marionette | DreamNotFound

- 23 -

am I the problem?

George let himself fall onto Clay's bed. He let out an exhausted sigh as he covered his face with his hands. "What's the matter, baby?" Clay asked softly, pulling his shirt over his head to throw it onto his chair. It was hot, he needed to cool off.

"I don't know," George mumbled, "I'm falling back I think" A frown formed on Clay's face, looking at the shorter one. "Why do you think that?" he asked hesitantly. "I haven't been in a mood this bad in the last few weeks," George replied, "since we started dating," he said. "Is there a reason or are you just in a bad mood?" Clay asked, walking over to the bed to lay down next to him.

"I think I'm a problem," George admitted. "What? No!" Clay exclaimed, "Why would you think that?" George seemed hesitant to answer his boyfriend's question. "They're distancing themselves from me. Also, there was no space for me today. I feel like they don't want me with them anymore. I don't know when I've talked to Nick the last time. It feels like it's been months," he responded. "Is that what you were thinking about today?"

George slowly nodded and felt Clay's arms making their way around his torso. "You're not a problem," Clay assured him. "If you feel like your friends are drifting away, why don't you do something with them? Call Nick, go to his place," Clay suggested. He was hoping his boyfriend would spend a night without him, he desperately needed to be alone for once. "I don't want you to feel left out, Clay," George said. "I won't. I'm the new student, I know that you and your friends want to be with each other again," Clay said, "without me." George shrugged, "I don't know"

Clay looked around the room for George's phone, "Maybe Nick wants to do something with you today," Clay said. "You think?" Clay nodded and gave his boyfriend the phone. George hovered over the messages button, thinking about ditching Nick for Clay again. "What are you waiting for?" Clay asked. "I wanna stay here," George whispered. Fuck. "No, baby, go out there, live a little," Clay said while trying not to sound too disappointed in him not leaving. "Maybe you can go with me?" George suggested. 

Clay rolled his eyes, that was the opposite of what he was trying to do here. "I think you two deserve a night together. How long have you been best friends again?" he asked. "Since like fifth grade," George said after having to think about it for some time. "See? You two need to spend time together, especially since you feel like you're drifting apart," Clay tried again. "But isn't that supposed to happen? If one of us gets into a relationship?" George asked. Clay simply shook his head, "You shouldn't drift apart, no matter what"

George furrowed his eyebrows, "Okay, I guess, if you say so." Clay nodded and waited for George to text his best friend. He typed his message slowly, his fingers visibly shaking a bit. Can I come over? George asked over text, delivered showing up immediately. "Now we wait," Clay whispered.

His fingers are buried into the brunette's hair, massaging the scalp a bit. George felt himself dozing of and held on tight to the arm that was still around him. "Don't fall asleep," Clay mumbled. If he fell asleep, he wouldn't leave. Clay needed to be alone for once, god dammit. 

The phone lit up the now a bit darker room, Clay reached for it to read over the message. "He said you could come whenever," Clay said and let go off George. He looked at him confused, why was he being so hectic all of a sudden?

"Why are you so excited?" George asked his boyfriend that was smiling a bit too much. Clay stood still for a moment before replying, "Can't I be happy for my boyfriend that his friendships aren't ruined as he thought?" George frowned, "You seem a tat too excited if I was being honest" He studied his facial expression, asking him, "are you trying to get rid of me?" 

Clay's eyes went wide, fuck. "No, like I said," Clay began talking but got interrupted, "Yeah, yeah, you're excited for me, blah blah blah. You're just trying to get rid of me. If you want me to leave, just fucking say so, asshole. Why else would you want me to spend time with Nick?" George asked in disbelief. "I'm not trying to get rid of you!" Clay exclaimed. 

George starred at his fingers. Anywhere, just look anywhere. He swallowed, trying to hold back tears, "Am I the problem?" "Fuck, baby, no, you're not a problem. Why would you think that?"

"Because it seems like everybody wants me to be gone. Maybe I should just leave," George mumbled. "Nobody," Clay began talking, "Spare your thought, I already know. It's just frustrating, trying so hard and not being accepted. I'm used to it" 

Clay was pitying the brunette until he realized that's what everybody was talking about. That was him manipulating people around him. "I'm gonna get Nick, he should come get you," Clay said, his tone changing to something cold that George has never heard in his life. He kind of liked it; someone, that didn't do whatever he wanted them to do. He couldn't let Clay see it but a smirk was forming on his lips. 

"I think I need Nick right now, you're right, Clay," George whispered and hugged the taller one.