How To Save A Life
The crisp Colarado mountain air stings my eyes while I walk down the street. I near the apartment building down Twenty-Third; my destination. When I reach the tall beat-up building I run my hand down the buttons on the wall. Someone is always expecting someone. Well, except the person I've come here to meet. I'm quickly granted entrance as many angry voices can be heard through the intercom.
I make my way to the elevator. Third floor room 318. When I reach my destination I knock just under the gold painted letters on the chipped green door. Suddenly an eye can be seen through the peephole and a series of locks are heard turning before the boy I'm here to see creeks the door open.
"Craig?" The blond whispers when he looks to me, rather confused of my being here.
"Hi Tweek. Can I come in?" He nods and moves to the side before closing the door and turning all the locks back to their safe positions.
"Why are you here?" He asks timidly as I make myself at home on the only couch in the room.
"We need to talk." He frantically makes his way to the designated kitchen area to pour himself a cup of coffee. He's so thin. Coffee's probably all he drinks or eats.
"Gah! Oh God!" He nearly spills the coffee he's holding, probably thinking the worst as the liquid hits the floor.
"It's okay Tweek, come sit down." I move to make room on the small two-person sofa where he cautiously sits beside me. He smiles up to me while clenching his mug.
How do I say this to him? How do I tell him I miss him, the old him… He looks so unhealthy. He needs help. He almost never leaves his house except once a month when he needs more coffee.
I notice a window as I look around the room. It's the only one in here and it faces a wall. Wow. Terrific planning put in here. He's closed in. The living space is very bare. No bed, he almost never sleeps, why would you need one? Christ this is worse then I thought.
"So how have you been Tweek?" I missed looking at him.
"Fine I guess…" I missed hearing his voice.
"Are you sure you're fine?"
"Mhm. Why wouldn't I be?" He doesn't get the hint.
"Tweek, I don't think you're fine." I sigh. He looks at me quizzically, still clenching his mug.
"What do you know?" He growls slightly from beside me.
"The guys… we… I haven't seen you in so long. You don't return our phone calls. You don't return our emails. You just…disappeared."
"I just prefer solitude. What's wrong with that?" Stubborn little bugger.
"We miss you Tweek." I miss you.
"What does it matter? I'm sure you guys are a lot happier without a spazzy little freak bothering you all the time." That's not true. That's not true in the least.
I look around the apartment again. It's so dusty here.
"You used to clean all the time Tweek." I mention randomly.
"So I'm lazy. Get over it."
"You used to love the sun." I look back at the blocked window. "We used to go out and walk together. And lay in the snow under the sun. Remember that?" I ask while soaking in the memories of the good old days.
"That's childish Craig." He stands to refill his mug again.
"Why don't you come spend time with us sometime?"
"Why aren't you happier with me leaving you alone?"
"I never wanted you to leave me alone." He returns back to the couch but does not sit down.
"Heh. Well it was sure nice of you guys to tell me to just shut up all the time. All the name-calling. The terrible things you guys said to me. You NEVER cared! And now you come to me and tell me that you want me back? After what? Eight months? It's been eight months since I moved into this apartment and out of Clyde's to get away from you all!" He begins to scream at me.
I keep my composure and stand to talk to him eye-to-eye.
"Tweek." I say lowly. His face is red with wrath. "If I ever did anything that lead to… This… I'm forever sorry." I tell him with a low calm tone. I look straight into his hazel eyes where the look of anger still lingers.
"Your were the biggest offender of all Craig Tucker." He spits to me. My heart nearly breaks at the words but I never show it. He moves his face close in front of mine. "You never did anything to stop anyone from hurting me. You just let it happen you passive bastard."
A silence looms over us for what seems like forever. He finally takes a step back away from me. This was never supposed to happen. The hurtful words, Tweek leaving us… scratch that… Tweek leaving ME… Forever. None of it should have happened.
"I should have gone after you." He looks up to me caught by surprise.
"I wanted to. It took every fiber of my being to stay sitting in that chair in Token's house. When the insults were flying and you finally broke down and cried there before running out of his house… It took everything in my being to not run after you." I feel a single tear run down my expressionless face.
"To this day I don't know why I fought it."
We stand in silence again for a moment.
"I didn't know I was possibly never going to see you again."
"How would you have known that I would have swallowed the whole bottle of Ritalin? I was lucky my Mother came over to Clyde and my apartment that night, or I'd be dead now." The words sting me. Tweek dead because of ME…
God I shouldn't have come here. I knew it would just end with me feeling terrible about what I should have done. What I could have done. What I would have done if I hadn't just let the guys rip Tweek apart like that.
"For what it's worth, and I know it's not very much by this point, but for what's it's worth Tweek… I'm sorry." His glare turns soft and his broadened shoulders fall. "And if you don't accept my apology there's nothing I can do. But please, stop doing this to yourself. I want to help you. I hope it's not too late." A few more tears fall and I look back up to him.
"I don't think I've ever seen you cry, Craig."
I smirk a little. "No one has." I look back up only to see guilt painted on his face.
"I… I accept your apology." He turns away from me back to the kitchen to put his mug in the sink.
"Tweek. I never wanted to lose you. And I never want to lose you again. It took me forever to find out where you were staying." He walks back over to me and stops about a few feet away. "It's depressing here." I glance around the room again before back to the blond.
"I suppose. It was all I could afford." He sighs and tugs lightly at the bottom of his shirt. I move towards him and place a hand on his thin shoulder.
"Will you come live with me Tweek?" He looks up to me shocked.
"Why would you want that?" Why wouldn't I want my best friend staying with me?
"I was so lucky to get a second chance with you when you didn't die from ODing Tweek. I want to make everything up to you. If you'll let me?" I grab hold of his other shoulder and look straight at him. After a moment of contemplating, the blond nods and a few tears fall down his face. I pull him into a tight hug and smile.
"Ok." He smiles up at me, thankful for anyone caring about him at all. That's all he ever wanted. If this will keep him alive and in my life I'll do it.
A/N This is just a little friendship thing based on the song 'How To Save A Life' by 'The Fray'.
If you've ever saved a life, I hope you understand.
Hope you enjoyed.
Disclaimer: I don't own the song, and I don't own South Park.