with every single breath (dnf)

chapter 1

it was a rainy Thursday. It was the end of summer, but it was raining this day, like almost every day in London. George sat in his favorite cafe two streets away from his small apartment and read poetry...

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary ...

George was in his own world of poetry, even though he have been reading the poem already more than a hundred times, he loved it. But something else caught his attention... The bell, that was always ringing if someone came into the cafe, made him look up. A blond boy came in. Although he was completely wet from the rain, he looked pretty... really pretty. The boy wore black vans,  black ripped jeans, a green sweater and a brown leather jacket.  The wet curls falling in his light green eyes and covering some of his freckles. But suddenly the boy caught George staring and George looked down onto his book immediately, nervously running his fingers through his brown hair. 

He tried to focus on his poems again, but he just couldn't. Something about the blonde always made George take a quick look at him, like a picture in a museum, you couldn't take your eyes off. Was the boy looking as well? The brunet wanted to distract himself from the blonde, so he wanted to order a tea. God, he loved tea so much, he couldn't understand, why people would drink something like coffee. It was so gross.

"hi! A green tea please" George ordered smiling at the girl behind the counter. Her brown eyes looked so kind and peaceful like teddybear eyes. She was probably around 17? So as old as George. Ella, he read on her name tag. The name fitted her. "That makes 3 pounds and 30 pence" The girl said, handing him a cup of tea and smiling back at George. The warmth in her voice made George feel safe, he liked that.

While he was trying to get his wallet, he managed to let his poetry book slid out his fingers and it fell to the ground. But as he was turning around to pick it up, the blond boy stood there holding the book in his hand.

"Oh you... I mean... thank you!" George managed to get out and smiled. It felt so awkward, it was like one of those movie scenes, everyone knew very well. "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow" The boy read out loud from the book's cover "good taste" he said lightly impressed. "oh... thanks!" George said smiling directly into the blonde's eyes. He remembered, that he still had to pay and quickly turned around and put five pounds on the counter "just keep the rest" George said friendly and walked to the cafe door, but as soon as he got out, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"You didn't take the book" the boy laughed. Now George was noticing the blonde's American accent. "Oh, yes. Sorry I was a little... uh stressed I guess" George lied. It were the green eyes,  that made the brunet completely forget the world around him. He took the book and put in inside his bag  "What's your favorite poem from Longfellow?" the boy asked and started walking. George just walked with him, without even noticing it "-The rainy day- I was reading it, when you walked in haha" George answered "do you like his poems?" "I think there are better one's, but they are cool yes" The blond said smiling "What's your name by the way?" "Oh it's George" The brunet answered. "Nice to meet you, George, I'm Clay" The blond said jokingly.

The two of them walked a little through the streets, talked and exchanged numbers, when George stopped and noticed, that he didn't have a clue, where they went. "I think I have to go now, but it was lovely meeting you!" George said grinning "George?" "yes?" The brunet turned around to face the blonde "Do you want to come to a party with me and some of my friends tomorrow?"