The phone is ringing. I can hear it's rumbling on my desk as i lay on my bed, reading the latest issue of the Red Racer comic. I look over as it jutted about on the wood, blinking and flashing like a beetle on it's back. I rolled my eyes, i really didn't want to get up for the sake of just seeing who was trying to get hold of me at this hour. Maybe it was Tweek, though, after we broke up, he doesn't call as often, probably because he's scared i'll just start yelling at him down the phone. Again.

My phone is still going at it, if it carries on any more it'll vibrate right off the desk. It's actually getting -really- annoying now, i am not in the mood to get annoyed. So what the hell, i pick up the phone and look at the backlit screen.

Clyde calling.

I let out a heavy sigh, i knew exactly where this was going.

Clyde's been going through a rough time, his girlfriend broke up with him and he's dealing badly. What can i say? The kid gets too emotionally attached to everything. He spends most days crying his heart out over his mash potatoes at lunch, sobbing into his lecture notes, smearing the ink that stated how much he loved Bebe Stevens.

It's pathetic.

I hit the answer key hard with my thumb, preparing myself for the oncoming barrage of tears and complaints. Though as i lifted the phone to my ear, i heard nothing. Silence. For a minute i thought Clyde had called me by accident, that his fat ass had dialed my number by mistake. I stay silent, as i always do, i never say hello first. But still nothing came from the other end. I hang up, he's wasting my time and it just pisses me off. I throw my cell back onto the desk and turn back to my bed, though before i had chance to pick up the comic from the sheets, i hear the vibrations of my phone again. This time, for some reason, i don't hesitate in turning round and picking up. I even said hello first.

"Clyde?" There was a pause, and then i hear breaths, short, sharp breaths. I repeat myself, angrier this time. I do not like to be fucked around when i can be doing better things. I'm about to hang up the phone when a small whimpered cry enters my ear. Then more. He's crying, again, no surprise there. But this is different, they're silent, like he's trying to hold it back. But why? He never has before.

"She..." Clyde's voice is broken and weak, i don't think i've heard him in a state like this. "She slept with Token. Token, my "friend", Craig. She fucked him." He said the word friend with such severity, it gave me chills. This is unreal, I can't quite move, sure girls like Token, but when it comes to chicks, he's always been smooth, chilled. He picks them well, treats them right. Fancy dinners and gifts. He's rich, who can blame him? But this, this wasn't like Token at all. He wouldn't do anything to hurt one of his friends.

Now i question the reason as to why Clyde is so upset. Not just because of Bebe, but more because of the betrayal by his so called good friend. I don't know what to do, what to say. In any other situation, any other people, i would have told them to fuck off, grow some balls and deal with it. I know i treat Clyde like trash, but, he's still my friend. I don't know what i can do.

"Craig?" He seems calmer now.

"Yeah?" I'm still confused, and shocked. Somehow i ended up sat on my bed.

"I don't know what to do."

"Do you want me to come over?" I don't know why i said this. I haven't voluntarily gone over to Clyde's house since junior high. I never wanted to. I don't know why or how it happened. I suppose i changed once puberty hit, though i never have been much of a desirable character. Maybe i got worse. Maybe when Tweek came along, no one else mattered to me.

"You don't have to Craig. I just needed to tell someone. Don't come over if you don't want to." This wasn't like Clyde, usually he would jump at the opportunity of me coming over. I don't know why but he still tries to be my best friend, after all the years that i've treated that fat douche like a complete lowlife. He still hung around. But even so, something just came over me and i couldn't stop myself from saying what i was about to say.

"I want to." I freeze up again. I don't know what i'm doing, what i'm saying. Why am i showing compassion? I'm not a nice person. I'm average, i'm plain, i'm just a regular joe. I don't particularly care for anyone, i've been screwed over so many times by people in the past that i find the majority of others just a waste of my time. But something inside me that heard those restrained cries from my old friend made my stomach lurch a little. I just couldn't be cold, heartless and uncaring as i usually am to him. I couldn't.

"Really?" He seems surprised by my reply, heck, i am too. But i mean it.

"Yeah, i'll grab my jacket and drive over now." A warm, light feeling invades my chest and makes me feel sick. This feeling is familiar. I don't think i like it. I let the feeling go, exhaling it out of my system in a sigh. Without waiting for him to reply i hang up. I can't risk myself saying something else stupid and unlike me. The cold side of me shows again and i feel a pang of regret as i look over at my Red Racer #206 sprawled open on my bed. I've barely read half of it.

I give another sigh and grab my jacket from of my computer chair and quickly put it on. Slamming my door behind me I pound down the stairs. As i'm putting my shoes on in the hall my mom pops her head round from the kitchen.

"Going somewhere Craig?" I look at her, or rather glare, and quickly look back down a my black slip ons. I don't bother answering her as i grab my car keys from the hook. Just as i leave the house, i hear my mom shout for my to drive safe. I ignore her.