a/n: in the time I haven't been updating, I've been obsessed with The Lightning Thief the Musical. I saw it a couple weeks ago and have been reading the Percy Jackson books again, so if you're looking for a fandom to re-indulge or dive into, I totally recommend The Lightning Thief!! it's A+ work (and it has George Salazar as Grover) ~car

also, thank you to my lovely editors — Locally_Gay  and Madddie_Hatter  for helping me edit this chapter!! they're such sweeties❤️❤️

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PREVIOUSLY

Player One aka dumbass: (1:36pm) Tonight at 8? Arcade?

Player Two aka the cooler dumbass: (1:36pm) I'll see you there.

****

"Are you meeting your kids at the arcade?" Jeremy's Uber driver asked.

Jeremy blinked, ". . . Uh, no. I don't, uh, have kids. I'm 18."

"Well kids are coming out young, you know."

"I don't kids, five stars, bye!" Jeremy had never bolted out of a car so fast in his life.

After the scrawny male had made it inside, he started searching for his mole-ridden friend. Through the twelve-year-olds who weren't even half their height (or the thirteen-year-olds who were twice their size), it wasn't that hard to find him (mostly because Michael was hunched over, face against the glass and jerking the joysticks of the Pac-Man game in the arcade). Jeremy shuffled through the sea of hormones to get to Michael. As Jeremy loomed over the black haired male, his hand hovered over Michael. Once it touched Michael's back, the Filipino jumped back and looked at Jeremy with a slightly panicked look on his face. Michael pushed his (foggy) glasses up his nose a bit and looked Jeremy in the eye.

"Dude. . . there's something called 'talking'. Not touching my back and rubbing it like a complete pedo." Michael retorted with a slightly snarky tone in his voice.

"Sorry sorry, I got nervous! You know how I overthink things and then it gets jumbled up in my head and then it just like, my body reacts!" Jeremy rambled, scrambling to find some type of answer

"You got nervous. . With me? You've known me for like, twelve years. You should know me good enough to not be nervous."

"I can't help it, it just happens." Jeremy responded.

"Whatever floats your boat, pal." Michael shrugged, then looked back towards the game, "You killed my last Pac-Man life! What an ass." His eyes squinted before he straightened his body.

Michael just started waking off without a word toward Jeremy. The brunette followed shortly behind his tall friend, Michael braving the crowd and getting through the screaming six year olds who went to the off-budget Chuck-E-Cheese that they were at for their birthday. Michael had lead Jeremy outside to his car, a confused look painting itself over Jeremy's face. Once the two male's plopped into Michael's PT Cruiser, Jeremy opened his mouth to say something.

The Filipino held up a finger, "Don't say anything." He said with a deep breath in. His chest rose and he felt his body getting a bit lighter.

Jeremy shut his mouth real fast. He could hear his own breaths as he waited anxiously for words to leave Michael's mouth. The brunette gulped, and kept his eyes fixated on his friend.

"You know how you've never been to that house I took you to the other day. . Right? And that's weird. . Also right?"

"Right--"

"Bro, I just said 'don't talk'," Michael blinked, "so don't talk. . Just let me get this over with." He let out a small breath, "But you've been to my house before, correct?"

Jeremy nodded, not daring to open his mouth.

"That's because you've gone to my mom and step-mom's house. The place you went to was my dad's house. So, like. . ." He shrugged, "Yeah. I don't know what else there is to it, but I thought I'd just get that out there."

"Okay. . . Can I talk now?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah, go ahead."

"I, uh," Jeremy inhaled, "I've been a real ass to you lately, and I'm sorry. I should've taken your feelings into consideration more than the dynamics and I don't want to lose you."

"Are you sorry for what you did, or because I started to distance myself from you?"

"Obviously because I hurt you." Jeremy said.

"That doesn't sound very convincing." Michael crossed his arms.

"Oh well, I don't mean for it to not sound convincing. . I'm just trying to apologize."

Michael pursed his lips, "I've probably overreacted as well. . And I'm sorry if I took any feelings I was feeling out on you."

"It's okay. . ." Jeremy's voice trailed off, "I guess we both suck, don't we?"

Michael laughed softly, "I guess we do."

"Friends?" Jeremy asked, the two making eye contact with a small smile on his face. Faint dimples on Jeremy's face could be seen (in the place under the mouth but not technically the chin) beneath quite a few acne scars that littered his skin.

"Friends." Michael grinned back at Jeremy.

****

"Jake, she's cheating on you!" Rich bursted into Jake's apartment, "How could she not be? All Dustin Kropp talks about is her. . And I've seen her with hi-- oh, hi Chloe." Rich stopped himself and tried to spin around to leave before Chloe stopped him.

"Richard." She looked over at Rich.

"I should really get going. . I gotta feed my, uh. .  Cat." He quickly ran out.

After Rich slammed the door shut, Jake and Chloe looked at each other. Brooke was there too, but she wasn't sitting close to them. She was honestly just waiting for the moment someone else would arrive so she wouldn't be the awkward third wheel. 

