"guys, the carnival is only open for like thirty more minutes," nick said. "i think we should all be heading home now."
they were all sitting beneath a tree with a perfect view of the moon, alone in the sea of black.
clay hummed, arms tightened around the boy sitting in his lap, back pressed tightly to his chest. "i think we're gonna stay here for a bit."
"alright, we'll see you guys later!" nick finished, standing up with the rest of their friend group and grabbing their skateboards before taking off.
in the comfortable silence, clay decided to speak up, "you should wear this more often, you look cute."
george tilted his head up and clay lazily kissed the boy's forehead. george asked, "really?"
"of course," clay said. "why would i lie about that, sweetheart?"
george smiled and snuggled further into clay's warmth.
it was silent again, until minutes later clay checked his phone and noticed the time. midnight.
he sighed, "george, we should really get going."
the brunet in his arms echoed his sigh, "yeah, i'm tired. but, i wanna head to the gas station first. see you tomorrow maybe?"
clay frowned. "it's late."
"i've done it before."
''i know but..."
"i've done it before, i'll be okay.''
"i--fine, but please be careful, love. oh! and text me when you get home, then, please."
george stood up, bending down to kiss clay as he too stood up. "of course."
they said their quick goodbyes and headed different directions.
when clay got home--twenty minutes later--george hadn't said anything yet. he tried to convince himself that george was still there and wanted alone time, but something in his mind kept ticking.
thirty minutes passed.
he paced back and forth in his living room. his parents were asleep.
thirty - five minutes.
he frowned and kept glancing at his phone, no notifications except from other people, but not his george.
fourty minutes.
fuck it.
he cursed himself, saying he decided too late.
clay quickly hurried back out the front door, stepping onto his skateboard and rushing to the gas station without a second thought. he pulled out his phone.
clay
love where are you?
1:06am
are you still at the gas station?
1:06am
he waited a few minutes, no answer.
clay
this isnt funny, srsly, where are you?
1:09am
george!
1:09am
where the fuck are you? plz
answer your phone
1:09am
i just wanna make sure ur ok
love
1:10am
still, nothing. he was about a minute away from the gas station.
clay
GEORGE
1:16am
plz where are you, are you safe?
1:16am
did something happen?
1:16am
he made it to the gas station and he jumped off his skateboard, ignoring how it slammed into the sidewalk.
the lights were off inside. was the gas station closed tonight? where was george then?
"george?" he called softly.
he hurried around the building and to the back.
a gasp left him and he jerked forward, unexpectedly gripping onto fabric and slamming something--a figure, a body--into the bricks.
"what the fuck? what the fuck is this about?" clay snarled, spitting into the face of who he spoke to, his ex, jaxx.
george pressed himself against a thick pole, tears had been streaming down his face.
"speak the fuck up," clay spat. "what the fuck is this about?"
jaxx grit his teeth at another slam into the brick wall. "damn, such a disappointing way to greet me, hello to you to clay. i'm just here to say a little thing to the whore you call a boyfriend."
george's eyes widened. one of clay's hands left the fabric of his shirt and gripped onto the base of his neck, squeezing. "fucking say that again, i dare you, fucking say it again, i'll beat the fuck out of you."
jaxx sneered, "am i wrong? look at what he's wearing. fucking hell, a skirt, combat boots, even a bit of makeup, all on that pretty boy. a fucking whore."
another thrust into the brick wall. their faces were only inches away from each other. both were breathing heavily.
through gritted teeth, clay said, "you're one to talk. always going to parties and fucking eveyr boy and girl you see. that sound familiar?"
"yeah, it does," jaxx said, voice choking up because of clay's grip on his neck. "you. you're the one fucking everybody."
"me?" clay growled. "you're the one who i found fucking someone in a bedroom."
"yeah, and i'd fuck your little whore if i wanted to right now," jaxx whispered.
george stepped farther away.
clay heard him because of their close proximity and his hand climbed up jaxx's neck, squeezing tighter. "what the fuck is wrong with you? is this some sort of fucking revenge? you're the one who cheated on me!"
jaxx forced a smile. "mmm, i don't really want to talk about that, i have something else in mind. you're blaming me? saying i'm the one who fucks everybody?"
clay frowned.
"what about you?" jaxx continued, "what about that little drug addiction of yours, always high as fuck and going to every party in the neighborhood just to get drunk, high, and fuck some girls, hell, even boys.
"remember that little rumor about you? it was heard all around the neighborhood. the highest kid in the neighborhood, always acting fucking insane. remember that?"
clay closed his eyes tightly before they opened again. "yeah, i fucking do, and now that i think of it, i bet you're the one who started it."
jaxx grinned wickledly, a confirmation.
clay's eyes widened. "fuck you. fuck you, fuck you, fuck you. goddamnit, how was i so fucking oblivious?" he threw the boy sideways.
jaxx stumbled, coughing and gasping for the sudden rush of air. his grin only widened. "it was a lovely time but i need to go. tell your whore of a boyfriend to wear that even more often, i'd love to see it again sometime."
clay stepped in front george, gritting his teeth and clenching his jaw. jaxx hurried around the building and as soon as he was out of sight, clay spun and hugged george tightly.
when they finally pulled away from each other, clay raked his eyes over him. "get out of that goddamn thing."
george frowned. "what why? if it's because of this, i can still wear it when im with you alone and in our houses, can't i? you like this outfit."
"i don't care, george. fucking take it off." clay growled.
"clay, just because i happened to see your ex here does--" clay cut george off.
"take it off! god-fucking-damnit! how hard is it to listen?" he shouted.
george's jaw dropped slightly. "i--what? i do!"
"no! no you fucking don't. back at the carnival i told you that it wasn't a good idea! and what did you do? you're stubborn ass said you'd be okay and look what happened!"
"i can't tell the future, can i? so how was i supposed to fucking know that i'd see your ex here?"
"you weren't supposed to know, but your stubborn, 'oh everything's okay, i'll be okay, danger isn't a goddamn thing for me, i'm safe' self still came and look what fucking happened. you fucking idiot. what if i didn't come, huh? what if i fell asleep? what if i just decided to fucking wait? what if i thought you forgot? so many what-ifs!
"and did you not hear what jaxx said? 'i'd fuck him if i wanted to'? you remember hearing that only minutes ago? don't say you don't, because i know damn well you do. what would've happened, huh? i know you're thinking what i'm fucking thinking, so goddamnit, george," clay snapped, he fucking almost screamed. his throat felt raw. tears streamed down his face.
george was silent and his own tears spilled down his cheeks. "you're overreacting," he finally said.
"no, i'm not, i was so fucking worried! can't you just fucking understand? fucking listen for once?" clay begged.
george stepped away. "you're making me the villain! you're making me the bad guy, the problem!"
"because sometimes maybe you just fucking are the problem!" clay shouted.
and it was as if the world silenced around them.
george choked on a sob. "wow, clay, wow. fuck you."
he turned, stepping on the skateboard that clay never noticed.
"fuck, wait, george--wait--sweatheart, i didn't--" george cut him off.
"don't 'sweatheart' me, and don't say it. you did fucking mean it. bye, clay." george turned before clay could get an answer out.
he stood there, sobbing as he watched george's figure disappear.