Chapter 4! And another song based title, a fusion of two songs. Please enjoy and review c:

Chapter 4 : The reason to Smile

Clay knows all. Every rumour, every word said on school, every dirty secret people hope to keep from the world.

But he didn't have bad intentions with them. He would keep them to himself and that was the reason that people came to him when they needed help with things.
And that was the reason that on a sunny Wednesday he found himself in the backyard of Shaun's place.

It was a nice place, but what did you expect when your dad has a well paid job.

Shaun had a good life, not as good as Altaïr with his inheritance, but better than any of his other friends.

But all that money was to Desmond just another reason to keep his love a secret, especially from Shaun.

Desmond wasn't of as good as his friend. He lived in a small flat, always alone because his father and mother had to work double shifts to support the small family. He tried to stay away from that empty flat. Made his homework in the library and had a job, so that if he wanted something he could buy it himself. All that was Desmond's secret, his other life. The life that he would sit alone in an empty room and sometime, later at night, cry because he was so, so alone. Desmond hated being alone, he hated it more than anything in the world.

And than in the morning he would get up and tell himself : "Come on Des, smile. Smile to the world and maybe the world will smile back at you."

Back in the yard, Shaun put down two cups of tea and a plate cookies. Clay's face brightened at the sight of them. He knew those, real Walkers, all the way from Britain.

Shaun smiled at Clay's face as he tucked in on the cookies. "You've got a good appetite."

Clay paused, cookie halfway to his mouth, and snorted. "That, and I had no lunch." Shaun frowned. "We left you guys with two extra plates."

"Ezio decided to help us."

"Ah, well that explains a lot."

Clay picked up his tea and nipped it, careful not to burn himself.

Since he and Shaun had become friends he had fallen in love with tea. But while Shaun kept to his English breakfast and earl grey, Clay wanted to try as many flavours as possible.

Clay watched Shaun over the rim of his mug. His friend looked concerned.

"Tell me Shaun, what is bothering you?"
Shaun smiled weakly. "Is it that obvious?"

Clay smiled back. "You never share your time of peace and tea with anyone, not even with Rebecca."

Shaun's smile faded. Clay frowned. That didn't look good.

"I take it it's not going well in girlfriend-land."

Shaun pulled his feet on to his chair to rest his mug on his knees.

"No," He admitted. "I..." Hesitation. "I'm thinking of breaking up with her."

"Oh my." Clay sat back, realising that he had gone forward, waiting for Shaun to say it. This is where his plan kicked in, his plan to get Shaun and Desmond together, without them noticing what he was doing.

His reasons for doing so? Desmond's world had been too cruel, he needed a new one.

What is the most outrages taste of tea you ever had? Just out of curiosity