The World Below [DNF]

Chapter 21: Love has no limits

A/N: Hello:) maybe quite noticeable, but I'm very new to the whole writing stuff. At least stuff that I actually publish.

But I'd just like to thank the people that keep reading and also the people that have voted on some of the chapters?! Truly unbelievable! So thank you all for that <3

Clay POV

(Fluff and very slight sexual implications will occur at the end of the chapter, skip if uncomfortable)

The days after the fight was painful. George suspension didn't come as a shock to anyone, but it still hurt to lose him. 

Because that's what it felt like, like they'd lost him. 

Clay had tried to contact the brunette plenty of times without success. The situation kept replaying over and over. Dave had thankfully recovered rather quickly. No organs got injured, the guy had lost a lot of blood and earned himself a scar. But he'd got away easy considering the situation. Everyone involved (except Dave, who was sent to the hospital) had been sent to detention for days afterwards. The atmosphere was tense in the beginning. The two friendgroups hadn't gotten along before the fight, and stabbing someone definitely didn't help with that. 

However, after days of being stuck together in a classroom, finally made Nick snap. He'd started shouting and Noah and Luke didn't just let it pass. Hell broke lose once more.

It was clear that both sides had done bad things. Although, stabbing someone might be a little more serious than just hitting someone. But when the bickering eventually ended, Luke began asking questions about George's family. Everyone had turned to Clay for answers, but he admitted that his knowledge about the brit's family was extremely limited. 

Though, one thing led to another and an alarming fact was presented. The fight had been promoted by a British man, that had offered them money in return for attacking George.

The bizarreness of the situation left them all with loads of questions. Why would anyone pay someone to beat up a teenager?

Clay's head was a jungle regarding the situation, but with George off the radar, getting answers wasn't the easiest thing to acquire. He missed him. It may sound weird to miss someone that you just saw stabbing another person. But George's behavior that entire day had signalized that something was off. 

The question was just; what?

George's family was shady and Clay needed to know what the brunette was involved in. He'd seen the bruises, so abuse wasn't unlikely to assume. George's fear of his father finding out that he'd company was another red flag.

Clay's own family-situation wasn't improving either. Nick lived with Karl and Clay felt guilty crashing at Karl's when Nick already took up a space there. The second reason was the clear tension between his two friends. Something was going on and Clay felt a bit uncomfortable, like as if he interrupting something that he didn't have anything to do with. 

He knew that they would never kick him out but he couldn't help but feel like a burden. To everyone. His mom made no secret of the fact that he wasn't welcome in her house. So, most nights were spent outside in the park. 

He made sure to sneak home about once a day to shower, get some food, and new clothes. He didn't want anyone to worry about him, he'd survived 17 years like this and her episodes usually went away after a while. All he needed was to wait it out.

Still, he felt alone. His mom's behavior was just as hurtful every time it happened. He knew, or at least hoped, that she didn't actually blame him for his father's passing. He was just the "thing" she projected her feelings onto.