Underneath the Peonies (Tom Hanson)

Chapter 3: Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Keeping Tom's secret was very easy because I'm not a snitch. And who would I tell? Even when I didn't feel like attending my fake classes, I always went to the one that we shared just so I could spend more time with him. He always sat beside me, and he even asked for my phone number. His excuse was in case either of us needed help with the homework. He was becoming the best part of my day.

One day, he called me up and asked if I wanted to hangout with him. He said it was his day off, and I just couldn't get over the fact that he actually wanted to spend time with me. Of course, I said yes and he said that he would pick me up. I couldn't stop smiling.

I wasn't quite sure what he had planned, so I just put on jeans and a light grey sweater over my white tank top to accommodate for the overcast weather Metro has been having lately. That is probably why this is called the Evergreen state, because it rains so much that everything is green. The evergreen trees here are mesmerizing and they are everywhere once you get out of the city.

My shades were open so I could look out the window. When Tom pulled up, I quickly tied my shoes and turned off my television set. I raced to the door and I turned off the porch lights before I locked the door and ran out to his car.

"Hey, how's it going?" He asked. He stood by the passengers side and he opened the car door for me.

I smiled at him. "Good. How has your day been?"

He smiled back. "It just got better."

I blushed as I slipped into the seat and he closed the door for me. When he got into his seat I asked, "what do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure," he said. He reached into his cup holder and pulled out a quarter and held it up for me to see. "Why don't we flip a coin?"

"Flip a coin?" I asked and took the quarter from his fingers and inspected the shiny metal.

"Yeah. Heads we go right, tails we go left."

I chuckled, "okay, let's do it."

Tom started up his car and began his drive out of my neighborhood. I placed the quarter on my thumb and flicked it up, making the quarter fly up in the air while spinning. I caught it and put it on the back of my hand and peered at what fate had decided.

Tails.

"Go left," I told him.

Tom turned left at the stop sign and I prepared the next coin toss. "Go right."

I was looking forward to this. This idea was so fun, unique, interesting and I love how spontaneous it was. Sometimes the best plan is no plan at all.

"How's school going?" Tom asked as he slowed down to take the next right turn.

I shrugged. "It's going."

I didn't want to tell him that I'm not a real student. That would result in a lot of questions that I'm not ready to answer. I haven't fully accepted it myself. He's become my best friend—my only friend—in this town, but I don't want to burden him with my own issues. He doesn't deserve that.

"What do you do for work?" He asked.

"I worked a lot before I came here, so I have enough saved up to last me the year." Which wasn't a lie. As soon as the doctors told me that I only had six months to live, I dropped out of my university in Florida and I quit my job. I packed up and moved to the furthest possible place from my hometown. And that was Metropolis.

I flipped the coin again. "Go right."

Tom turned on his turn signal and said, "that's smart. I've had buddies who work and go to school and they get burnt out so fast."