. (Yes, even after the Squip, Michael still takes the cake. I a skinny boi.) He pinned me to the bed and rolled off. We both laughed as we looked up at his room ceiling.

It was not bad for a Friday Night/Saturday morning.

We talked for a while, neither one of us felt tired enough to sleep. "Dude, what if dogs had opposable thumbs?" Michael laughed.

"Duuuuuude, what if a fish had spider legs." I added.

Michael giggled and looked over at me. "Jer?"

"Yah?"

"That's an octopus."

"Oh."

Let's just say that Saturday was filled with snores. Michael's mom came in occasionally to bring food and check up on us. We were good.

The bed was warm, and I forgot to tell Michael about what Red had said.