Yo, welcome to my new story! I have a little bit of an idea about what I'm gonna do with this story, but if anyone has a suggestion for the story, definitely let me know! I don't own BMC obviously but I have some info on the story here we go:

They're all seniors

Christine and Dustin are cousins( this is actually canon o my god) also he's the main provider of weed at school and is constantly broke

Christine and Jeremy are together bc they are just cute dorks ah, and Michael and Rich are together bc I felt like it

Uuuhhhh Rich has burn scars and Jakes legs are healing

here comes the big one: I'm gonna be super unoriginal and make Evan and Jeremy step-brothers, this has some impact on the story don't worry

this story is gonna be kinda slow at the beginning but it'll pick up real quick don't worry

ON TO THE STORY

J

Jeremy was better.

He had a great girlfriend, Michael didn't hate him, he was mending things with Brooke, and he could now stand to be in the same room with Chloe.

Michael, he was something. He was hilarious, supportive, and wasn't afraid to tell Jeremy off about his shit. They hung out whenever they could and still told each other everything. Michael told Jeremy about the bathroom incident, to which Jeremy apologized profusely, and that was when Michael revealed how he had a crush on him for three years. Jeremy apologized again, but he just didn't reciprocate the feelings.

Michael told him that it was okay, that he was over Jeremy, that he had Rich now. After everything, the Squip, the fight, everything, Michael was still his friend, and they ended up getting high and playing video games after that.

Brooke, she was amazing. When the 'Squip Squad' as they dubbed it, were getting closer, Jeremy made Brooke chocolate chip cookies to apologize for what had happened. At least, he tried to. He ended up almost setting the oven on fire, and used three times the butter than what was listed, but he made them, and when he gave them to Brooke the next day, he realized just how much he sucked at baking.

She had tried to hide her smile, her shy, pretty, smile, but instead ended up falling into her locker as she suppressed giggles. Jeremy laughed and feigned hurt, but helped her up nonetheless. After he told her he was so, so sorry, for everything, she forgave him. He remembered how she had inspected the black, brittle lumps before throwing them away and told him he owed her a trip to Pinkberry.

He made it up to her.

Then there's Chloe. Sassy, bitchy, beautiful Chloe. After the bedroom incident, she hadn't tried to earn back Jeremy's trust very hard, but she's eventually told him she was sorry. He accepted it, but still tried to avoid being in the same room with her alone. Eventually they mended their friendship, but they're still uneasy around each other.

Of course, Jeremy won't forget that one time when he didn't have anything to wear on a date with Christine, and she showed up at his door thirty minutes later with Starbucks and seven outfits to try on.

And Christine. Christine was everything Jeremy ever wished from a girl. She was passionate, beautiful, sweet, and she was in to Jeremy, which is the best quality he could've asked for.

After the Squip incident, Christine and Jeremy had tried to deal with the trauma themselves. Jeremy stayed holed up in his room for five days in a row, only leaving to eat and use the bathroom (which wasn't even leaving, the bathroom was connected to his room by a small door). Though they kissed after Jeremy confessed his feelings, they barely talked after that, and according to Christine, she had avoided everyone at school, staying in her room when she got home, too.

Eventually, Christine reached out to him via text, and they decided on a date to go out and talk about what was next for them. They met up at a quaint coffee shop, Christine choosing raspberry tea, an odd choice in late January, and Jeremy had a simple coffee with too much cream and sugar to be healthy.

They worked out their problems, talked about what they were, if they were a couple, and as awkward as it was, they got through it. They decided to try being together for a week, seeing what it would be like.

They went on their first official date Febuary 1st. They went to Sbarro and shared a pizza. It was awkward, in a cute, dorky, way, and Christine managed to convince him to join the school play next year, despite what had happened mere weeks before.

Before they let, Christine gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and he left feeling tingly, kind of in shock, like he had just won the lottery. When he got home he told Michael everything, and Michael was supportive, joking and made fun of him for falling in love on the first date. (He said things like 'jeez Jer, at least take her out to dinner first' and 'jeez Jer, at do the dirty first')

Jeremy had friends, a girlfriend, and his dad was finally starting to wear pants again, which was nice, and despite most of them being ridiculously skin-tight, neon jeans or leather bell-bottoms, at least he was wearing them. It was the thought that counts.

