Chapter Text
When Jeremy got home, he couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at his laptop screen. He could feel tears forming on the corners of his eyes and he couldn't help the heaviness in his chest.
Hello Mellow, his all-time favorite band, was going on hiatus.
He clicked on the YouTube video titled, "HELLO MELLOW 82717 FINAL PERFORMANCE MSG" and it was a 4 minute 20 second clip of the lead singer, Mellow, telling his fans his thanks. His eyes were covered with his mask (all of them wore masks, it was kind of part of their band image) but you can read his expression with just how big his smile was. He let out a laugh as his fans cheered before dropping the news.
"So, we've been hinting throughout the past week that, well, we're taking a break." The crowd let out loud groans, to which the lead tried to comfort with a reassuring, "Heyyy, we'll come back, c'mon."
Jeremy wanted to cry though because everyone knew that breaks meant break-ups.
"Anyways, I'm here to tell you not to get mad at the members. And to answer all your questions, no, we did not get into a fight. We’re actually doing this because," the man looked around, pretending to check the coast and Jeremy wanted to kick him so badly with how dorky he was, "I want to go back to school."
With that, the crowd was silenced.
"As y'all know, my illegal ass just turned 18 and I'm delayed for high school. As nerdy as it sounds, I really, really want to graduate, ya know?" He started pacing the stage, "And like, Jakey-D and Richie here, already graduated so like, c’mon! Let me have my moment!” His fans had laughed at that and he joined them. Once the laughter died down, Mellow continued talking, “They're super supportive, by the way, which is hella cool! Let’s give it up to the coolest dudes I know."
He gave his two band mates individual bear hugs that made Jeremy's heart swell.
"I'm living the dream, I know, and I love it. So, I swear with all my heart that we're coming back, okay?"
And it cut there.
Jeremy stared for a few seconds before collapsing on his bed and letting out a loud screech.
He quickly grabbed his phone and dialled Christine. Once he heard the call click, he opened his mouth to let out another screech when Christine beat him to it. "HELLO MELLOW'S TAKING A BREAK, JEREMY, AND WE BOTH KNOW WHAT BREAKS REALLY ARE."
The male teen let himself screech in despair again. In a few minutes span, the two ended up just groaning about their beloved band and their decision but also about how precious Mellow was for wanting to continue schooling. Jeremy word vomited on how much he loved him even more because knowledge is SEXY and Christine started moaning on how much Jakey-D and Richie were such parents on supporting Mellow.
When the call ended, Jeremy let himself sigh. There’s nothing to do about it now. He opened his Hello Mellow folder, selected all the pictures which had totalled to about 216 (70% Mellow and 30% of Jakey-D and Richie) and deleted them all.
He paused and felt himself tear up.
He clicked on his Recycle Bin and restored all of them again.
He can still grieve for the rest of the week.
"Do you think Mellow would have a hard time adjusting, being famous and all?"
It was a thought that’s been going on in his head since last night. Christine sent him a thoughtful look before shrugging lightly, "It feels planned, if I'm being honest. They've never released anything personal about them. No one knows their real names, even. Plus the masks basically cover half their faces and they've actually kept wearing it for two years straight." She took a bite of her sandwich, "I think it's pretty smart and I also feel like he won't have that hard of a time hiding his identity considering it's been hidden all along!"
There was a few seconds of silence when Christine spoke up this time, "What do you think will happen to Jakey-D and Richie?"
Jeremy hummed, "They're probably gonna find a part-time job?" He paused. "Or! They're going to write new songs for their next album?"
It was silent again. Jeremy took a breath and was about to ask another question when he was cut off with a groan, "Please just shut up about Fellow Hello for 5 seconds, please." It was Jenna who was staring at them, bored.
"That was like, the 23rd Hello Mellow question, you guys, just change the topic," Chloe actually looked like she was dreading this. Jeremy and Christine flashed them guilty looks.
"Sorry, sorry. Just," Jeremy pouted.
"It's Hello Mellow, y'know? And now, they're gone." Christine looked at the table with sad eyes.
Chloe bit the inside of her cheek before letting out an exasperated sigh, "Ooookayyyyy, you can keep grieving about them." She pouted, "It's kinda like me and Brooke when 1D broke up so I get it."
That startled a laugh out of Jeremy, "Oh my god, you two were Directioners???"
With that, the group started laughing. Brooke started hitting Chloe and cussing at her for outing them which only made the others laugh harder.
Jenna was in the middle of singing "What Makes You Beautiful" to annoy the living shit out of Chloe even more when suddenly, there was a loud clang near their table, surprising the teens.
A few feet from the table, there stood a teen staring at his lunch, now splattered on the floor.
Obnoxious laughter followed the sudden silence and of course, Dustin Kropp and his pals just had to make a scene, "Jeez, watch it, loser."
Jeremy couldn't help the burst of anger that filled his chest at the sight of the kid getting pushed and laughed at by the bullies.
"God, Dustin's a dick." It was Christine. She had whispered it harshly. Jeremy agreed.
The teen, to Jeremy’s surprise, didn't look fazed, though. He was expecting him to run away or hide, because that would have been something Jeremy had done. Or anyone, for that case. Weird.
Jeremy watched the kid closely. He was wearing a red hoodie covered with patches, and headphones hung by his neck. He had dark brown hair and tanned skin and— Jeremy blinked to himself and did a double-take. The kid was smiling.
The kid was smiling?!
The tanned teen slowly wore his headphones. Then, out of nowhere, bent down and flipped his lunch tray over. His food was all mixed and Jeremy cringed at how gross spaghetti and bread looked mashed together. Beside the tray, the teen suddenly picked up his squished yogurt cup, checked the inside then nodded to himself.
Jeremy felt Christine suddenly grip at his sleeve.
No way.
The headphones kid stood up, walked his way to Dustin Kropp and poured the remaining yogurt.
On. His. Head.
Everyone gasped. Jeremy wasn't kidding. Literally everyone gasped.
It didn't end there, though. He dropped the cup and ruffled the bully's hair, spreading the yogurt. The whole cafeteria was quiet.
Dustin? He was frozen in shock. Then, unsurprisingly, was furious.
Jeremy couldn't keep quiet anymore. He stood up and let out a loud, "Run!!!" His voice cracking in the middle of it.
What followed was manic laughter from the teen and in a blink, he was sprinting to the cafeteria's exit to which Dustin and his buds followed.
It was still quiet.
Gradually, murmurs started to accumulate.
It was Jenna who broke the silence between Jeremy and his friends.
"Mad fucking respect."
Which, true.
Next period was Chemistry. Their teacher entered the room with the headphones kid from lunch. Jeremy’s eyes had widened at that and he gave Christine a tap so she would shift her attention to the dude in front. Ms. Villegas gave the student a pat, as though to introduce himself. Headphones kid nodded.
Jeremy stared at him, prepared to hear this unusual kid’s name. If he were being honest, he was still pretty impressed from what happened a while ago— he even looked fine which would mean he probably outran Dustin Kropp’s gang. Christine, who was smiling beside him, seemed to be just as excited and curious as he was, so she had her back straight as she waited in anticipation.
Finally, the tanned teen gave the class a lazy smile, “Heyya." He did a small wave, "I’m Michael Mell. Cool meeting you all.”
Jeremy's chest did a small flip upon hearing Michael's voice. He blinked. Weird.