I really should learn how to drive, yet I know that I wouldn't be that good at it. I'm way too nervous, I'd jump and swerve the car into a ditch killing myself. I notice that Kevin doesn't really talk that much anymore. He wasn't chatty, but now it's like he's mute.
Glancing over at Thomas, he seems to be down as well. He's told me in great detail how he regrets pushing himself onto Kevin.
They don't talk as of now.
Bradley coughs into his arm as we wait to pull into our school. Staring out the window, I notice, I am searching for Craig. He's helping Clyde out of Token's Escalade. Craig told me that Cadillacs are overrated, he was talking about Token. I didn't know what that meant and still don't. Overrated? It's fancy, so yeah of course people flock to buy it.
I bump out of my seat, going over a snow pile. It scares me, being jostled like that. I should pay more attention. Winter is here, even though it never really leaves South Park. It's only October and I know I need to wrap seven blankets around me, at preferably all times.
We park, and Bradley and Kevin just open the car doors letting in the cold air. I'm freezing my nipples off and I can't even run inside or I'll fall on the ice.
Everyone travels slowly through the snow and sleet, I must get through the day before I die of hypothermia.
I'm grateful once I push my way into school. It's warm and I get to be near Craig while supposedly learning.
Shivering at my locker, I shove my bag in, not even bothering to fix my books up, I just want to rush into homeroom and lay my head down on my desk for thirty minutes.
Craig intercepts me before I can get there, "You alright?", he mutters to me in a gruff voice. I lied when I told myself that I wanted to be near Craig, I don't really want to be near anyone right now.
"Yeah, tired." I'm telling half truths, we both head to our desks, I see Kevin in my peripheral vision. I need to ask him something. The desk is cold against my forehead, I close my eyes.
A large hand grabs my shoulder, "Tweek,"
I yelp, people look over at me, they're staring, Jesus. It's Craig's hand, Kevin peers at me from his book, it's an AP English book. One I haven't bought yet. It's Catch Twenty Two.
"I'm fine, Craig." He notices everyone has their eyes on us and turns back to his notebook. He's most likely doodling or some shit.
"Hey Kevin," I try and whisper, it doesn't really work, I just sound like I'm speaking at a normal volume. I never got the hold of how to whisper. Why do people feel the need to keep their voices down? What are they hiding?
"Yeah?" He somberly responds, he sounds really upset. I know he feels weird about Thomas kissing him and everything, however I didn't think that he would be this affected. Sure, when Craig made out with me, it confused me, nonetheless I got over it and now everytime I masturbate I only can think of Craig fucking Tucker.
"Oh, uh," Don't get distracted Tweek, the race! "Did the chess club start yet?"
"It did last week, but we let anyone join whenever, we need as many people as we can get. I thought you didn't like Chess, what changed your mind?" Kevin places his book down, I can tell that this is brightening his mood so I feel a bit accomplished.
"Oh, I was thinking of making a board game club. My mom wanted me to join something. Why don't we like merge groups or whatever? Would that be difficult?" Yes, use my mother as an excuse, it'll work.
"Yeah come to the next meeting, it's this Thursday, don't forget." Kevin returns to his book, I can tell that Craig was eavesdropping by the note he left on my desk.
It's written in a font I can't really read, but I squint.
What are you talking to him about? Oo, chess? I'll be your king, if you'll be my queen.
I only write back,
You're gay.
The bell rings, and Craig flips me off after reading what I wrote as we depart for the rest of the day.
After our art teacher explained how we had to partner up and sketch a body for proportion sake, it made me glad that I had Thomas here.
We had to take a picture for reference, it was a bit odd staring at a still of Thomas awkwardly posing and smiling.
"Ah fuck! What am I supposed to do?" Thomas said next to me as he furiously erased one of my arms.
"Kevin or the drawing?" I know what he means.
"You know what, he didn't text me back, I'm actually, shit! Worried." I stop my half ass sketching for now. I feel like Thomas is more important and I'm always on board to procrastinate schoolwork.
"Jesus Tweek, why is your hair so hard to draw?" Thomas places his pencil down and rubs his forehead.
Brushing off the comment about my messy hair, I tap my fingers on my desk, "We have a few days to work, don't worry about it." I find it very ironic that I am telling someone to not worry.
Thomas sighs at me and continues to draw. I guess I should get to work, I still have half the class to kill time. I try and sketch enough that I can fix it later.
Thomas still seems frazzled as we left the classroom, I have to just move on, I have to study for a psych test or something. Jesus Christ, I'm so fucked up academically.
