Between the lines

Epilog

Tom got bored by his so-supposed friends pretty soon. For the first time, he saw how fake they seemed. He wondered why he had accepted to humiliate himself by pretending to like their company. No, he'd never felt whole around them. Panda-Bear was thousands of times a better friend even if he couldn't say a word.

Tom realized he missed the cat as he instinctually searched for its fluffy fur when he woke up one morning. He'd been so happy in that small cottage. There was where he'd learned to love and accept himself. He was bright. Hua Qiangu had told him that numerous times. He was ambitious. He could achieve anything if he were to put his mind to it and yet, in that small cottage he'd learned there were things that neither power nor wealth could provide. If someone had told him about love before, he would have mocked them. Though, he was in love. He was in love with a demon. But she didn't have claws and horns. She didn't enjoy harming innocents and deceiving human beings. In fact, she was the kindest person he'd ever met.

He couldn't wait for the school year to end. He'd never expected the holiday. He'd always hated to leave the school behind. Hogwarts had always been his home. His only home. Now his home was in another country, in a forest forgotten by the world. He could still hear the laughter of the children and the lectures of the professors.

As the time passed he started to be more and more afraid it was just a dream and Hua Qiangu, An Na, and Zhu Ran had never existed. Even Panda-Bear seemed so far away. When the last day before the holiday came, Tom felt an inexplicable fear tightening around his heart like a claw. He couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. Everything he wanted was to sleep and dream of her again.

His heart was like a bird in a cage. The closer he got, the more anxious he became. He regretted that he hadn't given her more details.

"What if she wouldn't be able to find this place?" He couldn't chase away this fear. "What if she forgot me? No one will wait that long."

The last time they'd come there together, the place was covered by tiny houses. Now, it was an alley with bookshops, hotels, bakeries, and teashops. He entered a tea shop and chose the spot at the window so he could supervise the street.

Someone came to take his command, but he didn't give much importance to the waitress as he flipped through the menu. It was only after he lifted his eyes that he realized. She was right there, smiling at him.

The end

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