Chapter Text
Anxiety coursed through Craig’s veins as he waited at the bus stop. He wasn’t sure whether to hope Tweek was on the bus or not. He’d faked being sick to get out of school yesterday without guilt because he was sure Tweek had been too sick to go to school. He wasn’t answering any calls, but he probably just didn’t have a new phone yet. He couldn’t bear the thought of Tweek having to face everyone alone. Caring about someone fucking sucked. Then again, Tweek was used to ridicule. Maybe he should be the one asking Tweek for advice on how to be a laughingstock. Nah, if anyone laughed at him, he’d punch them! He’d fucking punch them in the mouth! He’d show them how a gay boy punched! Of course, he wasn’t gay, but if they thought he was and he punched them, they’d know not to mess with gay guys. Yeah, he’d show them.
“Craig! You’re alive!” Butters exclaimed as he came to the bus stop, smiling his stupid Butters smile. “We were so worried when you disappeared for all those days, and after that whole being outed as gay thing. Well, golly, Craig, I sure am happy to see you!”
“We aren’t gay,” Craig snapped. “We’re best friends.”
“Oh, really? Those texts were pretty romantic and all, I must say. I wish my best friends texted me that way. I heard you guys were in the woods? It’s pretty nice out there. Everyone’s talking about you and Tweek and the—”
“Butters, shut up,” Craig interrupted, glaring at him.
When he got on the bus, Craig almost breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Tweek sitting towards the front.
“Hey,” he said, sitting down.
“Agh! Hey,” Tweek said, looking down.
“Were you home sick yesterday?”
Tweek nodded.
“Are you in big trouble?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” Tweek bit his lip.
“What does that mean?”
Tweek shrugged shakily. Craig frowned. He felt a sort of tension between them. Was he angry at him? It wasn’t his fault they got caught, but he did suggest they turn back. Maybe he was just anxious about going back to school.
“It’s not like I called the cops on us,” Craig said.
“Agh! I know.”
“I’m sure we’ll be fine. I’ll beat anyone up who messes with us.” Tweek looked at him disbelievingly. “I will! Unless it’s a girl, I guess.” Tweek sighed and looked out the window.
“I don’t want you getting hurt, anyway,” he said.
“I won’t.”
“Agh! You don’t have to tie yourself to me. It’s not too late.”
“Tweek, what are you talking about? We’re best friends.”
“We are?” Tweek smiled a little at that.
“Yeah.” Craig placed a hand on his leg. “We’re still together, right?”
“Of course.” Tweek blushed, placing his own hand on top of Craig’s.
Craig braced himself as Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny got on. Stan paused at the empty seat in front of them, made eye contact with Craig’s glare, then nodded and moved to the back. Then Cartman and Kenny sat in front of them. God damn it.
“I have decided to believe in love,” Cartman said, perching his elbows on the back of his seat. Kenny copied him, staring at them in silence.
“Fuck off,” Craig snapped.
“I’m serious. I ship you.”
“Agh! Ship us where?” Tweek exclaimed.
“To the ends of the rainbow. Where true love still exists.” Cartman looked at the roof of the bus dreamily.
“You were just giving me shit like two weeks ago,” Craig growled.
“That was before Cupid Me helped me see the light.”
“That’s his imaginary friend,” Kenny mumbled from beneath his parka.
“He taught me that love is magical. Even if you have herpes.”
“Fuck off, Cartman. Kids don’t have sex.” Craig rolled his eyes.
“What?” Tweek looked at him, eyes wide with surprise.
“You can get it from kissing, you idiot. My mom said so,” Cartman snapped. “Right, Kenny?”
“L-like lovers,” Tweek murmured, nodding to himself.
“Yeah, Twitchy. Like lovers making out. Or from your mom. Craig, you’re so stupid.”
“Whatever, asshole. He doesn’t have herpes. He scratches his face. Now leave us alone,” said Craig.
“You’re the asshole. I came here to be supportive, and you’re a dick. Why are you so mean to everyone?”
“I’m mean to everyone?” Craig scoffed. “Fuck off.”
“Language!” screeched the bus driver.
“Hey! Don’t listen in on our conversation dickhead!” Cartman yelled.
“What did you say?!”
“Nothing,” he said innocently, rolling his eyes. “Why do you fags sit so close to the front?”
“So assholes like you leave us alone,” said Craig.
“I’m trying to be an ally here.”
“Agh! But you hate me?” Tweek said.