I rush to my desk, Craig is already slouching in our psychology class. I bet that asshole thinks he's so cool.
"Do we have a test today?" I ask out of breath, I shouldn't have ran all the way here from my art class.
"It's tomorrow dude, you okay?" He whispers to me, I guess to be secretive. I'm oddly jealous and turned on by his lowered voice.
"Yeah, ugh I have to do something for Wendy today." I plop down in my desk, we're most likely going to review for the test so I can chill out for a moment.
"How'd she rope you in?" He raises his eyebrows, I guess Wendy and I are far enough away on the cool spectrum to raise suspicion out of Craig Tucker.
"She asked me for a favor, I only have to run for treasurer." Running my fingers through my hair, I feel how frizzy it is, I must look like a maniac.
"That sounds like a big favor." Craig smirks at me, and wow that's such a banal statement. It's comforting though, coming from Craig. "You wanna come with me to Harbucks to hand in my application?" He proposes as the rest of the class shuffles in before time's up.
"I don't really like to go into work when I'm supposed to have off." Avoiding my coworkers is paramount during the week. I'm supposed to be studying chapter five of this psychology textbook.
Our teacher wanders in a bit late nonchalantly, I can tell that we're not doing much, just reviewing. I pay attention mostly and take notes. Class actually passes by quickly, thankfully.
The class ended, I follow Craig back to our lockers. My locker is still a mess, I struggle to rip out my brown paper bag. It almost forces me to be late, I have to run to the lunch room.
I'm not the last person at the table, Craig and Clyde are missing.
"Hey, Tweek, I heard Harbucks is looking to hire." Bradley includes me on the conversation. I feel flattered, yet immediately put off by this. Craig wants to replace Clyde at work and I want that extremely bad. Bradley's cool, but I don't want him working with me when I can have Craig to stare at, maybe touch his dick in the storage room.
"That sounds like a great idea," Thomas states. I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not.
Clyde and Craig arrive soon after, Clyde is hobbling on crutches. "Already trying to take my job, Biggle?" He laughs, but it feels hollow, I don't know I try smiling at Clyde, but seeing him have trouble just trying to sit down makes me feel terribly guilty. It wasn't my fault that Clyde got hurt, I have to remind myself.
"Shit, shouldn't you be at home, dude?" Thomas wipes his mouth.
"The doctors said it was cool, so here I am. I don't really want to fall behind in any of my classes." Clyde feigns a smile. It's a lot weaker than when he grins from ear to ear.
"Hey Tweek, Henri is coming back in a few days, she wanted me to tell you." Clyde oohs at this as Bradley should have probably told me in private.
I nod and continue to eat, I notice how Kevin hasn't said anything and just has his nose in a book.
The good news of this video health project is that our friend group was able to choose each other. The bad news, we have to film a video of what to do in an emergency.
"So I have an idea," Bradley naturally leads us, he's the only one who owns a camera and knows what to do with it. "I'll be the narrator or whatever."
"I can get hit by the car, there's our emergency." Craig morbidly states.
"Yeah, that's good. I'll probably just write a script and you guys can change stuff." I feel bad that Bradley is willing to take on most of the work.
We all agree that this works especially for a first day assignment, we have about a week and a half.
We spend most of the time writing and scrapping ideas, I'm anxious about this project, even though we'll split the work five ways.
After health, Kevin walks with me to AP, we're taking our sweet time.
"Can I tell you something?" Kevin startles me, I almost drop my books.
"Yeah, dude. You can tell me whatever." I try and sound pleasant and not afraid.
"I don't know about Craig dude, he just rubs me the wrong way. He seems like a fag." My stomach drops, I just brush it off and we go to class.
Wendy waves to me, oh shit. Her hanging responsibility over my head really drowns me out.
"Hey, I talked to Kevin about the chess club, I guess I can infiltrate it." I shrug my shoulders.
"That's good, don't worry about it, I think I have everything under control." Wendy assures me with a polite smile. I'm not sure what she means by that so I retreat to my desk. Thankfully the day is wrapping up smoothly.
Bradley dropped off Kevin and Thomas respectively. I stayed with them to travel to Harbucks. I slightly regret my position as Bradley sits across from me filling out the application.
"Barbrady said we were the only two people interested so far." Craig notes. I kinda want to buy a coffee, but I know I would only drink half of it and throw it away.
"It'll be cool if we all work here, you know?" Bradley hums as his pen dances across the page.
I resent that sentiment, but Craig smiles at me anyway.
AN: Hey, we're about to switch gears, I'm excited where this story is going. I also have a question, what's your least favorite part/thing in this story? Thanks, see you next time!