Then there was Heidi and Evan Hansen. Heidi was his Dad's girlfriend, who he had met through -get this- Tinder. When they finally met in person, it had surprisingly gone well, and they went on more and more dates, until they finally moved in about a month before school ended.

Jeremy's bed has always been a twin, so it wasn't too hard to fit Evan's bed (which was also a twin), and an extra dresser into his room. The two beds were pressed against the wall by the head, and bedside table inbetween the two beds, which left a small space between the beds.

Evan and Heidi turned out to be a great addition to the Heere household. Heidi kept Mr. Heere under control (basically she made him wear pants and told him that eating Lucky Charms for every meal wasn't healthy), and taught Jeremy how to properly do laundry, unlike how Michael had taught him years ago (no, Jer, you don't have to separate the colors and whites, Michael and told him). Surprisingly, Evan and Jeremy sharing a room proved helpful, because Evan's anxiety kept from the room getting too dirty. Which usually meant Jeremy would wake up to Evan organizing Jeremy's xBox cords at six in the morning.

They had moved in a few weeks ago, and Jeremy didn't have anyone over because the house was a war zone of boxes and laundry and misplaced furniture.

Jeremy's life was turning around, which brings us to present day Middleborough, New Jersey, on May 26th, 2017, at 3:42 in the afternoon.

"Jeremy!" A familiar tall, brown haired boy ran up to him, shouldering his bag and shoving his phone into his jacket pocket. "Chris wanted to see you at her locker. She said it's urgent."

Immediatly Jeremy thought of the worst possible scenarios. She wanted to break up with him, he wasn't good enough, she found someone better, she was moving away-no. He can't think of things like that. Instead of voicing his thoughts, he mustered a meek "Thanks, Jake," and reluctantly watched him walk out the front door of the school, gazing on sadly as Jake high-fived Rich on his way out.

He walked slowly, not wanting to face the inevitable breakup that was happening in less than five minutes. Jeremy knew he shouldn't have gotten so attached to her, to someone so out of his league. He finally reached her locker just as she was closing it.

She turned and smiled brightly at him, and just like that, his worries washed away. He mustered a small smile in return, trying not to let his anxiety get the best of him.

Christine's smile faded slightly, and her eyebrows furrowed in the cutest way possible. She gently touched his arm. "Hey, are you okay?" He nodded furiously.

"Oh, yeah, just uh, yep."

She gently takes his hand and kisses him on the cheek. It's kind of awkward because Christine is so short and Jeremy is super Tallis he has to lean forward, but it's a sweet gesture. He's starting to feel better, maybe she just wanted to talk and walk home with him.

"Did you need something? I didn't expect to see you here, I figured I'd just catch up on my way over to your house." Jeremy's face converted into one of confusion at her words.

"But Jake said you wanted to talk to me." She smiled a little and laced their fingers, packing up her bag with one hand. Jeremy leans down and helps her with the last book. She grins a little and despite himself, he kisses her.

She never responds to his comment. (He doesn't mind.)

Someone clears their throat behind them, and they both look up sheepishly. Michael stood over them, shaking his head in faux disappointment, sipping a slushie.

"Straight people," he said in a disapproving tone, "they never learn."

Jeremy stood up and let go of Christine's hand for a moment to do their signature handshake. (Jeremy is still a fucking NERD)

"We still on for Saturday?" Michael and Jeremy had decided to get high and play video games in Michael's basement Saturday night.

"Yeah, I think so. Dad said something about an 'attic expedition' or something. He basically just wants to go up and look for stuff for mine and Evan's room." Jeremy grabbed Christine's hand again as she stood up. She smiled up at Michael. (She's so short omg)

"We should probably get going, don't want to be around when the chess club meets." Jeremy urged, and shouldered his bag. Michael nodded and adjusted his glasses. His phone beeped and he grinned sheepishly.

