"Who pissed in your cereal?" Nick asked, watching the way George stormed around the kitchen to fix himself a quick breakfast.

"Clay," George replied sourly. Nick rolled his eyes.

"I don't get why you keep asking when it always makes you like this." Nick stated, shovelling another spoonful of George's cereal into his mouth. Sometimes, George wondered whether Nick only stayed over to steal his food.

"What? I didn't ask him anything, it's his fault this time." George defended, giving up on making something and just grabbing a granola bar instead.

"What did he say?" Nick asked.

"Look, I don't have time to gossip but I'll send you the screenshots because I know you won't leave me alone otherwise." George reasoned, grabbing a coat and hopping into his shoes, narrowly missing the doorframe. "Now I have to go, I'm already late."

"You know what I always say!" Nick called after him and George rolled his eyes, opening the door.

"Quit my job and become a streamer, I know." And with that, George left for work. Nick was left to the sounds of his own chewing for barely five minutes before his phone pinged with the screenshots. He choked on his cereal.

"So he finally decided to man up and do something and George thought he was delirious. They're such idiots." Nick mumbled, moving to send the screenshots on to Vincent.

It didn't take long for George to get to work, though he wished it did. He never knew that the gates of Hell had a blaring "Tesco" sign above.

He could feel his soul being dragged from his body with every passing hour and every entitled customer. Until his phone went off.

He'd been told a hundred times to turn it off or at least put it on silent, but George never listened. He couldn't miss Clay's messages.

////:\\\\
7/5/20

Clay 😊
I'm awake
1:34pm

Georgie 💕
Congratulations
1:34pm
So am I
1:34pm

Clay 😊
Idiot
1:35pm
I'm awake and I still want to meet you
1:38pm

Georgie 💕
Clay, if this a joke I will kill you
1:38pm

Clay 😊
It's not
1:38pm
It's not a joke
1:38pm
I really want to meet you George
1:41pm

Georgie 💕
Fuck
1:41pm
You promise it's not a joke?
1:43pm

Clay 😊
I promise
1:43pm

Georgie 💕
Okay
1:45pm

Clay 😊
Yeah?
1:45pm

Georgie 💕
Yeah
1:45pm
I want to meet you too
1:47pm
But I'm kinda at work right now and I can feel my boss glaring at me so maybe we should talk about this later?
1:47pm

Clay 😊
Okay yeah
1:47pm
I can do later
1:47pm
Have a good day Georgie <3
1:49pm
Or as good as it can be
1:49pm

Georgie 💕
I'll try
1:49pm
Have a good day Clay :)
1:49pm

Clay 😊
Send it back <3
1:50pm
Seen

////:\\\\

George had never been more desperate to see the end of his shift.

"Oh hey! It's you!" George looked around for a second, confused. Figuring there was no one else that the girl could have been talking to, he replied.

"Hi? Do I know you?" The girl started emptying her basket onto the conveyor belt as she spoke.

"I saw you backstage at the (Dream)ing Of The Disco concert, I'm Ophelia." The girl explained and George nodded, realising why she was vaguely familiar.

"I'm George." Ophelia smiled and nodded her acknowledgment.

"How's it going with Dream?" She asked, giving George a knowing look. George was nothing but confused.

"I haven't seen or heard from him since the concert... other than his posts" George paused. "Was I supposed to?" He asked carefully and Ophelia sighed.

"Dream is a coward and the world will know it." Ophelia stated and George felt mildly afraid.

"He was staring at you like... the whole time backstage. Practically drooling." George blushed a vibrant red and almost dropped a packet of strawberries he was about to scan.

"I told him to say something to you otherwise I'd expose him on twitter for simping. He said he would but evidently not." Ophelia continued. She had moved to the baggage area and begun bagging.

"You're joking, aren't you?" George finally decided, a smile pulling on his lips.

"Nope! He was staring over my shoulder at you the whole time we were talking to them. He even choked at some point, it was hilarious. He tried to play it off as a reaction to our story, i think." George wasn't quite sure how to react. So he read off Ophelia's total.

Ophelia said a cheery goodbye and walked off, leaving George to spiral into an internal panic.

First Clay decides he finally wants to meet and then he finds out that Dream was ogling him. George wasn't sure he'd survive today.

George had never run home before. He'd felt like doing so after especially bad customers, but he had never actually done it. Until today. He sent a text to Nick, telling him that he had more problems to talk about, and set on a fast pace home.

George collapsed onto his couch, panting, upon arriving home and checked his phone to see Nick's reply. Before he got the chance, Nick was calling him.

"What's your problem?" Nick asked immediately and George couldn't help but laugh. George could feel Nick's eye roll. "You know what I meant."

"You read the screenshots, right?" After Nick replied affirmative, George continued. "Well, Clay did text me when he woke up and he still wants to meet up."

"That's great! Have you decided when and where?" Nick asked, sounding excited.

"Not yet. My boss was trying to murder me with her eyes alone so I figured we'd decide that later." George explained.

"So what's the problem?" Nick figured it couldn't be that Clay wanted to meet, otherwise he'd slam his head into the nearest wall.

"I met a girl today - Ophelia. She was there when we met Dream." George continued. There was a pause and George had to check that he hadn't accidentally hung up or something.

"George, I could just about understand two people, but don't you think three at once is a bit much?" Nick asked carefully.

"What? No! Not like that!" George finally yelled. "She told me that apparently Dream was staring at me... the whole time."

"You mean you didn't notice?" Nick sounded baffled.

"Wh- didn't notice?! You knew?!" George shrieked.

