Left Behind

Only Time Will Tell

When Tweek finally felt ok enough to walk to class, his eyelids felt heavy from crying, and he was extremely depressed. Luckally, Craig made it just a bit better; just barely bearable. If only every time Tweek thought of Craig, he thought of the times that they've shared, instead of the times that he's going to be forced to leave behind. Unfortunately for him, his little safe place filled with happiness was gone, and a pessimistic view of the world took it's place. He just felt down, like he couldn't smile, even with Craig around.

Tweek was leaning on Craig and holding his hand, they were walking slowly. Neither could really speak; neither really needed to. All they needed was the warmth of eachother's hands. They didn't need to say anything. They both knew exactly
what the other was thinking.

When they walked into 5th period, the teacher was about to rant to them about being late, but when she saw their faces, she decided against saying anything.

"Sorry about being late." Tweek muttered.

"It's alright, just take a seat you two." They sat next to eachother in every class that they had together. Every class. Every class that felt like a ticking time bomb. Tweek could glance at Craig next to him and his heart would ache. He wasn't ambitious, like Craig was. He was going to be dragged away by his parents, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. He just hoped, deep in his heart, that when the ticking of the clock reached the end of the school day; Craig would have a plan. That must be what his distant look is trying to tell him. It must be. Maybe the tick tock that drowned out the lecture was a way of waiting. Waiting to see what Craig Tucker's next move would be. The pessimistic side that dragged Tweek down denied this thought like a demon on his shoulder.

'No. That look is him thinking about you. How you're going to dissapear. How you'll have to leave your everything behind. The clock is ticking.. tick tock tick tock. Choose your actions wisely. Spend your time wisely. Tick tock tick tock tick tock...' that voice drove Tweek insane. His mind would wander. He begged it to stop ticking. The clock, the voice. He looked over at the demon on his shoulder, but..it was an angel.

What is the right thing to do?

Is abandoning everything... hoping to disregard safety, even going against your parents the right or wrong thing to do?

...

It's both.

'Tick tock tick tock tick tock...'
_______________________________________

After school, Craig promised to meet Tweek at his house to help him pack. Craig texted Clyde, Token, and Jimmy to let them know what was going on. They deserved to know, after all.

Tweek walked inside his home. He gave his dad a glare to let him know how completely upset he was. Tweek's dad shrugged it off.

"I want you to have at least half of your room packed up by tonight." Tweek gave an irritated nod and went up to his room, grabbing one of the empty boxes next to the door on the way up. Soon after, Tweek could hear the doorbell ring, and began listening to what was happening down the stairs, waiting for the tick tock in his head to finally shut up. What would be Craig's move in this game of life? What is the right thing to do?

"Oh, hello, Craig!" Tweek's dad seemed really happy to be moving. What choice would Mr. Tweak chose? If he knew? Would he care enough? Would he care enough to make the right choice? "Im sure that you're probably wondering what all the mess is about, well its-"

"You're moving, I know. Tweek told me." Craig was in an awful mood because of what was happening. Usually when Craig came to visit him, he would politely ask to see Tweek, but not this time. Craig slid past Tweek's dad and began walking up the stairs. "I don't think that this is very fair to Tweek. He really doesn't want to go."

'Tick tock tick tock tick tock'

"I know, but I had to take this offer. It's going to be a whole new world for him, maybe it will help with his twitching." Craig started to get really pissed off.

'Tick tock tick tock tick'

"Do you even know how anxiety works!? You don't just, throw someone with that condition into a completely new and stressful situation! That will make him way worse!"

'Tick tock tick tock'

"Well isn't that what you're doing when you told him to join the talent show with you?" He had this smug look on his face. Oh man. Tweek's dad thought he had the upper hand here. No way in hell.

'Tick tock tick'

"I told him, NOTHING. And in rebuttal, at least I asked him. Because unlike the pile of shit I have standing in front of me, I actually CARE about Tweek. And his emotions. And how he's feeling. Because Tweek is the most precious thing i've ever had in my life, and he should be for you too, since, hah, ya know, he's your SON and all." Tweek's dad looked shocked

'Tick tock'

"He is precious to me, I care for him. He's my son, what do you take me for? A monster?"

'Tick-'

"If you really cared about him, you would have talked to him about moving before making this decision. If you really cared about him, you would have paid more attention to his anxiety and depression. If you really cared about him, you would have tried to find a way to work this out! If you really cared about him, you wouldn't put meth in his coffee and wonder why he twiches!! If you really cared about him.. you would have known how he's feeling right now. How upset he is. How much distaste and disgust he feels for you..." Tweek's father stood there, defeated.

Tweek was in his room crying. The ticking had stopped. The choice was made. His fate decided. He heard the whole thing through the door. He didn't know why he was crying again, and he didn't really care.

Craig took a few more steps up the stairs.

"Hey.. I was.. I'm sorry that my emotions got out of hand."

"No, it's fine. You have a right to be upset about this."

"I.. wanted to say.. Tweek could just.. stay and, live with me. My parents and sister said they won't mind."

"Tweek has to come with us so he can help run the shop. I appreciate the offer though, and I'm sure he does too."

...

So that was it? The end of the conversation? Tweek was going to go and there was nothing that could be done about it due to that fact that his father isn't willing to make any comprimises? Not if Craig has anything to do with it. So many plans had already formed in Craig's mind. Asking if he would let Tweek stay at his house was just Craig's way of offering a peaceful compromise. Now the gloves were off. The fork in the road showed no peaceful options.

Craig is known for never pulling punches. Peaceful solutions were off the table. Either Craig was going with or Tweek was staying behind. They were staying together one way or another. The moment Craig opened Tweek's door, they both gave eachother the exact same look. They both knew what the other was thinking.

Kids can be mischievous. Desperate kids even more so. Add a perserverant trait to the child and they can become someone truly hard to handle. Now.. put two of them in the same room.. and a new clock will start to tick. One that shows that only time can tell what complete and utter catastrophes will take place.

"Tick tock."

I wrote a second chapter! Yay! Probably only gonna update when I'm in a writing mood, but I'll try to update once every week at the least. Maybe once every two weeks depending on what's going on.