Heaven ── TOM HOLLAND

24. Gay

— • —

         Mateo cracked her.

         She didn't respond to Clover's summons for the rest of the day, too distraught to even think of tending to her needs. Instead, she stayed on her couch, eyebrows knitted together as she sat through romance movies, taking note of the way the girls realized their feelings. He moves. He dates someone else. He gives up on her.

          In this case, she was the second. The thought of Clover and Tom dating disturbed her, to the point where she had to close her eyes to rid herself of the image in her head. The two of them hugging, holding hands, kissing. It was disgusting. 

          Another part of her wanted to just give it up. Mateo could have just gotten into her head, convinced her that she liked Tom as something more than a friend when really, he just wanted her to do that. They were just close friends, and that's all they'd ever be. Mateo just had to accept that.

          A loud buzzing brought Orion out of her thoughts, the girl scrambling to pause the movie, before launching herself across the room to grab her phone. She frowned as it was a text from Kelsey, asking her to snap to her location at that moment. Her eyes traveled around the room before landing on the clock above a bookcase. It was 10pm, what could Kelsey possibly need from her at that hour?

         Not thinking much of it, she snapped her fingers, sending her to Kelsey's location, pajamas and all. Her eyes widened as she didn't find herself in the familiar home of Kelsey and Mateo, instead in Clover's. She could see the faint light from down the hall, most likely coming from Clover's bedroom. Before she could announce her arrival to the darkness, more light shined into the hallway, followed by a faint squeaking.

         Orion's eyes widened as Kelsey tip-toed down the hall, clad in only under garments. "Thank me later," she whisper-shouted to Orion, grinning widely. "She's officially gay and uninterested in Tom."

          "W-What?"

           Kelsey gestured to behind her. "Clover. I took care of her."

          Orion cringed. "Oh my god, don't say it like that."

          "But that's what I-"

           "I got it the first time you said it, Kels. Why? Did Mateo tell you something?" Kelsey's silence was all she needed. "Don't listen to him. I don't have feelings for him, and besides, Clover wasn't going to ask out Tom."

           Kelsey's eyebrows furrowed. "What, seriously? So I hooked up with an eighteen year old for no reason?" She quickly shook her head. "What am I saying? I enjoyed that way more than I was supposed to."

          "TMI, Kels," Orion sighed.

           Both girls froze as the familiar creak sounded, before Clover appeared at the end of the hallway. Orion almost gagged as she made the connection between Clover's disheveled appearance and Kelsey, the latter grinning at Clover's appearance. Upon noticing Orion standing beside Kelsey, Clover's eyes widened.

         When Orion cracked, she completely cracked. In the midst of all her sappy romance movies, she sent a very passive-aggressive text to Clover asking her to stop summoning her because she was busy, and even worse, she threw in that Clover was forbidden to date any of her friends. Clover tried to ask for a reasoning, but Orion was angry with herself, and the world, so she provided no reasoning, leaving the girl on read. Looking back, she regretted doing it now, but at the time, it filled her with a sense of relief.

          She half-expected Clover to ask her a reasoning now, seeing as now Orion couldn't just blank her. But instead, Clover scurried towards her, lips already forming a pout. "Please don't punish me," she pleaded. 

         Confusion washed over both Kelsey and Orion's faces as Clover grabbed onto Orion's hand, squeezing it between her own. Orion's eyes widened as realization flooded her. Using the current situation to her advantage, she placed her hand on top of Clover's. "Clover-"

         "Please. I just got here, I don't want to get kicked out so soon! I was just so.. tempted."

          Resisting the urge to gag at the last comment, Orion nodded stiffly. "It's okay, Clover."

          "It's not! I know it's not, just please don't punish me too badly."

           Orion shared a look with Kelsey, both girls feeling bad for the girl in front of them. She could try to pretend she was a rebellious girl, eager to take risks all she wants, but she'd still be the same scared Clover she was when she was alive.

          "Clover, it's okay, really," she reassured her, hesitantly withdrawing her hand. "You're young, you make mistakes, it happens. Besides, I know how good Kels is at getting what she wants."

          "And yet, you've never fallen victim to it," Kelsey sighed, making Orion shoot a glare her way. "It's fine, Ori, you're not my type anyways." Lie. 

           Rolling her eyes, Orion focused on Clover once more. "If you want to... do whatever with Kelsey, go ahead."

          Kelsey's eyes lit with mischief. "Really?" Orion was barely able to finish nodding before Clover was tugged away, Kelsey bringing her into her chest. "I'd suggest snapping now, Orion, or you'll see something you don't wanna see." 

         Orion didn't need to be told twice. She snapped her fingers just as Kelsey began leaning down, saving her to horrifying image of the two going at it. Just as a sigh of relief left her lips, a scream followed, not at all expecting to see someone in her home.

          Tom watched in amusement as a hand flew up to hold her chest. "Cute pajamas," he commented, smile tugging at his lips when she flipped him off. "Down to go out?"

          Orion frowned. "Out? Where?" Tom's smile widened.