Written In The Stars

Chapter Nine ~ Best Friends

I jump out of the car and run into LouLou's house, not even bothering to knock. LouLou's mother, Sarah, smiles and smothers me in a bear hug. I can smell her cheap perfume. It actually doesn't smell all that bad. "I'm so happy to see you! How have you been? Do you have a boyfriend yet?" I laugh lightly. "No, no boyfriend yet." I smile. Oh well tell me as soon as you get one!" She beams. Sarah is definitely one of the most supportive people in my life, besides LouLou of course. She was actually the third person I came out to. The first being RM and the second being LouLou.

We head upstairs into LouLou's room and we sit on her bed. "So~ how are you and Clay~" She wiggles her eyebrows. "We're friends! We're just friends. He definitely doesn't like me back." I state. LouLou gives me a knowing look, one that says - that's bullshit. I sigh. "I'm serious! He. Doesn't. Like. Me. Back." "Mhm sure~~" I stand up and walk over to her full-length mirror. I look at my shaggy black hair and tanned skin. I pinch and pull at my cheeks. They're too squishy. Fixing my hair I say, "You were the one who said he's definitely straight." LouLou rolls her eyes and stands up and marches over to me. She runs her hands through my hair, thoroughly messing it up. "Listen to me. I was wrong, I know for a fact that he likes you. The way he acts around you? You should know that he likes you!" She exclaims. I roll my eyes. She's definitely just saying that. I march over to the bed and sit back down. "You should know that he's straight." I mumble. "Whatever, we'll argue about this later. Right now I need to know if you're going on the school trip?" What school trip? I haven't been told about a school trip? "What school trip?" I ask, looking confused. LouLou's jaw drops. "Did your homeroom teacher not tell you yet? We're going on a trip to Italy. Are you coming?"

I think for a moment? Should I go? "I'll go if Clay goes." LouLou rolls her eyes. "You're literally in love with him." I gasp. "Am not!" I whine, pouting. My phone buzzes and before LouLou can argue any further I check the notification. It's a text from Clay. "It's Clay." I mumble, reading the message. I see, in the corner of my eye, LouLou wiggling her eyebrows and making kissy faces. 

Clay <3

Hey! Wanna hang out
tomorrow ?

If not it's okay!

You can invite Lou if you
want !

yeah sure!

i'll ask if loulou wants
to come

Okay !!

"Wanna hang out with me and Clay tomorrow?" LouLou raises an eyebrow. "You mean "Hey Lou, do you want to be the third wheel with me and Clay tomorrow?"" I roll my eyes and playfully smack LouLou. "Yeah sure, my house again?" She asks. "Yeah, I'll tell Clay." I unlock my phone again and click on his profile in my messages. 

Clay <3

loulou's house?

Yeah that works !

I'll walk over just text me the
address !

kk 

I text him the address and put my phone down. "I should get home soon. I don't want to walk home in the dark." LouLou nods and we walk downstairs. "Mom, Oliver's leaving!" She yells. Sarah comes rushing in and hugs me goodbye."See you tomorrow, Sarah!" I beam. Then I'm off, walking home. Once I make it inside I'm mauled by my mother, hugging me. How was it at Daniel's?" She asks. "It's Lou now, mom, remember?" I remind her. "Oh shoot! I forgot! How was it at Lou's?" She smiles. "It was fun! She told me about a school trip to Italy. Can I go?" "Of course, sweetie! I think Rosemary told me about that. She's going too!" I nod and head towards the stairs. "G'night!" I yell before running up the stairs. Once I get upstairs I plug my phone in and plop onto my bed. I grab my notebook and flip to a clean page.

Hey

I hung out with LouLou today! We had a good time and she told me about a school trip to Italy. I think I'm going. I'm only going if Clay goes, though.

I think I'm gonna text him and ask. Okay bye then.

I grab my phone off of the charger and roll over. Once I unlock my phone I click my messages and click onto Clay's profile. 

Clay <3

hey are you going on the
school trip?

Yeah ! I was planning on
it ! Are you ?

yeah i will since you're
going!

(Obviously Oliver can't see but Clay is blushing behind the screen.)

<3

I'll see you tomorrow !

Good night ! <3

gn <3

I smile and plug my phone back in. Soon enough, I'm asleep.

~ ~ ~

The next morning, I wake up and do my normal morning routine. Once I'm finished, I head downstairs for breakfast. Walking into the kitchen, I see RM and mom. RM gives me a knowing look, she's ready to come out. I take a deep breath and sit at the table. Obviously this is going to be a long breakfast. "Mom, I have something to tell you." Mom turns around and pulls out a chair, sitting down.

"What's up., sweetie?" Mom asks. "Well... I'm non-binary. Which basically means that instead of feeling like a girl or a boy, I feel like neither." RM states, hoping their mother accepts them. "Okay hun, I support you no matter what! Whatever makes you happy!" Mom smiles. RM's eyes widen. "Really? Even if I use she/they pronouns?" Mom nods, smiling. All of this surprised me, especially since their fight the other night.

After that all got sorted out, I started walking to LouLou's house. When I got there I found out Clay was already there. "Hi, sweetie! Come on in! The kids are upstairs!" Sarah beams. I smile and walk up the stairs and into LouLou's room. When I open her door I see her interrogating Clay. "Are you straight?" She squints at him. "Um- no?" My eyes widen. Wait- he's not straight?! "Wait what?" "You guys thought I was straight?" Clay wonders. "Well seeing the people you hang out with... yeah." I walk over to the bed and sit next to Clay. "I was wrong?! I'm never wrong!" LouLou whines. "Well this time you were, and so was I." I hum.

"Wanna do karaoke?" LouLou wiggles her eyebrows. Clay and I look at each other before he shrugs. 

~ ~ ~

By the end of the night LouLou and Clay had become really good friends, and any doubts she had about him had disappeared. "I'll walk you home!" Clay offers, handing me my flannel. "Okay." I smile. We walk out of the house and into the darkness. I (as mentioned earlier) only have a flannel and it's pretty chilly out so I began shivering. "Here! I have an extra hoodie in my bag!" Clay beams, grabbing the yellow hoodie from his bag. "Thanks!" I mumble shoving my upper body through the hoodie.

It smells like him... Wait, that's weird. Clay nods, as I shake my thoughts off. We continue to walk to my house in silence. By the time we get to my house it starts raining. We run inside. "Do you just want to stay here tonight? It's raining pretty hard." I suggest. Clay looks outside. "Yeah it is raining a lot... Sure, I'll text my dad." He smiles, grabbing his phone from his pocket.

Clay gets a message from his dad. "He said yes!" I smile. He's staying the night. In my house. I lead him upstairs, mom being asleep so she can't bother us this time. I plop down onto my bed and Clay stands awkwardly. "Where am I gonna sleep?" He asks. "Hmm well my bed is big enough isn't it? I mean, it is a king. But if you want to you can sleep on the couch downstairs." I offer. "Yeah okay..." I can see his blush. Maybe he does like me back. He sits on the edge of the bed. "I have some spare clothes you can borrow!" Clay looks up. "Yeah, okay!" He smiles.

After we get changed, I lay down on the left side of the bed, leaving the right for Clay. Clay lays down next to me and we make eye contact. Clay smiles so, of course, I smile back. Soon enough we're asleep.