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CHAPTER TWELVE
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2024-12-10 05:15:41Bab terkait
The Clay Connection CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BLAKE’S POV“Okay Blake, show me what you’ve got.”After a month of attending pottery classes, it was safe to say that I was no genius when it came to the creation of a masterpiece with mud. But Miss Clara and Anthony seemed to think that everyone who laid their hands on the gooey mess could bring forth a piece like no other. Well, they weren’t wrong on that front, it just wasn’t the piece they were expecting to see.“What’s that?” I could hear the shock and disappointment in Miss Clara’s voice when she asked me what I was holding up. It was supposed to be a mug, but I could understand why she was confused as to what it was. For starters, it didn’t have an internal cavity.“Uh, a mug?” The snickers I got from my other classmates made me feel a little bit embarrassed by my creation, but I held my own, convincing myself that I was no expert like them and that I was allowed to make…unhollowed mugs.“Oh! I see.” She totally didn’t see; even Anthony, my teacher, didn’t see, and he was ther
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-11The Clay Connection CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ANTHONY’S POVLooking at me now, the masters of revenge and revealing someone’s evil deed may shake their heads in contempt and spit on me. If I could come out of my body and look at me, I would shake my head in contempt and spit on me too. But I couldn’t, and the masters of revenge and revealing someone’s evil deeds didn’t live near me so I was as free as a bird in the forest.Contrary to my initial plan of exposing Blake, I had let go of his cheating ways and focused entirely on being his close friend again. Of course, I didn’t let him know about my intentions – I always made a show of crumpling up my face in disgust whenever he was around, especially when he was with Crystal. My heart had succeeded in taking over my whole body and so I was under its command, doing things that I never imagined I’d do. Like for example, look through my window to see if Blake was having his morning run already.It was 5:30 on Saturday morning and usually I was asleep by this time, but my brain that wa
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-12The Clay Connection CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BLAKE’S POV“Wanna have lunch with me, Pearce?” I asked as soon as I walked up to him by his locker. I just knew that he was headed straight to the Clay Room and that if I didn’t save him now, he would have to spend the rest of senior year locked up in there.“Why? Suddenly don’t feel like watching Crystal eat anymore?” he asked playfully.“Don’t act like you’re not pleased I’m choosing you over her today.” My response earned me a nice shade of salmon from him. “You coming or what?”“Uh…like in the cafeteria?” he asked. I rolled my eyes and shook my head lightly before grabbing his lunch bag and steering him in the direction of the cafeteria.“I don’t know, Blake. Your friends are a little bit…”“They’re fine. They only ever bothered you because of me and we’re cool now so you don’t have to worry about them.” I flashed him a smile and pulled him into the crowd of students hurrying to grab a tray and get their lunch. Luke and Dante were already seated by the time Anthony and I got ther
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-13The Clay Connection CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ANTHONY’S POVNothing was okay!My life was no longer mine. It was being highjacked by incessant thoughts of someone that was, in a sense, forbidden.I had never had an earworm mess with my thinking abilities the way this forbidden attraction towards Blake had done so. I was constantly thinking of him – in the shower, at night while I was sleeping, when he was with Crystal having lunch, even while Mr. Cornell droned on about the American Civil War!Today was just like every other torturous day in the universe where Blake and I existed in the same plane. We were having lunch in the cafeteria like we usually did, Dante telling a nasty joke, Luke’s face a permanent scowl, Blake looking like the sun god, while my very humble self tried not to drool over him, when something happened that reminded me of why Blake and I weren’t friends for three years.Just like on the basketball court during practice when those two videos of Blake making out with my sister and I were released at once with e
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-14The Clay Connection CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
BLAKE’S POV“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I never really believed that crap until after the scandal that almost cost me my first relationship with the first girl I genuinely liked. It’s safe to say now that we are the most envied couple in the whole school.I won’t lie, I was scared that her brother would somehow manage to convince her to not listen to me. He had been looking for an excuse for us to not be together and that was the perfect one for him. But he didn’t even say anything during the period I was talking to Crystal in the hallway and explaining everything to her. He wasn’t even there by the time we made up. And I hadn’t seen him since.Anthony actively avoided me. He was my next-door neighbor and we both attended the same school, but I promise I saw more unicorns in my life time than I did him for an entire week. He even managed to skip pottery classes which was honestly surprising because I remembered him giving the most ridiculously excuses ever just to be i
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-16The Clay Connection CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
ANTHONY’S POVFeelings.Whoever came up with emotions seriously needed to be beaten till their lights went out.I paced about my room at night thinking of the conversation I had with Blake earlier in the evening at the park. When I saw him standing there in front of me, I wanted to hug him. That was my first thought to seeing my sister’s boyfriend, and it was because of that very reason I had been avoiding him all week.When that video was posted online and Blake did his Blake thing and convinced Crystal that he never cheated on her, I was mad that she immediately believed him. I had hoped that their relationship wasn’t solid and that she didn’t like him as much as to believe his statement just like that. I was madder at myself for believing him too when I had nothing but his words to go by. So, I decided to find conclusive evidence to prove that he was the despicable scum I knew him to be.During cheer practice, before Susan decided that school wasn’t up to par for her anymore, I man
