Rainstorm

five

I dont think there's any tw so,,, :]

---

Two days later, Jeremy hasn't talked to Michael since. He's avoided it the past two days because he's still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Michael has a girlfriend now, and not only that, Brooke Lohst.

He feels jealous, he can't deny it. He feels like Michael replaced him, moved on too quick. But...he forgets how long it's been since he took the squip. Several months have passed, well enough time for Michael to get a girlfriend.

Why does he feel replaced? He replaced Michael with the squip, and now that it's gone he's upset with Michael for moving on too? He deserves this, really.

And he should've seen it coming. Michael's a nice guy, he's interesting and fun to talk to, he's good-looking, and he's just chill about everything. He knows what he wants his future to be like. He knows who he is. He deserves to have a good life, he's not confused, he's earned it. Michael deserves someone, and Brooke is an amazing girl.

Jeremy is a mess. He has no idea who he is. He's fucked up his life. Replacing Jeremy with Brooke is like replacing a rundown shack with a mansion.

Still. It just feels a bit weird, Brooke, his old girlfriend, now dating his friend. Isn't that weird? Doesn't he have the right to feel awkward around the two of them? It makes sense, right? Especially after he "cheated" on Brooke. It may not have actually happened, but it may as well have if no one else knows the truth. The consequences are just as awful.

That's another thing. Halloween night. The play. He shouldn't drag anyone down with him by hanging out with them. Their whole reputation would be ruined.
Oh my god, look. They're hanging out with the guy who did ecstacy at the play. The guy who cheated on Brooke Lohst with Chloe Valentine. Such a creep.

So Jeremy simply responded 'no thanks' when Michael texted asking if he wanted to sit at his and Brooke's lunch table. He walked different ways in the halls to avoid Michael. He didn't want to ruin things even further between them.

Until today. Today, he's planning on sitting at their table. He's worried, but he feels like it'll be a step in moving on from this incident. A step closer to restoring things to normal. If only he can gather the courage...

Someone bumps into him, knocking him back into a locker.

"Th-sorry! I'm th-s-so sorry!" The person says quickly, looking at him with wide, terrified eyes. "I-I wasn't looking, sorry-"

Jeremy feels something is familiar about this person, yet he doesn't quite know who he is . But he recognizes that voice and face.

Realization hits him. This short, curly haired boy, dwarfed in a blue hoodie, glasses slipping down his nose...is Rich Goranski.

"Rich?!"

He stiffens, eyes widening. "I-I...I better go now."

He lowers his head, walking quickly away.

"Wait! Rich!"

There's no response from the short boy, who only speeds up his pace, quickly disappearing in the sea of students. But the mention of his name catches the attention of someone else.

"Rich Goranski? Is that arsonist back at school? He's such a freak, he's probably gonna go crazy and burn the school down."

Jeremy doesn't stay long enough to figure out who is speaking, feeling bad for saying Rich's name and attracting the unwanted attention to him.

He walks away to his next class, sitting quietly and trying to steer his thoughts away from Rich. But through the whole period, he can only think of the former bully.