Chapter Four: Choking on an Awkward Apology

Tweek's POV

Most of today has been spent in my parent's business, Tweak Bros Coffee. It's a good first job since I've been working here my whole life. I have memorized how to use every machine, as well as every item on the menu to heart. Half of the time, I helped create the concepts and prototypes of the items. I wasn't paid for this help until I was 16 when I was legally old enough to be employed. Thankfully, now my parents are forced to pay me 10 dollars an hour. I know they wouldn't if they didn't have to because they didn't most of my life. They would love the free labor to keep their business thriving. Since today was Sunday, the store was very busy after people got out of their 8 am or 11 am mass at Church. We never went to Church so we were about to get the shop running for the crowd. I don't actually ever remember religion being a part of my life.

My family always had a strategy for the day, especially on Sundays. My mother was running the cash register since she was very personable, yet didn't talk to the customers in metaphors for 15 minutes. My father and I were making the drinks, as well as I was heating up the pastries in our industrial sized toasters. When it slows down, my father normally goes in the back to his office to either make new recipes or test out new coffee blends. Today starting at about 9 am, we were rushing like chickens with our heads cut off. Coffee after coffee, normally accompanied by pastries, were being flung around and whipped to customers. I didn't even have time to think, which honestly I loved. I didn't have time to think about my problems or my stresses, and I didn't have to talk much.

I inhaled deeply after a long rush. Everyone was either sitting down and enjoying their coffees, or they were out the door. I glanced up at the clock on the wall from the espresso machine, it was 2:35 pm. I wanted to take a break to eat, but I didn't want my brain to go into overload again. After what had happened last night, I didn't want to have to over think and over analyze. I quickly made myself a caramel macchiato, and before I added any liquids I threw a handful of butterscotch chips in the bottom of the cup. Caramel and butterscotch, now that was some good shit. This would be enough to keep me wired the rest of the day, so I could continue to do my work and not have to eat.

"Tweek sweetie?" I could hear my mother's voice from the other side of the barista station.

"Gah!"

"Since it hasn't been busy for a little bit, I'm going to take my break. Do you think you can man the cash register as well, it would only be for a half hour?"

"Oh my god! That's WAY too much pressure!" I grabbed my hair and tugged at it with one hand.

"You can do it, I know you can." With that, she went into the back of the store and shut the door. So there I was, by myself behind the counter with only coffee to keep me company. After about 10 minutes half of the people who were sitting down were gone, leaving the shop quiet. So I was left alone with my thoughts again, and many questions started to form in my head. Visions of last night replayed inside, and feelings started to arise. Craig kissed me last night. I know he was drunk but he still kissed me. People say that drunk actions are just sober thoughts. This has been something I've been wanting to happen for real for years, and I stopped him from doing it. He was drunk, I couldn't go through with it no matter how much I wanted to! If I had taken advantage of him in that state, he would have woken up and hated me! He would never talk to me, and tell everyone I was gay! They would banish me, hate me, someone might kill me!

But what if he was sober and he had done that? Pulling me closer to him and kissing me deeply, the thought alone made my chest and my pants tighten. If his eyes were glazed over with lust instead of alcohol, and actually wanted me? What if we both felt that way secretly, and decided to actually date? Then the whole high school would find out, and they might try to kill us! Gays aren't highly accepted here, and I didn't want to be an eyesore! I didn't want Craig to be an eyesore, or to be bullied! I couldn't ever let him get hurt like that! Maybe we could both run away from here and go to California together? We could get a small apartment, get jobs, and have it be me and him against the world. We could get married and spend our lives together? What am I thinking, this is never going to happen! I'm probably going to die alone in an apartment filled with cats! Oh no, what if the cats eat my body once I'm dead!?

"AUGH!" I screamed out loud, getting about 10 heads to turn to look at me. I could feel my face getting hot, and turned my back to all my customers. As I took a sip of my caramel-butterscotch macchiato, I heard the bell above the door chime. I sighed and turned around, and I was greeted by shining hazel eyes and a blue knitted hat. That red that was on my face must have been a shade or two darker.

"H-hi C-Craig. Welcome t-to Tweak B-Bros Coffee…..H-how can I-I help y-you?" I couldn't help but stutter more than normal.

"Do you always talk like that, Tweek?" Craig's voice was cold and emotionless.

"Y-yeah. Y-you d-didn't notice b-before?"

"I guess I haven't, no. What do you recommend to drink?" Oh god, this was too much pressure!

"W-well, one t-thing I p-personally enjoy…..I personally e-enjoy a c-caramel macchiato."

"Then I'll have a large one of those please."

"Do you l-like butterscotch? I-I add that t-to mine."

"Sure, sounds delicious." He pulled out a ten dollar bill.

"No. F-free of charge."

"Really?" His head was cocked to the side slightly, widening those hazel gems at me.

"Y-yeah. I consider us f-friends."