“Oh, Twitchy,” Cartman smiled to himself. “Who could actually hate you? It’s just that you’re so easy.”
Jimmy’s face lit up when he walked into Language Arts.
“Thank g-god,” he said as he sat next to Craig. “You ignored all our c-c-calls, d-dick.”
“Yeah.” Craig shrugged.
“P-please, stop ignoring us. We were worried.” He nodded at Tweek. “About you too.”
“Sorry.”
“W-w-we are all best friends, aren’t we?”
“Have you talked to Clyde?” Craig asked angrily.
“Yeah.” Jimmy deflated. “We hate him right now, but he’s real upset.”
“I don’t give a shit.”
“I know, b-b-but please. Me, Tolkien, we didn’t do anything.”
“You guys were talking shit about me.”
“No, we weren’t!”
“Yes, you were!” Craig snapped.
“Everyone, take a seat, please,” said Ms. Brown.
“Just see us at l-l-lunch,” Jimmy whispered. “P-please.”
“Fine,” Craig grumbled. “But you guys still suck.” He really did want Tweek to hang out with Tolkien and Jimmy. Having more friends would be good for him. And he missed them. A little.
***
Everyone was staring at him. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t do this! Tweek walked through the halls to his math class, the one with Bebe. Thousands of eyes turned towards him as the floors squiggled up and down, up and down, until he thought he might faint. Everyone was laughing. He kept walking as if on autopilot until he fell face-first, his forehead smacking painfully into the tile. Laughs rang through his ears and bounced off his brain until all was quiet.
With a slight moan, he raised his head. It was so quiet. Was he in the basement? No, the bell had just rung. He was going to be late. God, now everyone would stare at him, and Mr. Williams would be so angry. But he couldn’t skip; his parents would kill him! Or would they? They didn’t want to deal with him anymore, because he was so bad. Maybe he could just hide in the restroom or something. But what if Mrs. Kay came after him? His parents might change their minds. This morning, they’d refused to talk to him, but would that really stick?
Tweek pushed himself to his feet and wobbled through the halls. The door to 14-B loomed before him, seeming to grow taller as he got closer and closer. In a fit of bravery, he locked his fingers around the knob and turned it. The door creaked open.
“Tweek, you’re late again!” Mr. Williams barked.
“Did you have a nice trip?” asked Bebe. A few students snickered.
“Really, Bebe?” snapped Nichole.
“What? He ran away, remember.”
“You did it again, didn’t you? Why would you do that?”
“Why are you on my case all of a sudden? You used to think it was funny.”
“Girls! That doesn’t sound like a math discussion,” said Mr. Williams angrily.
“I never thought it was funny!” Nichole argued.
“Do you want to take this conversation to the principal’s office?” He smacked the board with a ruler, causing Tweek to jump. “Tweek, sit down!”
Tweek scampered to his chair like he’d been struck.
“Tweek, are you bi? I think Nichole wants to be your girlfriend,” Bebe loudly whispered from behind him. “When you and Craig break up, it sounds like you have options.”
Another girl snickered. Tweek buried his head in his arms and shut his eyes, despite being in the front row. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone?
“Hey, Tweek, wait up!” Nichole called, running after him as he fled the classroom. He ignored her, speeding towards the cafeteria. “Wait!” She caught up to him.
“Agh! Why?” Tweek eyed her suspiciously.
“I just wanted to walk to lunch with you,” she said sheepishly.
“Why?”
“We both eat with Tolkien.”
“Don’t you want to sit with Bebe?” he asked, the venom in his voice surprising him. What right did he have to be angry? He only got what he deserved.
“No, listen, Tweek, I’m so sorry.”
“Agh! For what?”
“I was with Bebe when she stole your backpack, and I didn’t stop her. I begged her not to, but she didn’t listen. But still. I feel so bad, especially after what she did. That was just evil. I don’t want to be friends with her anymore.” Tears brimmed at the edges of her eyes. “When Craig and you disappeared, I was so scared, and I felt responsible. Tolkien was pissed. I’m so, so sorry.”
“Oh, agh! You don’t need to be sorry to me. Apologize to Craig, maybe. I brought him down.” Tweek shrugged uncomfortably and tried to head into the cafeteria again, but she grabbed his arm, causing him to flinch. She quickly let go, biting her lip.
“Sorry! Sorry, I just… Can we start over? I want to be your friend.”
