Hiraeth Of The Heart (Tweek X Craig)

Chapter 21, What I Deserve

English class sped by unusually fast with Craig occupying the empty seat next to mine. Of course, he might have been a minor distraction from today's topic. Today's topic -- what was today's topic? It's extremely hard to focus with a demon hovering indiscreetly above your shoulder with a mouth full of shade. Craig Tucker really didn't have anything good to say about anyone, how he became so popular with all the people that he loathes is beyond me.

Once the bell rung for lunch, Craig paused his constant muttering of insults directed towards Wendy Testaburger, and followed me close behind to the hallway. I knew I was smaller then your average high-schooler, but apparently short means you are automatically qualified as a walking, talking welcome-mat for people to trample over like horses. After a while of looking to my feet and shuffling slyly through the crowd, I noticed a sudden blur swiftly passing over my peripheral vision. A lump formed in my throat; of course that lump could just be the pile of lost, jumbled words that's been shoved down for as long as I can remember. I took the suddenly darker atmosphere into my lungs, and let it back out with a quick glance up to whoever was looming above me. Should have guessed it was Craig. I glanced at the hairs on the back of his neck. Perfectly sculpted and leading up to his thick locks of ebony hair tangled up in his signature blue hat.

"I don't need your help."
I grumbled to myself, loud enough for Craig to hear. I was hoping I'd look less crazy then straight out talking to thin air in public. To my surprise, Craig side swiped out of in front of me, and in less than a second I was knocked into a sudden hoard of shoulders desperate to shove past me.

"GAH-!" I shrieked at the sudden loss of mobility, causing Craig to step back into my view and lead the way to lunch once again. His presents alone seemed strong enough to give the people in it something to fear, and apparently that was enough to keep them away. I knew that feeling that his presence gave off. It was when we first met, I could feel it; touch it; taste it, but it was history by now. I sucked in dry air and let out a sigh in defeat as I let his unspoken point be duly noted. The tips of my fingers tingled as they twitched in dismay.

~~

Lunch had started and of course I had no intentions on eating.  These days lunches for me was tuning in on the two - (or occasionally three) guys who sat in front of me at the school's lunch tables.  I tapped my fingers against the hard surface, not even attempting to sit still; as if my body would allow that in the first place.  Clyde Snapped his fingers together right in front of my nose, causing me to disregard Craig's furious stares that bored into the side of my head, and let my reality be pushed back into me.  My eye twitched in response as the sudden action sent a force tumbling down my spine in a shivering sensation.  I let my eyes peek up at him and Token both as they squinted at me with tilted heads.

"Uhhh-- W-what is it?" I pulled back from my hand that was placed beneath my chin.

Token flinched with furrowed brows, looking around the room before connecting his pupils back to mine.

Clyde let his eyes roll like barrels.
"We've been talking for a good- uhm- I don't know; five minutes, and you haven't reacted to anything but your own need for oxygen, Tweek."

Token reached across the table and placed a hand onto my shifting shoulders as they trembled.

"Dude, you're shaking."

Clyde furrowed his brows and locked them in place before turning to him.

"He's always shaking," he shifted his eyes to me. "You're always shaking."

"Oh," Token breathed. "That's true." He said with a shrug.

I glanced back and forth from the both of them and let my mouth hang open dry.

"I'm fine." I said with a unconvincing and most definitely awkward smile.

Once I turned to my right I noticed Craig had taken his leave of invisibility or whatever it is he does when he's M.I.A. One thing I did notice was the piece of notebook paper neatly folded and nudged under my leg on the seat.

I glanced up, making sure Token and Clyde hadn't noticed it just yet. It was obvious the two were clueless. They were knee deep in an argument about the school's famous chocolate-pudding, or as Clyde sees it: our leftover chunky-old milk dumped in a bowl.

I unfolded the note book paper and flipped it around to the front cautiously as I read it.

'Sorry. Still figuring things out.'

I let my eyes do a roll to the side, huffing loudly into the still not settled argument of chocolate pudding. They paused to look at the intruder of their feud.

What exactly was Craig figuring out was the question? Being a demon? It's simple; you deprive the world of peace a taint it with the air you breathe. That's what demons do. In a way, it isn't far from what Craig is doing to me. My life sure hasn't been as peaceful as before, and I mean- in a way it could be said that he's tainted me.

Yet Craig wasn't really a normal demon. As far as I know, they're ruthless; soulless; and evil. Craig really hadn't proven to be any of those, though at times it had seemed like it. I've seen his emotions. I've seen fear in him, joy, sadness -- lot of sadness. The more days he's with me, the more I see. There's no way he's just your run-of-the-mill demon. There's got to be more to him then that, and Maybe that's what he's figuring out for himself. He's not bad. Not to me.

"Tweek!" Two voices called out in unison together. As I was assisted away from my thoughts, I peeked up to see Clyde and Token staring me down in pure confusion.

"S-sorry. Just. . Thinking." I reasoned.

My eyes still wandering in the clouded thoughts of my own mind. Fluttered by my drifting lashes. I couldn't seem to catch a break from the confusion.

It was obvious Craig wasn't a very touchy-feely person, and was even less of the sharing type.

But once I see him again,

he'll tell me exactly what's going on.

Cause at the least, he knows that I deserve that.