"That's probably Rich. I told him I would meet him outside, and we know he has the attention span of a field mouse. See ya'." Michael walked off, adjusting his headphones on his head and hiking his bag up his shoulders.

"That boy is in love." Christine commented as she watched him dance away toward the front doors of the school. Jeremy snorted.

"Rich just better not fuck up or hurt him, or he'll be fucked up and hurt." Christine lightly smacked his chest.

"Don't say that! Rich is your friend, dummy. Also I highly you could beat him up." She continued shoving books into her gray bag as Jeremy grumbled about how 'she didn't have any hope in him' and 'he could totally beat up Rich because he used to do at least thirty push-ups a day because of the SQUIP', so she kissed him to shut him up.

She finished trying to fit the thousands of books in her backpack and zipped it up. As she grabbed her gym bag filled with clothes and other necessities for the night at Jeremy's, Dustin Kropp walked up to them, bringing the rich smell of weed with.

"Hello, dear cousin." Dustin cooed as he leaned against the locker next to Christine.

She groaned inwardly as she kneeled on the ground in front of her locker. She glared up at him through a lock of dark hair that shadowed her eyes. Jeremy shuffled awkwardly and edged closer to Christine's side.

"What do you want, Dustin?" She huffed at him, blowing the hair out of her eyes.

He yawned and stretched luxuriously, arching his back and stretching his arms out in a way that reminded Christine of a smug, lazy cat in the sun.

She stood and swung her gym bag over her backpack. Jeremy gently laces their fingers, for moral support, she assumes, and doesn't miss the incredulous look Dustin sends her way when he notices, like: him? You could date anyone in the school, and you choose him? She simply glares in return. He shakes his head.

"You see, sweet Christine, I'm in a sort of-" he faltered slightly under the ferocity of his cousin's gaze. "Financial predicament, of sorts." She scoffed and turned away, gripping Jeremy's hand a bit too tightly for his liking as she started to walk off.

"Chrissy, wait," Dustin called, almost desperately. Good.

She agitatedly turned, her hair whipping in her face and getting a few strands stuck in her mouth.

"What?" As she said it, she realized how strained and exasperated she sounded. She self-consciously cleared her throat, and gripped Jeremy's hand tighter. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles soothingly.

"I only need fif-" he was cut off as Christine held up a hand to stop him.

"No. I'm not giving you money so you can buy weed. I don't care if we're 'related', Dustin. I don't care if you're 'in danger' because you can't pay back your dealer. Honestly, Dustin, I stopped giving a shit about you years ago." She turned back around and dragged Jeremy along with her toward the front doors.

They had stayed longer than they wanted to, so Christine hurried down the hall, dodging lingering students and ignoring the yelling and groaning from the chess club in the library.

Jeremy managed to escape from her grasp and hurried to her side. He touched her shoulder and she flinched and jerked from his hand, but didn't stop. Now he was worried, at least, more worried than he was before.

She pushed open the heavy door to the school, and sniffled slightly, hoping Jeremy would think it was from the cold. She hurried and prays to whoever's up there Dustin isn't following them.

Jeremy catches up and grabs her hand, gently guiding her to one of the picnic tables in the front courtyard. When she turns to look at him, he's surprised to see she has tears in her eyes.

He pulls her into a hug, and she laughs, in the weird, wet way you laugh when you're about to cry. When she pulls away and Jeremy sees the way she looks when she cries (he doesn't think he's ever seen her cry before), his heart breaks just a little.

He grabs both her hands and covers them with his, and Christine looks down at them, an unexplainable look on her face. Melancholy, maybe?

She takes a shaky breath. "Dustin and I were best friends the second we saw each other. He's related to me on my dad's side, which explains," she gives a breathy laugh, "everything."

Christine is thankful no one else is in the courtyard to see her tears. It's embarrassing enough that she's leaning on her boyfriend and staining his nice blue shirt (that compliments his eyes so well) with mascara and tears, so someone seeing would just be adding salt to the wound.