“Agh! Why?” Tweek was confused. She supposedly didn’t hate him, but why would she want to be friends with him? A popular girl like her. Girls never liked him. No one did, except Craig. Maybe Craig’s friends. But they just put up with him for Craig. He wanted out of this conversation.
“Maybe that’s very elementary school of me.” She chuckled nervously. “I just feel so bad about what my friends do to you.”
That was it then. Pity. She was what his mom thought Craig was. “Agh! Don’t feel bad.” He glanced in the direction of Craig’s table. “I’d bring you down anyway.”
“Tolkien really likes you. So I think we could be friends too.”
“Agh! He does?” He just pitied him too, probably.
“Yeah, he said you’re actually really cool.” She smiled.
Now that had to be a lie. Maybe Craig liked him, but he was sure even he didn’t think he was cool. Still, should he really be resisting even pity? If it got him friends, maybe it would make Craig less of a target.
“Oh,” he squeaked. It was all he could think to say. He started inching into the cafeteria.
“Well, I should get in line before the good stuff’s gone,” she said. “You always had cold lunch, right?”
“Y-yeah.” His mother hadn’t packed him a lunch today, and he wasn’t allowed to get hot lunch. Neither of his parents had even looked at him this morning.
“See you in a sec then.”
The minute she turned, he bolted towards the table, his heart calming when he saw Craig.
“Agh! H-hey,” he said, sitting beside him across from Tolkien and Jimmy.
“Hey!” Craig greeted.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” said Tolkien, smiling.
Tweek smiled back shakily. Why was everyone being so nice all of a sudden?
“Has anyone been bullying you about…you know?” Tolkien trailed off.
“Cartman said he shipped us,” Craig scoffed.
“‘Ships you?” Tolkien looked confused.
“The f-fuck?” said Jimmy.
“Otherwise, people haven’t mouthed off. To me.” Craig looked at him. “Are you okay?”
“Agh! Yeah.” Tweek shrugged.
“Where’s your lunch?”
“I…forgot.”
“Someone stole it, didn’t they?” Craig’s face darkened. “Was it Bebe?”
“No! Agh! Really! I didn’t bring one.”
“Can you get hot lunch?” Jimmy asked.
“I don’t have any money!” Tweek squirmed. “I’m not hungry. Really!”
“They give you a cheese sandwich if you don’t have any money,” Tolkien said.
“I’m fine!”
“Why don’t I go get something?” suggested Tolkien, standing up.
“No!”
“Just let him,” Craig said, nudging him. “He’s rich. Besides, he owes me.” Craig shot Tolkien a glare.
“Whatever Craig.” He rolled his eyes and sighed. “I’m just being nice. My parents don’t pay attention to what I do for lunch, so it’s really fine.”
“Agh! This is too much pressure.” Tweek tore at his hair.
“Hey, where are you going?” asked Nichole as she sat next to her boyfriend.
“Tweek forgot his lunch.”
“Aw, no. Almost everything’s gone,” she said sympathetically. Tolkien shrugged in response and walked to the cafeteria.
“Agh!” Tweek shrank into himself. “God.”
“Nichole!” called a familiar voice that made Tweek wince. Bebe leaned over the table, her red fake nails fanned out like claws. “Why don’t you sit with us today?”
“I’m eating here.” Nichole took a bite of her mac n cheese.
“I think you should eat with me.” Bebe smiled, gritting her teeth.
“Since when do you care if I eat with my boyfriend?” Nichole snapped.
“You should have always made him eat with us instead. If you’re not careful, we could grow apart, and that would really suck for you.”
“Oh, please, Bebe. You’ve been pissed at me ever since I made the cheer squad, and you didn’t.”
“How dare you!?” Bebe gasped, turning red. “I didn’t want to be a cheerleader. It’s not even cool until you’re in high school! You look pathetic and desperate cheering for a middle school team,” she spat.
“You weren’t good enough to compete against the 8th graders, and now you’re scrambling to feel as powerful as you were last year, but you’re not. No one likes you for what you did to Craig and Tweek on Tuesday.”
“You are so over, Nichole Daniels!” she hissed “Don’t you even dare bother coming to Wendy’s party tonight. Have fun at the loser table with Tweek Tweak.” She spun around, almost smacking into Clyde as he approached behind her. “What are you doing? I told you to wait for me at our table!” she seethed.
“Uh, a-about that. I want to eat with Craig today. He is my best friend, after all.” Clyde gulped, noticing Craig’s menacing glare. “Or was.” He set his tray down next to Craig, face red and avoiding eye contact with everyone.
