"I can't believe I'm the selfish one." Michael says, sobering up while tears fall, watching the rain from the window.

I stare at the roof, unbothered by the noises around me. I was so distracted I didn't notice the door go flying open. I don't notice the two people run into my room. I don't notice the short teenager scream my name. I only snap into reality when one jumps onto my chest.

I grunt, and the bundle of energy, Rich, sits up and slaps me, "Michael, Get out of thith fucking trance, we're here to make you happy. What do you need? Food? Ice cream? A good fuck? Beating thomeone up? Pizza? To be alone? Porn? Arthon? thmoking pot?" He grabs my shoulders and starts shaking me, "Do you need to get thtoned, Michael?"

Jake sighs, and pulls Rich off of me, "Take a chill pill, Rich, he's already stoned, let's just distract him and play video games."

Rich scoffs, and rolls onto his stomach to glare at Jake, "I already took a 'chill pill', Jake, not the motht fun I've ever had."

Jake laughs, rolling his eyes, sitting on Jeremy's bean bag. He examined my many gaming consoles, eyeing my Nintendo's. "Do you have Mario kart?"

I smile and sit up, "You need to be more specific, I have every kind of Mario kart that's ever excised."

"Mario kart Wii," Rich says excitingly, grabbing the Wii remote that lay on the floor in front of him.

I laugh and put the disk into the Wii, turning it on, grabbing a remote each for Jake and myself. I pass one to him and settle into my chair, focusing on the game.

ooo Three games later ooo

We had played three games of eight races, and Rich had won all twenty-four, but that was about to change. I made the last turn and saw Rich's character, Peach, just a bit ahead of me, nearing the finish line. I threw my red shell that I had been holding onto at him, hitting him right before he crossed, putting myself in first.

"FIFTH?" Rich screams, rage throwing his remote across the room, which hit the wall and feel onto Jake's head, but he didn't mind, because he had been fast asleep since the second game. "I GOT FIFTH? ONLY LOthERth GET FIFTH."

I laughed at him and reached into the bag of chips we had grabbed.

"IT'th NOT FUCKIN' FUNNY MICHAEL" I continue to eat my chips, and watch as he throws a temper tantrum. Somehow, Jake continues to snore through it.

After a few minutes, he sits back down, calm again, "I'm done with thith game, let'th just talk."

"Aw, is it because you lost?" I tease, poking his cheek.

He playfully slaps my hand away, "Jutht a little." I laugh, and so does he.

"Okay, thpill, what'th been happing with Jeremy the little bitch."

I sigh, and lean back in my bean bag, "I thought when the SQUIP was gone that he'd be fine with me, but I guess that he realized I wasn't worth it. He called me a loser, he told me that I was selfish for wanting an apology for that, wanted me to apologize for no reason. I got no thank you. No sorry. Nothing. He came over and just wanted to smoke weed."

"Huh." He said, "well, it'th a good thing he'th wrong. You're great and definitely worth it."

"Thanks, Rich." I say, then decide to change the subject, "so, I've noticed something with you and Jake," I raise my eyebrows suggestingly, "what's going on?"

He blushes and laughed nervously, "You noticed?"

I rolled my eyes, "I think everyone did."

"Okay," he scoots a little closer, "can you keep a thecret?"

" I promise," I say, and he holds out his pinky.

"Pinky promithe?"

"Aren't we seventeen?"

"JUthT DO IT, MICHAEL."

I link my pinky with his and shake on it.

"Okay," He takes a deep breath, "I like him."

I stare at him with no emotion, "Big shocker."

"thhut up."

We go silent for a moment, other than Jake's snoring.

"We thhould egg, Jeremy'th houthe."

"Rich, no," I exclaim.

"Rich, yeth." He retorts.

I look over at Rich's phone to see it blowing up with messages.

100+ messages from squash squad

"Hey, Rich, you got some texts." I hand it to him.

He took his phone and looked at the texts, which were mostly just gifs and memes. I read the conversation over his shoulder.

squash squad

Jenna: Does anyone want to hang at the mall

I'm so bored

Chloe: sure

Brooke: I guess so

Christine: I'm already there lol

Would it be alright if I added Michael to this chat?

