Greg was getting his books out of his locker on a Friday.

'The whole day was a joke,' he thought. 'Chad rapes and almost kills Terra, even attacks us in public, but because he put himself in a wheelchair, he earns a moment of silence?'

Disgusted with all the people at school pitying the wrestling gorilla, Greg made his way out and headed towards the Markdown. However, on his way, he noticed a few other people walking the same path.

"I guess we all want to see if Chad really isn't here anymore," Greg said to himself. "The chair is too good for him."

When he finally made it to the store, Brenda quickly planted a kiss on his cheek and ran to the door.

"Terra is getting out of the hospital today!" she practically sang on her way out, leaving Greg alone in silence.

Across from him sat an antique mirror about six feet tall.

'That must be new,' he thought, grabbing a blanket with the intention of covering it.

"So how are we going to react when Terra comes home?" his reflection pondered.

"We're getting tired of you," Greg narrowed his gaze before tossing the blanket over it.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have such an active imagination," the reflection said from underneath it. "Do you really hate yourself that much? Or do you just not like the truth when it comes from yourself?"

Greg felt himself become somewhat annoyed, but the chime of the door distracted him from his thoughts.

"Hey, Greg!" Nick called out, walking in with a huge smile and pulling Greg into a tight hug.

"Hey," Greg replied, trying not to seem too uncomfortable by the interaction. "What brings you here? Don't you have a class to teach tonight?"

"I do have a class tonight. Every night, actually. It wouldn't kill you to show up for a few extra ones. Your form's getting pretty weak!" he said, putting his hands on his hips and giving the kid a scolding look.

"My form is good enough for my liking," Greg said, trying his best to plaster on a smile.

"And even better for our intents and purposes," his reflection called out.

"Yeah, I guess technique needs to be adjusted when the person attacking isn't a friend," Nick said, lifting an eyebrow.

Greg was actually caught off guard, his face going blank.

"What? Didn't think your dad would tell me?" Nick shrugged nonchalantly. "He's concerned about you, Greg."

"I didn't fight back. He attacked me and I defended myself," Greg shot back, quickly throwing up a faked act of annoyance.

"Well, if you did start it, I would understand," Nick sighed. "Chad's father said he had a stress induced stroke. Thomas Wilson is a powerful man, Greg, and he could come after you legally and win, blaming it all on you."

'There's no possible way that Thomas Wilson doesn't know the truth about his son's drug use' Greg thought to himself.

"He won't," Greg said, his face going as emotionless as usual.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Thomas doesn't want people to look into the reason his moronic son is in a wheelchair for life now," he muttered under his breath, making Nick raise a brow.

"Look, Greg," he sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I made. You have a bright future, and I don't wanna see it go to waste.

"I know, Nick. It won't happen again," Greg said softly, dropped his gaze to the floor in an act of shame, turning to bow to the man politely.

"While you're here, I figured I should tell you that I won't be in class this weekend," Greg continued before Nick could turn to leave.

Nick looked like he was suddenly reaching out to hug the kid, but it suddenly turned into a pretty uncomfortable hold, locking Greg into place.

"And why, may I ask?"

"M-My camping trip is th-this weekend! Ow, ow! I-I leave tonight and have a lot to do!" Greg explained frantically.

"You're ditching me for a camping trip?!"

"Yes!" Greg cried out in pain.

"Okay, just checking," Nicked laughed, letting Greg go and promptly walking out.

"You're a psycho, you know that!" Greg called out after him, Nick shrugging out in the parking lot.

"Like we're one to talk," his reflection commented out of the blue.

Once Nick left, Greg walked behind the counter to sit down, deep in thought.

"She can't go home. She's in no condition to fight off her freak of an uncle," the mirror continued to engage him in conversation he couldn't care less about.

"This isn't our concern," Greg said back, wondering if his parents would be upset if he smashed the damn thing. "We took care of one of her problems and now we must take care of our own project before we start another."

• • •

Terra walked slowly into the Matthews' home, admiring the silence of the house.

"Greg will take your bags to his room," Jack said as Brenda ran ahead to start dinner.

"Oh, I can't kick Greg out of his room! I'll take the couch!" Terra exclaimed.

"It's okay, I'll be gone until Sunday," Greg said out of nowhere, taking her bags upstairs without so much as a hello.

"He usually takes a camping trip around this time of year. Takes his mind off of things," Jack explained.

"What kind of things?"

"Just things. What did you want for dinner?"

• • •

Brenda and Jack finished their paperwork and began getting ready for bed.

"Stay safe, honey," Brenda told her son, planting a kiss on his cheek, both of them waiting up to see Greg off.

"You have the .22 right?" Jack asked for the millionth time.

"Yeeeeees, but I doubt I'll need it," Greg groaned, double checking his bags.

"Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!" Jack huffed. "Now you should probably get going before it gets too dark."

Waving his parents goodbye and making sure they were fully upstairs, Greg started to really make sure he had everything.

"Camping isn't the only thing we'll be doing, but we still don't want to be stranded out there," he muttered to himself, realizing that he was one bag short.

'The bag! It has Chad's journal and Ray's hammer! It's probably under my bed! Shit! Terra's in there!'

Realizing just how much he fucked up, he quickly, but quietly ran upstairs, hoping she was asleep, and was thankful to see just that when peeking into the room.

Holding in a sigh of relief, Greg crept into his own room and approached the bed.

"I thought you were gone," Terra suddenly asked, her eyes open and peering at him curiously.

"I thought you were asleep," Greg replied back, not having to fake emotion with her.

"I haven't been sleeping lately," she smiled back. "So, what'd you forget?"

"My..." Greg's mind raced. "...wallet."

Luckily, his wallet really was laying their forgotten on the nightstand, but his mind was now frantically thinking of a way to get what he really came in for.

However, when he reached over to retrieve his wallet, something fell out on the pillow.

Both of the teens weren't sexually active, but they sure as hell knew what this small, square thing was.

"Is that a--?!" Terra began, clamping her hands over her mouth.

"No!" Greg exclaimed, not having to fake anything to get a little flustered. "Well, yes, but I didn't--! I don't--!"

"Did you think I would ever?!" Terra gasped, getting understandable angry.

"No! I swear I wasn't!" Greg tried to explain, but he was silenced by the look on Terra's face.

"I saw your dad slip it in there," she giggled, "There's two more actually. Guess they think we're humping like rabbits."

"Very funny," Greg huffed, yanking them all out and tossing them in the trash.

"Sorry for milking it! You were so flustered and I never see you like that!" Terra laughed, having a ball with the whole situation.

Still unsure of how to get what he actually came in here for, they both fell awkwardly silent.

"Why are you like this?" Terra asked quietly, a bit of concern on her face. "You never told me why."

Greg felt his body tighten, but wasn't sure why.

"It's getting late and I need to go," Greg answered flatly, deciding to try and sneak in again later.

Turning to leave and wait downstairs until she fell asleep, Terra suddenly grabbed him by the hand.

"Please.. Stay with me...just until I fall asleep."

Keeping himself from getting annoyed, Greg gave in, only laying down beside her in order to get that damn bag he had carelessly forgot.