After a long conversation, Michael gave Laura his number. Laura then headed home and lay on her bed, contemplating what happened (I KNOW BIG WORDS TOO...... Saxophone ~Patton from SANDER SIDES but I forgot which video. I used a big word, it was perfect... ANYWAY~)

"I have a friend... I Have A Friend!" She squealed, "THANK YOU!"

"Me? Oh no, THAT was all you, Laura," The S.Q.U.I.P. pointed out.

"NOT Entirely. YOU showed me he needed a friend... WHICH I AM NOW!!" Laura couldn't contain her excitement and, to be frank, she didn't want to. She checked her phone and saw Michael had texted her.

Michael: HEYY, Wanna come over and play some Apocalypse of the Damned?

Laura: YOU KNOW IT! I'll be over in 5."

"I should start headin' over there. I am SO gonna kick his butt in Apocalypse of the Damned!"

"Try to take it easy on the... butt-kicking. Michael is still hurting. The last thing he needs is to be beaten at the game he and Jeremy love."

"...I didn't think of that," Laura said in a small voice.

"Clearly," The S.Q.U.I.P. said snarkily.

"Shut up." Laura lived relatively close to him, so she walked. She knocked on the door, which was answered by a much happier Michael (MY BABY'S HAPPY!)

"Laura! You ready to lose?"

"In your dreams, loser."

"Tone it down, Laura," The S.Q.U.I.P. instructed.

'sorry.'

"Well, what're you waiting for? Come on in!" Laura entered and followed Michael into the basement. When they got there, the smell of weed immediately hit her nose and she got worried.

"Uh... Michael? Why does it smell like weed?"

"Oh, I've smoked it so many times, the smell just stuck. I don't even notice it"

"And your parents-"

"-don't come down here so they don't know." Laura looked at her S.Q.U.I.P.

'Does he normally..?'

"Only when he needs to. He makes a lot of jokes about it though."

'I'm still worried. Part of my dad's death WAS substance abuse.'

"I know. I'm inside your brain."

'right.'

"Alright, got the game set up and.. Laura, you good?"

She then realized she'd been thinking and staring at her S.Q.U.I.P. for far too long.

"Oh... uh... Yeah! I'm just... admiring the scenery," Laura quickly lied.

"Oh, cool. Ready, player 2?"

"Ready. What level are we on?"

"Level 9."

"The cafetorium? Really? This almost seems unfair."

"You've beaten this level before?"

"Plenty of times."

"Well, maybe you can help me beat it?"

"Perfect!" Laura and Michael played until they beat the level. *LEVEL 9 COMPLETE* flashed on the screen and victory music played, like when you finish a level in Mario.