A series of not so chill events

Rich (set a fire) and Michael (in the bathroom)

Rich POV

Two days ago, my SQUIP miraculously (AND THANKFULLY) disappeared. An hour later, Jeremy was put in the same ward as me. His boyfriend? Best Friend? Anyway, Anti-social headphones kid as I call him, was very worried. I waved at him but I don't think he saw me.  It was hard to sleep at night. I was kind of scared that my SQUIP would come back. How did it even get defeated? I hadn't drank any Mountain Dew Red. The doctors also wouldn't leave the ward because they were fussing over Jeremy. He seemed ok externally but was in shock.

The next morning, I was checked on by a few nurses and then given nasty hospital food: soggy oatmeal and bread.. It was so boring. I've been in the hospital for a little over a week now. Ive done some thinking, at least. I took for granted a mind free of self-deprecating voices always trying to control you.
I was busy peeling off some stray bandages when I heard the door open.

Oh hey. Anti-social headphones kid! And.. a girl? I squinted my eyes and realized it was Brooke. Since when did they talk to one another??

"Jeremy?? Jeremy!!" He exclaimed.

"He's still unconscious." I mumbled. But it came out more like: "Heth Thill unconthiouth." One thing I definitely didn't miss was my lisp.

He just looked at me and blinked. "Oh.."

Brooke waved hi to me and nodded, and walked over to the part of the room where Jeremy lay in his bed.

"I hope he gets better..."

Anti-social headphones kid walked over to them and frowned.

"Don't worry, the doctorth thaid he'll be better next week and thould probably be awake by a few dayth." I tried to make him feel better but I don't think he could understand me very well..

Just then, he walked over to me. "Really? That's a relief." His eyes glistened with hope. It was kind of ..cute?

I shook that thought away and instead, smiled awkwardly and cleared my throat. "I have a few questions for you."

He blinked and nodded. "Shoot."

"Okay, tho what happened at the play? How did my SQUIP dithappear too?"

Anti-social headphones kid put his finger up to his chin as if he needed to think about what he was going to say. Finally, he explained how the whole cast got "Squipped" and how he brought some Mountain Dew Red and he gave it to Jeremy but Jeremy gave it to Christine, but luckily all the SQUIPs were all connected to one another and they all were 'defeated'. It didn't really make sense, but I was glad to hear this.

Michael's POV

I talked to Rich for probably the first time in my life. He was actually nice..? He also had a lisp, which was kind of funny but in a good way. It's crazy how a SQUIP really changes people. I saw Brooke looking at me from the corner of my eye. What time was it?
Rich started talking about some games he missed playing on his Xbox or something like that.(Everyone knows PS5s are better) I kind of zoned out but I found out that he actually played Apocalypse of the Dammed too.

"I'm only at level 5, though- I got it before I got my SQUIP and it told me that it wathn't a cool game to play. Pluth I didn't have another perthon to play with, tho it wath pretty hard on my own."

Level five was pretty easy but maybe it was because I had Jeremy. I felt bad for Rich and I said something that I would've never said otherwise.

"Maybe we could play together sometime?" I suggested quietly.

Rich's expression changed to something that I couldn't quite read. He seemed embarrassed and happy, but also like he was going to cry. Weird..

Just then, my mothers walked in.

"Kumusta mahal ko?" My nanay asked me as she smiled.

"Mabait ako salamat nanay" I said with a smile as I walked over to hug her and say hello. I noticed that my mom was looking over at Brooke so I decided to quickly introduce them to each other.

"Nanay, This is Brooke, a friend from school" Brooke walked up next to me and smiled and waved bashfully "Hello, Ms!" What a charmer.

"I know, mahal ko. Your ma told me about her. And hello to you too, you pretty little girl!" She added with a sneaky laugh. I sighed. What exactly did Mamá tell her?

Rich sneezed in the background then quickly looked away once I turned around. There probably was no need to introduce Rich to nanay or Mamà. Nanay probably knew him already, plus we weren't really friends anyway.

All of us talked for a while longer, and I asked questions about when Jeremy would feel better. Before we left, I hugged Jeremy the best I could. But I mean, how do you hug a person laying down on their back on a bed?

Rich's POV

Michael, his family, and Brooke were leaving now. I would be bored once more. I knew I wasn't completely alone because Jeremy was here, but he was unconscious, so.. Anyway, I wonder why he's affected and everyone else wasn't? I was in the hospital because I got burned in the fire that I may have started. I even had a SQUIP longer than anyone at the play, and yet Jeremy was in the hospital, unconscious? That was kind of scary. I shrugged and just waved at anti-social hea- I mean Michael, who smiled back at me. It was an awkward smile, but it was still a smile.

. . .

Michael had come every day since the SQUIP incident last Friday, and he still came back everyday after today, to check up on Jeremy. Sometimes he came with his mothers, Jeremy's dad, or with Brooke, who sometimes brought Chloe along, and sometimes Christine came to check up on both me and Jeremy, but most of the time Michael came alone. Next Friday, Jeremy finally woke up.

Author's Note: Beyond this chapter, when it is Rich's point of view, his stuttering will not be written out because of the fact that he knows what he is saying without the stutter. (If that makes sense?) When Rich speaks in other characters' point of views, his stutter will be written.