Chloe: Mell?

Yep.

Brooke: yeah, we owe him a bunch

Chloe: I agree, we were rude to him a lot

Christine: DO IT

NOW

I look at my phone to see I'd been added to the chat.

squash squad

Brooke: MICHAEL IM SO SORRY WE WERE SO RUDE TO YOU

Chloe: We could have been a lot nicer

Jenna: Yeah, sorry

Christine: I didn't do anything to you, but sorry?

It's fine

Christine: GREAT COME TO THE MALL WITH US

Rich read the texts, and looked over at me, "They're not ath bad ath they were to you before. Chloe ith actually nice but terrifying, thhe doethn't mean to be rude, thhe'th jutht blunt, thhe doethn't realize thhe'th doing it. Brooke, well, Brooke'th the thame, thame with Chrithtine. Jenna jutht liketh goththip, but thhe'll rethpect boundarieth if you athk her to. We don't need to go to the mall with them if you don't want to."

"Rich, it's fine. If I can't handle it I'll text my mom to pick me up."

"Coolio." He glanced at Jake, who had fallen asleep during Mario Kart, then looked back at me evilly, "I'm gonna jump on him."

I watch as he wakes to the other side of the room to get a running start.

"Don't jump on his legs." I remind him, and he starts running. He takes a leap, and lands directly on his chest, knocking the air out of him, but was somewhat protected because of the pillow that had been on his chest and stomach.

He sits up suddenly, coughing, and Rich starts laughing, before he was slapped, "I told you to stop doing that." Rich shrugs, and stands up. He grabbed Jake's crutches and helped him up.

"What are we doing?" Jake asks, taking his crutches from Rich.

"We're meeting up with everyone at the mall," Rich says while walking towards the stairs, Jake and I following. "Do you need help, Jake?"

"Please." Jake answers, "Go ahead, Michael. We'll meet you at the top." I nod and walk up the stairs, texting my moms that I'll be at the mall. When I get to the top I take a sit and look at the memes that are being sent to the group chat.

"Okay. Let'th go!" Rich screams as he and Jake reached the top, "I want fucking Taco Bell."

ooo I'm lazy so let's just go straight to the mall ooo

Rich pulls up to a spot near the entrance by the food court, so I hop out, waiting for a moment for Rich and Jake. They walk up next to me.

"Let's roll," Jake says, using his crutches to make his way towards the mall.

We walk past a few stores, but nothing catches our interest, so we continue to the food court.

Out of nowhere, there is a scream, interrupting my thoughts, "RICH!" I turn to see Brooke running towards us.

"BROOKIE!" Rich yells back, running towards her to meet her in the middle, before jumping into her arms.

"BRING ME TO TACO BELL, PEATHANT." Rich yells, and she laughs, dropping him, "I CAN'T GO TO TACO BELL, I'M ON A NO CARB DIET, GOD, RICH, YOU ARE SO STUPID!" She yells back, running back to the group. Rich huffs, and chases her, not noticing the security behind him.

I look at Jake, obviously confused because he says, "It's a joke they've had for years, It's how they greet each other every time. And this is about the 29th time they've been kicked out of here for it."

I look at the pair to see security escorting them out, with the rest of the grouping following and laughing.

Jake sighs, "Let's go."

We follow the group out and listen in on their discussion.

"I want to watch mean girlth, now."

"Why don't we raid 7/11 and go to Jake's hotel?"

"How many beds are there?"

"Two, Obviouthly."

"So we could pick teams and have a massive pillow fight?"

"Hold up, When did I agree to this?"

"How would you stop us?"

"...Good point."

"IF WE'RE GONNA WATCH MEAN GIRLS WE NEED TO WEAR PINK SHIRTS."

"Obviouthly."

"Can we get nachos?"

"After Mean Girls, we should go swimming."

"Where would we go swimming?"

"In the nacho cheese."

"Why would you thwim in nacho cheethe?"

"It was sarcasm, we'd swim in the pool, dumbass."

"I'd prefer nacho cheese."

"Guys!" Jake yelled, "Let's just go to 7/11. Are y'all sleeping over?"

