saturday mornings are for pancakes // a dream x reader fanfiction

CHAPTER 33: FRIENDS

I turn over in the bed. The other side has a dent like someone slept there, but the sheets are cold. I sit up a bit, remembering George sleeping in a seated position all night.

My brain runs through the events of last night, and I remember exactly why I hate drinking.

I slowly walk out to the kitchen, but I pause when I notice someone sleeping on the couch. I move a bit closer, seeing the fluffy blonde hair peeking out of the blankets, and smile. He stayed.

He shifts in his sleep so that his face peeks out of the blankets now. His face is so peaceful right now even though I know that couch couldn't possibly be that comfortable. My eyes catch a bright yellow paper attached to the blanket. At one point it must've been on his chest or hand or something, but now the sticky adhesive has attached itself to his butt.

I gently try to take the sticky note off of Clay without actually touching his bottom, and with success I hold it up to read.

Went to pick Nick up and bring him home. Tell Clay to wake up by 11:30 and come home because the doctors said it's some sort of fever-causing viral infection and im not getting sick. -George

I roll my eyes at the note before turning around to get some water. I glance back at sleeping Clay a couple times, remembering how he reassured me when I stressed and knew it was Maggie on my mind.

I let my brain wander on the thoughts a little longer than I should. Usually with friends, I try not to linger on thoughts that could lead to anything more than friendship, but I've slowly found myself breaking those rules when it comes to Clay.

He stayed, I repeat in my mind. He stayed here with George and I.

He's a really good guy. A great friend to Nick and George. He would do anything for them. For us. He never lets me doubt that he cares for us at all, and maybe that's why I find myself often confused in these thoughts. Because while he's a great friend to all of us, I always consider how good he'd be at more than friends.

I know, I shouldn't. It goes against the friendship codes or something, but I can't help it. He's Clay.

Speaking of the devil, Clay slowly sits up on the couch. He glances behind him to see me in the kitchen. He gives me a lazy smile before putting his face back down on the couch's itchy pillow.

I laugh quietly as I make a bowl of cereal. Clay slowly gets off the couch and drags his feet behind him to the kitchen. "Whacha making?" he asks.

I push the cereal box towards him. "Nutritious right?"

He studies the sugary contents. "Breakfast of champions." He glances around the kitchen. "Where's your bowls?"

I go to the cabinet and grab one for him. I also hand him the sticky note. He reads it slowly before rolling his eyes and checking his watch.

He moves it so that I can see the time is 9:30. "Plenty of time," he says before taking a bite.

I shake my head slightly. I want to know exactly how Nick is doing, but I don't want to bother Clay right after he wakes up. I could text George, but he's already done so much for me.

Clay puts the milk back in the fridge. His hair gets in his eyes when he turns, so he moves it out of the way. He seems so at ease for the long night and couch sleeping.

"Thank you," I say softly, "for everything with Nick. I wish I could've done more to help."

He finishes chewing his cereal. "You were drunk, too."

"Next time I won't be," I promise.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time." He chuckles, checking his phone again. "Listen, my mom asked me to check on the house a couple times while they're gone. Do you think it'll be okay if I go before going home to Nick and George? Or is that being a bad friend?"

I shake my head. "He said 11:30, so I think they'll be okay till then."

Clay brings his bowl to the sink and rinses it out. He glances behind his shoulder, "You sure?"

I nod. "Yeah, you already promised your mom," I explain, "Besides, I think George can take care of Nick on his own."

He turns from the sink and grabs his keys from the counter. "Then I guess I'll see you later. Maybe not in the next week or so since Nick's apparently contagious."

"Gross." I walk him to the door and open it.

Clay walks through and gives me a nod of thanks. He's about to leave when I stop him for a brief moment.

"Seriously, thank you, Clay," I say.

He turns and looks at me; his eyes are genuine. "Of course, that's what friends are for."

My stomach drops, and my head feels heavier. I hope the blood hasn't all rushed to my head yet. "Yes, exactly," I find myself lying. Why is this such a lie? Why does it hurt this much?

He says goodbye and walks down the hallway. I wait till he turns the corner to go back inside. I put my head in my hands.

Of course he thinks that. That's who he is. A good person who does good things for others. How dare I even think there was some ulterior motive under his actions. How could I think he would sleep on an uncomfortable couch because he cared about me? It was all because he's a good friend.

But damn, that hurts.

Maybe I do have feelings for Clay. Maybe I really do enjoy his company when we do work in his room. Or when he kisses my forehead goodnight when I'm stressed. Maybe I'm just really narcissistic or maybe it means something.

I try to carry on with my day. I clean the kitchen and bathroom. I notice two empty bottles of alcohol in the trash. Clay must've thrown them out knowing I wouldn't have wanted to see them this morning. Why does he have to know me so well?

It's a couple hours later when George calls me. I panic when I answer the call, wondering if something's gone wrong.

"Where's Clay?" he asks.

"What do you mean? He left a couple hours ago to check on his family's house then to your place." I rethink the conversation; yeah, that's what he said he was doing.

"Well, Nick's asking for things, and I don't want to give them to him." George sounds like he's holding his nose. "I don't even like being upstairs with him."

"You are so dramatic." I roll my eyes.

"Trust me, I would have this place tented and be sleeping at your place if my PC wasn't here." George sighs like he's wondering how he could transport it quickly.

"I'll call him," I say before hanging up. My finger hovers over the call button under Clay's name. I hate that my heart beats a little bit faster, wanting to hear his voice.

"Hey, what's up?" he says when he answers.

"George just called me and asked where you are," I explain, "What's going on?"

"What?" he asks quietly. There's some shuffling of him checking the time. "Oh shit," he whispers. "Yeah, I got distracted talking to a family friend."

"A family friend?" I ask, wondering why that would take so long. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, they're just neighbors with my parents, and we haven't talked in forever," he says. "I'll be over there soon."

"Okay, just let George know. He won't help Nick."

He chuckles. "What a germ-o-phobe."

"He's so dramatic," I add.

"Got to love him though."

"Sure," I say sarcastically, "That's one way to put it."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

i'm so exited this is the part i've been looking forward to for everything to start happening :)

have an amazing day!