N A R R A T O R
The room was deadly silent, you could drop a pin on the white marble floor and it would echo throughout the company. All were heard we're breathing and overthinking. The atmosphere was so thick and filled with unwanted tension, a knife would be able to slice it, so easy and perfect.
Clyde leaned into the office chair Luther offered him when explaining the story, or shall I say their history. Clyde didn't know what to say, neither did Luthor.
Clyde abruptly gets up from the leather chair and started to panic.
"I have to go..."
"What? Wait-"
Before Luther could get another word in, Clyde dashed out of the office and steps onto the elevator. He anxiously pressed the button to the main floor and leaned against the mirror, tapping his foot on the oak published floor and rubbed the back of his soft pale neck. Clyde took the minute to catch his breath stared at himself in the mirror. 'Really, Clyde?!' He reckons to himself. Disappointed at his reaction but not surprised.
Clyde recalled he has to babysit his little cousin, Anastasia, today. He also realized it's 1:30 A.M. 'Hopefully Claudia isn't awake..' Clyde thought to himself
Clyde redeems his way outside, moving through bodies to get into the taxi, and reaches the car handle. He quietly got inside the car and leans against the leather seat. He tightens his seatbelt and stares out the window as the driver drives by.
"Looks like we meet again." The taxi driver says, she turns around to look at Clyde.
"I'm sorry but do I know you?" Clyde thought to himself, she seemed awfully familiar to him but can't exactly put his finger on it.
"I can't forget a face like yours, remember me? I'm Willow!" She laughed as she takes a turn down the street. Willow being an excellent cab driver, she communicates to him through the rear mirror. "I remember I drove you here a few years ago. You were quite in a rush to meet someone."
"Wait what?!" Clyde frustrated himself, he looks down and tries to remember. He clenches onto the taxi seatbelt and sets one hand on the arm holder in the car.
"HOW COULD YOU! YOU'RE A MONSTER!"
"These are the drugs that will be in his system."
"Together forever."
"Do it."
"Oh my god... all of that? In that night?" Clyde gasped accidentally out loud. His breathing becomes rapid and unsteady. He took out his anxiety medication and inhales his pills in one shot, he usually takes his anxiety pills before bed but that was supposed to hours ago, so his schedule is now hammered.
Clyde couldn't believe it, his old memories returning to him by the simplest words, by a rare individual like Luther. They were only small portions of phrases, not the memory so Clyde knew it was useless to do the method by himself.
"I remember you were in a rush to meet your "best friend." Hopefully, everything worked out between you two!" Willow chirped around to face Clyde and sends him a sympathetic smile.
"Well, we're here. That would be $7.00." Willow sighed happily. 'How is that even possible?' Clyde brushed the thought off. Clyde handed her a $10 and motions her to keep the change. "Thank you, sweetie!" Willow smiled and Clyde does the same. He exited the vehicle and quietly makes his way towards the back of his house. Clyde quickly examined the house to see if any lights are on, no.
Clyde successfully gets inside unnoticed and heads straight to bed.
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"I cant believe it's already Monday." The fawned haired boy groaned while getting ready. Clyde's fully dressed and examine himself in the mirror. "I look so bland," He mumbled to himself with an eye roll and picked up his jacket. A one of a kind leather jacket from his dad who gave Clyde many of his old ones.
"You look like trash." His dear sister, Claudia, stated as Clyde snatch a plate of waffles. Clyde turned the opposite way to avoid contact with her.
"You have 10 mins, I'll be waiting in the car." Claudia scoffed and picked up her purse. Clyde headed behind her not long after.
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Clyde started heading to his fourth lecture and made my way with Bianca glued to my side and right when Clyde was about to sit down the dean called his name on the speaker.
"Clyde Petrov, your presence is needed in my office."
Bianca and Clyde shared a look but cooperates either way. Grayson also peeked his way to Bianca and she whispered 'I'll handle this' to Grayson.
"I'll meet up with you," Bianca whispered back to me, Clyde nodded and grabbed his bag before heading out. The professor gave him a 'what did you do' look, Clyde rolled his eyes and continued to walk.
Clyde entered the faculty room and made his way down the last glass door, the dean's office.
