(Jeremy's POV)

     Michel and I rode through the forest. Michael seemed almost mesmerized with the surroundings, the birds that could be heard chirping in the background as light shined through the trees and onto the flowers.

     Michael, as much of a gamer as he is, has always loved nature. Hes always loved walking through the forest, especially riding his bike through it.

    Michael, Connor, Evan, and me were all riding out bikes on a trial not far from our house. It was Evan's idea, saying it was summer now so we should all do this since we hadn't done this since last year before we left for frist year of college, now it was the summer before our second year of college.

    Michael looked the most at peace I had seen him in a while. He could ride without hands so he was pedaling without holding the bars his hands out to the side.

"Cheesy mother fucker!" Connor laughed riding up next to Michael. There was a sever lack of people on this track so far and many people including me, and the author, still dont like Connor in the middle of the path dispute the previously started fact.

"Shut it Murphy!" Michael shot back with a smirk. Hes gained so much self confidence, its amazing. And I've gone up with him. I cant rember the last time I was this happy.

Connor laughed and sped up, starting a race with Michael. He and Michael sped ahead as me and Evan laughed at our boyfriends.

"You guys are too fast!" Jared yelled. Evan rolled his eyes and slowed down to talk to Jared.

We all got to a dead end where some trees had fallen so we couldn't keep going, though this didnt phase Michael as he hoped off his bike and threw it to the ground in one fluent motion, starting to take off his shoes and run towards the creek that was next to us. I suddenly rembered where we were.

Me and Michel used to ride our bikes over here all the time. It was pretty far from our hometown and was one of the only places we could go, and not get ganged up on. This creek was really fun to hope across, it had rocks and shit that made it a lot of fun.

"You're trying to break your bike right?" Connor asked using his kick stand to set his bike up as Jared and Evan decied to finally catch up. I also got off my bike and set it up with the kick stand.

"Come get in Con! Its fun!" Michael called ignoring the question. Jared laughed.

"You got competition Jer." Jared joked. I rolled my eyes as I started to take off my shoes as Connor did the same while Evan listed why this was a horrible idea.

Me and Connor followed where Michael was going. Now this creek had a bunch of Rock lining the side of it, we were all walking in it. I watch as Michael went over to the fallen trees.

"Sticks! We need STICKS!" Michael declared screaming the second 'Sticks' for whatever reason. Still, I laughed. Michael got all of us sticks. Even Evan as Jared had convinced Evan this was a good idea, or at least that it didn't have a grantee of death witch seemed good enough for Evan.

Michael was laughing loudly, enjoying himself as he made his way through the water, over rocks and shit.

I was right behind Michael Jared behind me Evan behind Jared with Connor in last.

"Come on Con! You're as depressed as me! We fear nothing as we crave death!" Michael called jokingly. Connor let out a loud laughed at that along with all of us but Evan didn't seem to enjoy the joke.

Me and Evan are both subs. Even if Evan has an extra someone hes still the sub. But we both have a depressed boyfriend somewhere in there and me and Evan have very different ways of taking care of our depressed boyf.

I prefer to mostly let Michael do what he wants. Give him freedom and make sure he dosent hurt himself. Cuss, for the most part at least, Michael can handle himself. So I'm fine with suicide jokes and shit just as long as it doesn't seem to genuine or suggestive (and I've known him since kindergarten, I know when he means it)

Evan on the other hand prefers to avoid topics like that. Now this might be for his own sake as Evan might be slightly triggered by that shit, or he has to boyfriends who tend to argue so he has to be more strict. But whatever it is, Evan doesn't enjoy how often Michael makes Joke or references to suicide.

Michael and I have made sure the jokes dont trigger Connor, Evan, or Jared and it doesn't from what they've told us, but if they wont tell we can't help them, that's just how me and Michael see things. Michael's moms likes to say 'You can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink' and it's a good phrase to live by.

Now there was a big gap between the rocks, me and Michael had to jump to. And now we did not have a good relationship with trees, but Michael still looked over and saw the tree that had fallen and decied it would be an amazing idea TO BRING OVER TO IT AMD CLIMB ON IT.

"Michael what the fuck are you doing?!" I asked him as he shimmied his way up it.

"Climbimg." He replied calmly throwing his stick onto the land and climbing the rest of the way. We all watch with antisapation, hoping the branch wouldn't break yet at the same time that it would. We don't want Michael to get hurt but we also would love to be able to say 'I told you so' to Michael after he fell.

Michael made it amd smirked at me as he stood on the land. "Eat it." He said simply before picking his stick up. I scowled and starting doing what Michael had did branching over to the tree and climbing on it till I could jump back onto the land from it. I ran after Michael snickering before throwing my stick amd jumping onto his back.

