Touch

Part 5

Jeremy felt like he was drowning.

He knew the Squip was some pretty messed up technology; he'd experienced it the first time around. But that was something he never, ever would have expected to happen. It was even worse if he believed it was the computer's way or comforting him. Jeremy needed to get rid of it. He had to. What had he been thinking, teaching an emotionless supercomputer how to be a person? If this was where his guidance had gotten them he might as well quit while he was ahead.

But first, he had to talk to Michael.

It was late, nearing 11 already, but he knew Michael wouldn't mind. It wouldn't be the first time he'd been a snotty mess in front of him. So Jeremy whipped out his phone and dialed his number.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Can I come over?" Jeremy sniffed and roughly rubbed his nose with his sleeve. There was no point in pretending he hadn't just been crying. Michael would have just figured it out immediately, anyway.

"Yeah, I'll, uh, unlock the basement door for you. What happened?"

"I'll tell you when I get there." He didn't hang up right away. He threw on his coat, shoved his feet into his shoes without bothering to retie them, and stumbled his way out the door.

"You sure you don't want me to come get you?" Michael sounded worried.

"N-no. I could," Jeremy paused and took a deep breath of chilled, nighttime air, "I could use the walk."

"Alright, well, you better book it. Text me in ten minutes so I know you're not a human popsicle somewhere."

Jeremy was already starting to feel better. Being outside, getting out of his own head, was nice. It was quiet. Dark. The cold air soothed the aching in his chest and felt good against his hot, blotchy skin. This is what he should've been doing all week instead of stewing alone in his room. He should've been hanging out with his friends, heck, even his dad, instead of feeling sorry for himself. Jake was throwing some kind of big New Year's party and maybe he'd go to that with Michael.

By the time he arrived at Michael's place he was feeling appropriately chilled out, no longer on the brink of a meltdown, and he pried open the door to the basement and stepped inside.

"Hey."

"Hey." Micahel smiled, and stood, and stepped over to wrap an arm around Jeremy's shoulders with a mug in one hand, which he carefully shoved into his chest. Jeremy glanced down at took it, only now realizing he'd forgotten to put gloves on. His hands were freezing and the heat of the mug kind of stung. "I put those mini marshmallows in it, and tried to make it a smiley face, but they all kind of melted."

Jeremy snorted a little into his drink and tried to ignore the concerned and expectant look Michael was giving him.

"Sorry for dropping by this late, man."

"You sounded pretty upset over the phone." The burning question 'was it Christine' hung unspoken in the air. Jeremy sat down on the floor and Micahel joined him at his side.

"Yeah- Yeah, I was. I still am. It's... complicated." Jeremy wondered if someone could actually die of shame. Michael thought this was about Christine, and he had to somehow explain that it was the Squip.

"Dating's pretty complicated from what I've heard," Michael smiled at him, just a little.

"So, um, I'm not upset about Christine. I mean, I am, but that's not why I called you. Not exactly." Jeremy could barely bring himself to look at his friend. Michael frowned a little more.