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Jeremy knew he had no right to be jealous. He’d treated Michael like shit, and not just because of the SQUIP. He’d apologized, and even though Michael had accepted it, he still felt terrible about the SQUIP thing.
Still, Michael was his best friend, had been a part of his life practically forever, and that’s why it really annoyed him how often Michael talked about Connor.
Someone whom, as Jeremy liked to point out, spent at most 2 days with. So how had Connor managed to get Michael to talk about him so often?
“Connor said,” “Connor thinks,” “Sorry, I have to take a quick call with Connor,” “Nope, I can’t, Connor needs me, maybe another time.”
This Connor even knew things about Michael that Jeremy didn’t know.
He had found college brochures from New York in his bedroom, and when he’d asked him about them, Michael had just shrugged and said, in passing, that Connor had gotten them for him. But they were supposed to go to college together and be cool together there.
And now he was thinking about going to New York, where, as luck would have it, Connor also lives.
Michael slipped away from him. Without realizing it, Jeremy had gone from being Player 2 to Player 3, and that hurt, really hurt.
But there was something else on Jeremy’s mind. Sometimes, when Connor called, Michael would leave the room or turn his screen upside down when he got a message.
They used to have no secrets from each other, but now there was Connor, and everything was different.
More and more often, the thought crossed Jeremy's mind that Connor might be more than just a friend.
Not that Jeremy would have a problem with Michael being gay. He'd still love him just as much as before and see him as his best friend, but it would explain why Connor had suddenly become so important to him.
If Connor was Michael's boyfriend, Jeremy could handle that. But if he was Michael's new best friend, then...
You deserved it, considering how you treated him, the SQUIP sneered in his head.
“Shut up,” Jeremy growled angrily at the SQUIP. He knew that himself.
Michael would have had every right in the world to dump Jeremy, but he hadn’t done it because he was a great person. And that’s why Jeremy would fight for their friendship, too.
He might have driven him into the arms of that Connor guy, but he wasn’t going to surrender without a fight to some dark-haired New Yorker.
Now all he had to do was figure out what Connor actually meant to Michael.
Level 1: Find a way to talk about it!
Their weekly game-and-movie night was the perfect opportunity for deep conversations, but Jeremy was nervous.
“How's your dad, by the way? Does he have a second pair of pants now?” Michael asked, groaning in frustration as he was hit by a red shell and knocked off the map.
“Damn, I'll never catch up to that. You've got to save my honor, Jeremy.”
“Leave it to me,” Jeremy said, and with quick fingers pulled off a complicated passing maneuver, moving into first place. Fully focused on the finish line, already tasting victory for his team, he overlooked a banana peel, went into a skid, and a Toad passed him, snatching victory right from under his nose.
“NO!” Jeremy and Michael shouted in unison. Determined, they looked at each other. “Let’s do it again!”
“I’ll get some snacks and drinks, you find us some new opponents,” Michael said, and Jeremy nodded eagerly.
“Oh, right, Dad,” Jeremy realized he hadn’t answered Michael at all, but that was fine, since it gave him a way to change the subject.
Loaded up with snacks and soft drinks, Michael came back and set them down on the floor before sitting down next to Jeremy. “Ready?” asked Michael, controller in hand, grinning at Jeremy.
“Ready when you are.” The race started, and Jeremy had his goal right in front of him.
Level 1 completed!+1 Courage +1 Intelligence
Level 2: Find out their relationship status!
“About my dad,” Jeremy began, his gaze fixed intently on the TV, “he even has several pairs of pants now.”
“Are you serious? That’s awesome.” This wasn’t really supposed to be groundbreaking news, but you take what you can get.
“His new girlfriend is good for him, I think. She’s a nurse, her name is Heidi,” Jeremy continued. “Have you met her yet?” Michael asked, and immediately afterward celebrated having shot down a person with a green shell.
“Hmm, no. They’re still in a sort of long-distance relationship right now, but Dad wants to introduce her to me soon. She has a son who’s older than me. We’re going to Rochester to visit her next weekend to get to know her before her son leaves for college.”
Michael pricked up his ears. “Connor lives in Rochester. Maybe he knows the guy, too. Should I ask him?” Excitedly, he looked from Michael to Jeremy. “Will you guys take me with you? I haven’t seen Connor in person in a long time.”