"OH!" Michael said stumbling a bit, and dropping his stick. He quickly started laughing though and span us around. I laughed to and wrapped my legs around Michael's waist to hold on tighter. Michael stopped and put me down, by that time Jared, Connor and Evan had made it over to where we were.

I smiled and let Michael put me down. We all had a fun time out there in the forest. It was fun, after we all went home. Me and Michael went to the apartment we were in for the summer. We bought one, and what we were gonna do is we found some people that go to college but the one in our town.

So they stay in our apartment, pay the rent and then during the summer they go home to wherever they live while we stay in our apartment.

Michael phone rang the second we walked into the door.

"Hello?" Michael asked putting it on speaker.

"Hey Michael! Jeremy, how are you two?" It was Maryland, Michael's boss-ish person. Maryland went by she/her pronouns and had a boyfriend named Muriel. He was a BIG guy. Bigger then Jake. Hes kinda hot honestly.

Maryland and Michael are good friends, and like to rant and cheek up on eachother. From my knowledge Maryland has two other friends that Michael's talked to, who I've only heard of. Edna and Tuesday. All been friends since 6th grade. I dont know much but they seem like lovely people.

"We're great! We literally just walked in from a bike ride..." Michael walked out of the room while talking to Maryland. By that I mean he went into our bedroom. I watched him go and went to take a shower.

This summer was gonna be fun I had a feeling.

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I watched Michael as he ran into Richs house. Michael had got a call from Rich at 1am. Rich was begging us to get to his house.

Michael told me to stay in the car and then entered the house a couple minutes later he walked out carrying Rich, he got in the backseat with Rich and told me to, and I quote, "FUCKING DRIVE!"

"OKAY!" I yelled back before slamming on the peddle. We went to the hospital as fast as we could. We got there and they saw Richs state and immediately took him back. Me and Michael sat in the waiting room after calling Jake.

"Guys what the hell happened?!" Jake asked seeming panicked.

"Rich called me and said his dad was about to kill him-" -Michael started before being cut off-

"WHY WAS HE AT HIS DADS HOUSE?!" Jake yelled it, not at us just in general witch got him a LOT of pissed off looks. Just then -perfect timing happened- as a nurse came out and said:

"Richaed Gorgariski?" Was called.

"Yes?" I asked standing Michael was right behind me.

"Follow me." She said, so me Michael and Jake followed the nurse down the hallway. We got to Richs room and Jake still seemed mad so they wouldnt let him in, me and Michael still went ahead.

Rich was awake. That was supising, when Michael's dad put him in the hospital he didn't wake up for a good 2 hours.

And speaking of, Rich looked almost just like Michael. IVs going into his arms, tears stains, tired looking, traumatized eyes, though a smile still on his face...

It was like I had time traveled, just it wasn't a scared 11 year old Michael in the bed it was a 20 year old Rich.

Michael walked forward and pulled up a chair sitting down I did the same.

"T-thank you for coming to get me..." Rich stammered.

"No problem Rich." Michael replied.

"But, why were you at your dads house in the frist place?" I asked. Rich looked away.

"Me and Jake got into an argument and I didn't wanna bother you guys so I went to my dads place..." Rich replied.

"Why didnt you go to my moms? They love you Rich and would've happily tooken you in till the fight was resolved, or Jeremy's place with Evan and Connor and Jared. Hell, Christine, Chloe Brook-" Michael was like always, was cut off.

"I dont know! I was mad and scared and I guess I thought I could take him but when it came down to it I will always see him as my dad who used to hug me and tell me stories and show me h-how to fix shit a-and-" Rich let out a small sob. On instinct I grabbed his hand holding it gently.

Rich cried for a while, me and Michael managed to calm him down before Jake came in. Rich and Jake talked like nothing had happened, I guess me and Michael weren't supposed to know about the fight.

Me and Michael were just kinda sat there. I couldn't get over how much Rich looked like Michael. I still rember that day.

Michael had called me saying his dad had gone to far this time, he couldn't walk, how everything hurt, he was sobbing. I rushed over after calling 911 and went with him to the hospital. I cried so much after walking into that room, it hurt so much to see him so weak and hurt.

"Jeremy?" It was whispered very quietly to me by Michael. His arms around my shoulders. "You okay?" I didn't realize tears were streaming down my face.

"Ye-yeah..." I replied leaning into him.

"Its gonna be okay." Michael told me.

And that was all I needed to hear.

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AN: Would be amazing if there could be indents....

Sorry about not updating, haven't been in the mood to write and I'm developing a new book so I've been more focused on that.

  Word count:2038