Angels (DreamNotFound/Gream)

Chapter 22: The Return

THE RETURN

Amanda's eyes darted towards the door for a fleeting moment, then settled on looking fixedly at the floor. She fidgeted with her manicured nails, looking like she was very much regretting coming.

"What are you doing here?" Dream repeated, tone demanding and sharp. He felt his jaw clench and his figure tense as he stared at her, barely suppressing the anger simmering like hot lava below the surface.

"I -". Her eyes flickered to the door again, and with what seemed like strenuous mental effort, she closed it, finalizing her decision. She mumbled something in a barely audible voice that sounded to Dream like "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

An incredulous laugh found its way out of his lips as he shook his head disbelievingly. He couldn't believe she'd had the nerve to come after she had almost ruined his life. "You wanted to make sure I was okay? Well, I'd be much fucking better if you hadn't told George I fucking cheated on him!" His voice had risen to almost a yell, and George put a comforting hand on his shoulder, steadying him.

Water brimmed in her unusually dull blue eyes as she finally tore her eyes off the floor to look at him, a pleading expression on her pallid features. "I'm so, so sorry, Clay!"

The words only seemed to act as an incentive to his anger, and fury thundered in his head as he shook off George's hand and leaned towards her. Tidal waves of rage coursed over him like hot, bubbling lava. "You're sorry, oh yeah! Everything is better now because you're sorry." His words dripped with sarcasm, twisting his tone into ironic, bitter poison, and he was viciously glad to see her flinch and back away. "Well guess what, Amanda? That doesn't change the fact that you betrayed me. You lie to George, saying I cheated on you, try to take him from me, and then come back after I almost die and say you're sorry?"

Her eyes darted from side to side, and she reminded Dream of a trapped animal as she pressed herself into the door. A tear escaped her left eye and her bottom lip trembled. "I d-don't know what else to say! I'm sorry!"

"Well, then don't say anything else and leave!" Dream snapped. His chest was heaving up and down with anger, and he vaguely noticed his knuckles had turned white from how tightly he was balling his fists. He took a deep, steadying breath, trying to gain control of himself, and firmly gripped George's hand like it was his lifeline.

"I -". Amanda opened and closed her mouth, substantially resembling a goldfish. "Okay. I - I really am sorry, Clay."

She had just turned the knob to leave when he abruptly remembered something. "Wait."

She turned back around immediately, slight hope brewing in her eyes. "What is it?"

"Somehow, all of my family, friends, and fans also thought I cheated on George." He saw guilt flash on her features for a split second, and he inhaled sharply, squeezing George's hand even tighter. "What the fuck did you do now, Amanda?" he asked wearily.

"I - I didn't do anything," she said in an unconvincing voice, her tone laced with panic.

She bit her lip as he met her eyes, heart pounding with anger in his ears. "I'm not an idiot, Amanda, tell me the truth."

She shifted her feet, turning her gaze away from him as she spoke rapidly in a small, terrified voice. "I - I posted something on Twitter saying George was my b-boyfriend and your fans saw it and they were confused because they knew you two were together and so I m-might have told them you cheated on him."

She quailed under his furious gaze, more tears streaking down her pale face.

George's hand had probably lost all circulation from how tightly Dream was gripping it, but Dream didn't care at that moment. He opened his mouth, trying to find words, but all he could focus on was the boiling blood thundering through his head, filling it with a raging fury.