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-17The Clay Connection CHAPTER NINETEEN
BLAKE’S POV“Okay everyone. I’m gonna give you a project now.” We all sighed as Miss Clara announced what we knew was coming but still dreaded. I have never been around to witness her ‘projects’ but Anthony and the rest of the guys said it was always something tedious and close to impossible to accomplish within the short time fame that she always gave.“Oh, don’t be so dramatic you guys. This is gonna be fun. You’ll be in threes instead of the usual individual projects you are accustomed to. Aren’t you glad we had Blake join us this year?” They all looked at me as she squealed, and I couldn’t tell if they were actually relived that I was there or not.“Now, what I want from you guys is quite simple. Since you’ll be a trio it’ll be very easy to work out. I want different things from the two different groups. Anthony, Blake and Anderson, you’re all in the same group.”The three of us looked at each other. I smiled because I knew I was in good hands, but Anthony rolled his eyes and face
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-18The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY
ANTHONY’S POVTo say that I was freaking out was putting it lightly.I have never had this much pressure put on me by my father before a game in my four years of being a basketball player. I’m beginning to realize just how much Blake’s presence on the team was a big help to me. My dad never bothered me this much when Blake was still playing; he always spoke to Blake about every single thing concerning the game and only asked me questions that Blake didn’t know how to answer.It was only Wednesday, 2 days before the first game of the season, and I was not having an easy time controlling my anxiety about it.I was by my locker trying to figure out if I could somehow manage to get myself stuck in it long enough for the game to be over, when I felt someone violently hit me. The books that I had removed from my locker in order to fit myself in properly fell from my hand and landed ungraciously on the floors.“Watch it, Pearce,” Luke said snidely. He made some sort of grunting sound at the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-19
Bab terbaru
The Clay Connection CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
BLAKE’S POVOh, never will I ever do a keg stand again!I woke up feeling like a truck had knocked me off the road and unto a train track and I was run over by said train one hundred times! My head hurt, the lights hurt my eyes and my tongue felt like sandpaper.I reached for the mini fridge I had beside my bed to get a bottle of water but my hand met with air. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw that where my mini fridge once was now sat an oddly shaped drawer. I looked around the room I was in and realized that it wasn’t mine.Just then, Anthony walked in, a huge bright smile on his face.“Good morning,” he said chirpily.“What the hell am I doing here and where’s my shirt?” His smile faltered a bit.“What’d you mean? You…you don’t remember?”“Uh, no. Did I come in through your window again?” I looked at his window. It was locked.“No.” There was a hint of disappointment and sadness in his tone. He moved to the side of his bed and picked up my shirt before flinging it at me.“You really c
The Clay Connection CHAPTER THIRTY
ANTHONY’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
The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
BLAKE’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
The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ANTHONY’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
The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
BLAKE’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 game
The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY- SIX
ANTHONY’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,
The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
BLAKE’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
The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ANTHONY’S POVNever have I ever been so confused in my entire life!As we sat down round the dinner table that was set up at our backyard, I couldn’t help but notice the nasty glare that Blake kept sending my way. He was so pissed after the game that I didn’t even have the guts to look him in the eye. Now I may be wrong, but I had a feeling it had nothing to do with me actually losing the game and had everything to do with Michael’s proposal. That was exactly what confused me.You see, prior to that little chat we had at the end of the game, Michael and I had never spoken to each other before. He has had more interactions with the ants that occasionally trudged up and down the court in school than he has had with me since I knew of his existence. The only people he paid any notice to when we had a match together were Blake and his posse. Hearing him say that he thought I was gorgeous and then going ahead to ask me out was just weird and as shocking and terrifying as pineapple on pizza
The Clay Connection CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
BLAKE’S POVIt was so unlike me to hum, yet it was all I could do the morning of the match between our school and NCH.I was so happy yesterday when I found out that Anthony won. Even though I didn’t exactly see it and thanks to the absence of the cameraman I had assigned the task of capturing every beautiful moment I couldn’t ever see it, I was still very proud of him and I was certain he wasn’t going to disappoint today either.“You look happy,” Crystal said as we loaded up the trunk of my car with two coolers of beer and a shit ton of chips for the after party. Even though Anthony, Crys and I wouldn’t be able to make it to the party because of the little pre-Halloween dinner our moms had planned out, I still felt obligated to contribute to our little celebration. Dante and Luke would take it off my hands after the game later on.“That’s because I have an autographed basketball with my name on it and it’ll be mine in less than three hours.”“Don’t you think you’re being presumptuous
