Is This True Love? (DNF)

Chapter 54: Waiting

George POV.

The knife slid down through the tomato, slicing into the surface of the wooden chopping board before I pulled it out. "I'm so sorry for the loss of-" I began, before cutting myself off with the shake of my head. That didn't sound good. I sliced through the tomato again. "I hope that your grandmother is doing okay…"

Once again I shook my head and grumbled. As I finished with the tomato and stepped to the sink to clean my hands I sighed. I had wanted to make a nice meal, which I was in the process of doing, and then say something to them. It was something to show my condolences, but it just never sounded right.

I finished chopping the tomatoes and added them to the salad I had been preparing before moving it to the fridge. Scattered among the shelves were four different plates of food. Yet I still wanted to add more.

On the top shelf was a lasagne as the main, but when I felt like that wasn't enough I added dessert. This was a chocolate cake, using a recipe off the back of the cake mix and then I added a starter. This was barbecued asparagus. Then I decided to make a salad to continue adding to the meal.

It was definitely too much, I was well aware of that fact, but it was all that I felt was fair to pass the time. It felt wrong to watch TV or a movie when Clay and Niki were losing their grandmother. I didn't want to risk leaving the house in case they returned, and I had read most of the books that were in the house.

That just left me with preparing food. Everything was ready and just some things needed to be cooked, such as the lasagne. All that I needed to do was sit at the table and wait. I settled down,  taking slow breaths.

This reminded me of when I had been waiting for Fundy, the day that I had discovered that he was cheating. My breathing began to hitch at this, gripping at my pants as my fingers began to turn white. “No… no…” I murmured to myself, blinking quickly as tears began to roll down my cheek. “No… Clay wouldn’t do this. He-he’d never.”

My hands continued to tightly grip my hand but I managed to tug them away, going instead to clutch at the table as I stood up. “He won’t do what Fundy did. I mean he can’t cheat on me when we aren’t officially dating.” I stammered. Which was a weird thing to consider. I had had sex with him, shared a bed, and I was living in the same house, and we weren’t officially dating.

This wasn’t something I could consider now as he was spending his time with his dying grandmother and his other family members. It was just rude of me to be considering starting a relationship as he was about to lose another one.

Instead I just allowed myself to pace back and forth, feeling anxious but pushing all of those emotions down as I focused on feeling concerned for the blond. I had decided that I would end up just continuing to wait patiently while pacing around the kitchen for him to return. “I hope that you will be alright Clay.” I muttered. “I hope your grandmother is alright.”

I knew that likely wasn’t the case, that she likely would not make it if she was as old and weary as Niki implied she was. That was the main reason why I had insisted that he went, despite the fact that he wanted to talk to me. Talking could happen any time, seeing his grandmother could only happen for a day or so, then who knows.

Yet as I stood walking I couldn’t help but think about what he had started to tell me earlier. He had mentioned something about me feeling something. It was confusing, I knew nothing about it. It concerned me and all that I could do was stand patiently and wait. When he was feeling better I would talk with him.

Clay POV.

A tear rolled down my cheek, one which I attempted to hide by turning away from the camera which I knew was hidden at the front of the vehicle. All that I wanted to do was help George, so that I could be with him and we didn’t have to live our lives with cameras in our face. My hand moved to wipe my face.

“Are you alright?” Niki asked. She was glancing over at me, I could see the concern which laced her gaze from the reflection in the mirror. I didn’t respond to her, only tensing up and not daring to move at all. “Clay?” She continued.

For a few minutes I said nothing. I could tell that her gaze was still on me before she glanced out towards the group of men and women who continued to talk. “Please?” She asked. “You can tell me about whatever it is that is bothering you.”
“Can I?” A hint of anger was under my tone.

“Yes of course.” She seemed to be completely genuine with it. “Over the time I’ve spent with you I’ve grown to care for you. I know that we aren’t really cousins, but we do feel like family.” I spared a glance away from the window to look over at her. “I won’t tell anyone.” She added.
“They might.” I motioned over to Jimmy and his group. “Or the audience might.”

“Then how about we stand out of the car? There are no microphones or cameras out there since George doesn’t come anywhere near here.” Reluctantly I nodded, opening the door and stepping out of the vehicle.

I noticed Jimmy glance over, his eyes narrowed in a glare as he studied me and he kept his eyes following my movements while talking with Kris. Slowly I looked down, not allowing myself to react. When we were alone I sighed. “I feel like I really love George.” I muttered. “Actually… I don’t feel like it… I know it.”

“Clay?” She asked. “You love George?”
“Yes?” I was unsure as to how she didn’t know this. I had been sleeping in the same bed as him, we’d been cuddling on the couch, we had even had sex (however I doubted she knew this). “I just don’t want to leave him. This show is all wrong.”

“Sometimes I think that too.” She admitted. “It feels like too much. I have been thinking about leaving for ages, but I just never can.”
“I thought that you hated George.” I muttered, since she did seem to try and hide away whenever he was around.

“I don’t. It just is stressful to be around him. It’s stressful to be a part of this show. It sounds stupid…” Slowly I nodded, understanding what she meant.
“Now I won’t be able to go back and tell him how I feel about him, tell him about everything that he has been through. I don’t think Jimmy will let me even talk to him.”

A tense silence filled the air before a man appeared in my peripheral vision. “Okay Clay, are you ready to head back and grab your things?” Jimmy asked.
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1245 words

How do you think this is going to end? Also Voting is in the next part.