*I have never seen the actual musical, I'm just an obsessed fan of the OBCR while I'm waiting for the book to come to my library through MelCat, so I hope that the reader will understand if details that are canon are wrong. If this is so, please tell me in the comments, and I will edit my story when I can. This is starting out as a one-shot, but if I get inspired, I might expand on it. I hope the reader likes it, and I look forward to sharing my first Be More Chill fanfiction.
As always, I do not own the characters, songs, or plot of BMC. Those belong to the amazing Joe Iconis and Ned Vizzini.*
Rich was fuckin' crazy. Now, I'm not one to say someone is crazy. I look at my life and realize that I have zero room to talk. Okay, I'm not crazy, but I'm not dumb enough to say I'm not weird. People look at me and their prolonged stares tell me that I leave something to be desired in society's standards in order to be considered "popular" or even "normal," but I don't care. I had everything I needed in Jeremy. He's the only person I really care about in that whole school, and I'm apparently his favorite person in the world.
At least I was. We used to hang out every day after school. After his parents divorced, he would sleep over pretty much every night. It was fucking awesome. We'd play Nintendo: Zombies and talk about Christine and my girlfriend Nicole all the time. We played D&D online and somehow Jeremy always ended up dying within three game days. I tried coaching him, but he always seemed to prefer to lie on the couch with his head on my lap listening to me narrate the rest of the game rather than actually play. Part of me wonders if he died on purpose, but he always denied that fact. I couldn't argue with that smirk on his face.
When Nicole eventually broke up with me, I let myself go. And when I say, "let myself go," I mean even more than normal. I didn't leave my room for a week. I didn't do anything. I couldn't even bring myself to play video games. Throughout that entire week, Jeremy would bring me my homework. He even convinced the teacher to photocopy the notes from that day's lecture so I would know what we covered that day. He was the one who convinced me that wallowing in self-pity is what Nicole would want. I'm pretty sure Nicole didn't really think about what I was doing; she was too busy having sex with Jason Flip. But I could tell Jeremy was really lonely, so I got myself up and forced myself to go to school. Eventually, I got over Nicole and we made it to level 9 of Nintendo: Zombies. It took us five weeks. Don't judge, it's a hard game! It would've taken twice as long without Jeremy, though.
Now, I don't know where I stand with him. He took that SQUIP, and ever since then he hasn't acknowledged me at all, except for that one day at school he accused me of avoiding him. I didn't even know how to react, so I just gave him the benefit of the doubt. He had just taken drugs; I know I get fucked up when I – yeah, I'm not going to put that on paper. But it's been three weeks, and he hasn't even made eye contact with me. I mean, he looks in my direction, but it looks like he is just staring right through me. Like I'm not even there. And then he starts talking to Rich. It's like they're intellectually connected or something now. I'm not letting it get to my head; he needs more than one friend. As long as I'm still his favorite person, he can hang with whomever he wants. It's America. It's a free country! God, I need to stop being so jealous; we're still friends!
I think.
What's with the doubts, Michael? Of course, you're friends. You just need to give him space. That's it.
Anyways, back to Rich.
Rich was fuckin' crazy. He seemed to be having fun at the party. He was swinging his arms around in this weird-ass dance move, jerking his head and kicking over any houseplant he could find. Thankfully, Jake's parents were kind of germophobes, so none of the plants were real, and he didn't really make a mess. It was kind of funny to watch, actually, until he began to scream and curse in a decibel that human ears should not be able to hear –
"FUCK YOU, JAKE. I NEED MOUNTAIN DEW REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!"
Now, ever since Jeremy had told me about the SQUIP and how he wanted one, I've been searching the Internet for any scrap of information I could find about this computer drug from Japan. It turns out Rich was exaggerating when he said that it's top secret. A Google search allowed me to find it, but it was on page 35, so I can see why not many people would know about it. Turns out it takes green Mountain Dew to activate it.
Think back…think back…Fuck. We had Taco Bell in the mall cafeteria the afternoon he ditched me at the mall. Okay, that makes sense.
It also turns out that Mountain Dew Red is what deactivates the SQUIP. I found that weird. That's been discontinued for like ten years, but then again, I don't know many people who use SQUIPS, so maybe it was discontinued because nobody uses the computer, and really it just tastes like shit. It sounds fucking disgusting.
Rich wants Mountain Dew Red. How would he know about Mountain Dew Red? He's too "cool" to care about discontinued soda pops from the 90s, unless…unless…oh shit.
I leap off the stool I had been sitting on in the corner of Jake's living room. I had to find Jeremy.
"Jeremy!" I shout. "Jeremy!" People began staring at me, but I didn't care. I had to find my best friend.
I saw him start going up the stairs to the second floor with Chloe.
"JEREMY, S-STOP!" He turned and looked at me. He actually looked at me. I couldn't let him get away. I started running towards him, stumbling over pillows and solo cups that littered the floor. I looked up to make sure Jeremy was still there, and I swear I saw pity in his eyes.
"Jer – Jeremy…" I paused, trying to catch my breath.
"Michael? What is it?" He whispered, his voice sounding urgent, like he couldn't wait to start ignoring me again. I could sense eyes staring at us, not the least of which were Chloe's, who was standing right behind Jeremy on the stairs. I knew that look on her face. She wanted to go places with Jeremy, and I don't mean just the bedroom. I wasn't completely sure what that supercomputer in his brain was capable of, but I know that normal Jeremy wouldn't have sex with Chloe. His obsession since seventh grade was Christine Canigula. I don't think he'd give that up for a girl like Chloe.
"Hey, um—Jeremy, can we, uh, talk, you know, somewhere a little more private?"
Jeremy looked at Chloe nervously. "Hey, can you—" He paused for a second, then his jaw tightened and he continued, "Hey, go wait for me." He was very direct; I may not like the fact that Jeremy doesn't talk to me anymore, but he definitely has the "cool dude" suave down.
Jeremy came up to me and leaned on the railing. My breath caught a little in my throat. I could feel his breath on my face. It smelled like beer, but I didn't care. He was looking at my face, staring in my eyes, wanting to talk to me. Maybe we didn't have to be the way we were for the past few weeks. Maybe tonight can be the beginning of something new. I'm sure it will, especially once he hears the news I have for him.
"Michael, I don't have time for games. What do you want?" I was pulled out of it by Jeremy's harsh voice. I didn't have his attention for very long, and I needed to tell him about Rich before I disappeared from him again for who knows how long.
"Have you seen Rich?"
"Oh, I saw Rich. What about him?" Jeremy started tapping his fingers on the banister. I needed to hurry.
"He's going crazy, Jeremy. He's obviously SQUIPPED and he is searching for a way to deactivate the computer!"
Jeremy eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, he's "obviously" SQUIPPED? What makes you think Rick has a SQUIP?" He was super defensive and I was taken aback.
"I – I just heard him screaming—"
"I think, oh, I don't know, I think you're just jealous of the fact that I have friends that aren't you. Huh?" He must've seen my eyes pop out of my head at his accusation, cause he continued, "You're just upset that I have a girlfriend that is way hotter than yours ever was, that I can get invited to shit like this, but you have to be drug along, by me."
"Well, I don't think—"
"No, Michael, you don't think. You seem to think I still want to hang out with you. Well you're wrong. I don't want to hang out with you. I don't want to hang out with you, I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to even be seen with you. God, you are such a loser, Michael," He paused. I was speechless.
"Stop following me. Stop trying to get my attention. Do you understand?"
Goodbye, Michael."
I barely felt my head bob a nod.
He looked at me, and his eyes glazed over, and I knew I had lost him.
I understood, but I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye.
