I awake the next morning thanks to the suns. I blink my eyes before turning over and seeing Craig is gone. How did he wake up before me? I shift moving out of bed towards the door. I hear shouting from downstairs. I head down the stairs quickly glancing towards the kitchen.

"Stop it!" yelled Tricia. "Craig, leave Red alone!"

"I didn't know!" exclaimed Red looking frightened as Craig yelled.

"You bitch!" screamed Craig. "How could you not know Matthew and I had something going on?"

"I thought he was just being a huge flirt," she replied. "I would not have fucked him if I knew you had a thing for him."

"A thing?" yelled Craig. "We just started dating!" This was news to me. Craig said they weren't dating, he said he liked him but that was a few days ago. I feel myself getting dizzy from the information. Craig snatches away from Tricia before turning and seeing me. "Um…...hey." I don't know what else to say.

"Hi," I reply slowly.

"Tweek," says Red wiping her eyes. "S-so we really don't have any breakfast but help yourself to whatever you want." I can tell she is trying to keep from crying as her body is shaking a little. Craig starts walking towards me in huge strides before stepping around me to head upstairs. I turn around to follow him not even thinking about breakfast.

"Craig," I say walking into the room.

"What!" he snaps causing me to flinch.

"I-I didn't know you were dating Matthew," I say first because that was all I cared about.

"It wasn't long or anything," he says before wiping his eyes. He chuckles. "It was only like 2 days or whatever. God, you have any idea how hard it is to earn my trust." I do. Although Craig invited me to be his friend right away it took 11 months to get him to completely open up to me. That is just with us being friends. I'm sure Matthew to make it to boyfriend status had to go through a hell of a lot more. I walk over slowly to Craig because I'm not sure how he feels. I reach my arm out to him. "Don't hug me! I don't need a fucking hug." I drop my arm as he continues to wipe his face that has been consistently wet with tears.

"Did you want me to leave?" I ask sadly because I don't want to leave him. There is an uncomfortable silence for a moment.

"No," he replies. His soft cries become deep sobs. I ignore what he says and pull him into a hug. Once fully embraced he completely breaks down crying. I just hold him hoping he can feel my will for him to get better. I wish I could magically heal his heart sometime. I look in the doorway and I see Tricia. She gives me a nod before closing the door. Craig holds on to me long after he stopped crying.

"You want to lay down?" I asked. Craig nods yes. He climbs back into the bed and I wrap my arms around him. I'm trying to decide do I want to talk to him or should I remain silent. I can feel Craig shaking a little helping me make my mind up. "Craig I'm not trying to sound like a lame or anything. You're a really good guy. Someone is out there for you. I mean we are what? 16, well you will be in October, anyway, we have our whole lives ahead of us. You have plenty of time to find someone." He is quiet but I can feel him breathing. After a while, he finally speaks.

"I-it wasn't…it wasn't that I need someone," he says quietly. "It's the fact that I trusted him. I…he…he was the first person I ever been with. I didn't think he would do this to me." I hold Craig tighter as I bury my face into the back of his hair. "I never want to talk to him again. He can fuck off."

"Yes he can," I agreed. I knew there was a reason I didn't like that asshole. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to but how did you guys meet?" As much as I talked to Craig we never really discuss Matthew unless he happened to come up. Most of the time when someone has a crush you can tell but I never saw any signs that Craig liked Matthew. If anything I thought he was just entertaining Matthew. Craig sighs shaking a little and I press him against my chest a little more.

"We have been coming to this beach for years…." explains Craig. "I remember always seeing Matthew and I thought he was a pretty cute laid back guy." In what sense? I see nothing attractive about Matthew. Laid back, when? He was always intense and acting like an ass. "I was a little shyer back then since I just realized I liked guys. I mean how was I suppose to know if a guy is gay or not." I can see his point there. It is nerve wrecking trying to figure out if you want to make a move on someone. Lucky for me I haven't seen anyone I really like well except Craig. "When I was 12 I finally had the nerve to talk to him. He looked at me like I was a little kid but still hung out me none the less."

"Okay," I say to let him know I'm still listening.

"It wasn't until I was 13 before 8th grade that he kind of showed me attention," Craig chuckles a little. "I had actually gotten taller during my 7th-grade year and maybe I looked more mature to him. I don't know I never asked. I was just glad he started to hold hands with me, kiss me, and do stuff that couples do. He got me flowers once and I cussed him out for making me feel like a girl." I can't help it as I chuckle.

"He was showing you how he felt," I replied. I don't really know for sure if that is what Matthew was trying to do. I hope so but I don't trust him.

"He could have done other things besides give me flowers," snorts Craig. "We didn't start heavily doing anything until last summer when I met you. I like the fact that he didn't really pressure me." Maybe because he was out fucking other people. I keep this comment to myself not wanting to upset Craig he seems like he is calming down. "I do wish I did none of that stuff with him now but I liked him…..I wanted to date him….."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," I say softly into his neck. "I wouldn't expect you to turn down someone you liked. Plus you thought he cared about you."

"We did so much….stuff…," says Craig shaking. "Not just sexual stuff but we would cuddle, make future plans when I turn 17 we were suppose to go on a road trip one week that summer. He was going to pick me up and his car and just go…God I fucking him, I hate every letting him in." Craig starts crying but it's much softer now. I shake the negative thoughts from my mind as I hug Craig as tight as I can, focusing on my hurting friend.