My Promise To You

8

George's POV

I ran to school the next morning, I was really excited to see Clay and I couldn't stop thinking about him. I ran into the school and looked around to find Clay. I saw him sitting next to his girlfriend and ran to them.

'Hi!' I smiled.

Clay looked up shyly and a blush appeared on his face. I saw Hannah giggling a little bit and Clay rolled his eyes at her. 'Hi, George,' he whispered after.

'How are you two doing?' I smiled.

'We are okay,' Clay smiled. 'And you?'

'I'm okay, I wanted to text you last night, but I didn't want to come across creepy.'

'You can text me whenever,' Clay said with a blush on his face.

'I'm not trying to steal him or something,' I laughed as I looked at Hannah.

'Oh don't worry, you can steal him. We aren't together in that way anymore.'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' I muttered. 'Are you alright?'

'We are totally fine, we broke up on good terms. No one is sad or hurt,' Hannah smiled.

'May I ask why?' I mumbled.

Clay smiled. 'I didn't have feelings for her, even though I thought I always did. I broke up with her because I think I'm gay.'

'Oh really?' I smiled. 'That's cool! Oh, maybe that's not the right reply for Hannah.'

'I don't mind, I suspected it already and he's still a great friend of mine. I don't want him to lie to me and continue a relationship he's not happy in.'

'That's sweet,' I smiled. 'It's not so usual that people reply well to that.'

'He can't change his feelings and I really appreciate it that he told it to me as soon as he was sure about it.'

Clay smiled. 'I don't like lying about those kinds of things. I was a bit scared that she would get mad or be homophobic, but luckily she wasn't. Have you experienced homophobia before?'

'I actually haven't,' I said thinking deeply. 'My mum accepts me, I barely know my dad. Our whole school is accepting so I have never actually met someone who was homophobic. And you?'

'I just came out, my last school thought I was straight just as I did back then. I don't think they would have been that homophobic, but they didn't have a group for people like that.'

'And your parents?'

Clay shrugged. 'I don't think they will mind that much, I just have no idea how I have to tell them I'm gay after having a girlfriend for years.'

'Do you want help with it?'

Clay shrugged. 'How can you help me?'

'I can come with you when you are going to tell them,' I smiled.

Clay smiled back and nodded slowly. 'I don't want to come out to them just yet though, so please keep it a secret.'

'I will!' I said. 'Of course I will, I'm not outing you. Do you want the LGBTQ+ group to know?'

'I can tell them, but I'd rather not talk about it a lot. It's still a bit weird for me.'

'They will never do anything you aren't comfortable with. You're gay, right? I just want to make sure I get it all right.'

Clay nodded. 'I'm gay, yes. I only like boys.'

'Okay, and pronouns? Do you prefer he/him?'

'I'm comfortable with he/him, I don't know much about pronouns and gender if I'm honest. I just know I like boys and I'm comfortable being a boy.'

'Okay, that's fine,' I said smiling.

'And you?'

'I'm comfortable with any pronouns, but I prefer he/him.'

'Is it dumb to ask what pronouns are any?'

'I don't find that dumb at all. I personally mean he/him, they/them and she/her with any pronouns, but there are way more.'

I grabbed my phone and showed Clay a website about pronouns and gender. He started reading it and smiled after. 'That sounds interesting, I think I still go by he/him though. I don't feel comfortable being called a girl or no gender.'

'That's fine,' I said with a smile. 'Everything you want to be called, is completely fine.'

'I just want to be called a boy and gay.' Clay smiled and he had a slight blush on his face when I looked at him.

I heard Hannah giggled softly as she saw us both staring in each other's eyes. Clay quickly looked away and his face had turned fully red, he started nervously scratching his nail over his skin and I grabbed his hand to stop it.

'Why are you doing that?'

'I'm just uh- nervous.'

'Mhm, for class?'

'Something like that,' Clay giggled nervously and I smiled.

'Would you like to hang out once more?'

Clay nodded shyly and he smiled. 'I have soccer practice Friday and Saturday, but I should be free today, tomorrow and the rest of the week.'

'Okay, whenever you want to hang out.'

'I'm often bored, so uh- w-we could today? You don't have to, I'm sorry. This might sound clingy, we can do it next week.'

'I'm free today, I would love to hang out with you. Do you want to go to your place today?'

Clay nodded slowly and he smiled with a blush on his face. 'Are you interested in sports?'

'I don't play sports, but I do for fun sometimes.'

'We could play soccer?'

'That sounds great,' I smiled. 'I'm really bad so you will actually destroy me, but it's fine.'

'I'm not that amazing either, I will just start off easy,' Clay smiled. I smiled back and looked at his nails. He saw me looking.

'I kind of liked the nail polish, but I didn't dare to show Hannah yesterday yet,' Clay giggled.

'Oh my goodness,' Hannah yelled. 'You wore nail polish?'

Clay giggled. 'I did.'

'You better paint your nails again, or I will do it right now,' she giggled. 'You don't have to be scared of my opinion.'

Clay giggled. 'I might, but I don't like wearing it THAT much.'

'Do whatever makes you comfortable,' I smiled.

1019 words