Jeremy pursed his lips. He didn't know that Connor lived there, too. But the fact that Michael would rather hang out with Connor than explore New York with him and leave him alone with his dad's girlfriend really hurt.
“Is this some new strategy, or why are you driving into the wall?” Michael asked, laughing. “We want to win, so get moving.”
Jeremy didn’t care about the race; he just wanted to know whether he’d lost his best friend or not. The perfect moment wasn’t going to come anyway, so he might as well just ask.
“I hate to ask, but … is Connor your boyfriend?”
Michael stared at him, his mouth agape, like a deer in the headlights.
In the background, Jeremy heard the music that played when you lost the game, and he started to panic.
Quick-Time Event: Explain your question without making things worse!
“Not that that's a bad thing, though!” Jeremy hastily explained. “If you had a boyfriend, that would be totally cool, I mean, not cool, but okay, so it’d be cool for me. Because I wouldn’t have any problem with it if you were gay. Not that I have a problem with other gay guys, they’re cool, too. Well, Will from English class is a jerk, but not because he’s gay, it’s because he’s a jerk, and this isn’t even about him anyway, it’s about you. So, it really wouldn’t be a big deal for me, though it wouldn’t be a big deal for anyone else either. And if they have a problem with it, screw them, you’re too good for them. You’ll always be my favorite person, no matter who you’re into.”
Jeremy talked his head off while Michael continued to stare at him, speechless.
“It’s just,” Jeremy finally said, trying to get to the point. “Please be honest with me, is Connor your Player 2?”
Level 2 Complete +10 Courage +10 Speed
Final Level: Live with the Answer
Jeremy could hardly bring himself to look Michael in the eye. He had expected anything but for Michael to start bursting out laughing. Michael was literally rolling on the floor with laughter and couldn't even get a word out.
-10 Confidence +100 Damage
Michael was doubled over with laughter, holding his stomach. “Me and Connor?” he burst out laughing. “Dude, what made you think of that?”
Jeremy's face turned bright red with embarrassment. “Well, because all you ever talk about is him, man,” Jeremy said, sounding angrier than he meant to.
“Really?” Michael asked, taken aback. “I didn’t even notice.” “
But I did,” Jeremy said snappily. “And what’s the deal with that college in New York? I thought we were going to college together.”
“The brochure? Connor got it for me so my moms would think I’m giving it some thought and leave me alone.”
Oh, that kind of made sense. “And what’s the deal with your secret conversations and messages?”
“All right, okay,” Michael admitted thoughtfully. “That…” he pondered, “That’s private, okay. Connor isn’t doing so well sometimes, and I try to help him. And…” He looked at his controller, “He also helps me figure out a little more about myself.”
“You mean… you’re…?” Michael nodded hesitantly. “Okay,” Jeremy said, about to speak again, but Michael cut him off.
“I heard you earlier, you don’t need to say all that again,” he said, tapping his feet lightly. It was a nervous gesture that Jeremy had often seen him make.
“But I meant every word of it,” Jeremy assured him, and Michael smiled slightly.
“And I’m really glad to hear that, dude. It’s just… sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone who’s been through it already, you know. Connor just knows more about this than you do.”
“I get it,” Jeremy agreed. “So no, Connor and I aren’t dating, we’re just good friends.”
On the one hand, Jeremy was relieved. On the other, he was sad that he couldn't help Michael. Somewhere along the path to adulthood, they had apparently taken different paths that, while they always intersected, were no longer quite the same.
“Sorry I acted like that,” Jeremy apologized. “For acting like a jealous girlfriend?” Michael asked him with a grin and a raised eyebrow, and Jeremy was about to protest. “I—okay, yeah, that’s true, sorry about that.”
Michael laughed, and Jeremy joined in. All the tension had left him, and the wall he’d felt inside had practically crumbled.
“After all that stress, how about a good, healthy round of Mario Kart? We still need to clear that level,” Michael suggested. “Let's get to it” Jeremy agreed, and they started the game together.
Final Level Completed. Thanks for playing! +100 Friendship
Bonus: Player 3 wants to join your party!#
Yes
No
Michael chuckled next to Jeremy. “Connor, my Player 2, he’d have to learn how to play first.”
“I could show him,” Jeremy offered. He wanted to get to know Connor for real. Ultimately, it was always nice when people joined the group. Maybe his potential stepbrother would turn out to be pretty nice, too.