Amneisa

Amnesia XXIII

Addison was glued to her spot. Tears made their way down Thomas' face creating tracks along the way.

Thomas gathered himself up and looked back up at Addison, then he lost it all over again. How could he do that? How could he have let it get this bad that he kissed someone thinking they were someone else? "I'm so sorry Addison I-I didn't mean t-to do that."

Addison stepped forward and slightly smiled. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm so so so sorry. I can't believe I just did that."

It quickly became apparent what Thomas had been hiding in his bag earlier that day. Eaton Academy had a strict no alcohol and drug policy, which people obviously broke. Drinking was only ever allowed in controlled conditions like organised events with staff present. Whereas drugs were never permitted. If Dean Eaton or any of the other teachers were to see Thomas in that state, he would be in some serious trouble.

"Seriously it's fine," Addison replied half truthfully. She looked around the corridor before speaking again, "maybe you should come inside."

Thomas followed Addison inside her dorm without saying a word. He took a seat on Katerina's bed and after turning on the light, Addison took a seat on her own.

Thomas wasn't looking at her. He took an interest in Katerina's paintings on the walls. When he spoke, he was quiet. Almost as if he was speaking to himself. "I've messed everything up."

Tears were still spilling from his eyes so Addison decided to tip toe around the subject, making sure she didn't upset him further. "If a mess is made, then it can be cleaned up too."

He looked at Addison, exhaled and laughed. "Not when things have been broken. I've done too much damage. It's all over."

There was a box of tissues across the room. Addison got up and gave Thomas one. Neither of them spoke for a while. Each caught up in thoughts that neither were ready to talk about. Eventually, Thomas calmed down and stopped crying. "I guess you'll want to know why I'm such a mess and why I kissed you?"

Addison nodded. "Only if you want to talk about it."

The boy sighed. Of course, he didn't want to talk about it. That was the reason he got himself drunk in the first place. He had tried so hard to keep it all to himself. To deal with it. To make it all better. He had failed. Instead, he did more damage to himself and the situation at hand. No matter how much he didn't want to admit it, he needed help. He needed to talk to someone. If anyone deserved to know, it was Addison. She had the right to know because of the kiss.

After a reassuring smile from Addison, Thomas began. "There's this girl, Valentina. She's the most amazing girl I've ever met. She's funny, adorable and completely but wonderfully insane. She was also my girlfriend." His voice cracked on 'was'.

"She doesn't go to Eaton does she?" Addison asked.

Thomas shook his head. "No, she lives a few miles away in Reading. It's not that far really, an hour and a half by car. I go see her whenever I can. She goes to a private school there. Eaton wasn't really her style. I begged her to come here, but in the end, it was her call. It was fine though, we still made it work. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"So what happened?"

Thomas stayed quiet for a few seconds. "Remember your first day at Eaton Academy? The day you walked in on Daniel about to shoot an arrow at the apple in my mouth?"

Addison nodded.

"Well, that was done on Cameron's orders." After seeing the confusion forming on Addison's face, Thomas continued. "A few days before the third year started, I was hanging out with some of my old friends from public school. We were all drinking and playing truth or dare. I got dared to go on a date with a girl that I had a crush on in primary school. I said that I couldn't do it because if Val ever found out then she would be so hurt. Yet they insisted and said she would never find out. Like the idiot I am, I believed them."