Craig's fingers lightly tapped on the surface of the cold wooden desk.
The sound of Mr. Garrison's rambling fell numb to his ears along with the slight mixture of several other student snickering about something. The boy's gaze searched the classroom silently.
Something just didn't feel right…
It was like any other day, yet Craig felt like this room which was packed with people was somehow empty. The stale air burned his throat as his mind began to hiss with confusion. What is it...
Thats when an empty desk caught his sudden attention. It took him a few moments to realize who was the owner of this desk.
Clyde.
Clyde hadn't been at school ever since the accident with his mom.. Her passing was so sudden that it felt almost surreal...
Craig sat up straight in his seat. It had been days, but he hadn't realized that Clyde was still gone. He felt as if his heart sunk into his stomach. What a friend I am.. Craig though to himself as he slumped low into his seat, trying to hide his shame.
The bell rang and Craig was the first out of class. He marched down the halls, avoiding any eye contact with the other students who watched him exit the scene.
The cold chilly air stung his let out a long sigh, watching the steam from his breath rise into the air, then slowly fade away. Craig wasn't sure where he was going... He had already missed the street that lead to his was as if his own feet were thinking for themselves. They dragged him down the sidewalk, slushed through lumps of snow, and stopped in the front of an almost abandoned looking house.
Craig stared up at the house with trembling hands. This was Clyde's home..
His heart skipped a beat. The blinds were down, the grass uncut, bush's new budding limps untrimmed, and the door looked like it hadn't been opened in years. The boy held his breath and knocked firmly on that door. He watched as that door began to bud with life once again just by the simple touch of his clenched hand. A sunken in face appeared through doorway.
"Hello Mr. Donovan."
A slight smile formed on the man's face as he replied quietly, "Hello Craig. How have you been?"
Craig forced a smile back. "I've been well, how about you?"
He watched the man's gaze shift away for a moment, then return. "O-oh.. I've been doing alright."
Craig bit the inside of his cheek. He's lying…
The younger boy spoke up after a moment of silence. "I was wondering if I could speak with Clyde."
Mr. Donovan gave a nod, stepping out of the way for Craig to enter the house. "Of course."
Craig was already halfway to the stairs when he heard Mr. Donovan say in a hushed whisper, "Thank you Craig…"
The door to Clyde's room slid open without any effort. Craig took a step inside, listening to thudding of his heart pound in his ears.
Other than the unmade bed, the room almost looked almost untouched. He was a bit confused at first when he couldn't locate his classmate. But there in the corner was the shell of the boy he knew.
"Clyde…"
His friend looked was pale, with large sunken in circles under his eyes, and a gut that proved that he hadn't eaten in days. Clyde looked up at him, mouth cracking open like he was going to speak for the first time since the tragic event took place.
But before he could, tears began to swell up in Craig's eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry." He cried.
Craig felt the frail figure wrap his arms around his waist, puling him in for a hug.
They both cried, grasping onto each other.
Clyde finally sniffled, looking up at his friend. "H-hey.."
Craig met his gaze, lip quivering slightly.
"Wanna go play some video games?"