Transcript:
Nate: Guys, it's TRUE! I'M the one who broke up with Trudy, not the other way around!
Nate: And you know why? Because I actually missed you clowns, that's why!
Francis: We've missed you, too.
Nate: I KNEW IT!
Francis: .... But it's wearing off quickly!
My own opinion is that 11 year old boys don’t tend to express their affection for one another in heartfelt, straightforward ways. They tend to hide their feelings in insult humor and the like. In today’s strip, Nate and his pals, in their own 6th grade way, are acknowledging how much they care for one another. So don’t be too rough on Francis and Teddy.