Sink or Swim

Chapter Twelve: Picture Perfect

      Back at the coffee shop the other boys were getting a little restless. Sure, they were having a good time with one another, but each laugh was still threaded with worry and eagerness for George and Dream to return.

      Each alarming ring of the entering bell would distract them. Minutes passing added another level of uneasiness within their stomachs.

    The queasy feeling seemed to be building its way up to their throats, so when Dream and George walked in, the feeling of anxiousness and nausea within each of the other boys only seemed to continue and grow.

      George and Dream silently walked over to the table with the other boys, faint smile lines turning upward on both of their faces. Karl could always seem to read George, he always has been able to, but now he was uncertain. He thought maybe George was just as uncertain as him.

       The quietness subsided when Bad, of course, began to speak.

"Well?" He looked at Dream with a curious and pushy look. After sitting at the table so long, he thought he at least deserved some kind of an answer.

        Dream huffed out and turned towards George for approval of this next statement. George's eyes traced lines on the ceiling in recollection of previous events, then his eyes met back with Dream's as he nodded.

"I think we have a lot to work out." Dream said, a pity smile returning on his face for what feels like the hundredth time today.

Bad was looking for a more telling answer, but since the emotions were still fairly fresh, he gave Dream a break and left it at that.

Karl on the other hand, wanted to pry some more.

"So, what's next?" He asked, his eyes meeting George's.

"I actually don't know yet." George spoke hesitantly, turning scarlet. Not from blushing like before, but from embarrassment.

     He knew he couldn't just leave Karl there and go hangout with Dream the rest of the day. Not to mention George wasn't even staying in town, he would have to go back to their apartment soon. His desires of being with Dream again made him irrational, and he didn't want Karl to be hurt from it.

Dream could sense George begging for help, his eyes practically pleading Dream to add something to the conversation.
   
"Um, maybe George and I can call or text later when you guys go back home? I know Bad, Skeppy, and Quackity probably wanna go to more than just a coffee shop while on their stay here."

George looked up and gave Dream a thankful smile before looking at Karl and giving a reassuring nod once again.

                       —----------

(song suggestion: Mountains of the Moon by Bayou)

    "Karl, am I doing the right thing?" George asked.

    They were sitting in the car on their way back to their apartment.

      George's body was facing the window, his back uncomfortably leaning against the middle console. His knees were weakly pulled up to his chest as his arms loosely hung over them.

      He watched the scenery change from empty grass fields, to bright city lights, to suburban neighbors, and more. Eyes tracing over his knuckles. The idea that Dream was holding them just hours earlier that day creeped into his thoughts, making him shiver at goosebumps that swam down his legs and up his neck.

    "You know George..." Karl didn't give him a definite answer, rather filling George in on events and point of views unknown to him.

    George's head didn't turn to listen to Karl, instead he continued to stare outside.