Separated: 5SOS BSM

62. He Protects You And Your Best Friend - Michael

Part 4/4

TRIPLE UPDATE FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW!

Did the last part seriously suck that bad? Geez sorry 😬

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Requested by:
@StaceyStonier

*WARNINGS*
Mentions of:
• Homophobia (kinda)
• Bullying
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Michael:
Ah school, one of the most wonderfully awful creations that humanity ever came up with. The idea that you could shove a bunch of children and adolescents together and expect them to learn everything they needed to know to choose a career didn't make a whole lot of sense to you. In your mind, a kid had one of maybe three choices, try to learn and be a social outcast, be socially accepted and learn nothing, or the worst option; be rejected from both your peers and teachers effectively leaving you completely alone. It often felt like you were the third option. 

Well mostly, you had two things in this world, your best friend, and your brother Michael. Everyone else (except your parents and Michael's friends), were pretty much horrible in your opinion. They would tease and torment you, never allowing you a moment of peace, just a second to feel like you were a normal person who belonged.

The only person in your school who you could interact with freely was your best friend. He was in pretty much the same boat, so you could rely on each other. In some ways he knew you more than Michael, because he knew what the did to you.

Michael just knew the very basics of your school experience. He knew that you didn't have a ton of friends, and that you generally didn't like high school. But you didn't tell him that you had to constantly hide in the library with Y/BFF/N because otherwise they would find you. He didn't know that all of your teachers either constantly humiliated you in front of the class or ignored your existence. He didn't know that you had to walk home because you were worried of what they would do to you on the bus. The only person who did was your best friend, and likewise, you were the only one who knew his dirty secret.

Why? Because you both had expectations on your shoulders. Big, ugly, ideas that your family expected you to live up to. Expectations that neither of you were willing to disappoint. Y/BFF/N was supposed to be straight, and you were supposed to be talented. So you kept up appearances as much as you could. Nobody really questioned either of you enough to see through the facade. So it continued and the both of you continued to suffer in silence.

The only consolation you got in your day to day life was that you and Y/BFF/N shared the same schedule. So when it came to partners projects or even just surviving your classes, you had a crutch to lean on. You supported each other, you had to.

Until the worst possible situation reared its ugly headed. Group projects. Not two person projects where you and Y/BFF/N could quietly pair up and work together. No, projects with four or more people. You knew that the time was coming, but you didn't know how you would deal with it.

It happened in English class, your grumpy old man teacher Mr. Y/T/N, never remembered you existed, which was good all the time except for when he was taking attendance. Let's just say Michael thought you skipped class a lot.

That day he explained a new project, "I WANT YOU ALL TO WORK IN GROUPS TO ANALYZE SPECIFIC PIECES OF SYMBOLISM IN "THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH" BY EDGAR ALLAN POE!" He always screamed, since it was the only way he could hear what he was saying. It could get annoying at times, but its not like anyone could do anything to fix it. He was just old, and so deaf his hearing aids couldn't even help him. "I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY TO SPLIT YOU INTO GROUPS OF FOUR! I'LL READ THEM OFF NOW SO YOU CAN STOP WORKING!" This was the point of panic. You glanced over to Y/BFF/N who looked just as pale as you, you both knew that this would not end well, even if you were placed in the same group you would have to deal with two hostiles.