Rekindling

Chapter 16 - Theories

Those two words is all it takes to make me freeze.

Actually, one word.

Tiny.

I haven't heard that in forever.

Holding my breath, I stand rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do next.

What even is the right thing to do in such a situation?

My sight is still blurry from the tears that are pooling in my eyes. Not that it matters, since my back is turned towards the entrance of the hall. And my back is also turned towards the person that has followed me. I am not courageous enough to turn around and look at him.

I prick my ears, waiting to hear what he is going to do next or for him to say something more.

All I am met with is silence. It is so quiet that after a few seconds, I start to doubt that I even heard what I think I heard.

Am I hallucinating?

Maybe that is a normal occurrence when you're going through what I've just been through. Sean would most likely have a rational explanation for that, too.

I take a shaky breath, hoping that this will help clear my mind. Counting to three in my head – and secretly waiting to hear something, anything more while I do that – I prepare myself to continue on my mission to bring some distance between myself and the heartbreaking tragedy that is Sam's memorial.

On three, I start running again.

"Tiny, please don't run away!"

This time, the voice sounds closer than before.

Or maybe my hallucinating mind has just turned up the volume to make me think that this is not just a figment of my imagination. I ignore the voice in my head and pick up the pace.

Somewhere behind me, I think I hear a door being shut. And more footsteps on gravel. That only fuels my determination to disappear. If my brothers are on to me now, my only chance to escape them is to make it around the corner of the building and dive behind a bush, or something like that.

I yelp when cold fingers suddenly wrap themselves around my wrist, pulling me to a stop. Almost losing my footing because the hand somewhat forcefully pulls me in the opposite direction from where I was heading, I stumble into the person who is standing right behind me.

"I see, I'm still making your knees turn to jelly," Finn jokes as he steadies me by putting both his hands on my upper arms, effectively forcing me to turn towards him.

I wordlessly stare up at the boy that I haven't seen in over half a year, still not really believing my eyes and ears.

"Ah shit, probably not the time for stupid comments. I get it," he remarks. "I'm sorry."

These last few words hold various meanings, it seems.

"I am so, so sorry about your brother, Lily."

So that's what he's sorry about.

And Lily?

I don't remember him calling me by my real name very often since we met. It has always been stupid nicknames. The worst, really. Even worse than Sean's and that is saying something. And still, Finn's nicknames have strangely grown on me as we got to know each other better. It feels kinda weird, to hear him say my name.

"F-Finn...?" I stammer uselessly, feeling stupid and overwhelmed and also quite lost all at once.

He looks at me with an unreadable expression on his face and while I'm still dwelling on why he is here and all sorts of jumbled things that are flooding my mind, he suddenly pulls me into a bone crushing hug.