Buried (a Creek fic)

5. Bruise

"You motherfucker!" exclaimed Clyde, slamming his Xbox controller onto the floor in front of him. "How do I keep dying?"

"Because you're awful at this game," Craig snickered from where he casually laid on Token's bed behind them. He watched the other two that sat on the floor in front of him, both intently focused on the video game they were playing.

"Fuck off," Clyde replied, turning to glare at Craig playfully, which only resulted in him not paying attention to the screen and his character being shot again. "Shit!"

Token laughed, his character visibly celebrating in victory on the screen by jumping up and down in the air. "Wanna play another round?"

"No way, dude. You're too good at this," Clyde gave up, setting down his controller in defeat.

"What about you, Craig?" Token inquired, glancing over his shoulder.

Craig shook his head in reply, while sitting up and lazily stealing a slice of pizza from where the opened pizza box laid beside Clyde. It was slightly cold, since they had ordered that pizza about an hour ago when he got there, but that didn't bother him.

"How long are your parents going to be gone?" Clyde asked, leaning back against the bed.

Token shrugged, exiting out of the game and turning off the console and the TV. "Business dinners usually last until ten, so they'll be gone a couple more hours."

"Is it okay if I crash here?" Clyde requested.

"Again?" he asked, a mixture of concern and alarm in his evident voice.

"Yeah," Clyde answered. "My parents are still being dicks. I don't think my dad wants me at home right now."

"Understatement," Craig muttered under his breath, earning a scowl from Clyde.

"I guess that'd be fine," Token gave in, "but it's a school night, so my parents won't be happy about it."

"Can you try to convince them again?" he pleaded.

Token sighed. "Yeah, I'll try."

This formed a grin on Clyde's appreciative expression. "Thanks, man, you're the best."

"Ugh, get a room," Craig groaned teasingly, thumping his head down into the squashy pillow on the bed.

Clyde punched his shoulder with a laugh. "Shut it, Tucker."

Craig's mind started to wander and he started pondering why they considered him a friend. Sure, he hung out with them everyday at school and occasionally afterwards, but why? He guessed it had just become a habit that formed back in fourth grade and had persisted on until this point. He wondered why they liked him - someone that was considered by many to be a manipulative inhuman-like person that had no regard for anyone else. Though he hadn't always been like that and maybe they still thought of him as being the same kid from fourth grade.

Or maybe they just pity me, Craig thought solemnly.

"Guys!" Clyde exclaimed, while peering down at his phone that he held in his hands.

"What?" asked Token, bewildered.

"I think Bebe's dating a senior now. That bitch," he spat in response, eyebrows knitting together angrily.

Token and Craig groaned loudly at the mention of his ex, who he was practically obsessed over. Though he would never admit to it, he was obviously not over her, much to their annoyance.

"Can we please go one day without talking about Bebe?" Token begged exasperatedly.

"But, guys, what if that's the dick she cheated on me with?" he cried out. "I mean, I still don't know for sure who it is. It could be anyone for I know!"