A Forest Away (dnf)

Twenty-Four

God knows how long I cried.

Clay decided to carry me up to his room. I take the blanket with me as I wrap my legs around his waist, not daring to let go of him.

As we made our way through the hallway I see his dad in the corner of my eye standing by his door with a sorry look.

I bury my face back into Clay's neck as he walked into his room, feeling slightly embarrassed. Clay shuts the door with his foot then walks over to his bed. He turns around and lays his back against the headboard.

He began to rub my back as he sets the side of his face on my head. After a few moments of me just crying quietly to myself he speaks up.

"George...look at me...", he says softly.

I lift my head up to look at him. He brings a hand up to cup my face, using his thumb to wipe the tears off of my face. 

"I want you to promise me that you will continue on with your life once I leave...", he tells me.

I begin to shake my head. "No! I don't want to continue on with my life if you're not in it", I exclaim.

He takes his other hand to the other side of my face and brings me close, resting our foreheads together.

"George promise me you won't let my absence affect you. You will go and continue on with your life. Go on and graduate then heck even go to college if that's what you want", he says as he closes his eyes.

I back away from him. "No! What I want is for you to stay in my life", I tell him.

He grabs my hand. "George just please promise me you'll let me go"

"Are you breaking up with me?", I say in a hurtful voice.

"Baby...it won't be healthy for us if we don't..."

"No no please not yet. Not yet", I say as I tightly wrap my arms around him.

"But you gotta promise me George...", he says softly.

"I...promise...", I give in.

I feel his arms tightening around me. I begin to sob again. I could feel my throat start to burn and close up which would cause me to cough occasionally.

I was starting to feel hot in my white crew neck but I didn't want to let go.

Not yet.

*Clay's POV*
I held on tightly to the brunette as he softly cried to himself.

It absolutely broke my heart to see him this way. I can't even begin to imagine how he's gonna be when I actually leave.

Time to time he would fall asleep but then wake up crying again. But all I could do was hold him as I rubbed his back, lightly kissing his forehead while doing so.

But this time after he went back to sleep I decided to get up and head to the kitchen. Before I left I carefully remove the brunette off of me. I quickly replace myself with a pillow so he'd think he was still holding onto me.

I slowly make my way over to the door.

Once in the kitchen I open one of the cabinets to get me a glass of water.

As I poured the water I hear footsteps behind me. "Clay", my dad says as he clears his throat. "What is it dad", I say firmly. "Look I'm sorry that you have to do this"

"Well I shouldn't have to do this", I suddenly snap as I turned my head to look at him.

"Clay it's for-"

"Yeah yeah I know it's for our own safety", I draw my attention back to the glass as I began to drink it.

"Clay you must understand-"

"No you must understand!", I say as I slam the glass back down onto the countertop. I turn to face him again. "You have to understand what you're doing to him, what you're doing to me", I slip off my hoodie and throw it onto one of the dining chairs.

I pour myself another glass as I began to make my way back to my room. "You know, I'll never forgive you for this", I tell my dad as I pass him. "Clay!", he calls out.

"You can't expect me to just be okay with this. Being okay with the fact I have to cut all contact with him, Nick, and my other friends. I haven't felt this happy in years and now you're just gonna take it away from me?", I say as I stopped by the stairs.

"While you excuse me I'm gonna go and comfort my boyfriend", I tell him as I made my way up the stairs.

I walk back into my room and see a very much tried and confused George. "Where did you go?", he asks in a raspy voice. "Sorry I just went to get some water", I tell him as I placed the cup on the nightstand.

He takes off his crew neck as I started to situate myself onto the bed. He immediately clings onto me without a second thought. I smile as I held him close.

—

*George' POV*
Clay eventually drops me off at my house. I walk in and make my way to my room. I then throw my bag onto my bed.

I take a seat next to my desk chair, on the floor. "George honey is that you?", I hear my mother say behind me as she walks in.

I turn my head to look at her. She then notices my face. My eyes were red from all the crying. I honestly looked horrible.

"What happened?", she asks softly as she kneels down next to me. "He's gonna leave...", I say as I stared at the floor, bringing my legs up to my chest. "Oh honey", she tells me as she wipes a tear off of my face. "I'm not gonna see him again mum..."

"I know I know", she quietly says as she places a hand on my shoulder. "How about we shift the conversation a little. I did tell you I was gonna explain everything", she says.

I then use one of my palms to wipe my eyes. "Was dad always a hunter?", I ask as I looked up at her.

"Well I'm afraid he's always been one dear. His father raised him to become one in order to keep the family tradition going, his family always despised the werewolves", she tells me.

"Is that what he did when he would go to 'work'?"

"Yes and you know how he never let you go down to the basement", I nod.

"Well that's where he kept all of his gear when he would go on his hunting patrols. He hadn't went on any in a while but of course until he found out about Clay's sighting"

"Wait, you knew about all of this and never told me?"

"No because I didn't want you to follow your father's footsteps and I had to force him to not raise you to become like him", she explained.

"Oh that would make sense. When did you learn archery?", I ask.

"Oh it was a hobby of mine growing up but when your father found out about it he thought I would be helpful on his patrols but I obviously refused. He kept on asking and asking for me to join his team so I decided to get a job that would give me full-time sometimes, so I was able to have an excuse to not join him"

"So that's why you're never really home", I say softly.

"Yeah and I'm so sorry that I left you all alone with your father and how poorly he treated you"

"It's okay mum"

"No it's not I failed as a mother to keep you safe"

"Mum seriously it's fine you had you reasons", I tell her. She then lets out a sigh. "You should head to bed. It's a school night after all", she says.

"Fine"

"Goodnight George, I love you", she tells me as she kisses my cheek. "I love you more"

"I love you most", she says as she stands up. She then stops at the door and turns to look at me. "Sleep well my love", she tells me.

She leaves my room without another word.
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