We Aren't Nerds! {{PETEKEY}}

{{Prologue}}

Michael Way sighed, he didn't want to go to a stupid party with his older brother, Gerard, especially not when he had a lot of homework to do. He was anything but a party person, and hated all of his brother's friends, actually that wasn't quite the truth but he was more than certain Ray wouldn't be there.

"Mikey, please," Gerard pleaded, "I need you to come with me!"
"Stop calling me Mikey," Michael yelled, "I don't want to come, okay?"
"Not okay. You have to come, you need some new friends!"
"What's wrong with the friends I already have?"

Gerard sighed. He wasn't trying to be mean to Michael, but he really hoped he'd come to the party and make some friends. It wasn't like he didn't have any friends, but they never seemed to hang out with him, and Gerard was definitely trying to be the concerned brother that his mom and dad had taught him to be.

"There's nothing wrong with them," Gerard sighed, "you just need some friends who want to spend actual time with you."

Michael hated how much Gerard seemed to care. He didn't hate him, he was his brother and he could never actually hate him, but he wished he'd leave him alone a little bit more. He was a fairly solitary person, and not spending a lot of time with other people never seemed like too much of a problem to him.

"When is it?" Michael asked, "The party, I mean."
"Tonight," Gerard said, clapping excitedly, "just take whatever homework you have with you. Then if you get bored of everyone you can wander away and do it."
"Thanks. I'm only coming because I want you to stop pestering me, though."

Gerard smiled, he knew Michael would have given in eventually, but it still felt like a decent victory. He didn't want to force his little brother to do things he didn't want to do, but Gerard knew he needed to spend more time with other people. He wasn't sure exactly when Michael had stopped talking to people, but it was a big shock for everyone.

Michael had always been talkative, smart and practically perfect. One day he came home, went upstairs and didn't come down until the next morning. His parents were worried, of course, but they didn't think much of it. Gerard knew it wasn't right, but he didn't want to get too involved. He realised now that he'd done the wrong thing, but he was glad that Michael was finally agreeing to go to a party with him, at least.

"Thank you, Michael," Gerard smiled.
"You're welcome," Michael said, "I know how much you wanted me to come..."
"I... You need to spend more time with people... You know that, though, right?"

Michael wasn't sure what to say. He knew, but he didn't want to admit it. He was comfortable not talking to anyone for most of the day, and avoiding people whenever possible. He knew it was wrong, but he was used to it, and was never a big fan of change. It was weird, he didn't think he had OCD or anything, Michael just felt a lot more comfortable with a set plan.

He liked things to be in a set routine, which at the moment was wake up, go to school, avoid everyone, come home, eat, do homework, go to sleep. It was working too well, and Michael knew it was worrying everyone. He wanted to change it, and just needed a push in the right direction.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I'm actually looking forward to tonight."