Dream slowly took his business card, looking at him and not saying a single word in disbelief.

"So? What do you-", the man in the suit said before he was interrupted by loud fireworks going off on the football field.

They all looked up to the sky.

Different beautiful colors exploded between the stars, shining lights on the faces of the celebrating people.

"I'll give you a call later", Dream said, taking George's hand. "Niki, I'll see you."

She simply winked and waved them goodbye as they dashed away.

They stormed through the crowds while the sky lit up in different shades of green and blue.

Finally they arrived at a quieter place, between two trees and a rusty black fence.

The fireworks were prettier up here and less people talked nonsense around them.

George was mesmerized by the colors, his eyes lit up and the sparkle in them danced tango.

While he was admiring the view, Dream was looking at George enjoying the sky.

In that moment he realized how hard he truly fell for him.

He wanted to hug him, kiss him, spoil him with money.

"So pretty!", George yelled, pointing up.

"Yeah", Dream whispered to himself. "You're pretty."

Part of him wished for George to hear but he didn't.

But maybe it was better this way, Dream thought.

George lowered his head and suddenly looked 10x sadder than a few seconds before which worried Dream.

"Ah.. Are you okay?", he asked, laying his hand on his shoulder.

George turned towards him, smiling but also having small drops of tears in his eyes.

"I think you should take the scholarship", he said in a small voice, barely audible.

The fireworks have stopped but the cheering on the field didn't.

Still, it was too quiet.

"I think you should go, it's.. it's an amazing opportunity, really!"

"Why are you crying?"

"I don't know."

He wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his jacket.

Dream didn't know what to say, he stood there awkwardly.

And even though he was a true player (usually), he was scared to do anything in case it would feel insensitive though he was normally good at comforting people.

Like offering him money to wipe away his tears. Just kidding.

It was also the first time he saw George cry.

It broke his heart to just stand there being helpless.

It reminded him of not being able to help his mother whenever his dad hit her like there was no tomorrow.

But George was the one who broke the silence:"It would be selfish of me to want to keep you here, right?"

Dream honestly didn't care about the scholarship.

He had money and he was fine with a local college where he could stay in contact with his friends.

After all 2 years was a long time and who knew what would happen in those years.

Dream didn't know at that point but after George's father tried to hand him over and abandoned him, he had been suffering under severe abandonment issues.

He had trouble getting close to people in case they'd leave him so this was incredibly hard for him to deal with.

As soon as Dream got into his life, he filled it with joy and adventures everyday.

Doing things he had never done before like ditching detention or even getting into it.

Sneaking out at night to meet on a football field, getting new friends and not let the days be gray and sad as usual.

But now he had to leave? So suddenly?

"It's okay to be selfish sometimes", Dream said, taking George's hand again.

He just looked into his teary eyes, sparklier than before but with a hint of hope behind the blur of sadness.

"Not this time", George sniffed, pulling his hand away from his to wipe his tears. "Come on, the others wanted to go drink after the game."

• • •

Everybody was in high spirits after the game, some students even pat Dream on the back after noticing him in at the bar they went to.

The Feral Boys, Niki, George, Bbh and Zak all cheered together at a small table drinking one beer after the other.

George was highly intoxicated from downing multiple high alcohol beverages which made the friend group quite worried.

Even though all of them were at least a little bit drunk, they all cared for each other, making sure everybody drank water in between the shots.

"Sorry, I'll go outside real quick", Dream waved.

He lit a cigarette.

George came out shortly after that.

Dream tried to put out the cig but was stopped by him, saying that it was okay.

They sat on the side of the street, right at sidewalk in silence.

It was deep in the night, morning to be exact and the stars were still shining as brightly as earlier.

"I'll miss you", George said, his face buried into both of his arms.

"Hey, I haven't even decided if I wanted to go."

"I'll miss you, I'll miss you, I'll miss you.."

Every sentence sounded a bit sadder than before like he was trying really hard not to burst into tears.

Dream's head was secretly kind of happy to see George be so attached to him.

Then he scootched closer, making the gap between them disappear and put out his cigarette.

His head leaned on George's shoulder.

"I'm still here", he whispered.

His eyes were watching the cars go by.

George's head was still not looking up but Dream could see the drops of tears fall down from underneath.

"A scaredy-cat and a crybaby, huh."

"Shut up."

Dream's chest was clenching. He didn't want to leave.

After thinking what kind of face George would make after hearing the news of him staying here was enough for a reason.

He was in love with George Davidson.

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"

George slowly lifted his head to see the shining moon.

A tear fell down his rosy cheek that probably got the color from the alcohol he had been drinking.

"Even when we're not together some day just think about how lucky we are to live under the same sky, stars and moon right now. Remember? Look, reach for the stars", Dream stretched out his hand towards the sky. "And we'll meet right there. Just close your eyes."

George closed his eyes, making more tears pour out and stretched out his hand next to Dream.

Dream took his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"You see? We met again. I'm right here."

