All Chapters of The Clay Connection: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

BLAKE’S POVThe layout of our houses was not the same. While ours was a three-story modern Victorian architectural marvel, theirs was a modest, suburban two-story structure that sat quietly on a patch of fine land.I approached the other house with a calm confidence, eyeing the opened window a few feet above the ground. With a swift, practiced motion, I jumped, grabbed the window sill and hoisted myself up, slipping through the smooth frame with ease. My feet touched the floors inside silently and I straightened up to scan the room.He was sleeping on his bed, oblivious to my presence. His soft snores echoed in the room and fell like a heavenly delight on my ears. Slowly and quietly, I approached his bed. He looked so peaceful and calm sleeping like that, I almost felt bad for what I was about to do next.Sticking my index finger in my mouth, I made sure to get as much saliva on it as I could before taking it out and shoving it deep inside his nose. It took him only a couple seconds,

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

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

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

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