Perception {Dreamnotfound}

28 | The Good In This World | 28

-George's POV-

"So how are we doing this again?" Clay walks behind me, checking over one side of the street as I check the other. Looking for any escape routes or possible places to be ambushed, anywhere we could be watched from by assassins or caught up in a fight.

"We're going to catch Darryl off guard. In the second shop that he works in on the outskirts of town, which is just over here." I check the street turns, trying to remember the way Nick took me when it was just us.

Using the route we used when Zak was with us would be ridiculous. It's the open route, plus it's the one he'd most expect me to take if he happens to catch a glimpse of me. That shouldn't happen, but it's a precaution. One of the many, many precautions.

We approach the right corner, I remember the buildings around here. Specifically the tallest one, washed-out blue walls signifying it used to be the property of the elite assassins. Nick wouldn't talk much about it, but he did suggest it was owned by them at some point.

It also wasn't where Zak was meeting Techno, 'incase I had the balls to try catch them both off guard', as Nick worded it.

Helpful information, although I didn't know it would be at the time. But it only crosses out one of the many possible places Zak could have had his meeting. Clay seems to notice as such, as he takes a few seconds to stop and scan the surrounding area.

"What if their meeting spot is nearby?" he asks. "You said Skep had a meeting out here with Techno. They could've been in any of the surrounding buildings." Clay casts his eyes up to the skyline. "Area is pretty built up. They could watch from any building."

He steps further out into the street, slowly spinning on the spot and checking over every window to see if it's really boarded up. One side looks more built up, and the planks covering the windows look less like they're doing their job and more like decoys. "Alleyway isn't out of view on that side either. We could get ambushed."

"You mean I. Nobody can see you."

"Doesn't mean I'm not here. I can still be hurt you know." Clay pulls out a rough map he's been sketching along the way, drawing crosses over some buildings. He also circles the south-east side, the side which is most open.

"But you can't be killed, not twice. Some of us can still die."

"If you die, I die too. Like actually, we won't get another chance if we're both dead." He's right. If I die, we're both dead forever. Can't be a Devotion and can't be revived.

"I'm trying not to think about that currently..." When I trail off, Clay immediately fills the gap in conversation. "Then here's something better to think about: whenever you kiss me, you look like you're kissing thin air to everyone else."

My boyfriend immediately tries to kiss me after, making a scene out of it in an empty street. I shove him away, backing up towards the medic's shop. "Thank you for reminding me never to kiss you in public."

"Awh Georgie!" Clay pouts, grabbing my arms and pulling me back into the centre of the street with a daring smirk. He takes my hands, placing one of them on his arm and keeping the other. I'm too dazed to fight back as Clay rests one of his hands on my waist, twirling us in a small circle.

We dance in the deserted streets, which is something I never thought I'd do. I've never learnt how to dance, and have no idea how Clay knows. He's pretty good at it too, so I mostly follow his lead and try to replicate his movements.

"Clay, what if someone can see us?!" I shriek when he dips my head dangerously close to the ground. He must notice how I jump thinking for a second I may hit the pavement, as his grip suddenly tightens.

"Nobody can see me anyway" he wheezes. "But even if they could, I don't really care right now. Let them."

And I decide that's a good enough answer, as I can't bring myself to stop when I notice the beautiful smile that illuminates his face. Matching his bright green eyes which glisten in the morning sun, and it's ridiculous how pretty they can be despite being a different colour to me.

His cheeks are covered in freckles, more prominent out in the light. Little dimples forming in the corners of his mouth from his bright smile. He claims I'm the one who glows in his distorted vision, but I don't need to be a Devotion to see he does too.

It's ridiculous that a system from this corrupt world could actually do some good. Giving me the sweetest, prettiest and most forgiving person. He's perfect, maybe the system is right all along. There's some good in this world after all, and they're stood right in front of me.

But I'm not telling him that, he doesn't need his ego fed.

"Are you done being childish?" I ask, some part of me hoping he isn't. Clay takes a step back, bowing to me with a smirk plastered across his face. "Now I'm done." I scoff. "Good, now lets go."

"You're supposed to curtsy at the end of a dance."

"Excuse me?!"

Clay gives out a ridiculous wheeze, so high pitched it could make dogs bark. He tugs my sleeve, pulling me towards our actual destination. "You clearly don't know how to dance, so I'll let you off this time. But next time, you know what to do."

"If you keep this up there isn't going to be a next time."

Another classic Clay wheeze. "Oh there will be. I don't care if I have to lift you off the ground to do it, I can and I will."

"That'll look so weird" I laugh, thinking about how it'd look to everyone else. Me, floating above the ground while dancing. That thought alone is enough to make me cringe.

"It won't forever. People will be able to see me again soon." Ah yes, the goal. Just thinking about it makes me feel sick. I have to kill someone, another person. I've already killed someone.

What if the same thing happens again?

Amnesia resurfaces and I forget everything again. Everything. It could mean I forget where I am, what happened, everything.

I could forget Clay.

"That won't happen" Clay intercepts my thoughts. "I'll be alive again soon, I'm sure of it. You won't let me tell you no, so I have to be."

Clay tried to convince me it was okay and that he didn't mind being like this forever. But I know he's lying. He misses Nick, and Nick misses him. I'm the one who killed him, I owe it to him.

Plus he deserves a normal life again, where everyone can see him. Where he's really there. But for now, he's there for me. My soulmate is here. He's not real to everyone, but he's real to me.

"You deserve a normal life, to be real." I simply say, hoping he'll change the subject. The constant reminder he's dead is enough to make me feel sick. Sick at what I've done. "But I'm real for you" he replies.

"And honestly, that's good enough for me."