South Park: Dragging Me Down

Burden

They... like me.

They actually... like me.

Pip's cheeks felt warm as he made his way towards Little China, his bag slung over his shoulder.

He'd spent the majority of lunch with the goths and the rest of the day had gone pretty well considering he'd been beaten up twice and left in a garbage can to rot between his final two lessons.

After peeling off old banana skins from his person Pip had managed to sneak out from school a little early due to his run-in with the bullies. He was on his way back home, hoping he'd be able to leave his school stuff there and go out and visit the tea shop where he knew the goths would be.

In all honesty he felt a bit embarrassed by everything that had happened over the past few days. He still thought he was really weird and undeserving of friends but Michael and the others had really tried to make him feel wanted. It had touched him.

Too bad Mysterion won't be there.

The fleeting thought caught him off guard and he brought his arms into himself, heart aching. He missed the superhero so much that it physically hurt but he knew that leaving him had been for the best. Pip hated being a burden to him. He hated wasting his time.

Pip stopped for a moment and looked ahead of him, a vast feeling of guilt bubbling up in his chest. Was he... wasting the goths' time?

It was one of the only times his sister had come to meet him after school had finished. Little Pip ran over to her and hugged her legs. Georgiana violently shoved the boy away from her.

"Don't touch me."

He stood a distance away, tears building up in his eyes.

"What's the matter with you now?"

"None of the other children like me. They called me useless."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh dear, what a shame. Too bad it's true."

"T-True?" he looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Don't you see? You ARE useless. Nobody will ever like you because you're a waste of space."

"W-Waste of space?"

She dropped the bookbag he'd handed to her, replying icily, "Waste of space."

Was that the same as a waste of time?

Forcing the cruel memory to the back of his mind, the blonde teenager lowered his head, knowing that he was completely worthless and he really didn't want to waste anyone's time. He decided to disregard his previous plan of visiting the goths and just headed to his house instead, knowing it was the only way not to waste their time. If he kept to himself he knew they'd be fine without him.

With a sigh, the sad teenager detoured and after a small trek across the snowy pavement, walked up the unkempt garden towards his house. He knocked on the door and his sister answered almost immediately. She ignored his smile and ushered him inside.

"You're late!" she snapped, pushing him down the hallway.

"I'm sorry, I was-"

"What's the matter with you? Trying to avoid your chores?" she interrupted him. "I've been slaving away doing housework all day while you've been gallivanting off at that useless school of yours!" She pushed him into the kitchen. "It's time you got to work!"

Pip caught his reflection in the hallway mirror. He noticed his cuts and bruises needed attending.

His sister knocked him to the floor with a scowl. "What's for dinner?"