SOMEDAY ❖ Thomas (TMR)

[ 21 ] Delaying The Inevitable

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
• delaying the inevitable •

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WITH THE FEELING that something was wrong, Evony shot out of bed, activating her pounding headache. One hand went to her head while the other one helped to push herself off the mattress. An underlying sense of guilt was eating away at her stomach, consuming her, except she didn't know where it had come from.

The answer came to her quicker than she would've thought, and it came in the form of a boy.

Thomas.

She had just gotten herself off of the bed when the door to her hut flew open with an extravagant amount of force. In rushed Thomas, who, in his startled state, panically ran over to her and wrapped her in his arms.

Evony ignored her headache-which had at first taken up the majority of her thoughts-and focused her attention on the boy that was clinging onto her.

His arms made their way completely around her back as his head was tucked into the crook of her shoulder. Small sniffles sounded from him, and Evony began to rub up and down his back to try to help.

"Thomas?" she said softly, her lips resting barely an inch away from his ear. He didn't answer, only responding by moving one of his hands to her head. She soon felt the soothing motion of his fingers gliding through her hair.

It wasn't long that they stayed like that, because Evony was concerned about what was making Thomas cry, so she pulled them apart and forced him to look at her. They still found a way to remain close, though. The boy's hands were now resting at her jaw, and hers were placed loosely on his arms.

"You're alive," he mumbled, running a thumb along her cheek. A weak smile of relief made its way into his lips.

Evony remained with unanswered questions, but she knew she could get them later; it was more important to make sure he was okay first. "Yes, I'm alive. I'm right here," she paused, "Is everything okay?"

His eyes dropped to the floor as he shook his head slowly, "You died," he explained, his voice shaky, "I watched you die."

"Thomas-"

"It was my fault, Evs. You were in pain and I just stood there and watched."

Evony grabbed onto his hands and pulled them away from her face, resting them down in between their chests. "I'm right here," she reassured, but Thomas still didn't seem convinced.

"No-no, you're not!" He tried to push away from her but Evony pulled him back. There was a faint redness in his eyes that she was able to make out in the darkness.

"Thomas, I'm okay. Nothing happened; I'm not hurt," she repeated over again. Taking their intertwined hands she led them to the bed. She lifted them up in the air, rubbing one thumb over his knuckles, "See," she motioned to their hands. Thomas visually relaxed from next to her.

"I'm- I'm sorry," he said, guilt making its way into his face. Evony didn't need to say anything, so she pulled him back into a hug. "It felt so real."

"It wasn't. It was just a n-" but as she started to say the word something clicked inside her brain. Suddenly the situation they were in was a lot more urgent; now she needed to know the details of what really happened.

"Thomas," she said, gaining his attention, "We have to tell Alby."

"What, no," he stood back up from the bed, this time letting go of her hands, "Why tell him?"