"So silly..", George slurred the words.

Dream's hand grasped his chin softly with two fingers and pointed it towards his lips.

George looked way too confused about the whole situation making Dream burst out of laughter.

"We'll do this when you're sober", he smirked, patting George's head.

"Do what?"

"Nothing. Wanna go home? I'll take you."

"Can't stand up. Too lazy to move."

"George. Come on."

Dream even offered to carry him on his back which he had never done before but George couldn't pass up on that offer.

"Where are you going?", Quackity said, leaning on the door frame with crossed arms.

Dream gulped. This was such an awkward moment.

"I can bring him home. You should stay a bit longer, you're the hero of the day."

His tone wasn't as celebrating as the words promised, more threatening.

"I'm not handing him over", Dream made clear.

His phone buzzed because someone was suddenly calling him.

Gritting his teeth he had to let George down again, making him lean against a wall.

Quackity obviously rushed over to him.

"Clay", his little sister's voice came out of the speaker. "Dad just came home for a bit. He's looking for you."

"Ah.."

He put two fingers on his nose bridge in panic.

His father came to visit once in a while to check up on his 'beloved' family.

Usually he'd just look around the house to see what they did with his money and occasionally speak to them but not often.

That was what Dream irritated so much.

Why was he looking for him?

"I need to go."

"Ah, giving up on him so quickly?", Quackity frowned jokingly.

"My dad came home."

"Ah. I'm sorry-"

But Dream was already gone.

"Huh? Where's Dream?", George said when he looked up.

"Even when I'm the one standing in front of you, you're still looking for him, huh?", Alex smiled.

• • •

Dream practically slammed open the door in fear of his mother being hit again.

His sister and mother were sitting on the coach, head's down, while his father stood in his usual white suit and glasses.

"Ah, Clay. I heard you won your little football match. I thought you spent way too much time and effort and that hobby of yours but it turned out to be quite the success, right? You got scouted, congratulations."

Dream was used to his dad knowing everything about his family and him, it didn't even weird him out anymore.

"I'm not gonna take the offer if it means I'll have to leave mom and Drista alone in this wretched house."

"No, you should. Imagine if you earn a lot of money in the future then you can maybe finally be the man of the house and pay back this mountain of debts."

"Debts?", Dream clenched his jaw. His heart rate was rapidly racing.

"You think I'd offer you all of this for free? I'm just waiting for you to pay me back."

"What? But you said-"

His father looked triumphant.

It wasn't about the betrayal or the way his father completely used up their trust, it was about how the family could go on.

He was mostly worried about the hospital expenses of his mother's therapy and medication as well as Drista's education.

"But what if I tell the public that you-"

"Nobody would believe you. I had enough money from the beginning to cover up anything you'd say to the public. And if you try and undeniably fail, I'll make you suffer the consequences and take away the house and everything you own as well. It's bought from my money after all."

Dream clenched his fist.

He hated his father but everytime he treated them this horribly he had to remind himself of the time where was loving and sweet.

He gulped:"Why are you not taking it from us like.. right now?"

"No, that'd be heartless, Clay. I'm your dad, aren't I? I couldn't just do that to my wife and kids. That'd make me a bad father, wouldn't it?"

Dream wanted to be free, spread his wings and fly out to the deep depths of the sky, above every cloud where sunsets were pink.

The sparkle in his eyes was missing.

Everything crumbled like a failed sheet of essay, tossed into the trash.

Maybe he could work multiple other jobs to scrap together some money?

Or maybe turn to drug selling?

Or maybe ask the girls to give all the money back he had used to ask them to leave him alone?

Truth was, he was in deep shit.

"Fuck you."

Dream's glare was dead and full of hatred.

God, he hated his dad with a passion, he wanted to erase him from his world and make everybody celebrate his disappearing.

"Good work, son", his father said, putting a hand on his shoulder as he walked past him, right to his expensive car and drove off.

The image of George didn't leave his head, him crying over being left alone.

He'd do anything to not see that face again.

Actually he wanted to text him if he safely got home but his phone was nowhere to be found.

"Fuck!", Dream screamed, kicking the door frame as he ran out of the door.

The reason he was so aggravated was because he had taken out his password to easily text George when he wanted to.

Since they have been talking over the app, he had set his phone to 'swipe to unlock' and hadn't changed it since.

The whole night he tried to find his phone on his way back, even at the bar even though his friends already left.

Even half of his cigarette was still there but his phone.. nowhere to be found.

He couldn't even text his friends because he didn't know their numbers.

So he waited until morning to ask them at school.

Which was a mistake.

"What's this? Is he actually gay?"

"No fucking way. I knew something was off about that guy."

"That's messed up. How did they get that screenshot?"

"I wonder who this 'Gogy' is."

Waiting until morning was a mistake because the whole was plastered with flyers of Dream's chat with Gogy, fortunately only the parts that left out George's identity, and the app's general description, describing it as a 'gay dating app'.

Dream was officially and forcibly outed at his school.