Inferno Fall

The Discovery

Clay was out the door again. Not forever this time, just for a ride. He went through alleys and parks. Smocked a bit between rides. It had been hours and it was almost 10 p.m. He passed by Ace's and saw him with Amber watching a movie laughing.
"Guess I was pretty easy to replace.." Clay thought. He didn't wanna sit there watching them so he rode his bike around for a bit longer trying to find a place to sit and look at the stars before going home. Clay decided to go to the cliff past the river and he sat there. Looking at the stars.
It was 12:28 a.m when Clay got home. He unlocked the door and walked in.
It was at that moment, he wished he hadn't.
Clay- "What the FUCK PETER?!?!"
Peter- "Clay you're home-"
Clay- "Yes the fuck I am!! Are you SMOCKING FUCKING HEROIN?! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?"
Peter- "Clay I can explain! When I left home I had no where to stay so I was on the streets for a while and got mixed up with the wrong crowd and now-"
Clay- "I don't wanna hear your poor excuses! I'm getting the fuck out of here!!"
Peter- "Clay no please!! Just listen to me!!"
Clay- "I never should have come here!! You are a fucking druggie Peter!"
Peter- "Clay it's not like that please just listen to me!"
Peter tries to hold on to Clay's hand. The wrong hand.
Clay- "AHH!!! FUCKING SHIT!!!""
Peter- "CLAY!! Oh my god I'm SO SORRY!! I didn't mean to!!!"
Clay- "YEAH CUZ YOU ARE HIGH AS SHIT!! Please Peter DO NOT touch me!! We'll talk about this later.."
Clay said walking in his room and falling on his bed. This wasn't going at all how he imagined living with his brother to be. Clay stayed up thinking about what to do and how to handle this until he drifted to sleep. The next morning came quicker than he thought. He checked his phone, it was Friday and...
Clay- "IT'S 7:30?!?!"
"Fuck...fuck...FUCKKKKK...I'm so late for school!" He thought. He jumped from his bed getting dressed with whatever he could find and rushed to the living room where he found Peter making coffee.
Clay- "What are you doing?? You gotta drive me to school!! I'm gonna be late!!"
Peter- "Hey slow down komodo. I called your school today and told them you had the flu so you could stay home today. Turns out they'd never heard dad's voice so they just believed me when I said I was your father."
Clay- "I told you not to call me that. But wha- why would you do that?"
Peter- "I believe there's a few things you have to discuss and I owe you an explanation"
Clay- "Eh- Yeah?! But not right now!! We could have talked about this after school!!"
Peter- "I really think it's something that shouldn't have to wait."
Clay threw his bag down and sat on the couch.
Clay- "Fine..Go on."
Peter sat beside him on the couch.
Peter- "Clay when I left home remember how I did it?"
Clay- "You left a note on the fridge saying you left and that you love us very much. And a note in one of my books with a number I could use to call you."
Peter- "I left like that because I couldn't tell you I couldn't take you with me because I had no where to go myself. I lived with a friend for a few months but he moved away and I was left on the streets. I made a few friends a little older than me there and we'd share food and money, we'd take care of each other. Then we found heroin. It was cheaper than most drugs since I wasn't keen on doing cocaine or meth and it made us feel happier and less hungry. It did it for a while then my friend came back to town after a year or so and saw my condition. He picked me up from the streets and helped me rent my place until I could get back on my feet. He helped me get into the college I'm in now and even helped me find a job. I owe him everything. Even now though I haven't been able to quit. I know I should I just never got myself to actually go through with it."
Clay was speechless hearing what Peter had gone through and all he could do was hug him and let out a small cry.
Clay- "We will find you an addiction help group! Someone to talk to! You could go to rehab! We'll get through this!! Just promise me you will hold back from doing it till then."
Peter took a deep breath knowing he couldn't promise this, but he had to give Clay something to hope on.
Peter- "Promise."
Clay felt at this moment he could trust Peter again. That he was family. He wanted to tell him what happened with Ace.
Clay- "Remember when I told you I still hung out with Ace? Well he met a girl and-"
Peter- "Did he ditch you for the girl?"
Clay- "Yes! How did you know?"
Peter- "Happens to the best of us just give him time he'll realize his mistake and then you can talk it out. In the mean time why don't you focus on yourself? I noticed you don't really hang out with anyone else outside of school. Maybe joining a club would help?"
Clay- "A club? Like what?"
Peter- "I don't know! Band?"
Clay bursts out a laugh.
Peter- "What!! It's an idea!! Didn't you used to play the drums??"
Peter said with a laugh.
Clay- "I was 8!!!"
Peter- "So?! I bet you still got it!"
