Regret (Squip x Jeremy)

15. So, Why did You Break Up with Me?

-Jeremy-

At first I thought it was a dream. Then remembered that I'm not sleeping. The words shine into my head so clearly I know it has to be real. It's not some delusion. It's his voice, loud and clear, still echoing in my brain.

Help me.

Everything falls into place. Why he ignores me, why he started dating Al, why he tried to jump, why he always looks so sad. He doesn't have a choice, Al forced him into something he doesn't want. Now he cried out to me, begging me to help him. And I'll be damned if I don't.

I clench my fists, powering down my laptop, watching the porn disappear from the screen. I have to stop Al, that sick bastard will end up killing Squip if they don't stop. Hell, they already killed him.

I immediately call my player-one, telling him to come over to my house immediately. I wait anxiously until he arrives. When I hear the doorbell, I dash down the stairs, almost tripping several times. I fling the door open and blink at Michael who stands on the other side, a two liter bottle of some outdated drink tucked under his arm.

I usher him to my room, telling him what's been going on during the walk upstairs. 

Michael stares at me in disbelief, "Let me get this straight," he takes a swig of his Crystal Pepsi and plopping down in my bed, "Squip is being abused by Al, who is forcing him to do what they want or they will hurt you, and that's why he's been a total douche. And you want me to find out where they are hiding, break in, rescue Squip, and somehow defeat Al, who is obviously not below anything, like murder or something, considering they've been raping your boyfriend."

I nod, "I'll help too of course."

"I'm going to call Rich," he pulls out his ancient cellphone and puts it to his ear, folding his legs and scratching the side of his face.

The next thing I know Rich is cuddling Michael on my bed while I rehash my discovery for the second time. Rich raises his eyebrow at me, "No way I'm letting Mikey do that."

Michael glares at him, "You don't get to decide that."

"It's dangerous!" he throws up his free hand, the other occupied with Michael's glasses, sliding them off and on his boyfriend's nose. "Look, we need backup for this, Al is one sick bitch. I'm calling Chloe."

"Why Chloe?" Michael says, shoving Rich's hand away from his glasses.

Rich catches the hand and holds it tightly, laughing at Michael's expression. Are - were - Squip and I this annoying? "She and I hooked up a while ago, been pretty good friends ever since."

Michael doesn't seem at all jealous, taking a swig of his Pepsi and nodding. "Dope."

Chloe decided to take a gap year to earn some extra cash (I highly suspect her source of income involves stripping), and arrives in fifteen minutes. Now I have Michael laughing at some joke Rich made who is still trying to steal his glasses and Chloe on my desk chair, spinning around and around while she has Brooke on the phone. I haven't seen Brooke in forever and we haven't spoken much since junior year. Honestly, I thought both she and Chloe forgot I existed after the whole Sauip incident.

"Wow, all we need is Christine and we'll have the whole gang together," Michael says as Brooke takes a seat on the floor a few feet away from me.

"Don't say gang, it's weird."

Michael shrugs, "I don't care."

Brooke gives me a stink eye as I try to clear away some of my dirty laundry. I hadn't expected this many people to show up. I've never had more than three people in my room at any one time. Brooke crosses her arms, adjusting her crop top sweater. "Why are we here again?"

I give her an apologetic look, "To rescue my boyfriend."

Her eyes widen and her attitude shifts instantly. "You're gay? That's why you didn't want to date me? I thought it was because of the nipple ring, thank god!"

"I think I'm bisexual but that's not the point," I say, filling the new comers in on the plan.

I lay down the basic explanation, "My poor little Squippy-boo is being raped and imprisoned by Rich's Squip, and we need to do something NOW! Any questions?"

Rich raises his hand, "Yes, short guy in the back?"

He glares at the short guy thing, he's sensitive about that, which means his boyfriend is also glaring at me, but I let it go, Michael and Rich can get over themselves. I have more pressing matters, like planning the demise of that leather and lipstick clad demon.

Rich raised his eyebrow, "Squippy-boo?"

"Any other questions? Not you Rich! No? Good! Now time for the plan."

I rub my hands together and grin. "Some heavy recon revealed that Al goes to the store twice a week to re-stock up on Mountain Dew."

"Recon? " Michael laughs, patting Rich on the shoulder, "You stalked their Instagram, you nitwit."

I suck in my breath, glaring at him, "Anyway, Rich will use his outstanding abilities of being annoying to get them talk to you, I don't care how, but stall them. They're your Squip after all. Get them to tell them where they live-"

"I know where they live," Rich says in a flat tone.

"Oh. Even better. Well, I guess we storm their place and find what dungeon they're keeping Squip in and get him out! Everyone lives happily ever after! Any questions?"

Brooke raises her hand, and I point to her. She purses her lips and gives me a glare. "So if you're not gay why did you break up with me?"

Rich laughs. "Because he's gay."

-_-_-_-_-

Everyone decides to crash at my place since the raid got scheduled for the next morning, a Saturday. I wish Christine could have come, but she probably still hates me. Plus she lives in New York now... I just try to forget everything. Focus on the present with my friends surrounding me. They never would have come if it isn't for Squip. Even when he doesn't try, he ends up making me cooler: "more chill"

Sometime into the night, the group decides to watch some movie; Chloe and Brooke start kind of crowding my space, seriously couldn't they get a room? But the only room would be my room so maybe not.

I leave to go to said room, staring out the window, "I miss you Squip," I rest my hand on the glass, "and I'm coming. I'm coming to get you."

The sun starts setting and I could only stare into the darkness like a small child, searching for someone to hold my hand. And that person is locked away somewhere, probably waiting for a someone to come hold his hand too.

Michael entered, "Hey," he whispers, patting me on the shoulder.

I give him a long sad look, the weight of everything suddenly becoming clear. Tears roll down my cheeks and I sniff rather unattractively. He sighs, hugging me close, "It's okay, bro, we're gonna find him."

I sniff again, even louder this time, wondering if what Michael said is actually true.

----

He nods at the screen. He doesn't know if this is a sign to stop the Project or push it past all it's limits.