did you mean it? // dreamnotfound

chapter fifteen

song suggested: you're somebody else D:

*alarm ringing*

"Ugh," George groaned. It didn't take him long to realize he was stuck in Karl's arms. Then everything came flooding back to him from the day prior. "Karl, dude wake up."

"Hey, hey sorry. I'm awake," Karl said quickly. George must have scared him when waking him.

"Do you mind if i shower?" George asked his half-awake friend.

"Of course not. I mean, you're staying here for the next few days, or however long you need," Karl answered softly.

George went over to his bag and grabbed somewhat nice, but comfortable clothes and headed to the bathroom. He grabbed a towel and cloth on his way. George turned the water up to almost scolding hot. It wasn't hot enough to burn him, but the bathroom would definitely be a little toasty for a while after he got out. He spent most of his time thinking in the shower before actually doing what he needed to do and getting out. George put on his clothes and kind of dried his hair with a towel. He combed through it before exiting the bathroom, dirty clothes in hand.

"Bathrooms open," George announced. "Karl, thank you for letting me stay here again. I really don't deserve you."

"Of course Georgie, and i don't deserve you either. You're the best friend i could ever ask for. And you know you're welcome anytime anyways, right?" Karl answered. He gave George a soft smile before making his way to the bathroom.

Eventually, Karl was out and the two spent about 10 minutes scrolling on their phones before having to leave. Neither of them cared for breakfast, food just wasn't appetizing that early. Time flew by fairly quickly and the two rushed out the door. It has been more like 15 minutes instead of 10, so they were in a little bit of a hurry. The boys entered the car with Karl starting it as soon as he sat down. Soon enough, they began the drive.

It was a comfortable silence, until George broke it. He was worried.

"You don't think-," George spoke. He was anxious even thinking about the words. "-that Clay is embarrassed to be seen around me? Like, i know he's fine now, but what if something just.. changes. I mean, i'd be embarrassed if i were hanging out with myself too."

Karl quickly glanced at George with something like an 'are you kidding me?' kind of look.

"George, don't say that," Karl spoke, with his eyes facing forward. "Just because he's more known and you aren't doesn't mean he'll be like, you know. And if he is, then cut him off."

"I would, but if he ends up like that, then it'd be way to hard to cut him off." George spoke.

He wished Karl would have been right.

He sunk into his seat. The rest of the ride was silent. Luckily, they were only about 3 minutes from school.

The two arrived at the school and they exited the car, almost in sync. It was kind of scary, but neither cared. They didn't even notice. As they walked through the doors, everyone stared. However, the stares weren't at Karl, but they were at George. What was this all about? If anything more people knew who Karl was than George. 'What the-'

George's thought was broken.

"Hey aren't you that guy that Clay kissed in the lunchroom," A random guy came up and asked George.

George was so confused. What was happening? He searched for Clay. George finally found him and was pretty sure Clay had heard the question. Clay shook his head no, but George didn't know whether to take it as, 'no don't answer that' or 'say no'. So he walked off and joined the rest of his friends instead.

'I'm so confused.'

George's thought soon turned into the answer to his confusion. It was Schlatt. Great. It was the only logical answer for all of this happening. I mean, who else had the video of Clay kissing George on the forehead at lunch? No one but Schlatt.

George stood silently with his friends. To many thoughts we're running through his head. Did he leak the video? He guessed so. Maybe that's why everyone was staring at him when he walked in.

"George-," Someone called. George thought it was his imagination and ignored it.

"George!" Alex shouted. "Dude, you scared me for a second. Kinda zoned out."

"Oh, sorry," George said. He moved his hand to the back of his neck.

All of the sudden he heard some form of yelling. He couldn't tell who it was from, but it gained everyone's attention.

"Look, can everyone just shut up and leave me alone?" The voice yelled.

Before it could continue, George found the source. It was Clay. A group of other students were crowded around him. They were probably asking Clay about the situation as well. Clay, nor George were expecting the video to go out anyways. They didn't even know they were videoed at the time.

"I don't know what you all got from the video, but it's nothing. Okay? I don't care what you saw, or what you heard, but that guy means nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. I'm not gay either. That's just.. gross. I didn't even kiss him! I would never kiss a guy. Please, just leave me alone. Why would someone like me hang out with a loser like him anyw-," Clay spoke. He cut himself off, and no one knew why.

George knew why. Clay had looked around, as he wasn't making eye contact with anyone particular, and came across George's glare. He had been listening the entire time. That's when he shut it. He knew he screwed up. For the second time.

George just wanted to do something right in life. Why did this have to happen to him again? The fact that this wasn't the first time it had happened made it so much worse. There were tears streaming down his face, but George didn't seem to notice until Alex pointed them out. George had looked at the ground for a second before quickly making his way to the bathroom. He could care less if he was going to be late to class, or even skipped. Why would Clay say something like that? Did he not remember what he told George last night? Did he do something wrong to Clay?

George locked himself in the biggest stall and laid his things on the floor. He heard footsteps from the other part of the bathroom. It was Karl and Alex.

"You okay in there, bud?" One of the two asked. George could hardly tell who it was over the crying.

"Yeah, i'll be fine."

  That was such a lie.

His friends left. They both sent a text telling George that if he needs them, to text them. He agreed.

The bell rang. George wasn't going to move. He couldn't. His eyes felt heavy, and puffy. It was only so early in the morning and he was already bawling his eyes out. George went out to look in the mirror. Yeah. No point in going to class anytime soon. George went back to the stall and sat down in the floor. Who knew how long he was in there.

George heard more footsteps. He quickly moved from the floor to the toilet as he closed the seat quietly. He wasn't risking getting in trouble when he looked like this.

"George?"