"Fuck." Clayton looked around once more before throwing himself on the make-believe floor. There was nowhere out, wasn't there? He was doomed to sitting here.
Forever.
As he let the air flow out of his chest, he couldn't help but to think about the others. Yasmine, Sage, Nathan. What about him? He could try "talking" to him again. If it even works.
Would he even listen? Or would he only feel that same shock from before.
"At least Yasmine's okay." he mumbled before saying how far she needed to get away from here. If there was anyone worth saving from this, it was her. "Dammit. I hope I can get out 0f here. " The sudden fear clumping up in his voice was due to the sight of seeing his body become like his wife. He began to slightly quiver his voice as he saw his foot get less and less visible. This was how he was gonna die, huh? Alone, cold, and sad. He slowly wrapped his arms around his body as he tried to make some sort of heat for himself. His hands and fingers shivered and quaked as he felt more and more of his body suffer the same fate as his leg. He was disappearing faster than Yasmine though. He didn't know if it was due to the fact that Yasmine had a so-called ghost looking after her, or the fact that he now suffered alone, but something was making his fate come at a quicker rate. He watched as his body became more and more translucent. Making sure to note this exact feeling before he died.
Thighs
Waist
Chest
Neck.
"Clay!" The sound of his name caused him to open his eyes. Where was he? He could've sworn he was going to die? He looked around the room once more, taking in the cedar wood that surrounded him. Along each pillar, a beautiful line of white silk lay so nicely from one to another. As he looked closer to the mirror, he realized where the memory took him.
His tux was a soft gentle white to match the loving winter theme. In his pocket a small yellow flower was the only pop of color, other than the black that he wanted. His hair, which was usually a mess recently, was gelled back and made nicer with layers upon layers of hair spray. He looked…presentable. At least, that's what their designer, Katelynn said before leaving the room harshly. She wasn't trying to be rude, he'd known her for a long time. She was just upset she wasn't the one he was marrying. Truth was, he 's known her just about the same time as Pharaoh, but she mainly pertained to her group while he pertained to his.
It wasn't until high school that she officially came to confess to him. She acted like she was okay with rejection, but after that, she went out of her way to say something rude whenever he passed by. She would talk about how feminine he was, or the fact that he hung out with the more nerdy side of the school. Not gonna lie, it made his regret slowly turn more into gratefulness.
Still, when she volunteered to help prepare the wedding, he couldn't say no. Firstly, it was her profession, so she wouldn't risk a bad review over some old beef. Secondly, Yasmine was the one that found her website. He didn't want to have to explain stupid stuff while they were engaged, so he just went along with it. He eventually told her, but the thought of having that linger over the wedding would have been painful.
The sound of the door opened once more, revealing his best man. His hair, which was always unruly, was pulled back into a bun which he would later cut. His light brown eyes shined against the average black of the suit. He wore jewelry, like silver studs and any other thing you'd expect for this time. Now he looked great. His wedding was a few months before this, so he decided to re-wear the one from before.
"How's the groom doing?" his smile seemed so different than it was now. This one seemed… fake. Everyone warranted his happiness because he was just married, but now he knew the truth.
He wasn't
"I'm doing fine, just…nervous." His mouth moved once again with his approval. "Gosh, how did you do it?" He adjusted his tie once more, but was still watching the other man in the mirror. His words received a laugh, not a huge one, just one to ease the silence.
"Well, for me," He rested himself on the til green sofa that was off to the side. "I said to myself, just man up and do it. And boom… I walked out there and did it." Back then, Clayton thought that was good advice. Just man up and do it, but now he could see the look of disappointment that flooded through the others face.
Just do it?
Yeah, right?
"Nathan, are you alright? You seem tired." Clayton walked over to the sofa to sit beside his best friend. He offered to let him rest in here, water, anything, but Nathan just refused. Instead they just sat there…staring at each other. This silence seems to go on for a while before Clayton breaks the silence. Back then, the quiet seemed so nice compared to the rush that happened outside of those doors, but now, the fact that he knew what was going on in Nathan's mind. It made things
Uncertain.
"We oughta get finished and everything." Nathan slowly eased out the words before moving his eyes towards the door. "I wouldn't want everyone to worry." Clayton didn't do anything, but nodded at the man's words. For some reason, he couldn't find a reason to speak. Instead he reached his hand, slowly and placed it on the back of the other's neck. Catching the attention of Nathan's once more.
"We can hang out still, right?" His words weren't met back with an answer. Just the feeling of softness being placed upon his lips. It felt softer than what he remembered. The feeling of his shoulders, his chest, everything felt…safe.
Still he couldn't help but feel guilty no matter what. No matter how he felt about Nate, he loves Yasmine.
There was nothing stopping that.
Quickly, he pulled away and left the other. He blamed himself. Did he give off the wrong signals? He technically initiated it first with the neck holding. What was he gonna tell her? He looked around for something else to focus on, the mirror that he needed to check his outfit, the vase that held a beautiful arrangement of flowers, or…
He heard a sigh leave the other's mouth. He stood up before holding out his hand to him. Although he wanted to act calm, Clayton could see how badly his hand shaked. At first, he thought it was because of how nervous he was, but now everything made sense. He didn't want to be outed.
"You should…finish getting ready." Clayton grabbed ahold of his hand to get himself up. He should. As he moved to the mirror, he tried to strike some conversation so the tension would reside. Anything. Something.
"Haliya. She's pregnant." Nathan found the solution to his problem. "Just a week, but…we've been trying for a while." He received a congratulations before being asked more questions. He answered sulkingly. Almost as if he wanted something better to say, but didn't have anything. Later in life, Charlene would be the best thing that happened to him. He didn't see her much, but when he did, he always took the chance to take her on some wild adventure. He was there for her dance recitals, her pre-K father daughter dance. Everything. He genuinely loves the child that will be born in nine months.
And that's probably all he will love in the future.
Clayton felt his wrist, understanding the same feeling. He thought he didn't have a future, hell, he did everything in his power to stop himself from having a future. But nothing worked. He was supposed to be clean. He was supposed to be getting help during this time. But he didn't. Instead of going to therapy like he promised his fiancé, he would drive around, finding some ghost of a person. A person who's killed hundreds of people throughout the years. He never stopped once to check in, he would occasionally look at the building as he passed, but nothing else.
He just couldn't stop.
The sound of the door opening sent them into a wave of shock. He watched as the blonde headed woman bullied herself in, she was carrying boxes among boxes of gifts. She looked as if she was going to fall any second.
"You guys should be finished. There's no reason why you should be in here!" Katelynn's voice echoed through the hallways as she struggled to carry so many boxes. He offered to help, but was completely shut down. With his wearing white, it was only a matter of time before something in one of the gift boxes spilled all over him, plus the fact that it was "his day" whatever that meant. Which left Nathan to help her with everything.
As he moved to start helping, Clayton couldn't help but notice Katelynn's face. She looked as if she was investigating something. The way her eyes scanned the room before landing directly on Nathan. It was almost as if she was in here with us, feeling the awkward tension.
"Hey Mac!" The sound of another man traveled through the hallway. Clayton didn't recognize him, though. Was he a helper? A mover? Part of Yasmine's family? "Put those presents down, it's time!" The sound of presents dropping stained Clayton's ears as he began to be pulled into the main room.
Leaving Nathan behind.