lavender //dnf//

15

TW: angst

Luckily, George wasn't put in the basement. As soon he entered his old bedroom, all he could feel was anxiety, and pain. All of the memories came flooding back to him as he flopped down onto his bed. He buried his face into his pillow and cried his eyes out- because that was the only thing he could do. George picked up his water bottle and threw it at the wall in frustration. The plastic cracked, and shattered when it hit the floor.

His step dad had taken his phone, so he couldn't even text Clay or Nick. He had absolutely no one to talk to; he was trapped and isolated. There was only one place he wanted to be, and that was in Clay's arms.

George slowly turned over when he heard a knock at the door. The door knob turned slowly before his mom walked in. She looked extremely pale, and fragile. She gave him a weak smile and perched at the end of his bed.

A tear rolled down her frail face, "George I'm so sorry."

George sat up, more frustrated than ever. He didn't want to feel bad for his mom, because she hadn't done shit to help him.

"Then get us out of here, mom! Do something! He's hurting you, and he's hurting me- so bad. Please mom just, get us out!" George tried to keep his words as quiet as possible, but pure pain was heard in his voice.

His mom shook her head and stared at the floor, "I wish I could, but I'm scared. We'll do it eventually, honey," she ruffled his hair, and George couldn't help but smile.

Ever since his step dad moved in with them, he had completely lost the amazing relationship he used to share with his mom. It was nice to feel her love again.

She continued, "that boy seems nice, what's his name?"

George's heart shattered again. He whispered, "Clay."

"Are you- you know, dating?" She asked, a clear expression of support on her face.

George nodded, and broke into another quiet sob. His mom took him into her arms, and they stayed like that for a while, until she heard her husband calling her name.

"I love you, everything will be okay in the end," George's mom said, opening the bedroom door.

"Love you too," George replied, although he was doubtful that things were going to get any better.

He knew that moving in with his best friend, and a boy who soon became the love of his life, after running away from his abusive home that had trapped him for too many years, had been too good to be true.

George looked across the room, and saw the backpack that he had brought back with him from the house. It was the backpack that he had taken with him the night he ran away- about a month ago now.

He walked over to it, and tears couldn't help themselves from falling drastically when he saw one of Clay's hoodies folded neatly inside.

Clay had put one of his hoodies in there for George, hadn't he?

George pulled it out, and threw it over himself. He jumped back onto his bed and pulled the hoodie over his face. The familiar scent of lavender made him cry harder. Everything was a mess, but this made it just a little bit better.

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Clay woke up, after sleeping for the first time in two days. He didn't know how long he had slept for, but he didn't care. All he cared about was the fact that his bed was empty- George gone. The first thing he did when he awoke was cry. He didn't want to get out of bed, he had no motivation to do anything besides cry, but at the same time he couldn't bare being in that bed alone. With the lingering scent of George on the covers, he couldn't handle it.

He heaved himself out of bed, and ambled to the kitchen. Nick was sitting, absolutely silent, on the couch. They didn't say a word to each other until Clay sat beside him, and Nick suddenly begun to sob on his shoulder.

"Nick, please don't," Clay couldn't bare seeing his best friend cry like this.

Nick tried to hold back his loud sobs, "I'm sorry. I just can't fucking let him stay there."

Clay nodded in agreement. Both of them were completely sleep deprived, all cried out, puffy-eyed, pale skin, muddled minds and drained. It felt as though there was absolutely nothing they could do in this situation. Nick explained what the cops had told them when him and George had called them, so that was their last resort out of the window.

"I wonder if he'll run away again," Nick said, almost in a whisper.

Clay shook his head slowly, "he'll be too scared."

"Have you texted him?"

"I tried, but it says he's blocked me, so I'm guessing his step dad has it. Unless, obviously-"

"What? No, absolutely not. Why the fuck would he block you? His step dad would have taken his phone, one hundred percent," Nick reassured.
Clay nodded, and the two continued to cry together.

About an hour had passed, and Nick had fallen asleep while Clay sat with his head in his shaky hands. He, yet again, was thinking about the night when him and George shared their first kiss. It had been completely magical, beautiful, harmonising-

Ding.

Clay's head jerked to one side as he heard his phone receive a message. He reached forward and grabbed the phone from the coffee table, switching it on as fast as he could.

The message was from George.

George?

A message from George?

Clay shook Nick violently, and he woke up with a terrified and panicked look on his face.

Clay's voice was weak, "George messaged me."

Nick's face lit up, but contained its worried look. He watched as Clay swiped across on the notification, unlocking his phone and revealing the message.

clay, i got my phone back, he had taken it. my mom helped me get it. are you okay? is nick okay? please tell me you guys are okay. i really want to get out of here, i want to be with you clay. i need to be with you, i don't know why i miss you this much and crave your touch this intensely but- i just do. i don't know what to do. i love you, and make sure you tell nick i miss him. 9:21pm

The dirty blond and the dark-haired boys stared down at the phone, shocked that they had actually received a message. Nick could read the expression on Clay's face- he was completely broken. He needed George just as much as George needed him.

"What do we do?" Nick asked, looking up from the screen.

"I don't know," Clay replied, "I'll just reply to him first and then we can think of ideas." His voice was still croaky.

Clay shakily wrote a reply.

george, please don't worry about us. we're completely safe and okay- we just miss you. i promise you we'll figure something out, okay? i love you so much, george. i need you too, baby. we'll be together soon. nick sends love. 9:23pm

The message was read, and George begun typing again.

You won't figure something out, because he's never getting out of here. 9:24pm

"Step dad's got his phone again." Nick said, slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Fuck." Clay whispered.

hey besties i hope you liked this chapter :)
I KEEP LEAVING YOU ON CLIFFHANGERS IM SO SORRY
i'm crying at my own fan fiction, and it's like 11am....i hope you're not crying too hard...

remember to eat something, drink water and take care of yourself- love you

1312 words.