Clay- "You are crazy!"
Peter gave him the puppy eyes pleading for him to give it a chance.
Clay- "Ugh stop it! I'll think about it!"
Peter- "Great! That's all I wanted!"
The weekend with Peter flew by. Peter took Clay shopping for new clothes and Clay got a cotton jacket with stars.
"Ace would have mocked me so hard for this. I wouldn't just be 'star boy' I'd probably be 'Mr. astrology geek' or something" Clay thought. He didn't wanna admit it but he missed Ace. A lot.
They got groceries and then they went to the movies to watch a Sci-Fi movie that just came out that Clay really wanted to watch called 'Conjured Moon'. This effort from Peter made Clay feel at home. The movie had already started when Clay took another handful of buttered popcorn.
Clay- "I'm home."
Peter- "What?"
Clay- "I'm home."
Peter smiled.
Peter- "Yes you are komodo."
The movie ended and on the car ride home Clay fell asleep so Peter carried him inside and to bed. Peter tucked him in and whispered before closing the door.
Peter- "I'll be your home komodo. I'll never let you down again."
Monday morning. Clay's alarm went off.
"Shit...It's Monday already?..." Clay thought to himself hoping he'd be wrong. Mondays used to be his favorite since he had English with Ace first period. Now they just seemed like yet another day. Clay stood up and wore a sweater, cargo parts and his new star jacket. And walked to the kitchen where baked goods and coffee awaited him.
Peter- "Ready for school komodo?"
Clay- "Could I ever be?"
They ate and Peter drove him to school.
Clay- "Can you pick me up as well? I didn't get my bike."
Peter- "Sure thing! I'll be here at 3."
Clay- "Great thanks!"
Clay walked into school seeing Ace by the lockers. With Amber of course. Ace saw him and looked away so he took it as a sign to walk away. He turned the corner which happened to be where all the clubs were at and he caught a glimpse of the band club.
"Great. Just my luck.." He thought the universe was playing tricks on him or at least trying to tell him something.
Clay- "Fine I'll give it a shot!" He whispered to himself walking towards the band club. Clay walked in awkwardly.
Jc- "Where the fuck will we find a drummer and a singer in that short period of time???"
Louis- "I don't know! It's not my fault Dave moved!"
Jc- "Oh my fucking god!! This is great! Just great!!"
Clay- "Em Hello? I'm here to try out for the band club? You guys seem a bit busy should I come back another time?"
Jc- "No, no, no! You came at the perfect time!! What do you play??"
Jc hovered over Clay like a hungry animal which made him rethink if joining the club was even a good idea to begin with.
Clay- "The drums? I suppose."
Jc- "OH MY GOD YOU ARE A FUCKING SAINT!! PLEASE TELL ME YOU CAN SING TOO!!!"
Clay- "Eh..no.."
Jc- "SHIT!"
Clay- "But I can try?.."
Louis- "Yeah Jc maybe you could show him after all you'll be singing together."
Jc- "I told you I can't be singing now that Imogen quit! Someone's gotta take over the keys!"
Louis- "She will come back! Don't worry! Focus on our new band member!"
Clay- "Wait so I'm in?"
Jc- "Do we look like we got much of a choice?"
Jc walks off to the back where the studio is.
Louis- "Anyways! We didn't get to introduce ourselves! I'm Louis I play guitar, this is Jc he sings we have another 2 members which are not here yet.."
Jc yells from the back.
Jc- "YEAH CUZ ONE OF THEM QUIT!"
Louis- "Don't pay attention to him, he is still heart broken his partner broke up with him. The other 2 members are Michelle she plays the base and Imogen they play the keys."
Clay- "I'm Clay!"
Louis- "Nice to meet you Clay!"
Clay- "Wow, I can't wait to meet everyone! Oh also what type of music do we play?"
Louis- "Alternative rock."
Clay- "I already love it here."
Louis- "Practice starts at 3 okay? Be here."
Clay- "Okay I'll be here."
Clay walks out and texts Peter.
Clay- "Hey don't pick me up today."
Peter- "Why? What happened? Did you get detention?"
Clay- "No I joined the band club."
Peter- "WHAT REALLY THIS IS AMAZING!!! HOW WAS IT??"
Clay- "Wow you are more excited than me. And I don't know yet. Practice starts at 3."
Peter- "Alright! Make sure to have fun and tell me all about it!!"
Clay- "Will do!"
Clay heard the bell ring and walked to class. With Ace.
Ace avoided Clay all throughout class and this made him feel alone. Although he would catch Ace occasionally glancing at him he still felt alone.
"I can't wait till 3 p.m..." Clay thought to himself.