The Answer Lies in the Truth

Chapter 9

Okay, okay, okay...

I can do this.

Jeremy Heere you are a manly man, and you can do this. I take a deep breath and the phone rings.

"SON OF A BITCH!" I wail as a zombie attacks me from the side as I try and get the phone to shut up.

Michael's laughter can be heard loud and clear beside me and I flip him off angrily. It took me two months to get to the point that I was at in that game. I growl, put down my 3DS, and answer the phone.

"Jeremy, it's me...uh...Alina, you called me earlier last week asking about Michael?"

"Oh yah!" I say putting down my consul and walking away from Michael. (He grabbed it and started the game again.)

"So I was wondering if you could send him behind the school after the final bell?" She asked.

"Uh, I, um, I mean, Yes! Yes, that'd be fine!" I stammered through the line.

"Great!" She said and hung up.

I called Alina last week from the phone number in Michael's pocket. She hadn't picked up so I left a message saying I wanted to help her hook up with Michael.

I smiled at my friend and walked back over. I frowned when the tiny DS screen read, 'GAME COMPLETED'

I rolled my eyes at him as he smiled and shoved a sushi roll into his mouth. The lunch bell rang.

In English we were learning about poems. It was the most boring lesson we had ever endured.

Michael wrote the small sentence in Filipino again at the top of my notebook paper, and finally I had the nerve to ask what, it meant. "Michael," I tapped him in the shoulder, he was taking notes, "Mahal kita?"

"W-what?!?" Michael said choking on his spit and coughing. The teacher glared at us and Michael just waved a hand and the teacher resumed.

"Dude, calm down," I whispered rubbing his back. "I want to know what Mahal kita means."

"Oh..." Michael said clearing his throat and looking down. "Uh, it means I suck dick." He smiled at me as I punched his arm.

"The fuck dude!" I laughed, I can't believe I just said that! I shook my head. The teacher glared at me and I went pale. "Uh..."

"Mr. Heere, I will not tolerate that sort of language." The teacher snapped. Michael covered his face to hold back giggles. "Is there something you find funny Mr. Mell?" The teacher said turning his wrathful gaze on Michael.

"No sir," Michael smirked and I smiled. The teacher narrowed his eyes.

After class (Michael and I got detention this Wednesday after school, because we were being too "disruptive") I convinced Michael that I had someone willing to sell us more weed for our stash behind the school.

He looked excited and walked with me down the lifeless halls of the school.

Once we got to the back the girl Michael had been talking to from Bio stood smoking. She looked as happy as a goth girl could look, which was a smirk that looked like someone ripped out a tooth. "I'm so glad you came Michael!" She said walking up to him.

"Alina! I thought that our Bio project was over?" Michael laughed nervously and looked at me for help. I smiled and gave him a thumbs up. He looked uncomfortable. I guess he didn't want to use all his smooth moves yet because I was still here.

"I'll be over at the senior parking lot," I dismissed myself. Michael looked lost, but did his I-don't-know-who-you-are-or-why-you-are-talking-to-me smile.

I hummed a good song from AC/DC as I walked over and sat on a bench to wait.

It was about an hour before I felt something was off. It was more like my mind wouldn't shut off. Feeling swirled in my head as I hugged my knees and waited. I tried to assess what I was feeling. Lonely, yes. Unhappy, yes? Worried. I was feeling worried.

I stood up and walked back to the place I had last seen Michael. "Mike?" I asked the back of the school. I walked around. No response. I went to the bleachers, couples sometimes came to make out on them. "MICHAEL?" I yelled. I heard a groan in response.

Michael was sitting behind the bleachers bleeding and crying. "MICHAEL!" I screamed and tripped over my own feet trying to reach him. My head banged the side of the bleachers as I tried to scramble up and get to him.

"Jer..." he sobbed when I had made it. I looked over his face. He had a scratch under one eye that was puffing up. His mouth had a cut on it and his glasses were no where to be found. His hair held dry blood and his hoodie had been ripped. One of his ears was bleeding.

"Oh, Michael, what happened?" I asked taking his face into my shaky hands.

"I guess Alina didn't like taking no for an answer." He said closing his eyes.

"Why did you say no? I thought you'd like someone. You always seem so...lonely, and I didn't want you to feel the same way I did." I said and Michael looked up to me with fresh tears.

"Jer, you don't need to set me up with other girls. I'm fine, I swear. I have my video games, my vinyl, and I have you. I don't feel lonely." He said giving a small smile and flinching when the cut on his mouth widened to let fresh blood flow.

"We have to get you to a nurse." I said, he shook his head. "What about a teacher?" Another no, "your mom?" I asked, he nodded and I helped him get off the floor. I didn't realize that his arm was bleeding and he had bruises in a lot of other places; when he was sitting he looked fine. When he stood he cried out in pain.

I called a uber and we rode to Michael's house. His mom answered the door, gasped, thanked me, and pulled her boy inside.

I walked home alone.

The Squip powered on, but didn't say anything at first. It was total radio silence as I walked.

Then finally, "Jeremy, you're bleeding." I raised a hand to my forehead where I had a headache. It came back with blood. I must have cut my head when I fell on the bleachers.

"I don't care." I said tightening my fists. "Just give me the damn message."

"Jeremy,
I love you. I will always love you. Even when I'm alone, I think of you and you make me feel wanted. I wish I could give you more than these stupid messages. I should give you more, but I can't bring myself to say anything. You are an angel Jeremy, and I am dirt.
Your most loving encryption,
Red"

I put my head in my hands as I sat outside my house and cried. I didn't sleep because I don't think I could handle a nightmare right now. Reality was enough.