𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙐 , dreamwastaken+wilbursoot ✔

What a sight for sore eyes

Prom night.

It was prom night, five months since Clay had left me for George.

We'd passed each other in the hallway, but I always avoided his gaze, because it hurt. It hurt every time I saw his piercing green eyes, and it was the kind of hurt that made it hard to breathe, so I didn't look at him; I wasn't sure I could ever look at him again.

We hadn't interacted since I'd left his sweater on his porch.

But it was impossible not to look at him tonight, wow. I'm already breaking my promise. Wilbur always went on about how 'guys in tuxes were just that much hotter', and it was only then that I finally knew he was right.

He'd come with George, of course, who looked as handsome as ever; what a sight for sore eyes, his darkened brown hair brushed down, a contrasting white suit to Clay's black suit, and he was perfect next to Clay; they looked perfect together. Perfect in a way that never would have worked if i'd been in Georges's place at that moment. They're happy and that's all I could ask for.

"Don't look at them, damn it", Wilbur said, gesturing for his date to wait a moment before shielding my eyes with one hand and wrapping the other around my waist to guide me in the opposite direction. "You're not here to pine over your ex, Y/n. Understand?"

He'd come with the girl he'd met at the party, Niki, if I remembered correctly, and her face was glowing with a warm happiness. It was true, Niki was gorgeous, with her well bleached hair and striking honey-like eyes, and her perfect manners and kind expression had won me over in a heartbeat.

"Wilbur, you really should be enjoying yourself." I wiggled out of his hold. It was humiliating enough that I'd third wheel with my best friend and his date; I wanted to put as much distance as I could between us.

Wilbur sighed, releasing my arm. "I'm sorry. I'm just..." He swallowed and glanced away; we hadn't spoken much ever since I'd shut him down those few months ago, which was really shitty on my behalf. "I'm worried for you." He brushed some imaginary dust from my shoulder with a few flicks of his hand, managing a smile. "But you look amazing tonight, Y/n/n. I'll leave you here, all right? Just... have some fun. If not for you, do it for me. Please."

I felt a prick of guilt, staring into Wilbur's sad eyes. He wasn't supposed to be sad; it was prom night, something he'd always looked forward to, and I - I was the one who was ruining it for him.

"I'm sorry, I said softly. I'm sorry. I've been such a dick, and - I'm sorry." I glanced up at Niki, who was still waiting politely where we'd left her.

Wilbur blinked and pulled me into him to hold me close. "It's okay, I'd support you no matter what. I'm always here."

"Just - go on." I start digging my palms into his shoulder blades to push him away. "Enjoy tonight. You look very handsome."

And he did, especially when he gave me another smile before walking back to Niki, her expression lifting as he offered her his arm; it hurt to watch them together, so sweet and happy, but it was a good sort of hurt, a proudness for your friend kind of hurt, a pain I wouldn't mind reliving over and over.

The rest of the night, I tried to do what Wilbur told me to. I ate the over-salted food and drank the over-sweetened punch. I managed a few minutes of conversation with a few people I knew from my classes.

I tried to have fun.

But it was impossible, impossible when I kept seeing George and Clay together. No matter where I went, where I looked, I always found myself catching just a glimpse of Clay's caramel hair, his green eyes and his beautiful smile.

The night passed in a blur, but it felt excruciatingly slow at the same time and it was only near the end, when I looked up to see Clay's face once more, that I realized he was walking toward me.

Panic immediately sharpened my senses, but I couldn't move. I could only stand there, frozen, as he paused in front of me, offering a slight smile. He was alone; George was talking to his friends across the room, and that made it so much worse. so much worse, as I attempted and failed to look away from Clay's green orbs.

"Hey, Y/n."

And my only coherent thought at that moment was that it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair, the kind of effect he had on me, even after so long. Hey, Y/n, like he hadn't broken my heart, like we were just fine. He had the guts to come speak to me. Is this just normal to him?

When I didn't speak, Clay took a shaky breath. "I was just... wondering how you were doing. I mean - we haven't really talked in a while."

I still couldn't speak. There were so many things I wanted to throw in his face.

"I just - it's been almost half a year, and I miss you," He said. "I mean, you're funny. Sweet. I miss hanging out with you."

I miss you, but he meant it in a friend way, funny, sweet, misses hanging out with me, in a friend way - in a friend way.

I slowly shook my head, finally finding my voice. "No - no. I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't - do this and I don't particularly want you near me."

Clay fell quiet, his green gaze dropping to the floor.

There was a long stretch of silence before he glanced back up again. "I'm sorry," He said softly. "- for everything, I'm sorry, but I... just wanted to invite you to this party. It's dumb, just something fun, but if you want to go..." He shrugged. "I don't know if you know Nick, but there's this graduation party in a few weeks, at his house. If you want to come?"

Ouch- this hurt, goddammit, and I didn't know what to do, how to reply.

"Okay," I finally answered, because what the hell else could I say? "Okay, I'll... think about it."

Clay smiled, partly in relief and partly in uncertainty. "That's good." He said, and, shit, he was so damned adorable when he was awkward; it hurt, hurt so much to look at him. Shouldn't I hate him by now? "I - should probably go now, but I'll see you there. I mean, I hope I'll see you there."

I managed to nod, and then he was gone, taking his warm cinnamon smell with him, going back to George, always going back to George and why shouldn't he? He was perfect, nothing like me, he was a sight for sore eyes.