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without you ❞
CLAY HAD NEVER been so distraught, especially not in front of nick.
"what did you do, clay?" nick asked. he didn't know what to do while his best friend was trying his hardest not to completely break down.
"i-i got mad. about the thing my dad said and then... i fucking took it out on nadia." he admitted. saying it out loud made it all the more real and all the more embarrassing. "i don't know why. she was just teasing me."
"where is she?" his voice held concern, and something that clay didn't recognize. clay knew that him and nadia had gotten to know each other, but he hadn't expected him to be this concerned— and whatever that other emotion was
"she left." it sunk in. had something just like this happened between her and axel before he decided to lock her out? had they had a fight, too? did he yell and swear and belittle her in the only way he knew how? was clay really just as bad as axel?
"do you know where she—"
"no i don't fucking know, or else i'd be there." he snapped. immediately his face filled with regret. "sorry. i just can't think straight."
nick looked up at him, eyes full of pity. he wasn't expecting to help clay deal with relationship issues that night. he thought back to what nadia had told him earlier, how she had trusted him.
"it's okay, i'm blaming that one on the current situation. if it happens again, i won't help." he smiled, though clay knew he was telling the truth. he didn't know what he would do without his best friend. the only thing better would be george being there, too. "try calling her."
"what?"
"exactly what i said, idiot. call her." so he did. they sat at the dining room table in anticipation. the ringing taunted clay. nadia didn't pick up, which was expected. "well, i got nothing else."
"she's coming back, right? she has no where to go. her parents live in california now and she..."
"i'm sure nadia has other friends, clay. and didn't you say her sister lives close by?" nick almost laughed, but didn't want to do so in case clay took it the wrong way.
"she wouldn't go back to axel, would she?" they sat in silence. he wanted so badly to be reassured that she would stay away from him. he knew no one could truly say that besides nadia.
"i think she has common sense. she probably just needs time." nick did his best to help his friend. "i can't guarantee she won't go back to him, but i do know that she loves you."
