Oneshots - Ship Book

Jeremy x Michael - Sociology Project

A/N -
Just as a disclaimer... I obviously don't own the characters mentioned in this one shot. Anyway, thank you!
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Michael's PoV -

The school day was winding down, I impatiently watched the clock. Five more minutes till sociology is over then I can go home. Sociology is okay I guess, I like understanding why people are the way they are, but the class is nearly two hours long and I can't sit still in class for that long. I look over at Jeremy, he seems interested in what the teacher's saying. I tune in. "You will have to write a four-page essay on your experiment, essays will be due a week from now so get your experiment done soon so you have time to write."

I should have paid more attention, what's this project about? I'll just ask Jeremy.

The teacher excuses our class and I meet up with Jeremy. I drive him home from the college extension, when we're out of the class I ask, "What's that project about, I wasn't paying much attention?"

Jeremy looks tired, I feel bad for him. He gets picked on at school all day and works nearly every day trying to help his dad. He scarcely gets any sleep. "Uh- we're supposed to create a social experiment and perform the experiment in public to see how people react, then we're supposed to write an essay over it," we're at the car so I duck into the drivers seat, Jeremy sits passenger, "Do you want to work together on the experiment?"

I back out of my parking space then put the PT cruiser into drive, "Sure, what should we do?"

"I don't know. I'm up for ideas?"

I've waited my whole life to mess with people for a school assignment, this should be fun, "We could try to get people to sign a petition for something stupid, or maybe we could low key insult people and see how they react..."

Jeremy interrupts, "No, dude, we need something that strikes the core of people's morals."

Then the perfect idea hits me but I'm scared to suggest it, I take a deep breath and ask, "We could pretend to be a couple somewhere, maybe the mall?"

The idea lingers in the air for a moment. "Michael, that's a good idea but I don't think I can do that," Jeremy seems nervous, suddenly.

     I've known I was gay for a while now but I haven't told anyone except my moms, not even Jeremy. This would be quite the opportunity for me, I'd get to try being openly gay. Maybe this could help me make my decisions about whether to stay in the closet or not. "Come on, we're best friends, we could fake it," I try to convince Jeremy.

     "I'll think about it," that's the best I could hope for.

I pull into Jeremy's driveway, he lives in the middle of town so it's a short drive. "See ya tomorrow," Jeremy waves as he gets out of my car.

I wait till he gets inside before I leave. On the way home I think about the project. I need to talk Jeremy into this, I need this opportunity.

Later at night, I call Jeremy to try to talk him into it but I get a text back: At work now, call you later.

He doesn't call back.

The next day I pick Jeremy up for school. The moment he gets in the car I ask, "Why didn't you call me back last night?"

"Sorry, I got home around midnight and I went straight to bed, I forgot," Jeremy replies and I feel bad for asking.

"It's fine, I was just gonna ask if you thought about our project anymore."