"Mr. Petrov, there's someone here who wants to see you." The dean gets up from his office chair and motions Clyde to go outside to speak to this mysterious person.
Clyde questioned all the possibilities on who would it be and the endless solutions on who would visit him DURING school. 'It's not mom or dad, they would've told me.' Clyde thought to himself while trailing behind the dean. Clyde sighed and made sure his posture is up straight.
Clyde walked up to the glass doors that head right outside of the university. The fresh autumn air with branches falling and cracking at your feet.
Clyde noticed the back of the stranger's neck, it has wings tattooed behind it. Looks familiar to Clyde, he's seen it before. This mysterious individual was dressed in all leather, with combat boots to match. The mysterious stranger turned around and faced Clyde.
"Angel."
"Luther?"
"What are you doing here?" Clyde closed the glass door and walked up to him. Luther leaned against the oak tree with a cigarette in his mouth.
"You're smoking? Outside my school?" Clyde questioned again as he hesitated to walk up to him, but eventually gives in.
He looked around at all the signs, not seeing one 'Don't smoke' sign, and smirks.
"There's no sign saying I can't smoke." Luther retorted while taking another puff out of his cigarette. Luther took a moment to look at Clyde, a small smirk appeared on his face and an unnoticeable blush... well to him.
Luther brought to the attention of Clyde's outfit, he raised a brow and looked at Clyde all around. "Since when do you wear leather?" Luther questioned Clyde in return. He began to analyze Clyde's jacket. As the cool breeze circles them which also caused unwanted attention to Clyde's outfit.
"I usually don't, it isn't mine." Clyde defended, he shoved his hands in his pocket and sighs. Luther was quick to react, his eyebrows drawn together and made a 'V' meaning he was angry and his eyes dagger up with rage.
"What do you mean not yours?" Luther growled and threw his cigarette on the floor, he gently walks closer to Clyde. Not even a feet away from each other. They eyed each other while Luther towered over Clyde like a bear on its two feet. Luther smashes his cigarette with his black boots, which caused tension to rise between them.
The scent of leather and cigarettes filled Clyde's nostrils, feeling dominated by the strong scent.
"It's not mine, my dad gave it to me." Clyde stuttered but keeps his posture up strong. Luther's face washed in relief, his frown back to a small smile.
"Anyways, the reason why I'm here is that I don't like how our conversation ended." Luther cleared his throat to distract the tension from increasing even more. Clyde lifted his head and made sure Luther caught his eye roll.
"Yeah well when you find out your high school was a lie, you would be AND feel betrayed." Clyde sarcastically added with anger lingering around his voice. Luther gazed at Clyde in pity, not wanting to cause any more destruction.
"I understand, I want to make up for it. Please let me." Luther gently reminded, he rubbed the back of his tattooed neck and prays Clyde will agree. Clyde stared up at Luther and thinks to himself.
'What if there's more he didn't tell me?' Clyde thought again, currently feeling overwhelmed.
"You were always an over-thinker." Luther interrupted Clyde's procrastination and softly chuckles to himself. Luther raised his hand and lands it on Clyde's cheek, slowly caressing it. Clyde gave in for just a moment but then realizes what's going on.
"You need to stop doing that." Clyde frowned while removing Luther's hand from his face. Luther growled and clenched his fist at the thought of Clyde rejecting him, but he also remembers what Clyde is going through so he quickly shoved the unwanted drama to the side.
But this isn't going to stop Luther from doing what he loves, which is teasing Clyde. "Doing what?" Luther teased, taking a step forward to Clyde. Clyde reacted by taking a step back, gathering his clap back.
"Stop acting as you know me." Clyde ripped the band-aid off, his voice as cold as ice but his eyes spoke more. "Whatever happened between us, stays in the past. I'm finally doing better again." Before Clyde could continue with his rant, Luther marched towards him and pushes Clyde against the tree, luckily it's farther away from the school. Luther is a very understanding person, specifically when it came to Clyde, but this isn't something he could tolerate.
Clyde's books fall to the floor and his glasses that were on top of them. Both their faces inches apart, Luther placed one of his hands on Clyde's waist and the other one on the back of his neck, pulling his face closer.
"What are you doing-" Before Clyde could finish his sentence Luther stared deeply into Clyde's rainy eyes and ruffled with Clyde's fawn hair. Then leaned down to Clyde's ear, softly playing with his earlobe.
