Obstacles

20

Warnings:
-Mentions abuse/death threats
-Mentions alcohol addiction

Clay's POV

I spent two days on the streets, but then got so hungry that I ended up going back home again. My dad ignored me this time and I quickly went up to my room, laying down on my bed in silence. Before I even realised it, days passed like this until I got a text.

I grabbed my phone and saw it was Sapnap. I almost wanted to click away as I saw his text was serious and almost panicky.

Sapnap
Pls come to the park, we need to talk. Please

I sighed softly. I really shouldn't go to him, but I couldn't resist myself. Maybe he was going to be kind to me now?

I stood up and started walking downstairs. My dad wasn't on the couch which was weird to me, but I didn't mind. I quickly walked off so he wouldn't come back either and see me leave.

I started walking to the park and sat down on a bench as I waited for Sapnap to come here in the hope he would finally be nice to me again. My back was still hurting a lot so it was difficult to find a position that didn't hurt as much.

It took a while for him to arrive, but he sat down next to me and I looked up.

I had never see him looking this bad. His face was incredibly pale, his hands seemed shaky and he looked like he was about to cry any second from now.

'What?' I mumbled.

'Clay...' he started, staring down at his hands. 'You know, I don't even know how to start. I'm going to sound like a bitch who is making up excuses, but I finally found the courage to tell you.'

'Just tell me,' I mumbled, still really annoyed with what he did.

'There's three things that caused me to be this way. I want to say sorry for what I've done. I mean it, I'm actually sorry. I'm risking my life for this, but I apologise.'

'Your life?' I asked as I lifted myself up to look at him again.

'The first thing is because everything at home is just shit. My mother found out that my dad is gay a few months back and she left him after they argued for days on end. I got really mad at my dad since he knew he was gay before they married and it caused me to get more angry,' he started.

I nodded slowly as he continued again.

'The second thing is uh- I didn't want to recognise a problem at first, until my dad noticed it too. I'm addicted to alcohol,' he whispered. 'When I don't get alcohol, I'm actually a stupid bitch and I'm aware of that now. I can't stop drinking and I drink every day after school. Then I can't stop anymore.'

I started to understand his anger issues more and more and scooted closer to him, laying my hand down on his shoulder as he continued again.

'Next to that, I uh- this is really difficult,' he admitted with tears in his eyes. I grabbed his hand as he started crying.

'Take deep breaths. You can trust me,' I told him.

'I uh- you know uh- Lily in our friend group, right?' he started.

I nodded to answer him.

'I fell in love with her and she figured that out. She started flirting with me and asked me to be her boyfriend, just to start blackmailing and abusing me,' he whispered. 'Last week she told me she'd beat me up if I didn't tell you to get away from George.'

My mouth fell open and he lifted his shirt. 'She still beat me up,' he sniffed as he showed big bruises on his chest. 'Clay, I know I'm a bad person because I let you go through the same thing with your dad, but I didn't know that before. I thought you would just get suspended and then come back to school again.'

I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and he had tears streaming down his face.

'I didn't stick up for you when you were drunk, because I'm addicted and I didn't want to lose my alcohol. If my dad would know, I would have to live without it.'

He got so sad that he started breathing faster and grasped onto me.

'Oh that's a thing too,' he whispered through his loud breathings. 'I have panic attacks every day.'

I held him tightly now as he started to panic completely, calming him down by talking quietly that it was okay and that he was safe with me.

'Clay, I'm so sorry. I've done so much to you and I understand that we can't be friends anymore, but can you at least understand the reason behind it?' he asked.

I nodded. 'I understand it, I forgive it and I still want to be your friend if you're down.'

Sapnap nodded slowly and grabbed my hand. 'Clay, I deleted those videos of you from Lily's phone. I think I will get beaten to death if she figures that out, but-.'

'I'm here, okay? I don't want you to go to school tomorrow. I'm allowed to go back to school the day after that,' I told him.

'Are you safe yourself?'

'Not really, my dad threatened me with a knife last time so I'm not sure what other tricks he has in mind.'

'I'm so sorry,' he mumbled.

'Guess we are broken together,' I giggled to lighten the mood a bit. 'Dude, I've missed you so much.'

'I'm positive that I missed you more,' he smiled. 'And you know- George.'

'I'm not sure how to make up with him. He's not mad at me because I made him promise that he trusts me. I just don't know how to explain all of this.'

'Do you still love him?'

'Oh, yeah. I love him so incredibly much,' I answered as I stared down at my hands. 'We've been best friends in the past and he suddenly left so I'm so happy he came back to me.'

'Now, I just want you to go to George. He hasn't been at school since you left him.'

'I'm going, but I think my back is possibly broken so I will walk at the speed of an old grandma.'

'How did you break your back?'

'Well, that happens when your dad throws you onto the ground twice in a row,' I mumbled, having Sapnap look shocked. 'It's fine, I'm going to call Quackity. But I do want you to apologise to them too, okay?'

'I will, I promise,' Sapnap answered. 'But I'm not walking in there when you and George are together.'

'You're such an idiot,' I yelled as I pushed him again as a joke.

'Just call Quackity!'

'Fine,' I grinned, rolling my eyes.

1148 words