"I- yes?? I thought you knew!" Nick defended and George groaned.

"So, let me get this straight- or not straight I guess." George grumbled a 'you're not funny'. "Crush two has finally decided to meet up and show you his voice and face. And you just found out that crush one finds you attractive - at the very least"

"Don't call them crush one and two, it makes it worse," George pleaded "but yeah. Basically."

"Well, if I were you, I'd meet up with Clay so that I didn't die of curiosity and then I'd hit up Dream's DMs." Nick decided, nonchalantly. "Unless you decide that you prefer Clay over Dream when you meet him, then go for Clay." He added. George groaned. There were so many flaws with that plan. George made sure to tell Nick that.

"Have you got a better idea?" Nick asked doubtfully and George grumbled a 'no'. "Good. Now go negotiate with Clay." And, with that, Nick hung up.

George figured whatever he'd decide to do, he'd have to do it one step at a time. And the first step would be to message Clay.

////:\\\\
8/5/20

Georgie 💕
Alright, I'm back
5:32pm
You still want to meet up?
5:32pm

Clay 😊
Definitely
5:32pm

Georgie 💕
Okay
5:33pm
When?
5:33pm

Clay 😊
Now
5:33pm

Georgie 💕
Clay.
5:34pm

Clay 😊
As soon as possible
5:34pm

Georgie 💕
Okay. Fine. Where?
5:34pm

Clay 😊
I can fly out to you
5:34pm
The next flight is later today
5:34pm
I can get to you by tomorrow morning
5:35pm
Or I can fly you out here
5:35pm
If you want
5:35pm
I don't know when the next flight is from the UK to Florida
5:35pm
But I could find out
5:35pm

Georgie 💕
Clay, you're panicking, calm down
5:35pm
I can't fly out to you unless I take a holiday off work
5:36pm
Which I need to apply for with a weeks notice
5:36pm
But, you could fly out to me
5:36pm
If you wanted to see me sooner
5:37pm

Clay 😊
I do
5:37pm
I want to see you as soon as possible
5:37pm
I'll fly out to you
5:37pm
And you can't stop me because I just bought the ticket
5:38pm

Georgie 💕
Oh my God Clay
5:38pm
Have you got somewhere to stay?
5:40pm

Clay 😊
Yeah
5:40pm
I travel a lot George, I'm not stupid
5:41pm

Georgie 💕
Could have fooled me
5:41pm

Clay 😊
I changed my mind, I'm cancelling the trip
5:41pm

Georgie 💕
Wait no!
5:41pm

Clay 😊
I wouldn't
5:41pm
I can't believe I'm actually going to meet you
5:42pm
Pretty much tomorrow
5:42pm

Georgie 💕
I don't know why you're freaking out
5:42pm
I'm the one who doesn't know what you look or sound like
5:43pm

Clay 😊
You make me nervous
5:43pm

Georgie 💕
You're so stupid
5:43pm
I can't wait to tell you how stupid you are to your stupid face
5:43pm

Clay 😊
If you're gonna be like that...
5:44pm

Georgie 💕
Noooooooo
5:44pm
Do you want to meet at the Café?
5:49pm
I can send you the address
5:49pm
That way, if you're some creep trying to kill me, the strangers can keep me safe
5:49pm

Clay 😊
You're such an idiot
5:49pm
Okay
5:49pm

Georgie 💕
Okay
5:49pm
When do you get here?
5:52pm

Clay 😊
Eager much?
5:52pm

Georgie 💕
Shut up
5:52pm

Clay 😊
Around four in the morning
5:52pm
The flight takes nine hours and It's leaving at three
5:52pm
Which is eight for you
5:52pm

Georgie 💕
Shit
5:52pm
You're going to be so tired
5:53pm
We can meet up the day after?
5:54pm
It'll be a Sunday, I don't work Saturday or Sunday
5:54pm

Clay 😊
No
5:54pm

Georgie 💕
No?
5:54pm

Clay 😊
No.
5:54pm
I want to meet you tomorrow
5:55pm
three at the cafe?
5:55pm
That gives me time to get there, set up and sleep before we meet
5:55pm

Georgie 💕
Are you sure?
5:55pm

Clay 😊
Yes.
5:55pm

Georgie 💕
Okay
5:55pm
Tomorrow at three at the Café
5:56pm

Clay 😊
Yes
5:56pm
You better send me the address
5:57pm

Georgie 💕
I will
5:57pm
You better actually show up
6:01pm

Clay 😊
I will
6:01pm
I better go pack
6:04pm

Georgie 💕
Okay
6:04pm

Clay 😊
See you tomorrow Georgie <3
6:04pm

Georgie 💕
See you tomorrow Clay
6:07pm

Clay 😊
No heart?
6:07pm

Georgie 💕
Nope
6:07pm

Clay 😊
Guess I won't come then...
6:07pm

Georgie 💕
Clayyyyyyyyyyy
6:07pm

Clay 😊
Okay okay
6:07pm
Tomorrow <3
6:08pm

Georgie 💕
Tomorrow :)
6:12pm

////:\\\\

George had debated it. Sending a dumb emoticon heart to Clay. Both times (and many more before). It's what took him so long to type the messages. He just couldn't bring himself to do it though.

Because it was more than just a dumb emoticon heart to him.

——————————————
2k words

OH OPHELIA! YOU BEEN ON MY MIND, GIRL, SINCE THE FLOOD

Did you know that the name Ophelia means help? You do now.

Feedback is welcome and appreciated!!

~Dandelion