The Clay Connection
“…I’m the only one who gets to treat you like that, Pearce. You are mine, and I do not take too kindly to those who want to share in what’s mine…”
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Anthony Pearce and Blake Lindell have been locked in a feud for as long as they can remember. The spark that ignited their rivalry? Well, that depends on which side of the clay you ask. You’d think their parents’ constant meddling or the time they spend together on the basketball court would help smooth things over, but nope—this relationship remains stubbornly unshaped.
Everything changes, though, when Blake is forced to ditch the court and take up pottery—Anthony’s territory, where he’s the undisputed “King of Clay.” Now, tasked with the mission of getting Blake up to speed before graduation, Anthony has to spend even more time in close quarters with his rival.
Will they be able to sculpt their fractured friendship back into a masterpiece, or is their bond too cracked and brittle to repair? And when a buried secret surfaces about the rumor that shattered Anthony’s ninth-grade year, will it soften their hardened hearts or leave them shattered beyond the kiln’s fix? One thing’s for sure—things are about to get messy.
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Chapter: CHAPTER THIRTYANTHONY’S POVI laid there frozen like a deer caught in headlights. When Blake opened his mouth and my lips were covered in his, I felt the tingles of desire bubble in me. My heart was beating rapidly and I feared that Blake might hear it.What the hell was he doing? Why did he kiss me? Should I kiss him back?All these thoughts ran through my brain in the span of three seconds. Before I could start getting into the lip mesh, my sister ran outside and found us like that.I quickly pushed Blake away and he rolled over, his back on the wet grass. I was turning all shades of red and I searched my brain for a reasonable excuse as to why I was kissing my little sister’s boyfriend right after she called me and asked me to drive them home.I may have just imagined it, but for a brief second Crystal looked at me with hatred and disdain. I probably imagined it because the next second she was all over Blake, checking to see if he was still alive, and her voice had this worried tone. And when sh
Last Updated: 2025-01-06
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY-NINEBLAKE’S POVI was slowly but surely losing my mind.What the hell was I thinking touching his lips like that? And what was that question about?God, I felt so embarrassed I couldn’t even stay a second without cringing and screaming internally – and externally sometimes.When it was time to head over to Luke’s house for the party, I went to the house next door to pick up my girlfriend. I was worried and anxious about meeting with her brother again, but I willed myself to not look so bothered about it and act like everything was alright.“Queen of hearts?” I asked the moment I saw her. She was clad in all red with little cards sticking out here and there. She painted red hearts on her cheeks and tiny stars close to her eyes. Even her hair was red. She looked way too beautiful and I couldn’t help but smile at her, the uneasiness I felt earlier ebbing away.“Just yours,” she responded with a flirty smile and a wink. I laughed and kissed her.“C’mon. Let’s go.”“Where’s Anthony?” I asked l
Last Updated: 2025-01-06
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTANTHONY’S POVI haven’t felt so giddy in a very, very long time. Like ever-since-I-found-out-I-was-gay-and-I-had-a-huge-crush-on-Blake long. I had my very first proper kiss with Michael yesterday and it was heavenly!Today was Halloween which just meant Blake was most definitely throwing a huge Halloween rager after school. I haven’t spoken to him since he was in my room, asking me about my relationship. Well, now if he asked me, I’d just tell him about the new update.As I shut my locker, Anderson’s face popped up, giving me a fright. “Where the hell were you?”“Jesus, man, you scared me.”“You left Blake and I to mold tiny chess pieces so you could do what exactly?”“Hang out with Michael Tema,” I responded casually. Anderson froze like a deer caught in headlights.“You skipped school to hang out with Michael Tema of all people? How does Blake feel about this?”“You’re supposed to ask me how I feel about it. Why do you care what Blake thinks? He’s been nothing but an ass towards you
Last Updated: 2025-01-04
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENBLAKE’S POVAnthony didn’t show up for lunch, neither did he show up to pottery class after lunch. I had a feeling a certain overrated member of the NCH basketball team had something to do with it. I was going to say something to him about skipping class to hang out with a boy who was most likely only spending that much time with him because of his vendetta against me, but he never showed up to the fixed pottery session Anderson and I planned for our assignment after school. We had less than ten days to get it all ready but we still hadn’t gotten passed molding the chess pieces.“He’s not answering,” Anderson said with a solemn look on his face. I have known Anthony for all his life and there was absolutely nothing he put before pottery. He loved playing with clay so much that he skipped our senior Prom just so he could spin wet clay around the pottery wheel. He even once pretended to be too sick to play a game just so he could go to some convention for potters! And it was a major gam
Last Updated: 2025-01-02
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY- SIXANTHONY’S POVI sat by my desk in my bedroom trying so hard to understand the calculus homework we were given. I wasn’t dyslexic or anything, but the more I stared at the page, the more the letters and numbers seemed to float out of it. I was getting frustrated and frankly speaking, my brain wasn’t processing anything anymore.I grabbed my headset after shutting my book tight and got in my bed. Then I played Paper Rings by Taylor Swift, closed my eyes and tried to imagine Blake…I mean Michael and I dancing to the song.I was only deep into the beginning of the second verse when I felt someone breathe down my neck. Startled, I flung my eyes open only to come face to face with the beautiful smiling face of my sister’s boyfriend.“What the hell, Blake? What are you doing here? How did you get in?” He was laughing at me like it was the funniest thing in the world to witness someone freak out by an intruder’s presence.“You gotta stop asking me that question, Anthony. I’ve told you before,
Last Updated: 2024-12-30
Chapter: CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVEBLAKE’S POVMy girlfriend was sulking. As a good boyfriend, I should fix it and make her feel better. Instead, I was sulking and not talking to Anthony because of his audacious decision to betray me so openly.“Honestly, man, it’s like you guys are in a relationship,” Dante said. I was picking at my fries in the cafeteria during lunch on Monday. I haven’t spoken to Anthony since last Friday’s dinner that ended sourly.“I’ve told you before to stop saying shit like that, Dante!” Luke scolded him. His face was contorted in the most disconcerting facial expression he could muster. I didn’t even have it in me to reprimand him for being such a homophobe.“But it’s true. Just last week, they were all buddies and now Anthony is having lunch in the Clay Room. It had something to do with him losing that game, right? Did you give Michael your sneakers?” They both peered at me intently. At the mention of Michael Tema, I lost whatever little appetite I had left.God, this was frustrating me! I co
Last Updated: 2024-12-28
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