Ask Craig and his 'non-friends'

Off Camera (1) Pete

No more questions for Pete, thanks.

Craig looks through the comments of the last ask. Firkle and him are picking out a question to answer next. Craig looks at me and smirks.

"what?" I ask, curious but trying not to show it.

"Someone says you should go and comfort Michael." Craig says, wiggling his eyebrows. I roll my eyes.

"Unfortunately, it's not actually a question, but you can still go comfort him. We'll call it a dare." Craig says, amused. Next to him Firkle laughs.

"Yes. You should start accepting dares!" Firkle cheers. Henrietta glances at the computer screen.

"Like this one daring you to go on a date with Ike?" She asks. Firkle looks at the screen and gasps, turning red.

"Why would I want to go on a date with someone I don't know?!" Firkle snaps, crossing his arms.

I sigh as the two argue over the blush on Firkle's face. Craig turns to me, and attempts to pay my shoulder in a friendly manor, but it turns awkward. He retracts his hand awkwardly and looks at me.

"It said to go and comfort Michael when he had calmed down, but I really think you should. That thing was intense." Craig tells me. "He's your friend, if Tweek or Token had just stormed out I would go after them."

"What about Clyde?"

"Well, that's Clyde. That's a whole different matter to begin with." I smile, and leave the room.

Where would Michael go? He won't be far, he won't go outside alone in the dark. He may say that the dark doesn't bother him, and that walking home alone in the dark gives him a thrill but in reality, it scares him.

I find out that I'm correct when he's sat on the bottom step of Craig's stairs. He has his head in his hands. He's muttering things to himself, and I hear him say 'fucking stupid ask book.'

I hesitantly walk towards him, an stand in front of him. He looks up, and his dark eyes soften. I expect him to shout, but he doesn't. He wraps his hands around my waist and pulls me towards him, hugging me. He rests his head against my stomach.

"Pete.. I fucking hate that shitty ask. What's the point? To embarrass us?" He asks, and I sigh.

"Pretty much. I mean, Firkle's in there as red as a tomato right now." I tell him. His grip on me tightens.

"What I said was true." He whispers, "are you here because you feel the same?"

The tone of his voice, it makes me feel terrible. He looks so hopeful, I've never seen him look like this before. I instantly feel even worse. I don't feel the same, I love Mike. But I don't want to tell him that, he could react in any way possible.

Anger, sadness, a mixture of the two.

I wrap my arms around him, and hold him. We hug silently for a few minutes. Slowly, I remove my arms from around him. Michael's grip loosens and I break away from our hug, sitting next to him on the steps.

"You didn't answer my question." He states, staring straight ahead. I sigh.

"Michael, I came out here to talk to you, not to confess anything." As I finish my sentence, Michael sighs in annoyance.

"Why did I think any different. It's not like your going to leave Count Fagula. He's got you under some stupid fucking spell." I flinch, and Michael sighs again. "In so fucking stupid, confessing like that, why do I have to feel things?!"

"Everyone feels things Michael. And.. I don't want things to chance between us."

"You've already made that clear, we're still friends. Great." Michael says, running a hand through his wild hair.

"I'm sorry that I don't feel the same, but I know what it's like-"

"No you don't. Anyone you have ever liked, has liked you back in a more than friend way. You're not like me, you don't have a huge nose or unruly hair or blotchy skin. You have a cute button nose, perfect silky hair and the clearest skin ever. You've never been rejected."

I open my mouth to speak, but then close it. He's right. Anyone who I have ever liked, has liked me back. Raven, he kissed me back, Mike, Kevin. I can't complain. I don't know what rejection feels like. I have no clue.

I sigh, and kiss Michael's cheek.

"You're perfect in your own way, as cheesy as it sounds, and you're right; I don't know rejection. But I really don't want things to change. Keep teasing me, keep saying things about my relationship, keep being horrible to everyone. Don't act different towards me, you're my best friend." I plead, looking at Michael hopefully.

He's silent for a second.

"That was so fucking cheesy you idiot. Now, I want coffee. You're buying me some, come on."

At that, my lips twitch into a smile. I stand up and so does Michael, he walks past me and I follow, going off to buy him some coffee.

So, Michael and Pete are no longer available for questions. I think I have two questions left, so I'll answer them and then new people will be on. Hope you enjoyed the first 'Off Camera' experience!