Everyone but I screamed, "YES!"

"I don't know," I say, quietly, "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You're intruding if you don't come."

"Chlo, you make no sense."

"SHut uP, Jenna."

"Michael, If you don't come with us, I will follow you home and sing show tunes from outside your window until the birth of your firstborn child."

"Great, Looks like I'm coming with you," I say, grabbing my phone, "let me just text one of my moms."

<Ina

Can I sleepover at a friend's house?

Jeremy?

No, I made some new friends. Jeremy hasn't been the nicest lately.

Of course, then, Have a fun time. Love you

I will

Love you too

Read 6:12 PM

"Okay, It's good," I say, putting my phone back in my pocket, "Let's go."

We walk to the nearest 7/11, which was a block away from the mall, and run in. I go straight to the slushies, only to see Cristine bowing to them.

I stand beside her and stare at her.

"I pray at my altar of slush," I raise an eyebrow as she sings, "Oh yes, I live for the sweet frozen rush."

Suddenly, Jake rounds the corner, and I jump and fall out of shock. "Freeze your brain," Jake joins in. I roll my eyes and grab an extra-large cup, filling it with red.

I walk over to the candy aisle where the rest of the group stood and watch as they attempt to hold more candy and sweets without dropping any.

"Hold this, Michael." Chloe drops all the candy she had been holding in my arms, "I'm getting nachos."

Ten minutes and a hundred dollars later, the group had split into two groups, Jake, Rich, and I in one car, and Cristine, Jenna, Brooke, and Chloe in another. We are racing to see who can get to the hotel first, without breaking the speed limit. I sit in the back seat, sipping my slushie, listening to Rich road rage.

"I guarantee it, Chloe ith gonna try and take the thhortetht route poththible, but that'th the buthietht, tho we're gonna go a little bit of a longer route, but hath lethth traffic." Jake nods but doesn't say anything, instead of laughing at him.

I think about what had happened.

Jeremy was being a dick. I called Rich and Jake for comfort. Now I have a bunch of new friends. I'm not responsible for what Jeremy said. These guys are a lot nicer then I thought anyway. I can be friends with them. At least until Jeremy apologizes, whenever that will be. Everyone here apologized right away, unlike Jeremy. I will wait for him to say sorry, which probably won't be for a while. Jeremy would rather switch schools then admit he did something wrong. I mean, I wouldn't put it past hi-

"HA, WE WIN." Rich pulls into a spot and yells, "C' mon Jake, Michael. Let'th wait for them in the lobby. We hop out of the car, and Rich runs into the lobby, Jake and I just walking.

"FUCK," We hear Rich scream from the door, so we quickly run in to see what happened.

We walk into the lobby to see all four girls sitting on the couch, smiling smugly, and Rich glaring at them with crossed arms.

"We win, Boys," Chloe says, and Rich sticks his tongue out at her.

"Buy us pizza, Bitches," Jenna says, smiling.

We laugh and walk over to the elevators.

"In your dreams, Ladies," I say, "We're poor from 7/11."

We laugh again and walk to Jake's room, unlocking the door, and we all squish onto the two beds. Jake takes the remote and pulls up Netflix, quickly finding Mean Girls. We pull out the snacks and watch the movie in silence, other than the occasional crunch, and Cristine and Rich quoting the whole movie.

About halfway through the movie, we're at the part where The Plastics are doing a dance to the Jingle bell Rock.

"Hey, Rich," I say, interrupting the silence, "I dare you to do the whole dance for us."

He jumps up, smiling, "Oh, Hell, yeth, I know the whole thing by heart."

Rich starts dancing to the music, and we giggle at him, Jenna even pulling out her phone to record it. But, I couldn't help to realize how red Jake's face went when Rich slapped his inner thighs...

ooo

word count: 2253 words (broke my record)

hey sorry for disappearing, but i'm back now (maybe, we'll see)

heere's an extra long chapter to say sorry for leaving for so long. it's also kinda happy, so yay? and it's jeremy free, which is great, bc i'm mad at him right now.

okay, love y'all lots, byeeeee

-madi <3

ALSO DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT AND I'LL LOVE YOU EVEN MORE

aug 24 2019