Calmly || Be More Chill

You Don't Upgrade

Only a few chapter left hahahaha. I might do a sequel for a different musical but you're gonna have to tell me which one... Key Word: Might

For the first time in what felt like a long time, I had time to spend with Christine. Alone. Not even Bax was in my head. I kind of felt bad for telling him off but it would be nice to do something without him nagging me. Especially during free period.

She seemed as off put as me at the lack of humanity and oddness in our fellow peers. Instead of starting up our usual conversation with a Broadway Musical quote, we just sort of dove in, spouting off our worries.

"I think the school is on drugs," I stated.

"I think there's a virus going around and only a few people are immune," Christine said at the same time as me, finishing along with me as she said her theory faster.

Our eyes scanned the auditorium, trying to find someone who was smart enough not to interact with certain people who we have ruled out as infected. My eyes landed on Michael Mell, still avoiding eye contact with everyone, sometimes glancing at Jeremy who was properly ignoring him.

"We should call Michael over," I hissed, nodding towards him. Christine got the hint and walked over, coming back with Michael in tow easily.

"Are you sure I'm allowed to be over here?" Michale asked hesitantly, reluctant to sit at our table. Christine had already given Michael a smoothie, quick to head to make him feel welcome.

She waved a hand in dismissal, "I'm sure you'll be fine. Plus, you don't look like you're on drugs like everyone else."

I snorted at this and Michael offered me a small tight lipped smile.

Michael's sunken eyes darted towards the many popular kids prowling around and giving him and I glares.

"Okay, so we know something weird is going on," I brought up, starting up the conversation with our newly added peer.

The boy kept quiet.

Christine tried and succeeded at getting him to talk, "I'm sure you have some good input."

"It's all happening again but it's weirder and I think I'm going crazy," he insisted in an outburst, using only one breath of air and letting his voice crack to show his emotion. Christine who was munching carefully on a pop tart placed a hand on the boy's hand in comfort.

"All of this is happening again, and I know the ending and I know-" he rambled but stopped as I sent him a look. He seemed to understand what I was trying to interpret, growing quiet and sipping on his smoothie slowly.

The short girl beside me took Michael's abrupt stop as just a time to regain his composure, patting his hand and consoling him like the mom friend she was. "It's okay, I'm sure Jeremy'll come around."

"See but that's the point, Jeremy has been ignoring me all day," he stressed, pulling at a few strands of hair in front of his forehead.

Christine nodded, "And Jake has been extra clingy today." The two looked at me in question, to see if I had anything to add to the matter.

"Uh," I drawled out. "Rich isn't speaking with me that much." Their gazed remained on me for a second before returning to a conversation that the two had miraculously started as they did homework.

My eyes, however, were scouring for a certain short and loud blond kid.

Rich sat calmly in a corner, staring at me intently before nodding towards the exit. When I didn't do anything, he made his way out with his head up high with determination. My lips formed into a tight lipped frown, Michael and Christine had hit it off oddly enough and were talking about good looking boys in the school.

I slipped away without them noticing, walking in the direction of where Rich was heading, only to be practically ambushed by two of our school football players among making my way outside.

My head banged against the brick wall as the very muscular girl and boy held down my arms and kept me immobilized.

"Rich, what are you doing?" I asked confused, a dull throbbing in the back of my head.

Richard Goranski stood with a large stick, a branch? I don't know, that hit in the head messed me up pretty good. "Rich isn't here at the moment. I'm Juliet. His Squip."

His voice was light and airy, one that could be seen as influential and soothing. One of the only times Rich was quiet, which meant he wasn't in control of his own actions. Anything that Juliet did to me wasn't his fault, it wasn't my friend trying to hurt me.

"Oh, well, hi Juliet," I greeted politely. She smiled before a sad smile took over Rich's features.

"I'm afraid I have known for a long time that you don't have a Squip," she began. The two at my sides paid no attention to what was being said, instead they focused on holding me down like it was their life mission. And the fact that I wasn't even struggling to be let free is what made it hurt even more as there fingers dug into my skin. "What was his name? Baxter? Shame, he sounds like a dog."

I scoffed, "Bax is not a dog."

She laughed lightly, "I'd beg to differ, seeing how he follows you around everywhere. Keeping watch over you like a good puppy."

Juliet, or Rich's body, advanced towards me, branch poised.

"The thing is, Baxter has always been quite the problem and we need him," she pondered what word to use. "Exterminated."

"To be honest, man, I don't know how this has anything to do with me," I reasoned nervously. "And it would be much appreciated if you let me go, thanks-"

"Ha, no," she smiled and showed off Rich's pretty white teeth before coughing and hacking uncontrollably. A loud voice erupted from Rich's throat, meaning the real one was speaking.

"I'M SORRY," he shrieked before going back to Juliet controlling him. "Okay, let's get started, shall we?"

Bax, a little help here.

There was nothing but silence as I heard my message echo in my head. He couldn't help me, he was probably ignoring me.

"Oh I forgot to tell you," Juliet said happily, the branch already digging into my stomach. "I cut off contact from you little puppy since we can't poof him up here anymore."

Then, the first swing.