After weeks of preparation and way too much money wasted on a gown and a stupid piece of cardboard wrapped in fabric, our graduation ceremony arrives. I'm so underwhelmed. The only good thing about this is that I'll never have to come back to this hellhole which, maybe I should be happier about.
"I'm so happy, I could cry," Tweek says to my right. Yup. I don't know how it didn't occur to us that we'd be next to each other on the roster. Tucker, Tweak… But, if I have to sit here for hours while they call out names of people I don't care about, I'm glad I get to sit next to him. Kenny keeps making faces at us. Actually, a lot of people have been making faces at us. My guess is at this point, everybody must know.
That's fine. Tweek says it's been freaking him out but I honestly feel a sense of power being able to bother someone just by being.
"Yeah, same," I reply but Tweek really does look like he'll cry. This is the happiest I've ever seen him. He's not like, acting any different. It's an aura... It's weird.
"This is really it, Craig and after this we're actually leaving. I'm never coming back."
I laugh since, he'll definitely have to come back since his parents and family still stay here. "Almost," I remind him. We watch the next few kids walk.
"Are you free this weekend?"
"No, I work."
"When are you free?" he asks. "My mom wants to know when we can drive down to look at the apartments."
"I don't work Wednesday," I glance towards him.
"Alright, I'll tell her."
"Which ones are we looking at?"
"Top three but the one with the big windows was taken… So minus that one."
"That sucks," I sigh. "I kinda wanted that one."
"Me too."
"Got any deal breakers?" I ask him.
Tweek considers. "I'm not picky. Decently clean, not too small, not too big, not too dark. Not too far from town. And not a place with a shared central air conditioning. You?"
I shrug. "Running water and a mattress to sleep on." Tweek makes a face. "As long as it's with you, it's fine."
"... I hope nobody heard that."
"I hope they did," I counter, a little louder. Tweek jabs me with his elbow. I snicker.
"Did you talk to coach?"
"Yeah, he gave me the number of a, 'trainer friend' in Denver who owns his own gym. Dan."
Tweek nods, "I hope it goes well."
"What about you?"
"What?"
"What're you gonna do in Denver?"
Tweek makes a face at me. "Well, I'm a barista so, I'll probably make coffee."
I hum, "Right. How come you never make me coffee?"
Tweek looks confused. "I made the one I gave you."
Now I look confused. "Wow, really?" I don't know why I assumed his parents did. That's probably why it was so sweet compared to the one his dad gave me. "How come you never made me another one?"
"I only gave you that because you got all pissy about me drinking your coffee that one time."
"Okay..." I say. "But, that wasn't the only time you drank my coffee."
"It's not like you've ever asked. I can make you coffee whenever you want, you freak."
"Cool," I smile to myself. "Sweet, I basically get free drinks."
"Bullshit, you'll definitely pay me back. That's a real service, I should be compensated."
"What do you expect me to do?" I suddenly gasp, struck with an idea.
"I swear to god, Craig. If you're about to say something stupid, reconsider."
I snicker. "You're just shy, cause we're in public."
"If you know, can you act like you have some shame too?" he quietly begs. "There's no way everyone around us doesn't hear us and isn't listening. We shouldn't even be talking at all."
Yeah Coach has been shooting us quite the glares. "You'd really rather sit here in silence? Nobody cares that we're talking they're probably jealous we ended up next to each other and are entertained by our banter."
"Stupidass," he shakes his head.
"Wanna come over and help me go through my clothes?"
"Not really," he says. I sigh. "I'll come over and watch you do it," he offers instead.
"...Alright," I accept.
"Why do you have so many clothes? You only wear like five things."
"That's why I have to go through it," I tell him. "I don't even know what's in there anymore. I gotta get rid of some things. A lot of it is old and doesn't fit anyways."
"Right," he says. "How much are you bringing?"
"Not much," I tell him. "My computer, my clothes and things, I'm honestly worried our place is gonna be empty. And like, are we supposed to order furniture before we get there or can we go out and get it on the spot?"
"Yes and both. But we should just get the necessities first. And then, gradually get everything."
"Oh, hey look ,our parents are sitting together." I point into the bleachers and Tweek sinks into his chair. "They see us." I wave back to them. "Is that your grandma? I thought you said your grandma lived in Kansas."
"How many grandmas do you have, Craig?"
"Okay, I get it," I say. "But I only have one grandma, so you don't have to be an asshole."
Tweek huffs. "Sorry," he says. "Just… Fuck, why are they sitting together? What could they be talking about?"