“If you do this to me, we are over. Forever this time.”
“Well, you did make all my friends hate me so…” Clyde gulped. “Maybe we should be.”
“I’m the only girl in this school who thinks you’re cute,” Bebe snapped, venom coating her tongue. “You’re fat, and you have a double chin, and do you ever use shampoo?”
“N-not cool,” said Jimmy. “You’re a mean bitch, you know that?”
“You did not just call me that!”
“What’s going on?” Tolkien rushed over, tray in hand. Bebe let out an angry shriek and smacked the tray out of his hands as she stormed off.
“All of you are losers!” she yelled. “Never talk to me again!”
“What the hell?” Tolkien exclaimed, looking sadly at the food on the ground. “I’m sorry, Tweek.”
“Agh! It’s okay!” Tweek said, squirming.
“Clyde? What are you doing here? What the hell did I miss?”
“Apparently, we’re all losers now,” Nichole said.
“What a shame.” Tolkien smiled, sitting down. “Tweek, you can have my apple if you want.”
“I’m not hungry!” Tweek protested, but Tolkien set the apple in front of him anyway.
“Here’s my pudding cup,” Clyde sighed, leaning over Craig to place it in front of him. “I guess I owe you one.”
“You can have half my sandwich,” said Craig, ripping apart his PB&J.
“And one of my chicken nuggets,” said Nichole.
“Here’s some chips,” said Jimmy.
Soon, there was a pile of food in front of him. “Agh! I really don’t eat much!” Tweek exclaimed, looking flushed, but he nervously nibbled at Craig’s sandwich. He shook from the anxiety of having so much attention on him, but still, there was a part of him that felt warm. Tears brimmed in his eyes, and it wasn’t because he was sad.
***
Clyde had a lot of fucking nerve sitting next to him after what he did. Rage bubbled inside Craig as he watched him a few paces in front of him, walking to Mr. Jones’s class. At least he didn’t have the gall to try to walk next to him, chatting like nothing happened. He’d told Bebe he had a crush on Tweek. If it wasn’t for him, he’d have never been humiliated in front of the entire school. He’d been a little bitch to Tweek, and he betrayed him, all for Bebe. He was supposed to be his best friend. And after what he did, his other supposed best friends had just accepted him back like it was nothing. All because of what? Some half assed rejection of his bitch girlfriend.
Blood pounded through his skull, and before he could register what he was doing, he ran up and pushed Clyde’s back as hard as he could. The other boy yelped as he fell face-first to the ground.
“Ow!” Clyde cried out as he pushed himself up and turned towards his attacker. Blood poured out of his nose. The nearby kids all crowded around them.
“Fight!” yelled one of the boys as the crowd stared at them in anticipation.
Clyde looked mournfully at Craig, then held his hand up to his nose and stared at the blood rapidly collecting in his palm. Tears pooled in his eyes, and he started to cry.
“Aw, man,” the surrounding kids collectively groaned. “Lame.”
“What is going on here?” Mrs. Kay ran over to them, her heels click-clacking.
“Craig pushed him,” one of the girls tattled.
“Is that true?” Mrs. Kay asked, staring Craig down.
“No,” Clyde piped up through his tears. “I tripped.” Craig looked at him in surprise.
“Really?” Mrs. Kay eyed them suspiciously. Clyde nodded, still bleeding all over his shirt. “Alright then. Craig, help him get to the nurse, and after that, I want to see you in my office.”
“What? Why?” Craig exclaimed.
“Would you rather have detention?”
“Yes.”
“Too bad. I wasn’t giving you an option. I’ll let your teacher know you won’t be coming in.” She walked away.
“She couldn’t have given me a tissue or something?” Clyde groaned, getting to his feet. “She’s the worst.”
“Yeah,” Craig said, handing him a napkin from his lunchbox.
“Thanks.” Clyde gave him a lopsided smile as he held it to his nose. “I miss Mr. Mackey.”
“I hated him too,” Craig said.
“Oh, yeah, I guess you would.” Clyde chuckled as they started to walk towards the nurse’s office.
“The hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, man. Can we please just stop fighting?”
“Why should we?”
“I’m sorry, Craig. I know I’m a huge asshole and a bad friend. You disappearing really made me think. Can’t we just start over? Or rewind back a month or so?” Clyde looked at him hopefully, the napkin already half-soaked with blood.
