CalPal

-40-

Chapter Forty

A few months later and nothing has changed. Well, except for the fact that I'm in therapy now and doing exceptionally better mental wise. Also Clay was still here and my sister has officially moved in with me. I keep asking Clay when he wants me to take him home but he never gives me a solid answer. Drista has been sending him daily Patches content to keep his mind at ease. She was really enjoying her time at his parents house. They spoiled her with cat treats and sweaters.

Clay has gotten hounded every single day about 'Octavia' ever since that stream and each time, Indi and I cry of laughter over his frustration. The few times that he's streamed, Indi and I have made it our mission to somehow bring 'Octavia' into it. I think Clay's starting to get sick of the bit but it makes Indi and I laugh so hard, so I think he just deals with it to make us happy.

"I'm gonna stream today," I told Clay as we were chilling on the couch enjoying some alone time while Indi was at school. I've been driving her the twenty minutes back and forth to drop and pick her up since I didn't want her having to switch schools. It's not like I have a job to attend to at a specific time. Plus, if I'm too tired when she wakes us in the morning, Clay offers to take her without hesitation. It's great.

"That's good. The fans miss your streams. They're really worried about you."

"I know, I've been seeing it on my timeline. I feel bad. I don't really interact with them anymore either. Like I feel like you have to tweet every week that I'm doing okay and just dealing with some personal issues. I've been going to therapy, I think I'm doing better."

"You are doing very good and words can't express how insanely proud I am of both you and Indi for getting through this. I know it was really hard for you guys and you're both like my role models for how strong you are."

"Don't make me cry. No, but like I really appreciate you sticking it out here with me. You didn't leave me even when I was bed ridden and couldn't shower or eat or take care of myself. I think Indi appreciates it too. She's grown a liking to you, you know."

He smiled, "I know. I'm happy I was able to be there for you guys."

"I don't know where I'd be if you weren't. You basically took care of Indi for like a solid two months."

Clay received a text at the moment and his phone vibrating against the coffee table scared me so bad that I almost fell off the couch.

"It's from Indi," he told me when he grabbed his phone, "She's signing out early and needs us to pick her up."

"Why'd she text you?" I laughed.

"Maybe because you never answer your phone."

"I do too," I responded.

"Yeah, only when it's Karl."

I rolled my eyes and stood up, "I don't appreciate the slander."

"It's not slander, it's the truth."

"I'm going to get dressed. I'm ignoring you."

I stomped up the stairs and to my bedroom where I picked out an outfit to get dressed for the day. I decided on something casual since I was just planning on streaming and sitting in a gaming chair for most of the evening. Clay and Indi would probably go have dinner without me as well. They like to do things without me, then make fun of me and mock me for shunning them. I feel like this is how Clay feels when Drista and I do this to him. I understand his pain now.

We left the house and drove the distance to her school where she was talking with her friends outside on the lawn. When I pulled up in the Tesla, they all stopped talking and her friends just stared at me.