To Learn To Fall (Sequel to the Other Side)

Chapter Seventeen

Thomas had come back with me.

And immediately he had been yelled at, demanded to tell them what was wrong with him, called a useless idiot who doesn't think before he does things, and returned to the way things were before without even getting a chance to put his own words in.

Look, I'm not trying to defend his rash decision making nor the blatant disregard he showed for our feelings and thoughts. But I did see the way he closed himself off the instant his feet touched the floor of the castle, and I saw the way the words stung him, even if that was something he preferred to hide.

Now, he was laying on the bed. His wings were folded for the longest time I've ever seen them. They were fading into a darker shade as time wore on, so seamlessly that I couldn't tell if Thomas was doing it on purpose or not. His back was facing me, and whenever I tried to speak to him, his responses were disinterested and short. When he bothered to respond at all.

"Hey, Thomas," I said as I walked into the room, letting him know I was there. Lafayette rose to his feet, whispered a quick word of goodbye, and then left. "I'm back, don't worry."

"Hey," he said, so quietly that I wasn't even sure if he had said anything at all.

"How are you doing?"

He shrugged.

I sat down on the bed and set my hand on his back, scratching it lightly. His shoulders relaxed, and he let out a gentle sigh. "That good, huh? That's alright though. I have something I want to show you." I had spent the better part of the afternoon preparing it, and I think Thomas was really going to like it. Or rather, I hoped.

I wish I knew what he was thinking. I wish I knew what I could do to help him through this. I've never seen him like this before, and it really feels terrible to see someone so close to you suffer and not be able to do anything about it at all. This had been going on for two weeks. Two weeks too long.

"What is it?"

"You have to come and see."

"Oh. I'm good."

I grabbed hold of his shoulders and turned him to look up at me. "Come on. Please? I'll never ask for anything again."

He blinked up at me. "Don't worry about it, Alex. I'm doing fine. I don't need anything."

"That's the biggest lie you've ever told. Come on. We're going."

Thomas didn't move.

"Thomas, please? It'll be lots of fun! Come on, for me? I'll be really sad if you don't!" I teased, though all of my hope was hanging on that one sentence.

Thomas finally sat up. "Alright, alright. I'm going. What are we doing?"

"It's a surprise!" I said, jazz hands for emphasis.

I was hoping Thomas would laugh, but only a small smile flickered across his mouth. I guess it was better than nothing, but I would kill someone to hear his laugh again if it came to that. "Alright." He took my hand in his. "Lead the way."

"Have you ever been on a date before?" I asked as I dragged him through the halls and up a few sets of stairs.

"What?"

"Like, a human definition of a date."

He considered it for a second. "I guess not. Why?"

"No reason..."

"Why?" he repeated, a tint of humor in his voice.

"You'll find out!"

A while later, we stopped outside the large oak door that signified the library. "Okay, close your eyes." I pushed open the door with one hand, my other still holding onto Thomas, and led him inside. I stopped for a second, staring at the setup I had taken hours preparing for him, and I slowly began to doubt myself. The same thought I had pushed away while preparing it came back to hit me with a sharp vengeance.