“I guess pushing you was uncool,” Craig mumbled. “Sorry.”
“That wasn’t even the first time you’ve hit me. You’re so violent!”
“You deserved the last time.”
“Did I really?” Clyde asked.
“Yeah! You were a dick to Tweek all night.”
“Of course you’d want to defend your man.”
“I thought you were trying to start over.” Craig growled, glaring at him.
“Sorry! I’ll stop.”
“You better.”
“Really! I’ll be extra nice to Tweek from now on.” Clyde sighed. “I never had anything against him. It was just Bebe. She kept threatening to break up with me unless Tweek was out of the group, or I cut off all my friends. I know she’s mean. I see that after what she did to you. But I still love her. Can’t you see how much this all has sucked for me?”
“I don’t know if I can ever forgive you, Clyde. Do you have any idea how much this sucked for me?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry.” Clyde gulped.
“But I’ll try. It seems the guys forgive you now so…I’ll have to put up with you anyway.”
“Oh, believe me. I got chewed a new one. Wasn’t sure they’d ever talk to me again,” Clyde chuckled dryly. “Thanks, Craig. I’ll show you I can be the best friend ever. And whether you are or aren’t gay, I don’t care.”
“Clyde,” Craig growled.
“Sorry! You’re so testy lately. Can’t say anything or you get triggered.”
“Not true.”
“Craig, as your best friend, I’m telling you. It is. You’ve gotten so moody. I’m glad you’re going to see our bitch counselor,” Clyde said, as they entered the nurse’s office.
The nurse looked up from her desk. “Another bloody nose?” she sighed. “Come on back. Are you hurt too?” she asked Craig.
“No.”
“Then get back to class. Your friend will be fine.”
“Okay.” Craig shrugged. “Later.” He left the office without looking back. Fuck, now he had to go see the counselor. Did he really have to? He could just go to class or skip school. But that bitch would track him down eventually. She never quit. He might as well get it over with.
“Have a seat next to Tweek, Craig,” said Mrs. Kay when he opened her office door.
“Tweek?!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” Tweek didn’t respond; he just vibrated nervously at the desk across from Mrs. Kay’s armchair.
“We’ve been having a chat about the incident that caused such a stir on Tuesday,” she said.
“Ugh, you’re fucking kidding me.”
“Hey! One more word like that and you’ll be sitting in detention on a Friday afternoon. Do you want that?”
Craig wanted to flip her off, but thought better of it. This wasn’t Mr. Mackey. He sat down next to Tweek, discreetly putting a hand on his leg under the desk to try to calm him.
“Why are we in here and not Bebe?” he snapped. “She stole and broke Tweek’s phone.”
“Bebe isn’t the one who skipped school and caused a town-wide manhunt. Do you know how that made the school look? You’re privileged enough to go to a school without security guards on every exit. We expect a standard of behavior.”
“I thought we just had shitty funding,” said Craig.
“That’s it. You have detention.”
“Shitty isn’t a real swear.”
“Yes, it is. Do you speak to your mother with that mouth?”
“Yeah.”
“Agh! Please don’t give him detention!” Tweek interjected, looking at Mrs. Kay with pleading eyes. Her gaze softened.
“Okay, but you have two strikes.” Mrs. Kay sighed. “Now let’s get down to business. Your principal is furious. I’m doing you two a favor. He wanted to bring you both to his office, but I convinced him that counseling would be more effective than yelling at you. While you both are troublemakers, I can tell your delinquency stems from pain. So tell me what happened.”
“Tweek’s not a troublemaker,” Craig grumbled. “And I’m not in pain.”
“Tweek, what do you think?” she asked.
“Agh! I’m bad.”
“And are you in pain?”
“Y-yes.” Tweek nodded reluctantly, his eyes darting around the room.
“What does that stem from?”
“Uh.” Tweek looked at Craig, eyes panicked. “Because I’m bad.”
Mrs. Kay sighed heavily. “Honestly, Tweek, it’s so hard to get anywhere with you. Craig, why are you in pain?”
“Because I’m talking to you,” said Craig.
“I’ll cut to the chase. I did speak with Bebe about the incident. She said she did it to help you two come to terms with your sexuality. Her methods were flawed, but her heart was in the right place.”
“You did not just fucking say that!” Craig exclaimed angrily.
“Strike three.”
“I don’t fucking care! That bitch humiliated us in front of the entire school.”
