He's Changed...I Swear

Chapter 1

//An: so I decide that I wasn't satisfied with this story so I'm rewriting things to better fit my ideal. If you saw my last update you saw this coming. I'm really sorry if you didn't want this I just couldn't live knowing just how mediocre this was. Note thing will me a bit longer. Now, Ē̷̢̜̥̘͙̲͋n̵̬̬̭͛̒j̴̫̿͝o̴̼̹̲̤͑́̂̀͘͠ỳ̴̖̠̮̮͇́͛̎͝//

“JERĖ̶̟̪̊͐M̴̨͚͎̤͠Y̷̢̪̥̗̼͈͑̀̅͌"

It had been roughly one year since THE PLAY. That’s what me and Micheal call it. The others call it the squipcident, but for the last year, I’ve avoided anything that reminded me of the thing. So saying anything that sounded even remotely like its name is out of the question. For those who forgot, basically, I nearly caused a terminator-esk apocalypse because of depression and social anxiety. As you do.

But despite that and all the other shity things I did while I was under its influence, things pretty much went back to normal. Hell, I’d go as far as to say things got better! Me and Micheal are closer than we’ve ever been, I have ten times as many friends I’ve ever had (good friends too!), me and my dad have a pretty cool relationship going on, things have just been really good since THE PLAY. The only thing that kinda sucks is, me and Christine didn’t get together as I hoped. We didn’t even last longer than one date when she admitted that she saw me more like a “Dorky little brother,” than a boyfriend. That bummed me out for a bit, but for the first time, I didn’t dwell on the rejection for months on end. Only a week of grief before I told myself “Aye, dude, there are other fish out there. Some might even be into Neko roleplay. You’ll survive.” Other than that though, things have been great! Not depressing. Normal.

“JERĖ̶̟̪̊͐M̴̨͚͎̤͠Y̷̢̪̥̗̼͈͑̀̅͌"

Other than that. I don’t know why, but every now and then, when I’m trying to sleep or when I’m just alone with my thoughts, I hear it say my name. Usually, I ignore it, writing it off as my brain trying to make out noises around me as voices. Ya’know? Like when you're tired and you think you hear a voice or something but the moment you notice it it’s gone? Sure it’s more consistent and doesn't always go away after I take notice, but what else could it be

I drank the Mountain Dew Red.

I haven’t drunk regular Mountain dew since THE PLAY.

I heard it die.

I’m just being paranoid.

Anyway, it was just a small irritation until one night. Me, Micheal and his boyfriend Rich (They got together shortly after Rich came out. Micheal had a crush on him since freshman year.) were playing video games at Micheal’s place. We’d been at it until well into the evening, about 11:30, being as loud, and as dramatic, and stupid as only seventeen-year-olds can be. It didn’t matter cuz’ Micheal’s moms were out on a business trip.

We had taken a food break because one, you tend to get the munchies when smoking pot and two, screaming at a TV screen for hours really takes a lot out of you. We all talked a bit as we ate cold pizza and drank flat soda, reminiscing about old times, wondering how three nobodies managed to become best friends/partners and be somewhat popular at the same time. Usual shit. So we were just talking and as I took a sip out of one of the many solo cups strewn all over the place I felt a small staticy tingle on my tongue. I was just stoned enough to not register exactly which sugar drink I was drinking so I just ignored it.

“Aye Jere?” Rich asked, interrupting my nonexistent train of thought. I hummed as I looked up at him. He continued, “I’ve been meaning to ask. Do you still hear it? The SQUIP I mean.”

  

Once the question hit I kinda sobered up a bit. I had thought about telling them in the past, but ducked because I didn’t want them to flip their shit, but, even with the small bit of not stoned in me, I wasn’t sober enough to lie. So I shrugged. My finger traced the rim of my cup as I said, “Sometimes I guess. I usually only hear it when I’m alone or it’s real quiet so I just assumed it was my brain making things up. My voice is the loudest so that’s all that matters.”

“Hmm makes sense to me,” Micheal said, the highest of the three of us

“Yeah, and it’s not like it’s anything above a… a… what’s it called when you speak really quietly like this?” I asked, my voice dropping to a whisper. The others looked off as they pondered. Then the subject changed.

About two hours later I started to get a headache. I assumed it was because of the weed so at about 2:45 I announced my leave. Micheal and Rich gave a half-hearted goodbye and I wobbled out of the house. My place was only a couple blocks away so my stoned ass thought It’d be smart to just indoor the cold New Jersey fall night. That’s when it started talking again.

“JERE̵̛MY ̸̠̚ ̵͖͛̓

I rolled my eyes as it was only adding to my headache and the coldness of outside was sobering me up more. I just ignored it but it continued. I heard it again once I was just about half a mile away from my house.

“JEREMY Ca̵̒̃͠ǹ̴͝ you̶ ḥē̷̛̠̾aṙ me̸̥̖͌ ”

I groaned out, “Shut up. You’re not even real. I killed you.” My head hurt, I was tired, cold, and coming down from my high. I was not in the mood to deal with my brain being an asshole to me and making me hear things that aren’t there.

Me telling it off seemed to work as I didn’t hear it the rest of the way home. I opened the door, immediately favoring the warmth of the house over the frigid 30 degrees of cold outside. I started up the stairs to my room, stopping in my bathroom to grab some Tylenol before I head to bed. I flopped on the bed and started drifting off. I closed my eyes and right as I started to drift off, Right. As. I. Was. About to. Pass. Out. It said, clearest it’s ever been since THE PLAY, “Jeremy? Can you hear me?” 

I growled. I was beyond frustrated at this. This fucker isn’t here anymore and I’m still hearing him, what the actual FUCK?! I hate my brain! I sat up a little too fast, my eyes pinched shut as I said sternly, “No I can’t! You know why?! Because you aren’t here! I drank the red! I’ve avoided the green! YOU. ARE. DEAD! I’ll Prove it! Imma count down from five and you’re gonna shut the heck your mouth and I’ll go back to being normal.

5.”

“Jeremy-”

“4.”

“Jeremy just listen.”

“3!”

“...”

“2.

1.” I opened my eyes slowly only for them to shoot wide open. 

There, sitting at the end of my bed, doing nothing just sitting there and looking at me with the most stupidly neutral expression! I stare dumbfounded. All he does is glance around the room before giving a little wave.

God, what did I ever do to you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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