Fevers in August -dreamnotfound-

Chapter Eight

Clay sat up quickly and then heard a groan behind him, he had woken up George. "What's wrong Dream?" He felt bad for waking up George, who was obviously tired. "Nothing just a bad dream that's all." He heard George giggle, "you aren't bad Dream, I couldn't love someone who was bad." Clay felt his face burn red before the realization that George was barely awake and delirious hit him and he realized that George didn't mean what he said at all. "Yeah I'm not bad, bad people can't love others. Go to sleep George." He heard a quiet hum and a few moments later soft snoring.
          Clay decided to simply start his day early since he didn't think that he would be able to get anymore sleep anyway. He slowly got out of the bed, quiet as to not wake the older boy's rest. He grabbed his phone and started towards the door. He opened and shut it quietly, then he went downstairs to his kitchen and sat on a chair. His phone said 4:10 Jesus it was early. He looked around his apartment realizing that there wasn't much decoration around the place. That would be something that him and George would have to do. But he did see a box that looked old and beat up next to the tv.
          He walked over and kneeled down, there wasn't any writing on it and due to its placement he assumed it was a box that he had left there to be forgotten. He slowly opened a card board  flap and then another to reveal many things. There were old letters sealed up and books. There was many small trinkets and Clay slowly took them out and set them on the floor around them. He went to grab the next thing in the box without looking and saw in his hand an envelope that was cut up and spilling its insides.
          He grabbed the letter and looked at it, quickly realizing that these were George's things. Not his. But he was still curious. He unfolded the letter and read it to himself.
George,
       I was so proud of you when you sent me that text message I couldn't help myself. I know it's between us two but just letting you know we're still chill, do with this what you want.   Jennett

Clay looked in the envelope and realized whatever was in there with the letter wasn't in there anymore, nor was it in the box. He would ask George about it later. He decided to leave the things as he had left them and went back to the kitchen to check his phone. It was now 6:30 almost sunrise. He smiled and decided to go and get George up to watch it with him.
       He was watching George peacefully sleep and then remembered why he came. He tapped George lightly on the shoulder "come on get up there something you need to see." No response. So then he shook George and repeated his previous statement. He heard a groan and then George slowly opened his eyes. "What's this important?" Clay grabbed George and sat him up he reached forward and pulled back the curtain to reveal a beautiful sunrise in front of them. He was just smiling and looked at George who looked at the whole setting deadpanned. "Dream I'm colorblind."
       Clay physically face palmed and turned to face George who had a tired but amused look playing with the features on his face. "I'm so sorry I completely forgot and wanted to show you this because it just- I'm sorry." George just smiled "it's ok. Why were you up this early?" Clay remembered the things in the floor in the living room. "I couldn't sleep and ended up finding a box full of your things downstairs. There's some cool things if you wanna go see them?" George slowly nodded and turned to get out of the bed, Clay slowly following .
      

       George took his hand off the rail and looked in the living room to see a vast array of his memory things spread out across the floor. He walked over and sat down feeling the wave of nostalgia washing over him. He picked up a few things here and there and remembered the memories that were captured inside them. He felt warm and happy. That was until he saw Dream face him with a curious face and knew something was about to happen. "George where's the thing that was with this?" He recognized the letter in Dreams hand almost immediately.
       "Oh um that's  just a letter my sister sent me a while ago." He hoped he had played Dream off. "Yeah but she said that there was another piece to it, I couldn't find it." Now George had no problem with Dream being curious and skimming over his things, there was nothing to personal to find. Everything of that mattered was in another smaller box that was locked and placed under the clothes in his luggage. "No I don't have any clue where the other piece is, don't even remember what it was." Lie. Dream was still very curious.
       "Do you think it might be in a different box?" George looked away from Dreams curious gaze, "no I only packed one box full of my memory things." Another lie. Dream receded his prying and set the letter back in the box, "ok well if you think about what it was then please let me know." George nodded "oh yeah for sure." Another lie. They slid off his tongue like melted chocolate. Dream stood up and walked to the kitchen, George guessed to go and eat breakfast.
       As soon and George deemed Dream out of earshot he lout of a breath he hadn't meant to hold. He put his hands in his hair, if only he hadn't hidden the second part off that letter. George quickly put all of the things back into the box and left it by the tv. He went upstairs to change into day clothes as he heard Dream moving around in the kitchen . Once George had changed he stood in-front of his locked memory box that was sitting on a desk. He pulled off the case of his phone revealing a small, almost flat key.
       George stuck the key in the lock and turned it with a click. He looked inside at all fo the contents, his mind flooded with memories but he focused on the second half of the letter, and he saw it. He reached deep into the box and pulled his hand back out holding a small piece of colored paper. On the back outlined the words, "I love you George no matter what." And he turned it over to see the rainbow flag colored onto the front of the paper. He could smell the lazy crayola wax on the thin strip and smiled at the memory.
       He was still smiling and caught very off guard when Dream barged into the room. "Hey George foods ready." George quickly put the paper back and slammed the lid on the smaller wooden box. Dream looked over George's shoulder at the box "ok that's definitely off limits for me. Anyway I made pancakes." And then he was gone. George sighed in relief and locked the box. Putting it and the key in its respective places. He then left to go eat. The silence was comfortable. The boys were both to busy thinking to notice the other staring into space, and nonchalantly eating.
       George was thinking about how happy he was to have a sister that was supportive of his identification as gay. And how they trusted each other to the ends and back. Also how good Dreams pancakes were.
       Dream was thinking of what he had just saw. George was protective of whatever was in that box and Dream wouldn't snoop or pry about it. He didn't have time to think of his contents as he was to busy focusing on the one that he had seen. When George slammed the lid on the small box a small piece of paper flew out from right under the hinges. It was a small hand colored pride flag. Dream smiled to himself maybe he had a chance after all.

1391 words, wow that's a lot