"Remember us," Luther whispered in Clyde's ear causing shivers to explore all over his body. Clyde's eyes instantly locked in Luther's eyes. An old remembrance of Luther and Clyde enrolls in his memory once again.
FLASHBACK:
"Clyde! Where are you going?" Luther yelled and chased after Clyde who is currently disappointed at him. "Stop walking away from me, angel." Clyde turned around to look at Luther and scoffs, he continued to walk away. Luther moved onto stalling the non-gullible boy. Luther picked up his pace, finally caught up to Clyde.
As Luther ran his final steps, he tackled Clyde to the ground. Luther being his protective self makes sure Clyde has a safe landing on top of him. Clyde's hands resting easily on Luther's chest, their legs wrapped in one another. A blush crept up on Clyde's face but he quickly hide it. Luther bursted out laughing as Clyde has an angry expression on his face, he huffed and turned his cheek.
"Why are you so angry, angel?" Luther whispered in Clyde's ear causing him to shiver. Luther smirked at Clyde's reaction and flips him over. Currently, Luther is hovering over Clyde with their arms entangled in one another.
"You haven't spoken to me since your date. Which was THREE WEEKS AGO and you come here acting like everything's fine." Clyde started his rant, he takes a breath trying to maintain his unsteadiness. Clyde rolled his eyes as he continued. "A simple text would've sufficed, "best friend"." Clyde finished, he made sure to emphasize his best friend so Luther can get an understanding of the situation.
Clyde pulled his hands away from Luther's grasped and shoved him off. Clyde got up from the rusty grass with a few autumn leaves and shook all the dirt off his clothes.
"Okay, first of all, it wasn't a date. It was my childhood friend, I was catching up with her and it took longer than expected." Luther began to explain, Clyde's face remained unfazed.
"Are you mad that I didn't talk to you for three weeks or is it a fact that I was hanging out with someone who wasn't you?" Luther teased as he gets up right after Clyde. Clyde sends him a 'don't push it' look and turned away. Luther smirked and decides to continue, "Are you jealous, angel eyes?" Luther hummed as he trailed on Clyde's tail. Clyde serving him the silent treatment and continued to walk.
A couple of minutes went by and still not a word peeks out. Luther began to feel impatient and growled lowly. Luther doesn't like it when Clyde's upset or mad at him, especially when he's disappointed in Luther. Clyde caught Luther's whining and stopped at his trail. Clyde turned around slowly, he didn't even realize how close Luther was; their bodies inches apart.
"I wasn't mad, it's just we have been best friends for a long time now and I thought I could count on you." Clyde's anxiety started to catch up on him, Luther fully knowing Clyde's health is very fragile. "I had an anxiety attack last week, I called you because you always knew how to calm me down.. and..." Clyde stumped on his words but his slow breathing is starting to take over.
Clyde has always been an independent person, but ever since his friendship with Luther started, he always depended on him, and Luther did the same. Luther knew this was a big deal, Clyde has very bad anxiety but he rarely gets anxiety attacks.
"Clyde, look at me." Luther held Clyde's face gently in his slightly bigger hands. Luther leaned into Clyde giving him a sympathetic hug. Staring deeply into each other eyes, Luther's big obsidian orbs reflecting into Clyde's pearl crystal eyes.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't able to help you, I promise I wasn't ignoring you," Luther whispered gently trying to calm Clyde's nerves from increasing. "I'll always be here for you, angel."
"Always together?"
"Always together."
END OF FLASHBACK
Clyde was in absolute shock yet intrigued, he wanted to know more about his history specifically with Luther. Clyde felt the emotions when he was with Luther. Clyde felt hopeful, he wanted to feel the same way again. Clyde wants to find himself again.
Clyde and Luther still in the same position as before. While Clyde was processing all the information, Luther was playing with Clyde's fawn hair, he realized how soft and silky it was. 'Smells like rain and vanilla' Luther thought to himself. He also realized Clyde's done processing the old memory so he quickly takes his hands away. Luther sets both his hands on Clyde's waist.
"Don't you want to know more? Please just give me a chance to show you." Luther leaned down to Clyde's face and begged him for another chance. Clyde looks up to Luther and stares into his eyes. Clyde smiled for a second and wanted to agree more than anything.
