My Last Hope

16

Warnings:
-Mentions addiction
-Mentions abuse

George's POV

Clay stayed with me for another three days and we were outside together. He was still in withdrawal, but I made sure he wasn't alone for a single second. I also knew he would immediately relapse if he had the chance right now.

I was energetic and walked around in the park, sitting down on a bench so Clay wouldn't get too tired.

'How are you feeling?' I asked as I scooted closer to Clay.

He sighed softly. 'I don't know, George,' he started. 'Am I ever going to get out of this withdrawal? I can't deal with it anymore.'

I smiled shortly and then pulled him closer. 'You will, I promise you. It just takes time for you to get used to not using anything.'

He rested his head on my shoulder and let out a deep sigh.

'Why did you get addicted, Clay?'

He glanced down and started playing with his fingers, bending them backwards as he sighed again.

'I'm not ready. I'm so sorry.'

'Don't say sorry for that,' I replied. I wrapped my arm around him and grabbed his hand as he closed his eyes. I held it in front of his face and he put his thumb in his mouth while I hugged him.

We sat like this for minutes and then he looked up at me. He pulled his hand away and smiled shortly. 'Thank you for not laughing at me.'

'I don't see why. Everyone has something that comforts them. You suck your thumb and hold a bear, another person exercises or whatever. Everyone has something.'

'And you?'

I looked up to think. 'I'm not sure, I think I hug people when I get sad. I'm a mommy's boy,' I giggled. 'But I like to hug my dad and siblings too.'

'That's cute,' Clay chuckled.

We didn't say much and just cuddled up again. He started sucking his thumb again and pulled me closer as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

'Thank you for being so sweet,' he whispered shyly as he put my thumb back into his mouth.

After Clay's and my walk, he spent another four days at my place. We were together in my room a lot and for as far as I knew, Clay was doing a bit better.

He hadn't been eating much, but still gained some weight since he ate small things again. His skin was a bit less pale and he was less shaking and sweaty. However, I knew this was completely different in his head. I knew he was still freaking out.

Clay was laying down next to me on my bed and stared in front of him. I waved my hand in front of his face and he seemed to get startled, looking up at me. 'Are you okay?'

'Oh, hello. I guess I'm okay.'

'You know you can talk to me when something is wrong, okay?'

He shrugged. 'There's so much stuff going on in my life and I trust you but I'm unable to tell you everything. I'd be in danger if I did. My dad is also absolutely not allowed to know I use drugs, but I have to go back soon.'

'Can you go to the police?'

Clay lifted his shoulders and let out a soft sigh. 'Would they believe a guy who is on drugs? I've done more bad things than you can imagine I've done. I want to stop with it, but I feel stuck.'

'Do you want to tell me what you've done?'

Clay looked at his hands and then grabbed my hand. 'But I'll lose my friendship with you. I'm so sure you don't want to be friends with me after I tell you what I did.'

I smiled shortly and pulled him closer. 'Does it have a good reason?'

'Yes, but I can't tell you the reason yet. George, I'm so stuck. I don't think you realise, but I actually don't even know what to do anymore.'

'Stuck in what way?'

'Do you PROMISE me you won't tell anyone? I won't say names, I will just say some vague things.'

I held up my pinkie. 'Pinkie promise?'

Clay nodded slowly and did the same as he let out a sigh. He looked at me and seemed to be fighting against his tears.

'Something happened in my past, I witnessed it when I wasn't meant to. Since that day, my life has always been in danger. I am getting blackmailed by two people, including my- no, I don't want to say names. If I don't listen to them, I'm dead.'

I stared at him in shock and rolled him to his side so he could rest his head on my chest. 'Can I help you?'

'No, I'm just stuck. If I tell you, I'm sure they'd know. For some reason they know everything.'

'Who beats you, Clay? I saw the bruises at PE and I also saw them when you were in the hospital. Is it your drug dealer?'

Clay shrugged. 'I can't say, I'm sorry.'

'I understand, I'm sorry for asking,' I apologised. 'We can stop about this.'

Clay smiled and looked up at me. 'I don't think you'd want to be friends with me when I have this much I can't tell,' he mumbled with a sad face.

'I don't know, I'm pretty sure I do want to,' I stated with a smile on my face. 'I feel like this is something we can figure out. Love can win from everything, right?'

Clay smiled shyly and looked up at me. 'Do you actually think so? Whatever I did?'

'I don't believe that anything you've done was your free will.'

'It wasn't, but-.'

I smiled and thought I gently pulled him closer, but I gained a groan from Clay.

I broke the hug and lifted his shirt a tiny bit, getting startled by multiple big bruises.

'I'm so sorry, are you in pain?' I shouted as I lifted his shirt more to inspect his bruises.

'It's fine,' he mumbled.

'Those bruises are really bad,' I whispered with tears in my eyes. 'Why would someone abuse you this badly?'

'Can we just forget about those?' he demanded. 'I can't tell you about it, not yet.'

'I'm sorry, I know,' I said as I grabbed his hand.

'It's fine.' Clay laid down next to me and grabbed my hand.

'George, remember that whatever I do, I love you, okay? There's no single thing I'd do to hurt you.'

'I know,' I whispered as I cuddled up with him.

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