No one cares || Dnf

16. Help

Nick POV

When I came to school the next day, I saw Clay, standing at the entrance of the building, waving at me, smiling. I ran towards him and we gave each other a little hug.
"How's it going bro?", I asked.
"I'm waiting for the rest of us", he said.
"What, why?"
"I have something to announce."
"And that would be?"
"You'll see"
Okay?

After the time the others came until they were all there. He even greeted Will and said he should stay with us.
"Alright guys, before school starts, I just wanted to apologize to you", Clay began.
"For what?", I asked him.
"For me being an idiot lately. This thing with George,...just forget it. I wasn't feeling very well, I wasn't really with myself. Private problems."
"Thank God!", some of them said relieved, "We were wondering what went wrong with you all of a sudden." Clay gave them an awkward laugh while rubbing his neck.
I just stayed quiet. It would be better if I didn't give my comment on it, otherwise everyone would end up attacking me.

"Also, Will, sorry bro", Clay said.
"It's fine dude, just never do that again or you will regret it", Will answered slightly laughing. They both gave each other a Buddy hug.
"So, that means now?", I asked carefully.
"What do you mean? Everything will be back to normal", he smiled at me.
I gave him back a fake smile, but he bought it. I knew something was wrong there. What had happened?

Then we saw George walking towards us. Everyone ignored him. I didn't. I saw how he smiled at Clay, but then looked disappointed when he saw that Clay ignored him. Then he looked over to me with his eyebrows raised before going into the school. Clay and the other others wanted to go in too, but I grabbed Clays arm before he could follow the other guys.

"Hey man, everything alright?", he asked.
"What happened?", I asked seriously.
"Nothing. Everything is back to normal. That's good", he said confused.
"Clay, I think I know what you felt before. And I think you know it too. It's okay to be gay. You don't have to-" He cut me off "That has nothing to do with that!", he tore himself away from me.

"Clay, you told me what happened when your parents found out and didn't give the nicest reaction to it, so that you had to deny it, but why don't you just admit your feelings for George? You can't just run away from it"
"I'm not running away from anything. There are no 'feelings for George'. What's up with you?", he said with a disgusted tone.
"Clay...", I said worried.
"What are you trying? Calm down. It's just George", he then said annoyed.
"It's not only George, it's you!"
"Me? What did I do now?"
"God Clay, you are- you're so....Gahhh!", I lost my nerves.

"Okay, let's just go", he said, walking inside. I rolled my eyes, then pulled myself together and followed him.
I loved Clay like a brother. I wanted him to be happy. I had to try to stop him from doing something very, very stupid. He was so stubborn, it wasn't that easy.
But he had also tried to avoid an argument with me. He always did. Clay definitely doesn't want to become enemies with me. I strongly assume that it is because he loves me just as much.

Clay was the leader. In principle, I also saw him as my leader and actually I always follow his decisions, but sometimes, like now, I can't let that happen. How do I do that?

When we sat in class, I could see Zak throwing small paper balls at George and George trying to stop him with glances. Well, it didn't work so well, because he just continued. Also Clay began to laugh some times. This wasn't his real laugh. This was the laugh he made, when he tried to laugh himself through his pain. That was the absolute proof for me. He looked over to me and saw my glance. He tried to ignore it and just concentrated on the lesson again.

After class, everyone met in the auditorium.
"I have an idea for a good comeback", Alex said, "how 'bout if I like walk up to him and be like nice and everything, then get him behind the school, you guys come and then the fun can begin, huh"
Everyone found it good. They looked to Clay for his consent. He shrugged his shoulders and giggled "Alright". Then they all ran behind the school and Alex to George. I grabbed Clays arm again.

"Not now, come on", he said annoyed.
"Clay, you don't want to do that", I said, trying to change his mind.
"Nick" he looked me deep in the eyes with this look where you think you are going to die in the next 3 seconds. I let go of him.
"Clay", I looked to the floor.
"Come", he said while running after the others. I just followed him again.

George POV (back in the present)

I got beaten up again. From all of them. The nice guy Nick didn't do it with much fun, but he did it.
When I was beaten to the end and it was already difficult for me to breathe, two of them held me against the wall and Clay slowly walked smirking towards me. I looked up to him afraid and shook my head slowly.
"Clay...", I said in a trembling voice. "Shush", one of the two holding me said slapping me in the face, "who gave you permission to speak, huh?"
I turned my head to him and gave him an angry glance. However, that only resulted in him hitting me again.

I dropped my head and breathed heavily. Clay knees down right in front of me and lifted my chin up so we looked each other in the eyes one more time. His gaze moved from my eyes down to my lips and up again. His face was expressionless. Then he took my cheeks in his hand and squeezed it while shaking my face and laughing. He let go and stood up before starting to kick me into my stomach another few times.

Every time he hit me, I looked up to him and when he kicked my head fell down again. One time I looked up, I could see Nick looking at me with a worry and sorry look. Sometime he grabbed Clays shoulder and pulled him back.
"Enough", he said, "You don't wanna kill him, right?" He looked Clay deep in the eyes with an angry expression.
"Alright", Clay said and the both guys let go of me.

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~1.127 words~