Marks (Jeremy x Michael)

chapter two: lunch.

Rich Goranski, the shortest and second most popular boy in the grade, was tormenting Jeremy. Again. At some point, the two were friends. But that was seventh grade. Two years later, Rich had a new hairstyle, no glasses, and a shitty personality that stemmed from nowhere.

"Come on, man. I just wanna go eat..." Jeremy muttered, trying to step away from the aggressive boy. But he was stopped by a spare snide comment and an outstretched arm.

In the meantime, Michael was just trying to get through the crowd, lunchbox in hand. Sure, he was cocky at first but he did start to feel a little alienated. But that was simply because he was new, he understood. People had their own friends and weren't willing to immediately branch out.

He was on the lookout for an empty table when he noticed the boy from earlier, Jeremy. He was about to go over and say hi before he realized that there was another, shorter stranger in front of him. He could practically feel the tension bouncing off of them in waves.

Michael went over to the two with an inquisitive brow quirked.

"What's goin' on?" He asked curiously, glancing between the two. If anything, he was a little defensive. He hated seeing other people picked on, so he figured he might as well intervene.

Jeremy recognized the voice and visibly shrunk back, his face paling in fear. He looked up and saw the new kid there, in the flesh.

"N-nothing! I was just- w-we were just-" He got cut off by the smaller teen laughing.

"What's wrong, tall-ass? The new kid rate worse than me on your little scale?" He asked before turning to Michael, whose brows furrowed in confusion.

"Scale?" He muttered, although his comment didn't promote much of a reaction. Rich was quick to talk over him. Jeremy couldn't think of anything to say. He was just looking between them, terrified for what could happen.

"Get lost, and mind your own business, four-eyes," the short boy emptily threatened. Michael's confusion dissolved and he lightly crossed his arms. Jeremy bit his lip, feeling anxiety start to simmer in his stomach.

"Sorry, I just wanted to see what, y'know, bully culture looked like in this school," he said, pointing vaguely at the popular teen in front of him. He didn't stand down but didn't seem indignant either. Just neutral with a cold edge. He didn't want to see someone getting picked on. He didn't know the two in front of them, or what kind of relationship they had with one another, but Michael wasn't so willing to just be a bystander.

"Keep talking and I'm sure you'll get a real good look," Rich scowled.

"Rich, I-I don't think you should-"

"Can it, loser," Rich sharply cut Jeremy off, though he kept his eyes on the unfamiliar Filipino. Jeremy figured that he would probably be better off just slinking away while Rich's attention was elsewhere. And so, he proceeded to do that, just wanting to sit at his usual table. It was empty today, since Christine wasn't there. Typically she sat with him.

Michael noticed Jeremy slipping away but didn't glance the other boy's way. Jeremy had fled and Michael knew better than to draw attention to him. He put his hands up in surrender and shrugged, looking more mellow as Rich glared him down.

"Alright well, I'm going to eat lunch, dude. Enjoy yours. I like that red hair, by the way." And with that, Michael walked away casually, completely unaffected. Rich look puzzled for a moment before he shook his head, walking over to his table full of fellow popular kids.

Michael ventured out for an empty table once more. He noticed Jeremy, again, sitting at a table by himself. The spectacled boy took a glance around. No other empty tables. Fantastic. He couldn't tell if Jeremy was scared of him or was just an anxious dude, but he took his chances and walked over, standing at the opposite side of the table from where the brunet sat.