"You Jerk..." Michael Afton x Reader

Chapter 32. He Knows

Mom and Dad were in the kitchen together, both cooking dinner alongside each other. Y/N was currently in the shower. Y/N invited Michael over for dinner, he was expected to arrive any moment. Mom was cooking some hamburger, and Dad was peeling potatoes. The smell of the food cooking lingers around the room.

Y/N and her family have now been living in this neighborhood for a little over a month. There were some obvious bumps in the road when they first moved here, but everything had smoothed out.

Y/N and Michael were now not only getting along but exclusively dating. Something that Y/N never expected. Dad, however, saw it coming. To him, it was obvious the two teenagers had a connection. Michael picking on Y/N was just more proof that something was there, and it wasn't just childish arguments.

Dad knew the kind of environment Michael was raised in. He was a young teen boy, he had all of society telling him to be "strong and independent," to be a "man" All of it was a bunch of foolish societal rules, telling boys to act a certain way. It influenced how they dealt with emotions.

You can't expect a person to be genuine about their feelings when all they've ever been told is to keep them to themself. And Michael was the stereotypical example of this.
Y/N had managed to break him out of this shell, fortunately. She tore down all the metaphorical walls Michael had put up.

She had taught him a lot, even if she didn't realize it. She had changed Michael for the better.
He was still his sarcastic reckless self, but now he had a heart. He was empathetic and helpful. He was now more watchful over his siblings, he completely stopped bullying them.

He was a better person.

Mom and Dad were aimlessly conversing about Y/N and Michael, more particularly how sudden Michael's confession was the evening they were over for dinner.
"I admire that boy for his boldness," Dad chuckles, "putting himself in the spotlight, asking me in front of everybody if he could date our daughter. That takes a lot of courage."
"Yes, it does," Mom hummed and felt herself smile, "I like Michael, I think he's right for Y/N."
Dad nodded quickly, "Oh yes he is, there's no doubt about it. Y/N is such a good influence on him, he's turned a new leaf."

There was a knock at the front door. Dad sets down the potato peeler on the kitchen counter and opens the door, Michael perks up when he sees Y/N's dad standing in front of him. "Hello, Mr. L/N, lovely evening tonight." he gives the man a polite smile. Dad steps aside and pats Michael on the shoulder when he walked inside, "Yes it is! Y/N is in the shower, she'll be out in no time. Make yourself at home, Michael."

Michael nodded and began walking down the hallway, making his way towards Y/N's bedroom; he figured he would wait for her in there. He could hear the sound of the shower through the closed bathroom door. Water hitting against the shower wall, steam emerging from under the door. It made him smile slightly.

"I'm so glad she hangs out with Michael,"

Michael stopped in his tracks once he heard his name. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but if this was about himself he wanted to hear what her parents had to say.

"Me too, I was so happy when Michael and his friends let Y/N tag along with them. I knew she'd make friends quick."

Michael smiles to himself as he listened to them talk. He leans against the wall quietly so they didn't hear him. He was around the corner in the hallway, which prevented them from seeing him regardless.

"Remember when Michael would give her a hard time? How upset she'd get?"
"Of course I do, no need to remind me. Remember that day she came stormin' in here and locked herself in her room?"
"Yes, I do. I was lucky she even let me in, I sat there and talked to her for a good half hour. I tried telling her Michael picked on her because he liked her, but she didn't listen."

Michael furrowed his eyebrows once he hears this. He was now listening more carefully than he was before.
He knew Y/N would get upset every time he bullied her, he expected that. But hearing it come from her parents hit differently. He really made her so upset she locked herself in her room?

"I remember telling her that night to just be nice to Michael for our sake if nothing else. Which sounds terrible, I know...but if it got back to Mr. Afton Y/N and Michael didn't get along, it could've interfered with our careers. You know what a family man William is."
"Oh, D/N," Michael heard Y/N's mother sigh, "It sounds bad, but it's the truth...but think on the bright side, they get along, they love each other, and nothing happened to our careers."
"I suppose you're right. I'm so glad Y/N was friendly to him like I asked. It bloomed into something beautiful I reckon."

Michael felt his stomach drop as he stared at the ground. Tears began collecting in his eyes.
"So she was nice to me...because her dad told her to be...?" Michael thought to himself, "All that time I thought she...I thought she genuinely wanted to know me...It was all an act?"

Michael furrows his eyebrows and clenches his fists, feeling an aching pain in his chest.
Without another moment of hesitation, he walked back into the kitchen, heading towards the front door. He wanted to leave.

Once Y/N's parents spot him they tilt their heads, "Michael? Is everything alright?" unbeknownst to them, he heard everything.
"My dad needs me. I have to go," he says as he walks out, being as gentle as he could when shutting the door; despite all the anger he was feeling.

Mom and Dad look between each other in confusion, then gradually get back to cooking dinner.

Michael stormed home, hot tears were streaming down his face. He didn't know why he was so upset. He knew Y/N loved him, he knew she wanted to be around him. But he couldn't help the stinging pain in his chest knowing one of the major reasons he fell for her, was all just an act.

And now, He Knows.