“It was hardly the entire school. Why did you find it humiliating?”
“She read our private conversations out loud and accused us of being gay! Are you stupid?” Craig seethed. He didn’t care that she was an adult. He’d punch her!
“Yes, I know. Calm down. Why was that so humiliating? Are you angry at being outed? Do you find being gay shameful?”
“It doesn’t matter. That shit was private.”
“Yes, I know Craig. That must have felt violating. But it wouldn’t be weighing on you this much if there wasn’t something more to it.” She clasped her hands in her lap. “I implore you to dig deep within yourself. Why does this upset you?”
“What do you mean, ‘why?’ She outed us! Against our will.”
“See, you said she outed you that time. Now we’re getting somewhere. Why was that such a big deal?”
“Because it is!”
“Tweek, are you two secretly involved?”
“Agh!” Tweek looked at Craig for guidance, eyes wide. “N-no,” he squeaked out. Something broke inside Craig then. He couldn’t deny Tweek. Not again. It was too much like when he first became Tweek’s friend.
“Yeah, we’re together. So what?” Craig glared at Mrs. Kay as if challenging her to a duel.
“Great!” She clapped her hands. “It must have been so painful to keep that hidden. We live in an era where the gays can be loud and proud! They don’t have to hide anymore. Why did you feel you needed to?”
“It’s private,” Craig growled.
“Don’t you see that sign behind me? It says, ‘Everyone is welcome here.’ You should feel safe to be who you really are at school.”
“Sure.” Craig rolled his eyes.
“Agh! We just like our privacy!” Tweek exclaimed. “Can we go now?” Craig looked at his boyfriend worriedly. He looked more mortified than Craig felt, and Mrs. Kay had barely talked to him.
“Not yet. I want you boys to join our Gay Straight Alliance. I supervise it, but it’s peer-run; it’s a wonderful group of allies. I’m sure you’ll feel very safe.”
“I’ll pass,” said Craig.
“Either you go to GSA after school next Monday and Wednesday, or you have detention all next week. That goes for you too, Tweek.”
“Agh! But I have to work!” Tweek tore at his hair, vibrating in fear.
“I’m sure they’ll understand. If you don’t like it, you can quit.”
“I’ll take detention,” said Craig.
“Agh! I can’t have detention! My parents will be so mad!”
Craig groaned inwardly. He did not want to hang out with a bunch of losers when he could hang out with Tweek and his friends. But he didn’t want to leave Tweek to do it alone. What if the other kids were as cruel as everyone else was to him?
“Fine,” he said. “But then I’m quitting.”
“Great. We meet in the study room in the back of the library. I’ll make sure you’re there.” She stood up. “Okay, go back to class.”
The boys almost knocked down their metal desk chairs as they scrambled to the door.
“Craig. You still have detention!” Mrs. Kay shouted after them. Craig turned and flipped her off before slamming the door shut behind him.
“What a fucking bitch!” Craig exclaimed loud enough for her to hear. “Who gave her a counseling license?”
“It was terrible before you got there! Urgh, she had all these questions. And she wanted me to talk about you and the woods!” Tweek yanked at his shirt, undoing some of the buttons.
“Uh, god. I didn’t realize you were there so long. I gave Clyde a bloody nose.”
“You did?!”
“He deserved it after how he treated you.”
“He wasn’t that bad.” Tweek blushed.
“He’s been a dick. I don’t know if I’ll forgive him, but he says he’ll be nice from now on.”
“He did give me a pudding cup. No one has ever done that before.”
“Tweek.” Craig suddenly wrapped him in a hug, overcome with emotion. “I want to give you pudding cups.”
“I do like pudding,” Tweek let out a shy laugh.
“I’m never letting anything happen to you. Ever again. Even if it gets me beat up,” Craig whispered, squeezing him.
“You promised me we were going to run away,” Tweek said sadly.
“I…did say that.” Craig released the hug.
“It’s okay. I don’t want you beat up, or living in the woods. But I don’t like being lied to either.”
“I didn’t lie! I meant it at the time.”
“Agh! I know. But I did mean it. I wish I was still in the woods, even though,” Tweek let out a shaky breath. “This is the best day at school I’ve ever had.” He kept walking as they hit the end of the hallway, where their paths would deviate. Craig slumped against the window, staring after his boyfriend, in no hurry to go to the last 10 minutes of science.
“We couldn’t really live out in the woods! It’s not my fault!” he called after him, but it landed on deaf ears.