You're My Friend Forever

8

Warnings:
-Smoking (addiction)
-Self harm (burning)

George's POV

When I left the family, I sat back outside and grabbed a cigarette. I lit it and leaned against the wall while I started smoking it, exhaling the smoke after letting it stay in my lungs for a while.

I was really upset, I loved being in a house again and I told them I would be able to babysit every day if necessary. The mother just smiled and didn't question it, telling me I could come three to four times a week for a pretty high amount of money if I said so myself.

I exhaled more smoke and looked at people pass by. Some looked at me with pity in their eyes and others gave me a mad look because I was smoking. I learnt not to care about what others thought anymore, they couldn't complain or get mad when they just had a place to stay.

I sometimes wondered how my old life looked. My parents were always sweet to me, mostly my dad, but I had never gotten the chance to say goodbye to him.

I always used to sit on the couch with some food and a drink while I watched videos on my iPad or the television. Then I went to bed and had my parents and sister say goodnight to me before I went to sleep.

⚠️ Self harm (burning)

It hurt me to remember my old life. It hurt me so much that I lifted my sleeve once the cigarette was almost gone and I put it out on my skin. It left a small and round mark on my skin and I grabbed another cigarette, lighting it too.

I smoked my second one, put it out on my skin and grabbed a third one as I saw a boy around my age walk closer. He locked eyes with me and frowned, then he walked up to me.

⚠️ Over

He let himself fall down on the floor next to me and smiled as he slowly grabbed my cigarette, putting it out.

'You're way too young to be smoking,' he mumbled as he stuck out his hand. 'I'm Sapnap. Who are you?'

'I'm George. Don't do that again, those things are expensive and I don't have a lot of money,' I scoffed.

'Maybe spend money on food and drinks and not on cigarettes,' Sapnap admitted as he looked at me again. 'Why are you here?'

I shrugged and leaned back more, pulling my knees up as I pulled my thin blanket over me.

'How old are you?'

'Sixteen,' I sniffed, curling myself up. I felt the need to rest my head against his shoulder and he pulled in for a hug. I really needed a hug or affection when I had been this alone for weeks.

Sapnap almost seemed to read my mind and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes as he wrapped his other arm around my chest, locking his own hands together.

'Why are you here? This young?' he whispered as I sobbed softly.

'It's not important,' I mumbled. 'I really want to smoke more.'

I was about to reach out to the package with cigarettes as Sapnap grabbed my hand. 'Don't, please. Smoking is very bad for you and you're so young, way too young to smoke.'

'But I feel less stressed and upset when I smoke,' I muttered as I sighed and leaned back in his arms.

'You can trust me and talk to me if you want?' he offered.

'I don't know what to say, I don't like to talk about my feelings or whatever,' I admitted.

'But it's good to talk about them. I'm not forcing you to tell me anything, but I do know that it might be able to help you a little,' he smiled.

'Fine,' I sighed as I shrugged. 'My mother kicked me out for hanging out with a guy who once made me steal.'

Sapnap turned quiet and after a few minutes of silence, he looked up with tears in his eyes. 'I'm so sorry,' he whispered. 'When did this happen?'

'A few weeks back when my friend just told them we hung out again and then left me. You probably hate me for stealing,' I replied, seeing a tear roll down Sapnap's face.

'You know, I accept you whatever you did, alright? I support you more than anything. I unfortunately can't just let you live in my house, but if I didn't have parents, I would have done that. I can invite you for a day?'

I nodded slowly and smiled.

'I can give you a meal, take you to some stores to buy more clothes. Then I'll give you an old mattress with a blanket and a pillow so you have something soft to sleep on tonight. While I do that, I'll do anything to get you a place to stay, alright?'

'Thank you,' I whispered as I looked at him.

'Do you have a job?' he asked.

'Yeah, I'm babysitting for a family with two young kids, twins,' I replied.

'Oh, really? Did they have a son called Clay?' Sapnap questioned excitedly.

I nodded.

'That's my best friend,' he smiled. 'He's amazing and constantly screams how gay he is.'

'Oh, yeah. He was pretty gay,' I giggled. 'And he had a lot of pain.'

'Yeah, he has gastroparesis. It's a partial stomach paralysis, his stomach can't empty itself and the food in it so it stays in his stomach for ages and then he often throws it up,' he explained. 'It sucks, he has a lot of pain, but still tries to be happy and smile a lot.'

'He was really funny,' I smiled.

'Actually, they might be able to help you out, but I'm not forcing you to do anything.'

'I'm not ready to tell them, I'm afraid I'll lose my job,' I admitted.

Sapnap shrugged. 'I'm pretty sure they'd only give you more work to do so you can get more money. That family is the most wholesome and warm-hearted family you'll ever meet. They do everything for anyone they see and the parents love their children unconditionally. I think they are really close too.'

'And you? With your parents?'

He lifted his shoulders shortly and sighed. 'They are not bad, but just don't talk to me a lot. Ever since I started struggling at school, they tend to get mad at me a lot and then swear at me until I leave the house. But that's only sometimes, next to that, they are always kind to me.'

'I'm sorry,' I mumbled. 'I'm glad they are still kind sometimes.'

'Better than nothing, right?' Sapnap smiled. 'I just go to Clay when they suck and he always comforts me. He's amazing.'

'Do you like him?' I giggled.

'Oh, no. Not at all, I love him as my friend, but I'm definitely not in love with him. I was his first victim, he has been flirting with me for weeks and then figured out I was not going to like him,' he wheezed.

'Oh, yeah. Now he's flirting with me,' I grinned.

'I mean, he won't do anything next to his overly sexual jokes,' he laughed.

I chuckled as we stood up to go to his place. I experienced happiness for the first time in weeks again.

1236 words