It's Not Her //Boyf Reinds//

Chapter Seven

Everything Michael loved was destroyed. Video games? Could not play them without his Player Two. Arcades? He could not look at that panda plushie he got for Jeremy again. The popular pizza place that had horrible pizza but everyone somehow liked? Those were for Michael and Jeremy's sleepovers. Mountain Dew?
Come on.
I don't even need to tell you this one.
Halloween?
The one day him and his whole world could match, get super high, and laugh their asses off?
It only brought him sorrow. Which, sucked. Halloween was his favorite holiday. Hell, spoopy season was his favorite.
It only brings tears now.
Yet there he was, sitting on the football fields bleachers, wearing a spider headband that Brooke got him. It was Homecoming, boring, yet Brooke forced him to go. He was not paying attention to the game, football was... no. The football guys weren't even hot, what was there to watch? The cheerleaders we're alright, but he would rather watch Jer- jelly. But he loved Brooke, not that he would say no to her, she would kidnap him anyway.
The breeze kissed Michael's face, messing up his hair a little. The sun bore not too bright, thankfully. Not that it would matter, he had transition glasses. He adorned his red hoodie and jeans, as normal. His earrings sparked, because they were tiny diamonds. A gift, for his birthday.
His friend beside him cheered on for their team. Brooke was starting to be liked by some of the school. So far, it was working, but just only. The head cheerleader welcomed her with opened arms, themselves having a sibling with a nonbinary partner. Michael was glad she was climbing back up the social latter, but scared. What if Brooke left him too? What would he do then? He shared so much with her. She had taken his ex-friends role. He did not trust her completely, but what can you do when you have no one else?

As the Homecoming game ended, they headed to the parking lot. Many students were already out there, talking with their friends.
Michael sat on the hood of his PT Cruiser, making room for Brooke.
She came a few minutes after Michael arrived, a happy aura around her.

"Did you hear that Jake's having a Halloween party?"
He turned his head toward the blonde, tilting his head.
"Nope, I tend to get left out of those things."

"Well, " she started with a smile, "everyone in the school is invited. His house is big enough, I've been there. I'm going to go, you know I can't miss a party!"

That sent a small chuckle through him. Even though people did not care for Brooke anymore, she could not pass up the chance to dance.

"Annnndddd... I would really appreciate if you came with me!"

Michael tensed a little.
"Brooke, I can't. If this is Jake's party, Jeremy is going to be there, you know I can't... he... Brooke..."

She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed.
"I know it hurts, honey. It hurt when Chloe did what she did to me. But you can't let this control you. I think you should confront him."

"Brooke what the fuck"

"Look! If you confront him, you get to say what you need to say. You won't have to live with regreting not saying something!"

"And what if he denies everything?"

"Then he does. You can't do anything about that. You'll definitely feel more rage, but then you'll definitely know he's an asshole."

Brooke reached down and out her hand on top of her friend's.

"Hey, at least I'll still be here."

He leaned away from her, looking to the side.
"Jeremy said the same thing. He said if he every became popular he would still be my friend. We all saw how that turned out..."

"I'm not Jeremy, Michael. I know it's hard to trust me. I don't expect you too after what that bitch did. All I can do is tell you what I will do. I've been hurt just like you."

He sniffled and glanced at her, moving to hold her hand.
"I don't want to feel this anymore. I don't want to feel sad, all I ever feel is sad. I feel like a part of me was ripped away from me. There's a hole in me and I don't know how to replace it. I'm afraid I'm going to respond to what I'm feeling in a bad way and... I can't think of any reason not to..."

"We're going to that party. You're going to talk to Jeremy whether he likes it or not."

"Brooke, I can't-"

Brooke sternly put her hands on either hand of Michael, making him snap back.

"Michael Mell. If you do not go with me to this party and talk to that silly boy I will personally set your gaming equipment on fire."

Michael gasped and put a hand on his chest. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, but I would. Now, is my amazing friend going to the party with me, or will his precious gaming equipment be turned to ash?" She asked, a smirk evident on her face.
"Fuck you," he sighed, " yes, I'll go with you. Asshole."

"Yay!" Brooke cheered, smiling and clapping.

Michael chuckled a bit.
"What will we wear to this fancy spooky party?"

His friend placed her finger on her cheek and squinted her eyes, "hmmm, well, we'll want to disguise you so Jeremy won't see you until the Talk™, so... maybe garbage?"

"I'm glad that's what you think of me, Brooke."

She swatted his arm and glared at him, "you know that's not what I meant! You could be a trash monster or something. Who would think of going to a party as that?"

"You."

Michael dodged her hand as she attempted to swat his face.
"As for me, since I don't need to hide, I was thinking a sexy dog!"

"A sexy dog? Why not a sexy cat, everyone likes sexy cats. I guess."

"Exactly! Evverryooonneee dresses up as sexy cats! So I'll be different and do a sexy dog! It's perfect!"

"Trash and a sexy dog. Oddly, fitting."

He could not turn away in time and received a swat to the head.
"Hey!"

Brooke rolled her eyes and walked around to Michael's passenger side, getting in the car.
"Are you driving us to your house or what? I'm not staying at school any longer than I have to. And, we have some costumes to make."

Michael groaned and hopped off his hood, getting in his car.

It was... something. On the floor of Michael's basement were several items of curiosity.
There were the following: a big wig thatthat resembled dog ears, makeup, a collar, fluffy crop top with fluffy skirt, fluffy leg warmers, black body suit, soda cans, wrappers, and an assortment of other trash.

Brooke had her hands on her hips, looking down proudly at their mess of stuff.
"This is going to be awesome."

"I'm going to look like trash."

Brooke looked at him and sighed, "Michael, this will be fun and you will look like fun trash."

"What the hell is 'fun' trash?"

"It's fun trash. Now, we need to put your costume together. We're gonna need glue. Lots of glue. And maybe a will to live. But mainly glue."

If you told Michael he would be gluing trash on a body suit made for him, he would think he was high.

Alas, he was not high.

"Are you sure this will stick?" He asked, eyeing the mess of glue and trash with reluctance.

"Absolutely probably," she answered as her hand smashed a wrapper onto the suit. Brooke sat back a d admired the now kinda finished suit. It was truly, a horrifying mess.

"You know Brooke, I never thought I would have an outfit to match how I feel inside."

"Well now you do! You can now proudly show people you're a beautiful mess."

"That's not what I meant-"

"Shush," she interrupted. The blonde patted a can and smiled and their work. "Our creation is beautiful. A beautiful mess. Just like you," she said, looking at her friend.

Michael smiled and layed on his back, tired.
"Maybe going to this party won't be so bad after all."