Chapter Twenty Nine
Pulling into Clay's driveway and parking next to his Toyota put Sam to shame. Their dull silver was no match for my car's metallic blue that glimmered in the moonlight. It was nearing the end of summer, meaning that it was getting cooler in North Carolina. However, it seems as though Florida was a bubble and their weather hadn't changed at all. It was dark out and the stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky in the pattern of connect the dots worksheets I'd do as a child. It was peaceful and the sound of crickets hymned me to sleep.
In the dark, it took me a solid three minutes to figure out how to turn my car off. When I finally remembered how, I leant my head against the rest on my seat and sighed contently. The serenity was interrupted when knuckles knocked against my car window. I jumped so high that my head hit the interior roof. I held my chest and glared at the culprit. Only being able to catch sight of what the moon shone, I could still see Clay hunched over presumably from laughing.
I grabbed my phone and electronics bag from the passenger seat, but left my car keys in the cupholder. Clay opened the back door and grabbed the remainder of my bags. Then, I used the Tesla app on my phone to lock my car up.
"Ooh fancy," he cooed, looking back at the car, "How're you liking it?"
"It's too boujee for me. I'm always so used to having junker cars that'll break down in a few years. It's just an odd feeling to have something nice."
"You wholeheartedly deserve it though. I'm serious."
I smiled, "Thank you."
When we entered the house, it was quiet and the only light on was in the kitchen. He flickered the hall light on with his elbow and started down the hall of the bedrooms. I followed after him.
"Did you wanna sleep in the guest room or my room?" He asked gently, hovering on the middle ground between his gaming room and his room.
"That depends. Is Patches going to leave me room on the bed?"
He laughed, "She usually sleeps on the pillows. I think it'll be fine."
I nodded my head and walked into the bedroom after him. Patches was laying on the corner of the bed contently sleeping until Clay dropped all the bags right by her, startling her awake. She seemed to throw the nastiest glare at her owner, before licking herself and trotting off toward the living room.
"She's mad at me for waking her. She'll probably sleep on the tree in the living room to spite me."
I laughed, "Cats hold grudges for so long."
I bent down to my bags and started rummaging through one of the duffels for a bedtime outfit. My mind was exhausted from trying to stay focused for hours straight, so while I was fairly awake, my brain was screaming at me to fall asleep. I grabbed a pair of Adidas mid thigh running shorts and an oversized college tee shirt before heading to the bathroom to the right. By the time I had finished changing and performing my night routine, Clay was gone from his bedroom and I heard faint yelling coming from the closed door of the guest room.
After lightly knocking, I heard rustling around. There was a bang, then the door flew open. He nearly toppled over, almost taking the door off the hinges in the process. Clay crossed his legs and propped one arm on the side of the door as he stared back at me. I stifled a laugh and looked to the side of his body to see minecraft loaded up on his screen.
"Everything okay dear?" I questioned sarcastically.
"Yup, just tripped and banged my knee on the desk—" he looked at the quizzical face I was giving him, "You startled me! I thought you went to bed!"
"I wouldn't go to bed without saying goodnight. When have I ever done that?"
He smiled, "Good point."
I entered his gaming room and sat in the chair. He followed me in and stood behind my spinning body without questioning what I was doing. I quickly put the headset over my ears and listened to what was going on. Sapnap and George were having a debate about why Clay had suddenly disappeared from the call.
"Hello Thing 1 and Thing 2," I beamed, unpausing the game and sprinting around the flower field as the ugly lime block man.
"Cal!" Nick screeched, "Hehe hi!"
"Hi Nicholas! I miss you!"
"I miss you too, Cal!"
I picked up on the cue that they weren't calling me by any nicknames or my real name, so I quickly wondered if they were streaming. Clay played with my hair as I continued messing around in the world they were in. I was collecting flowers left and right, then pressed the tab key to see the boys were on.
"Cal," George whined.
"I miss you too, George."
"I love you Cal, but where is Dream?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I responded, continuing to run around, "Where are you guys?" I tried to chop down a tree, but nothing was dropping logs, "Uh boys?"
"Yes?" Nick replied.
"Why is a tree not dropping logs?"
"Minecraft but it's cursed," George told me.
"Where are you guys?" I whined.
Sapnap typed his cords in the chat and I was able to get to them within a few minutes. Clay continued watching the screen and allowing me to take control. Sapnap and I started punching each other before George dropped a stone axe and some cooked steak. I didn't question how he was able to get this stuff with wood not dropping.
"So are you guys live-streaming?" I asked.
"George is," Nick told me.
"Hello George's viewers!"
"Are we ever getting Dream back?" George asked.
"I would prefer Cal," Nick started, "She's a better speed runner."
"I can still hear you!" Clay yelled.
I burst out laughing and so did George. I honestly didn't think he could hear them, but then again, his ear is practically pressed against the headphone. For the next thirty minutes, Clay sat beside me while I played with the boys. It seems as though the viewers didn't mind that Dream wasn't the one controlling his player. I thought they'd throw a fit that I was the one commentating because a portion of the Dream Team fandom absolutely hates me.
"I'm literally carrying us right now," I mentioned, saving George from yet another hoard of mobs trying to kill him.
"No you're not," he backfired.
"Fine, if you say so," I stopped helping George fend off the mobs and quickly after, he screamed and begged for my help again, "I'll help if you admit that I've been carrying the both of you," I looked to the side where Clay had George's stream up, "Even your chat is saying that I've been carrying."
"Fine, fine!" George screeched, "Cal HELP ME!"
I rolled my eyes and killed all the mobs surrounding him. Sapnap sprinted over to where George and I were. He started running in circles and jumping around the ravine.
"I got you a present," he whispered.
"What is it?" I whispered back.
He dropped a single diamond at my feet and I scooped it up before George had the chance to. I whispered a thanks before George interrupted the serenity by practically screaming at us to stop whispering. The chat's flow increased as they heard the classic Dream wheeze in the background.
"Cal come build the portal," Sapnap sprinted off to the lava pit.
I began trying to build it but realized something was wrong when the water I placed against the lava did absolutely nothing. I tried again and ended up sizzling my water.
"George, would you like to explain to me what's going on?"
He giggled, "Water doesn't turn lava to obsidian."
"Why would you do that?" I asked calmly.
"She's not yelling at you and that's scaring me," Sapnap told George.
"Yeah it's scary when she's calm," Dream spoke up. I laughed along with him.
"I don't have the patience to deal with you George," I informed him, "I'm gonna let Clay take back over, you're pissing me off."
"How am I pissing you off?" George exclaimed.
"You're breathing, that's how."
"Ouch."
I rolled my eyes and smiled.
"Cal don't leave," I heard the pout in Sapnap's voice.
"I'll call you after the stream," I smiled.
"Okay!"
"Goodnight boys," I took the headset off and placed it onto the desk. Clay stood up at the same time I did and we switched positions so that he had the gaming chair back.
"Hey guys, I'll be right back."
It looked as though he pressed a button to mute his mic and then stretched his arms out to ask for a hug. I leaned over and ultimately ended up falling in his lap to give him a hug since he refused to get up. Then, I gave him a quick peck on the lips before walking off towards the door.
"I won't be much longer," he told me.
"That's okay; take your time. I'm gonna be passed the fuck out anyway. Enjoy the rest of the stream with your boys."
He smiled and nodded before putting his headset back on. I gently closed the door to the guest room and strolled off to Clay's room. I quickly tucked myself into my side of the bed and promptly passed out like I said as soon as my head touched the pillow.