Born Again

Chapter seventy

"So we're getting Minho back?" Newt asked at lunch after Thomas explained what he and Gally planned to do.

"Yeah," Thomas answered. "At least, I hope so. Gally said it won't work without Teresa."

"But we still need Fry and Brenda, don't we?" Newt added.

"See, that's what I said!" Thomas exclaimed. "And I don't know. Gally said we don't but we needed them in my dreams. I had to convince him to let them come."

"That's good," Newt said. "You know, I want Minho back too, Tommy."

"Yeah, I know," Thomas sighed, turning back to face his food.

He heard Newt chuckle beside him and looked over to see what had caused it.

"It's just funny," his friend explained. "We're acting like we haven't seen him in forever, like we can't see him right now, if we wanted to."

Thomas grinned at that. "You're right. It's been, what?" He thought for a second. "Two days? Less?"

Newt shook his head, still chuckling. "We see each other too bloody much."

Gally and Frypan arrived before Thomas could explain how much he loved seeing his two best friends every day. How it was never too much for him.

Thomas turned his attention back to the two boys and nodded a greeting.

"Hey, guys," he said. "Are Teresa and Brenda still coming?"

"I am," Teresa answered as she walked up from behind. She took a seat on the other side of Thomas. "Can't speak for Bren."

"Well we don't have much longer to talk," Newt said. "We might have to get started without her."

"I agree," Gally said.

He leaned forward, looking at Teresa.

"So here's how this is gonna go," the boy started. "I'm gonna ask you some questions and you're going to tell me exactly what I need to know. We'll start off simple: are you really willing to help us get Minho back?"

Teresa snickered, turning to Thomas. "You guys don't seriously think—"

"Don't look at him," Gally interrupted. "Why are you looking at him? Look at me. He's not going to help us."

The conversation threw Thomas off. He knew that's how it went the dreams but he didn't expect Gally to be so rude. Especially since he was trying to get Teresa to trust him.

"Gally, back off," Newt warned before Thomas could. "We're all in this together."

"Sorry," Gally said, running a hand through his short hair. "I just don't think we'll need anyone other than Teresa for this to work. She's the only one who could convince Janson to get Minho back."

"You really think I can do it myself?" Teresa asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Thomas agreed. "I still don't think she should go alone."

"I guarantee you she can," Gally said. "It's better for the plan. Teresa can do it by herself."

Thomas shook his head. "Don't you think she should—"

"Um, 'she' is right here," Teresa interrupted. "And she can speak for herself."

The boys immediately shut up.

"Look, I don't know if I can convince Janson alone," she continued. "Thomas is right, the more people we have, the better. So tomorrow all six of us should go together. But I'll be the one doing all the talking. Got it?"

Gally huffed. "Fine."

Thomas smiled triumphantly.

It was going to work out. Everybody was going so they could get Minho back.

Of course, they weren't going to break him out or anything, but he didn't really care how it went down as long as he could be reunited with his friend.

"Tomorrow?" Newt asked. "I can't-"

"What's tomorrow?" Brenda interrupted, taking a seat next to Frypan.

"We're going to convince Janson to let Minho back into the shcool," the dark skinned boy explained. "Teresa will do all the talking so the rest of us are just going to support her."

"Yeah," Teresa agreed. "Tomorrow, the 28th."

Brenda nodded. "I can make that work."

"Well, I can't," Newt cut in. "I have a doctor's appointment. You'll have to go without me."

"What?" Thomas asked. "But you—we all have to—come on, Newt. You have to come."

Newt just gave him an apologetic look with a shrug.

Thomas looked at the others for support. Nobody offered any.

"You heard him," Gally told him. "Doctor's appointment. We'll be fine without him."

Thomas sighed. "Fine. So it's just me, Teresa, Gally, Brenda, and Frypan then. That's it?"

Everybody nodded except Newt who was busy staring down at his food.

"That's it then," Teresa said brightly. "Now we just have to hope this works."

Thomas doubted that. If needed Newt in his dreams, they needed Newt in real life too.

~~~

"Newt!" Thomas called, bursting out of the school doors to catch up to his friend. "Newt, wait up!"

Newt stopped and turned around, waiting until Thomas caught up before he started walking again.

"What's up?" The blonde asked.

"You have to come with us," Thomas stated, plain and simple.

Newt let out an exasperated sigh. "I can't, I told you, Tommy. Doctor's appointment. You guys will be fine without me."

"But-"

"The dreams, I know," Newt interrupted. "But you've said it before. It always adjusts real life to fit with it, no matter what the cost."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Thomas muttered.

Newt chuckled. "You guys will be fine. Worst case scenario is Minho will still be expelled. And I don't think he'll be too upset about that."

"What?" Thomas asked sarcastically. "You don't think he misses us?"

"Oh, I know he misses us," Newt says. "He tells me every time I sneak over. Speaking of, you want to go see him now?"

Thomas could tell he was just trying to change the subject but decided to drop it.

He gave his friend a small smile, nodding. "Yeah, sure. Let's go."

Thomas just couldn't help but worry about what the cost would be if Newt didn't come.