"You. . You aren't cheating on me, are you?" Jake asked Chloe, brows furrowing and a small frown forming on his (perfect) face.

"No." Chloe responded, almost too quickly, "Why would I ever do that?"

"Am I not making you happy?" Jake questioned, tone in his voice getting more depressing with each passing moment

"No, it's not that, Jakey. . . why would you believe Rich so blindly?" Chloe shrugged her shoulders back

"Bros before hoes, Chlo." Jake gulped, "So. . . You swear you're not cheating on me?"

"I swear." Chloe smiled softly and ran a hand across his face.

Jake exhaled, "Okay. . ."

Brooke bit the inside of her cheek, eyes wide and tensions high. She kept her mouth shut and looked away awkwardly.

****

It was the next day, and it was around lunch time. Everyone was gathered in the cafeteria, eating, throwing food at their friends (or prey), being annoying, and finding themselves in a whirlpool of social media and expectations. Brooke and Chloe were sitting together, eating and laughing with a couple of friends until it suddenly became silent amongst the two friends.

"Your presence is annoying me, Brooke. Stop eating so weird," Chloe snapped randomly.

Brooke blinked, "Uh, sorry." She said meekly, pushing her food away from her, "I didn't mean to annoy you."

Jenna looked around the table, waiting for someone to speak up, "Is there something going on here that the rest of us need to know about?"

"Shut up, Jenna. No one asked for your input," Chloe snapped, eyes glaring into her soul.

"Why would you lie to everyone, Chloe?" Brooke asked, voice barely loud enough to hear over the loudness of the cafeteria.

"I'm not lying about anything," Chloe told her friend, "I have no reason to lie."

". . . But you do lie. A lot."

"No, I don't." She gave Brooke a look that meant 'stop now before things get worse' while Jake's hand was intertwined with hers.

"But--"

"Stop."

"Why do you always shut me down?" Brooke started to get up, pushing her chair out so she could.

"I don't."

"Yes you do," Brooke said.

"Don't leave, Brooke," Chloe didn't look at her friend, she just kept her head forward with a stern look on her face.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because I said so."

Brooke sucked in a deep breath, then started walking off. Her body shook as she made her way through the crowd of floor food and people.

"I have something you don't have, Brooke. I have friends. You're kicked out! Don't come back," Her brows furrowed as the brunette stood up, "You'll regret ever leaving! Just like you'll regret all the dirt I'm going to spread on you. . . And with Jenna on my side, that'll be easy!"

"Who said I was on your side?" Jenna asked. "I'm a gossiper, I'm not mean."

"Because I'm the one that's right here, Jenna. She is not," Chloe whipped her head over to her friend before quickly turning it back, "You won't be anything once you leave this room, Brooke!" Chloe proclaimed, "Your hair! I'll tell everyone about it."

"And I'll tell everyone about how you can't be happy with one guy, how you have to cheat on a good guy just to keep yourself busy!" Brooke snapped.

Chloe sat down quickly, lips pursed and eyes blankly staring at the wall. Jake's hand had long left hers. All the eyes from the table (Jenna, Rich, Jake and Dustin) were on Chloe. Jake's eyes were somber and Dustin's were wide. Jenna's nails tapped on the table and she looked between the two girls.

Brooke gulped, then walked off. She could find friends elsewhere. She didn't need Chloe. . Chloe was mean! Chloe didn't have her best interest in mind. Brooke could definitely make it without her. Brooke closed the door behind her, then she was out.

"Is it true, Chloe? Be honest with me this time, no more lies," Jake started. "Are you or are you not cheating on me?"

". . . Dustin is cheating."

"What does this have to do with Dustin?"

"He's worse than I am!"

"Tell me the truth, Chlo. No more lies between us."

". . . Fine! I've had something with Dustin on the side, but it doesn't matter! You're you, and I'm with you! Not Dustin."

Jake gulped, ". . . I think it's time that we start finding other people, and that Dustin finds a place to hide." Jake's brows furrowed.

Dustin quickly scrambled away from the table.

"But-- Jakey! Don't leave!"

Rich started wheeling Jake away, "Screw you, Chloe." The blonde snapped, walking off with his friend.

****

"I told you she was a hoe, my dude." Rich said, the two of them in Jake's apartment later that night.

"I just. . . I thought she wasn't like that!" Jake exclaimed with exasperation. "I guess I was wrong."

"Bro, she's shallow. We all know this. I don't know how you didn't."

"I thought I knew her better than that. . . That's all."

"I'm sorry, Jake. She really sucks, and what she did to you sucks even more."

Jake paused and shuffled slightly, "I guess I am too. I shouldn't have let her get that close, especially with her history."

"How about we just take a break from girls for a while?" Rich asked with pursed lips, "Screw 'em. It's time for the bros. . . Like a bachelor party, but with no chicks at the end."

The brunette laughed, "I'd like that."

Rich sighed softly and wrapped his arms around Jake's neck, "I'm always here for you, man."

"I know. . . And me for you." Jake tried his best to reciprocate the gesture.