Upgrade (Boyf riends)

Lonley

Michael's Pov
When a queen bee dies suddenly, a bee colony acts quickly to recover a new one.

I guess that new one was me.

Going back to school today felt strange. Like, something was off with the whole atmosphere.

Everything still looked the same, but deep down we all knew the kind of confrontation that was coming up.

Jeremy and Jake were going to have to face cruel punishment for being themselves.

As the period bell rung and the lunch period arrived, the atmosphere felt stiff, thin even. Students were waiting with anticipation to see what would happen to the boys.

Jeremy ended up sitting at a table in the back of the cafeteria alone.

I get in the lunch line which is close to where he is and steal a couple of glances. He looks miserable.

I feel so bad.

Michael, you didn't necessarily do anything. It was Jeremy's decision to kiss you after all, though it was filled with clouded thoughts. He went through with it in the heat of the moment, that was his choice.

Maybe I could just say hi to him? He's all alone.

Michael.

"Is this seat taken?" I hear from his direction.

I don't bother you look back, the lines getting shorter by the minute and my squip says I need to focus elsewhere.

Well, at least he's not lonely anymore.

Jeremy's Pov
Today has been terrible.

My squip was so mad at me that it temporarily shut itself off. A new perk of the upgrade I guess, or just a new form of punishment for me.

Classes have been rough, to say the least. But this is going to be nothing compared to lunch.

•••

Before we continue, I'd like to do a brief synopsis of the lunch period.

As I have mentioned before in this story, lunch is the most important part of the day for children at this high school.

The period is split up into two different slots: Lunch A and Lunch B. Lunch A is the period that Jeremy and Michael share.

This period is where most kids are is normal classes, so only about 20% of them are in AP. This means that most of this lunch rooms population is Jocks, popular cliques, and pretty people who use their looks for perks in life.

The cafeteria, for this reason, isn't much divided. Everyone seems to get along. Well, except for the smart kids who just want to graduate. They're losers.

Anyway, when someone gets pushed down the ranks, there will be a something like a mutual shunning throughout the cafeteria.

Everyone will come to a internal agreement that said student will be exiled, therefore no longer included in the " cafeteria hierarchy".

Some students do this in fear of getting shunned as well, and some out of pure spite.

Since Jeremy is now being shunned, he is stripped from his seat with the popular kids, therefore, he is sitting in the back.

•••

No ones sitting with me, let alone talking to me.

Damn, I really screwed up.

I begin to bite my bottom lip, not understanding how to deal with all of the stress I'm being put under.

It's really clouding my judgement.

I never wanted anything to go this way.

Until I hear his voice.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Oh. Hey Jake, Rich." I say. I meet their gazes briefly, then my eyes wander back to my meal.

Once the boys sat at the table, I decided to break some silence.

"Thank you, for taking the bullet for me."

"No problem. I mean, they were gonna find out about us anyway." He says, grabbing at Rich's hand.

So they're a thing now.

"Mind if we sit here too?" Two other voices ask from behind. It's Chloe and Brooke.

I thought they hated me?

"Sure. Why not?" My voice is still monotone, it's not like there's a need for excitement anyway.

They'll only drag me down more.

"Jeremy, I didn't like what you did awhile ago with the whole 'popularity drive' thing, but I can't blame you. Sometimes, it just happens." Brooke say.

"And plus, we feel kind of bad. You were kind of just forced into this situation." Chloe says, sincerity laced into her tone.

"We'll be your friends if need be, so don't worry about it okay?" Rich tells me calmly. His personality has really changed.

I can see why Jake likes him.

"Thanks, I guess. But I don't think I'm 'out' right now'" I respond, lightly chewing on a piece of food.

They all give me a nod.

It's not like I didn't appreciate their condolence, it's just that I didn't want it. I've already been through so much to get to where I am, or, to where I was.

I am not giving up now.

•••

Though we usually didn't talk, the five of us were able to make conversation out of basically nothing.

It was almost as if we were actual friends.

At least, for now, I won't have to go through all of this alone.

Thank you for reading another chapter! Your presence alone is great, I appreciate you!