Of course, he is warm, despite the odd chill in the air (it's May, why is it so cold?), and his hands are rubbing small circles in her back comfortingly. Her head is resting on his chest, and his chin is gently brushing against her forehead as he whispers soothing words in her ear.

"Everytime we would see each other, at parties or picnics, we would play and laugh, and when he moved close enough to be at the same school as me, it was the best news I had gotten I while. This was in sixth grade. I was always the theatre girl, who had many mutuals but never any friends. Dustin and I stuck together until eighth grade, and they were the best two years of my life. Platonic study dates, note passing, we sent each other outdated memes, Jeremy. Memes." She laughs at that, but it's still sad and sniffly.

Jeremy builds the courage to ask: "What happened in eighth grade?"

She sniffs and wipes her eye on her sleeve, smearing her mascara even more, but she doesn't give a shit. "He started hanging out with the wrong people, doing drugs, drinking, smoking. Never enough to get caught, but enough so he could stop feeling, even for a minute."

She stops abruptly, stiffening as she recalls one of the worst nights of her life. Jeremy presses soft kisses to her forehead in a feeble attempt to comfort her. It doesn't work, but Christine appreciates the gesture.

"Then one night, he comes to my house, drunk out of his mind. He could barely walk, he was so goddamn lucky my parents weren't home. He begged for me to let him crash there for the night, saying that if he went home his parents would beat the shit out of him. My stupid thirteen year old self took pity on him. I let him crash in my bed, called his parents and lied, told my parents the same thing. He slept for a little, and when he woke up he was a bit more sober. I-"

She broke off, her words choking her, getting stuck in her throat. "I tried to ask him what happened, I pressed him too hard, I guess, and he-" she lets loose a sob and covers her mouth. She's never been a pretty crier. She presses herself closer to her boyfriend, thankful he's dealt with her shit this long.

"He hit me. He stood up and slapped me across the face." She feels Jeremy stiffen and his hands start hurting her back as he rubs circles harder and harder. She shrugs him off, and he must've realized what he was doing because he holds her hands instead.

"Granted, it wasn't very hard, keep in mind he was still super wasted, and I got over it, but he's just such an asshole, and I don't know how I used to like him. I don't know how we used to be friends." She clears her throat and wipes her eyes.

"Wait. You said he was related on your dad's side, and that explained everything. What was that supposed to mean?" The question blurted out of Jeremy's mouth before he could process it.

Christine reels back like she's been slapped (don't make that analogy Jeremy). "Nothing, it doesn't matter. Let's go, I'm excited to meet Evan." She changed the subject quickly, and Jeremy was smart enough to know not to press for details.

He handed her his phone and she looked at it oddly before she saw the makeup that gave her raccoon eyes in the reflection. She wiped it off and handed it back to Jeremy.

They grabbed their bags and started off to Jeremy's house. He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers. She smiles and kicks a pebble down the sidewalk.

"Jer?" She asks.

"Yeah?" He glances down at her, and the sun hits his hair so perfectly, giving him a halo-type look, and Christine sucks a breath in. She realizes in that moment how great he is. Despite the makeup stains on his shirt, and the acne that speckles his forehead, he looks beautiful, inside and out. His pretty blue eyes search her face, and his hand is soft and warm in hers.

It's then that she realizes she has so much to tell him, so much she needs to tell him, so many secrets about herself, her family, her feelings. Specifically feelings for him.

She thinks she might love him.

She has so much to say. So many thoughts run through her head. She doesn't voice them, though. Instead she says, "Thank you."

Jeremy's front door gets closer.

"You're welcome." He says

They reach the door.

It opens.

Wowie that got way longer than I intended. Honestly I had a whole thing planned about what this chapter was going to be about and then threw it all out the window and write this. Thing. This story is really fun already even if this chapter isn't that good but what can you do. Also I was calling my friend when writing half of this so if anything is inconsistent (even though I double checked it) let me know in the reviews! Speaking of, reviews are greatly appreciated and make my day when I read them, so make sure to leave a review, I love them. I hope you all have a great day/night wherever you are!