Spitting petals |Discontinued|

[Chapter Nine]

we were waiting at the food court talking about performances, the most notable performance of them all was Nick and Karl's... That's when I realized I'm no match for someone who performs in the same field as him.

I gripped tightly on the edge of my shirt and asked George "George, will this work?" George gave me a sad smile "I'm sure it will"

his words were never reassuring but I went along with it, "I hope it will,"

Zak interrupted us "Where's Nick and Karl though?" He said as he placed both his hand behind his head like in a stretching pose.

I shrugged, "should we look for them?" Darryl asked 

I turned my look at George "alright! let's go then!" His energy is putting me in a somewhat good mood.

we were inside the hallways in the backroom, the performers were crying they didn't make it in the qualifiers.

I sighed as we walked around the hallways, Zak was talking to Darryl and George while I'm here feeling the tenseness of the surroundings, I saw a door open to a room, I felt dread ran down my throat and the butterflies in my stomach feel like it was gonna come out of my mouth.

I opened the door slowly.

there I saw...

Nick hugging Karl... he turned to face me with a huge smile on his face "HEY GUYS!!! GUESS WHO'S MY BOYFRIEND NOW!!!" he said with such energy, I gave them a sad smile and said, "Could it be Karl?"

Karl nodded "I was actually surprised he's the one who asked me out," I nodded and Hugged them both "I'm so happy for you two."

I turned around without looking at them and walked out "I'll be going back to my place, let's meet up at the shop later in the evening..."

"o-oh okay then!" Nick said as the others enter the room, George didn't look at me but I know he was feeling sad.

I walked out of the auditorium and, saw the setting sun painting the sky with a bright purplish and orange hue. I smiled as I felt my eyes becoming heavy due to the tears I'm holding back for the whole time. 

I walked back to my home, it took me a good half an hour to reach the lobby, I walked into the elevators and felt my phone vibrated, I looked at it and Nick made a group chat for all of us.

I turned it off and pressed my floor, I saw the familiar dark hallways lit up by ambient orange-colored lamps that barely lit up the halls, the carpet in the middle of the halls silences the footsteps of the people walking around, I knocked on the door and it slowly opened to my Aunt.

for someone in her mid 30's, she looks 20 who does nothing but party around, "Hi Aunt..." I gave her a sad smile, she blinked and immediately hugged me, "are you still gonna go with them to the festival?"

I nodded as she hugged me tightly "I still need to tell him my feelings even though he's already with someone else,"

"You poor thing," she said as she let go of me, "I think you should rest... I'll just cook a feast for later!" I smiled "thanks!" 

I walked to my room and felt like something is gripping inside my chest, I instinctively coughed up, I felt something crawling out of my throat, I coughed it out and saw a green petal falling out of my mouth...

"N-no! t-this can't be real!" I stumbled back onto the floor and I just stare at it as I felt the grip on my chest is gripping harder and harder, I tried thumping on it but it was just there, I felt my heartbeats and the sensation of me breathing in, I felt that there are strands like enveloping around inside my chest.

I grabbed my phone and contacted George "George guess what,"

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the darkness loomed over the sky and the faint lights of the stars have been overthrown by the city's bright lights, I saw the moon it was large and full... I felt something crawling up my throat again, I coughed up and saw another piece of green petals fall from my mouth.

I inhaled and felt like I cannot use the rest of my lungs it hurts, it burns like hell through my throat... the gripping onto my organs felt like it was gonna kill me, the petals only adds up to my dread.

I felt my eyes water as I squatted at the side, and just had a mental breakdown, people were walking as if they're not seeing anything, I looked around and saw a familiar blue sweater. 

"George!" I stood up and ran up to him "Clay..." George can't look at me without him looking he has lost a family... "I'm sorry I got y-your hopes high" He rubbed both his eyes with his fingers and sobbed "Clay I felt like this is all my fault, I'm sorry," He said.

I hugged him, "It wasn't you who forced me to feel what I want to feel right?" George wiped his face, "you can have this scarf..." He pulled out a scarf from the small bag he was carrying around, he wore it around my neck covering my mouth "George?" I looked at him with wide eyes.

he looked at me as tears fall from his eyes, "that way..." He sobbed and gripped tightly onto the scarf "when you start spitting petals... They wouldn't know right?" he looked at me with a wide sad smile with his eyes tearing up.

"You will get the surgery right?" he said as he looked down on the floor while gripping tightly on the scarf "He's the only one who made me feel like this..." I said with a small smile on my face
"I'll endure it until the end of my life..."

George lightly bashed me on the shoulder as he raised his head at me "I'm also here right? what am I to you if you're willing to sacrifice your life for a person you met for one month?!"

I patted him on the head "Stop that!" I smiled as I felt something crawling up my throat again, I coughed it up, and instead of one petal falling there are three inside my scarf.

"Clay let me see" I picked up the petals and showed them to him" he looked back at me as if it will be my last days with them. 

I held George by his hand "come on George stop being a crybaby! they're waiting for us you know!!!" I said with an upbeat attitude, He wiped his face and nodded, We're walking around town with our hands holding onto each other.

I saw the streets lit up with orange lanterns hanging over the streets, the orange lights put me at ease... no it's George's presence that puts me at ease and takes my mind off of the situation I am in.

I was wearing my thick brown jacket that night with George's grey scarf, I was able to hold my coughs all the way to the shops, we took the turn to the shop and there I saw them standing in front of the shop.

Karl was wearing a Violet sweater, Darryl was wearing a red one Zak was wearing black with blue stripes on it, then there's Nick who's wearing a bright orange zip-up hoodie with his bandana over his head.

he saw me and gave me a bright innocent smile of his, I felt my chest being gripped on tightly, I stumbled on my self "ack! fuck!" George looked at me with an alerted expression.

they were naturally shocked and ran up to me immediately, "W-what's the problem?" Nick said

I pulled a smile and looked at him "You're just too cute for me!" they all relaxed and sighed in relief "Clay you idiot!" Zak exclaimed

"shall we get going?" Darryl said, "yeah yeah we should!" Karl said excitedly

we walked to the car and realized we won't fit, "We won't fit in the car,"

Nick rubbed his chin "I'll just take a cab then,"

I sighed "I'll come with you," I said at him...

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