"I-"
"Clyde? What are you doing?" Bianca said while walking up to Clyde and Luther. Clyde quickly shoved off Luther and attempted to act natural.
Clyde completely forgot Bianca was following him to the dean's office.
"I... I was just-"
"I came to visit Clyde, I'm one of his childhood "friends"." Luther interrupted, he looked over to Clyde and winked at him. Clyde rolled his eyes and quickly glanced at Bianca to see if she bought it.
"Oh okay, I wondered where you were. Okay, it's good to know your safe. Well while you guys were talking, you missed a whole period but I'm not complaining. I'll see you in the cafe in a few minutes." Bianca smiled as she headed to the cafe that's down the street from the university.
Clyde was relieved, he didn't know how to explain the situation so it was good that Luther lied for him.
"I should go..." Clyde decided, he picks up his books and tries to look for his glasses. 'I should've worn my contacts today.' Clyde lectured himself as he tried to find them.
Clyde got up from the ground unable to find them. He looks up to see Luther holding them.
"Oh thanks-" Clyde reached for his glasses back but Luther pulled back. Clyde looked at Luther confused, he may not be able to see the best right now but Clyde can see the biggest smirk plastered on Luther's face.
"Can I please have my glasses?" Clyde snapped at Luther causing him to have a laughing fit.
'Just like old times...' Luther thought to himself. Luther has always teased Clyde which angered him. Clyde's anger was Luther's daily dose in a bad day.
Clyde frowned at Luther but remained unfazed. Luther walked closer to Clyde, he took one of Clyde's delicate hands and places the glasses on it.
"Meet me tonight at my office," Luther whispered as he leaned into Clyde's ear and kisses it gently. Clyde couldn't contain his blushing so he turned away.
Then they go their separate ways.
Clyde and Bianca hung out with each other for the rest of the day. Clyde loved Bianca more than anyone but there's something that caught his hearing of what she said.
"There's been a rumor around campus, apparently the infamous Drug Lord of NYC has been fucking a student." Bianca gossiped as she fixed her hair on Clyde's mirror that's in his locker. Grayson's jaw was opened as he laughed. He was playing with the soccer ball that he was holding.
"Who did you hear that from?!" Clyde panicked while his face shot up. He turned around to look at Bianca.
"I heard it from Lyndon Mayfield, the Professors son, Dean Mayfield," Bianca informed Clyde which made his heart skip two beats. Clyde slowly closed his locker making Bianca's reflection disappear. Bianca looks over to Clyde and squinted, she's very good at reading people and right now she can tell Clyde's upset.
"Did I say something, Clyde? Remember we're best friends. You haven't told me about any crushes you've had since you've felt 'incomplete' during junior year." Bianca explained, she walked over to Clyde and hugged him.
'If only you knew why I felt incomplete and by who.' Clyde thought to himself. Clyde leaned against his locker and Bianca leaned with him. Grayson was too memorized by his soccer ball to pay any attention.
All Clyde felt that day, was guilt. Constantly lying to his best friends, for two reasons. Luther being the NYC most feared Drug Lord, and Clyde hung that student and almost having a drug problem. Clyde was dawning the whole day and just thinking, what if he could change his ways and start fresh again. Without trouble, meaning Luther.
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Clyde took a taxi to Luther's establishment in the city. He wondered how he's going to stop things between Luther before things get out of hand. Meaning Clyde's memories, and feelings.
Luther raised his head to see Clyde leaning by the doorway. Luther smirks and gets up walking towards him. Luther motioned Clyde to sit down on the couch next to him. Clyde is obligated but moved away from Luther causing him to growl. Clyde chuckled and tilted his head. 'Such a tease.' Luther thought as he noticed Clyde was biting his lip due rn his nervousness.
"Don't do that." Luther growled and Clyde quickly stopped. Luther smirked and leaned against the leather chair as Clyde faces forward.
"Now, angel. Where were we?"
END OF CHAPTER 4!
COMMENT AND VOTE
— I'm so sorry it took me like a month to write this chapter. I'm currently revamping my other book that has over 80k reads. I'm revamping the storyline, grammar, etc...
— Chapter 3,200+ words