Pain and Feathers

Chapter 5

I sigh and walk upstairs. I hear Skylar talking to herself. I knock and then walk in. I know she can get nervous like me, so I always knock before I enter.

“TWEEKY~”

“Yes, I'm a home baby,” I say opening her cage and she flies onto my shoulder “wanna wear your hood?”

She bobs her head and I reach into her drawer and grab her Little Red Riding hood. She has little capes with hoods in all colors and styles. Yes, I spoil my baby bird. She loves them and she loves wearing them.

It's cute.

I then walk into the bathroom with a blue bird on my shoulder. I set her onto her perch and take off my beanie. I started to cry. Skylar started singing. She does when I start crying usually.  I cleaned it up the wound. I now wish Craig was here. What Clyde said keeps replaying in my mind. “..I’ll slit your goddamn throat, and I’ll force Craig to watch…”

I removed my shirt and Skylar started singing a version of Jingle Bells?When I look it off I looked into the mirror and saw all the black and blue marks that were left. I put on my green work shirt and decided to clean the house a bit until I had to leave and get my car.

After a while, I hear a Knock on the door. I look at the clock

1:45

Who is here?

I get up off the floor (I was organizing the music CDs) and walk to the door.

BING-BING-BING-BING

POUND-POUND-POUND

They are spamming the bell and pounding on the door. I open it.

The door is swung open and I was tacked to the floor.  It was Craig. Holding me in his embrace. His smell of cinnamon and caramel was so strong, causing me to blush.  I then leaned into the hug and buried my face into his chest and he squeezed me tighter.

“I-I’m so so s-sorry Tweek” he mutters out sobbing.

“What’s wrong?” I asked pushing him back and sitting up.

“I-I broke my p-promise,” He said still crying. “Clyde was bragging at lunch about how he hurt you and I needed to make sure you were ok.”

I snapped

“Ok, Y-you need to explain w-what the fuck is going o-on. Three d-days ago you wouldn't even talk t-to me and a-all of an s-sudden your all over m-me and worried about m-me? Where was this protectiveness for the past t-three y-years?” I mutter out. I feel tears falling down my cheek and see them going down Craig's face.

“~chirp, chirp, chirp~”

Craig looks at me then at the bird that was on the floor waddling towards him.

“Skylar is still alive?” he mutters.

Craig hasn't seen Skylar since 6th grade. Skylar is 8, I got him when I was seven as a Birthday present.  “Hey baba” (Craigs nickname for her)

“I Love You, Tweeky Baby~” Skylar sings. This caused my face to go red.  Same for Craig.

I picked up Skylar and set him on my head. “I...uh... want an answer Craig!” Bringing the conversation back to my question.

Craig stands up and sighs. His cheeks a velvet red. He shows a small smile. “The bird said it for me”

“I-”

He opened my front door and walked out.

“WAIT, CRAIG!” I yelled chasing after him. When I caught up I grabbed his wrist and turned him around.

“Meet me at Starks Pond at Midnight tonight,” he said. I let go of his wrist and I watched him walk off into the distance.

I started walking back to my house. Did he just confess to me? Through my Bird? What the hell was going on? I wanted answers. So I decided that I would meet him. I got off work at 10 so I could go home and get ready.

I walked back into the house to see my bird eating an apple on the couch.

“Are you a mind reader?” I ask my bird.

She keeps eating. I let her eat and I continue to organize the music CDs.

At 2:30 I picked up Skylar and brought her to her cage. She went in and started playing with a bell.

I grabbed my backpack and wallet and keys locked the house and started walking to pick up my car.