Sink or Swim

Chapter Eleven: A Broken Foundation is still a Foundation

The silence between the two of them was defeatening. Hands lightly brushing one another's every other step as they walked back to the coffee shop.

The slight breeze found its way through George's sleeves and slipped down his back. He shivers, not letting it phase him, he continues to walk steadily, keeping up with Quackity's steps.

They finally made it back to the front doors, the hesitation punching George in the face at that moment.

Quackity was going to reach out and open the door, but Dream beat him to it on the other side. Quackity slides by quickly, going to join the others at the table. Karl and the others had actually gotten along quite well. Laughing could be heard, as well as the smell of coffee beans, vanilla, and cinnamon filling George's nose.

He looks up at Dream who was still holding the door waiting for him to step inside. Dream flashes a pity smile, but George doesn't return one. Stepping by Dream in a haste to talk to Karl.

Dream wasn't spiteful about George not returning a smile. He always thought that was a silly thought process actually, getting angry over someone not smiling back at you. If someone is too exhausted in some way or another to give you a smile, what's so bad about leaving them one of yours anyway?

He closes the door after a few seconds going to follow George. Although he knew George was good at communication, he also knew he was stubborn. He followed the boy back to where everyone else was seated, along with his coffee which had gone cold by now. He didn't have the appetite to drink it anyway.

"So are we going to sit here in awkward silence, or are you two going to talk some things out?" Bad questions.

He knew it was very much a straight up way to put it but, someone had to be the voice of reason here, and if that had to be him, so be it.

"I mean I feel like Dream made it pretty clear about how he felt earlier, why do we need to talk?" George spits out, head down to avoid the glares the other boys might've been giving him.

"Come on George, I was just shocked. Give me another chance, please." Dream hushes, eyes wide and the grin of pity returning on his face from earlier.

George looks up at him slowly.

George POV:

I knew I wasn't going to make it very long without crying again, but already? I thought I would do better than this.

I felt the sorry, little tear make its way down my cheek as I looked up to meet Dream's guilty eyes.

Those eyes held so much more than guilt though. They held love, ambition, wrath, memories, hope, the past, the present, the future, everything.

Looking into his eyes was like deep diving into space and trying to count every star. It was looking for adventure but not being able to discover everything by the time you have to leave. Sure, you would assume that is a good thing, to be excited about finding something new every single day. But to me, I was unsatisfied knowing I will never know all there is to know about him.

That one day he will meet people who will know things about him that I do not. I want to be his number one, but with someone as interesting as him, I don't see how he would ever be content with just me.

It wasn't long before this trance was broken by his hand sliding into mine over the table. He was gentle. His eyes didn't judge me or feel bad for me, but they did care for me. Both of his hands held onto one of mine. His thumb tapping mine as if it was a que to listen to him.

Finally a pity smile of my own couldn't help but shine through.

I look over to Karl who looks down at mine and Dream's hands, then back up to me. A stupidly, giddy grin plastered on his face. I haven't seen him like this since we went ice skating last winter and I kept tripping over my own feet.