"You should stop worrying so much, Tweek. I think we got pretty lucky in the parent department. Even if you like to believe my dad hates you for 'turning me gay.' Which is like, not even true… at all." I don't know where he got that.
"This is way too much pressure…" he mutters. "Not you!" Tweek explains once he sees my worried expression. "Like the whole parents approval shit and everyone else knowing now. I feel exposed."
"Again, I don't know what you're talking about my mom and sister are like, obsessed with you."
"That's worse," Tweek says. "If they didn't like me, then I could do loads of things to change their minds but since they like me so much, it's the opposite. There's so many things I could do to make them hate me," he says. "Like your dad does."
"He does not hate you," I reiterate for the hundredth time. "Did he say something to make you think that?"
"He didn't have to," Tweek says. "I could see it immediately in his eyes. And then before we left, he told me he liked me and he was happy for us," Tweek says as if my dad had threatened his life.
"Okay?!"
"Craig! If I fuck this up, he'll kill me! And- And… W- I- Just, I could so easily fuck this up, unintentionally obviously but, the whole time I was worried about you when I'm the problematic one!"
"I'd wanna talk about this more seriously, so could we bench this conversation until later tonight? To shortly sum it up though, you're not a problem for reacting and responding how you do, that's just who you are. Everyone's different and I like you because of that… Again, don't worry about it. Just, you know, don't actively do the things that would ruin the relationship? I don't know…" Tweek considers this and sits back in his sit, slumping back down. "You think too much."
"Maybe…" he agrees.
I think Tweek doesn't catch it but I hear one of the girls two seats ahead of us whisper, that's so sweet to her friend and bite back a chuckle.
Our eyes draw back to the stage where Kevin and the principal are doing their hand off. All goes well, the pass is smooth but as Kevin walks off, he trips down the steps. Some people laugh. Most are just surprised.
"Jesus, I hope I don't fall." I say.
This gets Tweek to perk up a little. He snorts, "I would seriously die laughing and I have to go right after you so please don't."
"They're about to call us…" I tell him.
We stand. "I can't wait for this shit to be over."
Tweek and I approach the stage and wait for turns respectfully. Everything goes without fault. Nobody falls or even trips. Token and Wendy tied for valedictorian and almost murdered each other about that and the shared speech they then had to give. Clyde does a stupid viral dance. And Kenny fakes the principal out when he goes to shake his hand. I'm not one for theatrics so I just get the shit over with. But I linger at the bottom of the stairs for Tweek to finish so we can walk back together. I wish we could've been cuter about it, as in I wish that were a more normal thing to see and do. Not like a PSA or something instead. Because again, how likely is it for us to be right after one another? So lame. Such a wasted opportunity.
The ceremony ends pretty soon after that since we were close to last. Everyone cheers for our class and we toss our caps. I don't even get mine back so, again, what a waste of money.
And then Tweek and I find our parents. They tell us they've decided we might as well all go to dinner together and Tweek and I find the guys to tell them bye. The guys pressure us into going to the after-party at Token's place. I was already pretty sure I was going since it's the last party and I really just want to have fun with the guys before we leave and become adults so, we agree pretty easily.
Our parents call us to hurry, because we have a reservation soon. And the guys tease us about our parents and ask when's the wedding and Tweek tells them to fuck off but I'm unbothered. In fact, the moment makes me strangely happy for some reason. I have an out of body experience where I realize everything's that's happened and where we are right now and pull Tweek into an embrace. He immediately starts freaking out. "Wait-!"
"Why? C'mon, nobody's gonna see anyways."
"Are you-?!"
I suddenly kiss Tweek which gains some whistles and cheers. Until he fends me off. "Crazy! You said you weren't gonna do that!" The guys all laugh.
"You're hurting my feelings," I tell him, feigning an upset expression.
"I'll hurt more than that," Tweek warns, gaining more laughs from our audience.
AN
Yo just a few things: I think I wanna take a 1-2 week break to make sure the next few chapters are up to my liking standard-wise.
The other thing was that I felt like I should let you guys know the story technically ends in 3 more chapters... I say technically because while the epilogue is supposed to be 45, that wouldn't be the last chapter per se. (What can I say? I'm invested in this story, I can't let go lol)
And since this is a web story and not necessarily a novel, I'm gonna do things my way. So after the "epilogue", I have a couple side-story-things.
I'm TRYING to cap this at 50. (Even tho I want to just keep writing this story forever into oblivion, it's about to top my longest story and pretty confident it ultimately will but that's just to say... I think it's time y'all) but we'll see how that goes for me lmao
