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Jeremy Heere was not brave.
It just wasn’t who he was. He tried his best but honestly he couldn’t handle a lot of things. One of those things would be a thunderstorm.
He was playing video games with Michael when the first rumble of thunder was heard, he looked over at Michael and Michael had seemed to have no reaction. Jeremy blinked a few times before he turned his attention back to the television screen where the level of their game continued to play out, except Jeremy was dead. While he was distracted his character killed.
“Dude, what’s wrong?” He heard Michael ask,
“What?”
“I said ‘Jeremy look out’ like six times but you didn’t move your character or anything, and you let them beat you. Come on dude, this is a two player game, we have to work together,”
“Sorry I, Uh, I got distracted I heard something,” jeremy muttered and sighed he watched as Michael played the rest of the level on his own, easily beating it. He was soon able to get a 1-up bringing Jeremy back into the game. They were able to get through about half a level before another wave of thunder went through the house, shaking it sending a small shriek from Jeremy and his chest to begin to feel heavy, almost like someone was sitting on him.
“Dude, seriously are you okay?” Michael asked as he hit pause on the game,
“I’m fine,” Jeremy whispered, feeling breathless,
“Jeremy, You can tell me, I won’t make fun of you we’ve been friends for like twelve years, there’s nothing you can say to embarrass yourself more than you have before,” Michael offered a small smile, but Jeremy just shook his head in response.
Michael sighed before he stood up,“Do You Want a drink?”
“N-no..” jeremy whispered as he looked at the ground, Michael looked behind himself then back at Jeremy confused before he walked off to grab himself a Dr. Pepper.
While waiting for Michael to return Jeremy took a deep breath trying t think to himself. He couldn’t believe of all places he could be he was at Michael’s house while there was a thunderstorm brewing. He should’ve checked the weather, he didn’t want Michael to know the dumbest little fact about him. At 17 Jeremy Heere was still terrified of thunder storms. He stared at his hands but then there was another clap of thunder, he jumped with a small shriek, then there was another powerful clap of thunder that sent tears spilling out of Jeremy’s eyes.
“Jerm?” Michael asks as he made his way across the room to get a better look at Jeremy,“Are You crying?? What’s wrong, come in you can tell me,” Jeremy shook his head as he took a deep breath but there was another crack of thunder outside which sent another wave of tears streaming down Jeremy’s face.
“Is it the storm?” Michael asked, quieting his voice as he got closer to Jeremy, and jeremy Did a small nod in response, Michael set the drink down before he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Jeremy and sat by him,
“I’ll protect you,” Michael whispered to Jeremy and wrapped his arms around the boy,“The storm will have to go through me before it can get near you,”
“You’re a nerd,” Jeremy mumbled as he leaned his head against Michael’s shoulder.
“I’m your nerd,” Michael said with a small smile, happy to protect his boyf.