8, 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞

nike air forces

are u actually going to see george

i think so, sappitus nickitus:(

are u actually going to see dream

hopefully not

wait do u not wanna see him?

idk. he's just been so dickish about me wanting to meet george. if he has a problem, why can't he just say it? i dont want to meet him if he's going to be moody the entire time

i doubt he would do that. he loves you

My heart stops for a moment.

he told you about that?

uhhhhhhhh

it's fine, i just

i just want to know why he's ignoring me

he's ignoring all of us, az. maybe he's just in a bad mood. he's listening to jocelyn flores again on spotify so

has he responded to anyone?

nah i don't think so

but he did tweet out

he'll write random stuff on twitter but he won't respond to me?

maybe its like inspirational?

hey nick wanna do me a favour

yeah what hit me

replying to

@azzpen

what does that even MEAN

💬 81 🔁 93 💜 8,267

@azzpen

reply to me rn clay block

💬 152 🔁 101 💜 10,132

@dreamwastaken

.

💬 394 🔁 152 💜 18,423

@azzpen

that's not-

💬 51 🔁 36 💜 4,235

disney sitcom

hey sapnap...i just noticed that you guys dont really call dream clay? how weird! u guys are bestfriends tho?

he hates it! really hates it!

oh, what! maybe i should call him dream IN REAL LIFE then!

you know like when i see him

yes! good idea!

yes! i agree!

no

AND HE SPEAKS

KNEW HE'D DO IT

good work lads

all part of our grand scheme

we're so good at luring

do not call me dream irl az

but on a serious note why not

because she's special~

special k~

i love munching on special k

because clay is my name

but you never let anyone call you that unironically

come to think of it, azzy is the only person that you want to call you clay

what a simp move

you're the simp. you're the one calling me clay all the time

BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR NAME AND I THOUGHT ugh

literally what i said

why do you always have to disagree with me

cus you're annoying

how am I annoying, dReAm? you're the one that keeps singling yourself out

you know what, call me whatever you want. that is if i come

sure

sure

fine

fine

i'm breaking this chain. sapnap, say something

u know, not many people call me nick either but that's just because they forget:(

ouch

i could never forget your name, nicky

aw shucks, girl friend

thanks for adding the space, girl friend

no problem, girl friend

im breaking this chain too

rude

listen girlfriend

aw i thought you left

dream, you forgot the space

no i didn't

az i'll be in london on friday and we're taking the train together to brighton the next day okay

i never agreed to this

this is happening

well well well you have nowhere to stay in london so ha

.

.

i'm booking a hotel

oh

yes?

...whatever

leave it to dream to change all the plans

leave it to dream to force himself on a girl

what

what

what

no, i mean, NOT LIKE THAT. uhh just like you made the plans and like she didn't know? you guys get me right?

we rarely do

im leaving

fine

fine

good

good and a bye

nike air forces

now he's making plans? it's like he has the time to do everything but respond to me.

didnt he send u "idk" before tho

well yeah but

he didnt send anyone else anything, apart from in the gc

so

so u know

what are you trying to say, nickitus?

maybe dream favours you?

LOL OK

i mean, what about you az? why are you so worked up about it?

i'm not worked up. i'm just curious as to why he wont reply

orrrr maybe the reason why ur mad is cus ur thinking about how nervous you'll be when you see dream irl

i'm never nervous

ok aZzPeN

ok sApNaP

:P

by the way, i promise that i'll fly out to texas this year. can't live without my sappy nappy

YAY

wait but not on a school day tho

JOSIEJFOSJFSNOC

...

My phone rings. I pick it up without looking at who it is.

"SO, IS IT HAPPENING?" Olive squeals.

"Olive..." I murmur, spinning around in my chair. "Why did you tell George about the trip?"

"I thought we could get it going, you know?"

"I know, but it would have been nice if I told him."

There's a hesitation. "Sorry."

"It's fine. It is happening, by the way. I think."

"YES!" she yells into the phone. I can practically hear her fist punching the air.

My phone starts buzzing again. I look at the Caller ID and it's Dream.

"I'm getting another call. Be right back, Olive."

I exhale before answering the call.

"Hey," I say curtly.

"So I was on stream with Wilbur and Tommy," Dream starts, as though it's the start of a very long story that he has to summarise short.

I narrow my eyes. "Uh-huh."

"He told me he wanted me to meet him and George at PizzaHut. In Brighton."

"Uh-huh."

"Then he said that he wouldn't tell me which PizzaHut unless I made up with you."

My eyes widen. "He did that?"

Wilbur Soot...you straight-faced, sly bastard...

"Even without that in mind, I should have apologised anyway though," he says sincerely. "Az, I'm sorry. For ignoring you and for being mean. I was jealous of you and George meeting, but that doesn't really defend it. I'm sorry."

"Okay," I mutter, and suck in a breath. "Explain."

He goes silent for a moment, struggling to answer. "George and I...we were always planning on meeting up because, like, he's my best friend. But you..." he trails off.

"I'm not your best friend?"

"No! No, that's not what I mean. It's just..." He pauses, thinking about it again. "It's different when it comes to you. Like, it feels like I could see George at any time because he's my best friend, even thought he's in England. Our friendship is cut and clear. We'll probably be friends for a long time. But you're..."

"Unpredictable," I say.

"In a sense, I guess. I mean, we just met."

"Right," I murmur, frowning. "We just met. You said that before too."

"I don't mean it like that, Az," he says softly.

I crawl over the backpiece of my chair and balance myself on my stomach, hanging my head down on the other side. "Clay, I don't want to be rated on a different scale than George and Nick. I don't want to be left out of things. I get that I'm not part of the YouTube Dream Team, but I'd like to think that you guys are just as much my friends. The way you reacted made me feel like I was some outsider imposing. And if it is like that then I get it, but I'd rather you tell me than ignore me."

"We all love you, Az, I mean that," he says firmly. "You were...different from the start."

"Now you're confusing me again," I mutter, hanging limp over my chair by this point.

There is a long, tantalising silence. I can't really read the room anymore, to be honest. Initially I wanted to be angry but I know he's trying his best. Is that enough though?

He resumes. "Then I'll be frank with you."

"Please. That would be wonderful," I say half-sarcastically.

"I didn't want George to meet you because I wanted to be the first one you meet. It's juvenile, but that's what it was."

I'm a little dumbfounded.

"Why? I mean, who cares if—"

"I do," he interrupts. Then he sighs. I hate it when he sighs. In a softer voice, he asks, "Can we just resolve this? I don't like arguing."

"I don't like it either," I mumble honestly.

"Are we good?"

"I guess."

I want to be.

"Lewis..."

I smile slightly when he says my surname. "Okay."