AUGUST IS A FEVER

29

Clay's face softened when he saw you. His shoulders slumped and his mouth fell slightly ajar. George was in the passenger seat to Clay's left. His face was different from Clay's. It lit up with excitement once he spotted you and Nick standing in the dead grass. You had to fight back cracking a smile when you saw George turning to Clay and mouthing "Go, go, go!" clearly in a loud voice that was silent to you all.

The SUVs stopped driving abruptly. The one in the middle's door opened and none other than the man from the 7/11 stepped out with a gun.

"Get down!" Yelled Venus, going to grab the hand gun in her tool belt. She was too slow however, a woman from the same SUV as the man stepping out and shooting her to the ground.

The blood pooled and dripped out of her wound that was in the center of her chest, shot directly and masterfully in her the center of her heart. Nick tackled you to the floor to stop you from getting shot accidently. The grass wasn't cushioning one bit, your head going dizzy and your sight blurring for just a moment.

"Stay down." Nick told you.

He was rather smart in situations like this for being only fifteen. It saddened you that he wasn't all too unfamiliar with tragedy, but you guessed you were just as familiar at an even younger age. The reality of the harsh world you were destined to live in hit the both of you quicker than it was supposed to. What could you do now when you lost six years of your childhood to misery? There was nothing but to live on and try.

You looked up and saw the man and the woman shooting down the guards. Not just Mercury and Mars, but the other guards lined around the perimeter as well. There were bodies littered all over the field. It was nothing you hadn't seen before, but it still made your throat go dry and you gag on air.

"Stop looking, (Y/n/n)." Nick said, bringing his hand to your eyes like a child being shielded from a far too inappropriate movie scene. "We'll be okay. Clay and George are here."

The sounds of guns shooting at each other and bodies heavily thudding to the floor below was a shuddering mixture of an ominous array of sounds. Shuddering it was, and shuddering your spine did. Soon it all went away and Nick removed his hand, the sun coming back into lighting the sea of the football field of lifeless bodies.

It was sickening. You almost spat up the breakfast you had eaten just moments ago, but you managed to stomach it, keeping it down. The man with the gun, the one from the 7/11. checked the surroundings and told the woman something unintelligible, he walked up to you and Nick specifically, placing his gun away.

"My name's Rob, get in the car with your friends. We're part of the League." Rob said as the woman behind him got in the car. There was a boy in the back seat that you couldn't see the face of, him being too far. Rob and Nick helped you up and off the floor.

The sound of a car door shutting made you look in the direction of the sound. Clay began running towards you quickly, grabbing you by the waist almost harshly. His smile was wide and toothy. You mimicked it subconsciously, bringing your arms around the back of his neck.

"You fucking idiot! You could've died!" Clay exclaimed in a gentle voice as he held you as if you were glass prone to shattering, in need of careful touch.

"But I didn't!" You replied with a smile. "I'm here with you right now."

"God, you have no idea how happy I am to see you right now." Clay said with a softer voice, placing his forehead on yours. "I was so scared."

"You don't have to be anymore." You replied. "I'm sorry for leaving. I was being stupid and felt bad."

"I don't care about all that right now. I'm just happy you're alive." Clay told you, bringing a hand to your face. "But you are a fucking idiot, though."

You huffed a laugh. "Gee, thanks." You said sarcastically. "But I know."

"I just wanna..." Clay trailed off, slowly leaning in until your lips were just brushing softly together.

"You're not wearing your gloves." You pointed out as you felt his bare hands on your sides.

"I'm getting better at trusting myself like you told me." Clay told you as he left light whispers of pecks, but never full kisses on your lips. Whenever you would try to kiss back, he would be too quick and pull away with a laugh. You held the back of his head more firmly this time and pressed his lips fully against yours. "Mmph!"

You laughed into it and pulled away to see Nick staring. He started to slow clap and an astonished look.

"Wow, didn't know you were Clay's bitch." Nick said as he applaud. "Now where's my smooch? Aren't you happy to see me?" Nick asked Clay as he jumped at him trying to jokingly go in for a kiss.

"Woah, I'm living for the bromance." You joked. Suddenly you heard another door slam and you saw George running towards you. He took you in on a hug, almost tackling you. "I thought you hated me."

"Shut up, I do." George replied. "You're a friend of mine now. Of course I was worried." This was the most genuine you had ever seen him. It was touching and almost brought you to tears, your nose stinging and eyes becoming watery.

"Thank you." You whispered into him. "Now go say hi to Nick."

George laughed bashfully. "Yeah, I probably should."

Once George let go of you again, Clay took you in and guided you to the car. On the way to it, he spoke to you. "We'll be okay."

"We will be." You agreed. "So about that kiss... wanna do it again?"

"Um, yes." Clay replied quickly and half-jokingly.

In the car ride to who knows where, your exhaustion caught up to you. You fell asleep in the car as Nick, George and Clay caught up.