"Why thank you Tweek." He walked over to the area where you pick up your coffee, and I started to get to work. Foaming the milk, putting the syrups and chips in, and making the espresso. I was so completely focused I forgot about all of my surroundings, including Craig standing there. The smells filled my body with a mixture of bitter and sweet, relaxing me down to the bones. Once I was done with the godly brew, I walked it over to Craig and to my surprise I wasn't shaking.

"Here you go, I hope you enjoy." I smiled and handed him the cup. Craig's jaw opened slightly when I said that.

"Tweek, you didn't stutter just then!"

"It's the coffee. Try it." I watched him as he put the warm styrofoam cup to his face. Once some of the liquid gold went down his throat, his face lit up like the afternoon sun.

"Wow, you did a really good job with this! Is the whipped cream fresh too?"

"Y-yeah. We m-made it h-here from s-scratch."

"Hey, do you have a couple minute? I'd like to talk to you." My body froze up. Oh god, what was he going to talk to me about? Was it going to be last night? Was he going to admit it was a mistake, and that he was going to stay away from me as long as possible? Was he going to tell me he was going to tell everyone? Way too much pressure!
"Gah! Uh…..y-yeah. M-my mom is o-on break currently. W-When she g-gets o-o-off I-I can c-come sit with y-you if you w-want?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." I watched him as he walked over to a small booth. I got a glance or two of his ass, which was very nice and bubble like. I snapped my head away so I wouldn't look like I was staring. I couldn't have him see me staring, AH! Once my mom got back from her break, I asked her if I could take mine. She relieved me and I walked over to Craig with my own coffee, sitting opposite of him.

"S-so, what d-did you w-want to t-talk to me about?"

"Alright, I want you to just sit and listen to me for a few minutes. Understand?" I nodded at his request. "Awesome. So I don't remember much of what happened last night. Token had to explain most of it to me. I don't know what came over me, or why I did what I did. I wanted to apologize to you, because I know I made you uncomfortable. I shouldn't have done what I did, especially because I couldn't remember it today. I hope this doesn't impact the friendship we have. I mean I know we aren't best friends, but I would like to talk to you more and get to know you a bit more." I sat there in silence for a minute, just focusing on processing his apology. It wasn't as bad as I thought, thankfully. He admitted to this being a mistake, but he still wanted to be friends. He still wanted to be friends! That's awesome, that's better than I could have wanted. Sure, it isn't a relationship or anything that could have been better, but friendship is just as good.

"I'd like t-that, C-Craig. T-Thank you."

"I'm glad you aren't pissed at me. I would be pissed at me." Did he look sad? His eyes glanced down towards his lap.

"No, I-I understand you were drunk."

"I've never been that drunk before in my life! Clyde convinced the bartender to give me a drink so strong it would knock me on my ass after one."

"D-Damn him!" I giggled.

"It's not funny!" Even though he tried to say that sincerely, he was giggling along with me. "This is why I don't drink!"

"B-because you'll do something you r-regret?"

"Yeah." His face went back to looking like a sad puppy who lost their bone. "Let's just pretend last night never happened. I would like to have a friendship with you without that being on the back of our minds."

"I-I'm fine with that C-Craig." No, no I wasn't fine with that. I was going to be thinking about this for a while now, probably forever! I couldn't just forget about one of the greatest things that happened to me, even if he was drunk. It was an amazing kiss, and I would sell my soul just to taste a sober consenting one.

"Thanks Tweek, I have to get home to get ready for work now though. I saw your number is in my phone, so how about I text you later?"

"Where d-do you work?"

"At Jimbo's Gun Store. My dad is best friends with Jimbo and Ned, so he was able to get me a job there even though you're supposed to be 18 or older to work with guns. My birthday is in October though, so they said it was fine for me to work under 18 for a few months."

"I-Interesting C-Craig. I n-never pegged y-you as a gun guy."

"Tweek, you have a lot to learn about me then. I'm an active hunter."

"R-really?"

"Yeah, I've been doing it with my dad since I was a little kid. It's our bonding time, you know? I'm still into it, it's a great way to get in touch with nature and with yourself." I didn't know what to say to him for a second, so all I could do was stare. He raised my stare with a heavy sigh. "I'm going to head out, I'll talk to you later though Tweek. Have a good day."

"Bye C-Craig." With that, I watched him walk out of the store and down the street. Fuck, am I an idiot.


A/N (January 11th, 2018): I am loving where this story is heading so far, and I have plenty of ideas rattling through my head about it! I also had a very interesting dream last night that involved these two boys, as well as an evil dictator Cartman. I might write a fan fiction about this dream, but I won't do it until this story is over. I'm going to write the idea down, and save it for a rainy day. I hope to be continuing writing regularly, but I'm struggling with a few of my classes right now. I've already started Chapter 5, but with my midterms coming up as well as a couple huge projects I'm not sure what's going to happen. Just keep with me, and I'll keep you updated. Thank you, and keep enjoying my story! Leave favorites, follows, and reviews all you want! - Emma