My Promise To You

10

George's POV

After school I was waiting for Clay and when he was walking outside next to Hannah, I smiled at him and ran to him. 'Hi! How was geography?'

'How do you know my schedule?'

I giggled.

'Clingy,' Clay joked. He was hiding the blush on his face by fake looking in his bag. 'Are you ready to come to my place?'

'Ready? What do I have to expect?'

'It's way busier than at your place. My brother and sister argue all the time and they run around through the house the whole time. Well, my mum and dad are calmer.'

'Is it hard for you to do homework at home?'

Clay nodded. 'I have noise suppressing headphones.'

'That's chill,' I smiled and Clay nodded at me.

We started walking to his place and he was talking about soccer. I just listened to him and after a while he opened the door to a house, letting me go in first. 'Ladies first,' Clay giggled.

I rolled my eyes at him. 'Idiot.'

He giggled and walked in after me. I immediately saw his brother and sister run around through the house, Clay ignored them and he walked to the living room. His parents sat on the couch and he smiled.

'This is George,' Clay smiled as he pointed at me while looking at his parents. 'He's my friend.'

'Oh, I'm so glad that you've made a friend already!'

Clay smiled and looked at me. 'I'm really happy too.'

I walked to his parents and shook their hands, saying my name again to be polite.

'If I knew you were coming over, I would have cleaned a bit more,' Clay's mum laughed. 'And I would have bought something to eat or to drink. I only have tea, coffee and water.'

'I like tea!' I smiled.

Clay's mum nodded and pointed at the couch. 'Take a seat.'

I nodded back at her and sat down as Clay sat down next to me. I smiled as I realised we were sitting really close next to each other and I didn't dare to move. Clay didn't seem to move either, but when his dad looked up, he quickly scooted away. I didn't mind because I knew he was closeted and he probably didn't want his parents to think he was gay.

'How's Hannah?' Clay's dad asked.

Clay got a bit anxious and let out a nervous giggle. 'Uh- she's good.'

'Are you sure? Isn't it your three year anniversary with her in a week?'

'Uh- I uh- broke up yesterday.'

'What?' Clay's dad moved forwards on the couch and looked at Clay as he rested his elbows on his knees.

'We broke up,' Clay muttered.

'Why?'

'I uh-.' Clay stopped talking and it got quiet.

'Are you both alright?'

'We are, no one is sad. We broke up on good terms.'

'Why didn't you tell us?' his dad asked with a comforting smile on his face.

'I just wasn't ready, I didn't want to disappoint you with it.'

'It doesn't disappoint us, it's just sad after such a long time. Can I ask you what the reason for the breakup is?'

'I uh- just didn't feel it anymore.'

'And then you break up with her?'

'Well, I mean- I wasn't in love with her anymore. Can we discuss this another time? She's totally fine and so am I.'

Clay's dad nodded. 'I'm not mad or anything, it was just really sudden.'

'Yeah, I know. I'll explain it better to you one day, but now I'm going outside with George when he finishes his tea,' Clay said as his mum handed me the tea.

Both his parents nodded and I drank my tea as fast as possible, standing up to go outside after.

'Pfft, that was a close one,' Clay giggled as he closed the door behind him. 'I'm not ready to tell them I'm gay yet.'

'That's fine, you don't have to tell them right now. I could help you if you want to tell them eventually.'

'Thanks,' Clay smiled and kicked the ball he was carrying out of his own hands.

'And your football team?' I started. 'Are they chill with LGBTQ+?'

Clay shrugged. 'They are pretty nice, but I don't know what they would do if I came out. I'll just won't tell them and let them figure it out themselves if I ever get a boyfriend.'

I smiled and Clay grabbed the ball again, kicking it away. He ran after it and grabbed it, kicking the ball to me. I giggled and kicked the ball back, although it was completely in the wrong way. Clay laughed and ran after it, looking at me with a teasing look in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes at him before he could say anything mean and he wheezed. 'You're such an idiot.'

He kicked the ball to me again and we started playing a game for the next half an hour. I got so tired that I laid down in the grass and Clay laid down next to me as we both looked up at the sky. I saw some clouds moving slowly, although it was a pretty clear sky next to those few clouds.

Clay and I both remained silent and I suddenly felt his hand very carefully touch mine. My stomach filled with butterflies immediately, but I tried to not give in to that. I moved my hand closer too and without looking down once, we intertwined our fingers together as Clay's thumb slowly rubbed over the top of my hand.

I was just smiling with a bright blush on my face as I looked at the sky and I saw Clay looking at me. I looked at him and saw his face was red too. We smiled at each other and Clay scooted a bit closer to me, he wrapped one arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder as my body got pulled against his.

We just continued looking at the sky as we were holding each other tightly.

1022 words