What Happened To Robbie Clay

Chapter 4

Before** 

   "Did you hear about Sarah Miller?" I ask Robbie as we sit in his room trying to do our Algebra II homework together. 

   "The girl in our English class?" he asks half distracted as he writes down the next problem and tries to figure out the way to write down the solution. 

   "I heard she overdosed on a bunch of drugs the other day. Her parents found her just in time and she's in the hospital. Apparently they're thinking about sending her to rehab. Crazy to think someone in our class is going to have to go to rehab." Robbie just nods thoughtfully. 

   "So I think I have the answer to number five." 

After** 

"But wait. It doesn't make any sense that no one talked about Emmanuel. When Sarah Miller overdosed, the whole town was buzzing about it." I look at Daniel pointedly and he scoffs at me before running his hands up and down his steering wheel. 

   "Sarah Miller's family isn't important and they don't have any money. Manny's dad was Sheriff. It isn't exactly a good look to have your kid overdose on drugs and you're supposed to be controlling the town's drug problem." Daniel scoffs and rubs his face with his thumb and pointer finger. 

   "So, what did you mean Emmanuel was at Robbie's funeral? I recognized everyone there. And on another note, why were there never any family pictures with Emmanuel in them?" I give Daniel a 'got ya' look. Daniel gives me a blank look. 

   "They only put up ones with Robert because he was their golden child would be my best guess. That or Robert took them down before you started coming over to his house because he was embarrassed of his brother and didn't want to tell you the reason he isn't around." Daniel gives me a 'think rationally' look. I sink into my seat. 

   "What does his brother even look like?" I ask him as I fold my arms over my chest. Daniel turns on the car and then cranks up the heaters. 

   "Like an actual golden child. I hear he's been clean for a few years now, but refuses to talk to his parents. He thinks Robert's death is somehow their faults. He has like golden hair, muscular build, longer hair, glasses that he only really wears to read things, but like he has Robert's face or whatever. He's like six foot something and he talks with an air of anger in his voice, even when he isn't angry." I look at Daniel in shock. 

   "It sounds like you really knew Emmanuel Clay." Daniel gives me a side look with a smile. 

   "He started using drugs because he was gay and dating my brother all through middle school and most of high school." I feel myself become to shocked to speak. Daniel pulls out of his driveway and starts heading towards town and exits on my street. 

Before** 

   "You know, I think that gay people are kind of gross. Like their habits and everything. It's like unnatural. If the world was meant to be like that then same sex people would be meant to have children together," Robbie says out of nowhere as we study English Literature. I look at him confused.

   "I didn't take you for someone homophobic." 

After** 

   "Was his whole family against gay people?" I ask Daniel as we drive down the six miles to my house, on the seemingly never ending road. 

   "I don't think Robert really was until he found his brother the way he did, and then his parents told him it was 'God's way of punishing the gay away'. They truly believed and maybe still believe that Manny's drug problem was God's way of punishing Manny for being gay." I nod in understanding. 

   "That actually explains a lot." I tell him honestly. Daniel just nods before pulling into my driveway. He turns to me with a small smile. 

   "If you ever need someone to talk to or somewhere to go, I'm here for you." Daniel gives me a smile and then I pull my almost dead phone out of my bag. 

   "Then I guess we'll be needing one another's numbers." I give Daniel a light smile and he hands me his phone. I put my name in and he does the same before we hand one another the phone's back. 

   I look at the contact and see that he put himself in as "Danny (Supa Hot)" I giggle at the name. 

   "I'll come get you for school tomorrow if you'd like," Daniel offers with a small smile. I grin at him. 

   "Um, sure. But wouldn't that be a bit out of your way?" Daniel gives me a shrug. 

   "I don't really sleep, so it'll give me a reason to leave the house twenty minutes early." I smile at him and nod. 

   "I'll see you in the morning then." 

   "See you in the morning." 

   I get out of Daniel's car and head inside the already dark house. It's only nine at night, but I know that Meredith is already asleep in her bed, and her alarm is set for early in the morning.