A Song of Two Hearts [A TomTord Highschool AU]

Chapter 75

Tord looked at the gift Tom had thrown at him. He set it down lightly on his dresser and walked downstairs. He wasn't going to open it. He didn't deserve to open it. He walked past his mother.

"What was up with that? I don't like Tom but I know that he was hurting as he left. What did you do?"

Tord took a gulp.

"I was keeping him out of my mess. He can't be caught up in the army's affairs. For both the army and his safety it's better if he's oblivious."

"You could have told him without breaking him!"

"He would've stuck his nose into danger and would get hurt, all because of me."

Trisha ran her hands through her bangs.

"We need to talk about this. Come on we're getting in the car. Bring a coat."

Trisha grabbed her winter coat off the hook near the door and pulled it on then promptly stepped outside.

Tord grabbed his coat and followed her.

The car ride was uncomfortably quiet, it did nothing to stifle the argument in Tord's brain. The stars were just beginning to peek over the horizon as the small red car travelled farther from the city. The car finally stopped at a cliff. It was so dark Tord couldn't see the ground or his mother. He looked up and gasped. He had never seen all the stars like this. They practically fought for space in his sight. Trisha grabbed his shoulder and sat him down on a blanket on the cold grass.

"Tord this is how things should be, breathtakingly beautiful. But we've tarnished it without want of innovation and our greed for light. It's like love. Love is one of the most beautiful things on earth. But humans ruin it with greed and arguments. Darling I know you want to keep Tom safe, but you can do that without hurting him and your relationship. You're a smart boy, so I don't get how you did something so stupid. That boy was willing to go to hell and back for you."

Trisha seemed to smile as she let small tears drop. Tord thought about what he did.

"Oh god I'm such an idiot."

Tord bumped his head against the cold ground.

"Stupid, stupid, ugh how could I be so stupid?"

Trisha stared up at the stars once more taking in the constellations.

"They have an observatory you know."

"Who?"

"Better question is where, on base. Only place you can see them. I missed them so much when I was there. When I was a little girl I could see them like this every night."

Trisha sighed happily but the sorrow was still there.

"We should head back."

Tord nodded and shakily got to his feet. He still couldn't see. Trisha rose and took his cold hand in her warm ones and led him back to the car. She brought the blanket back and threw it in the backseat. Tord buckled in for the ride back.

"How can I fix this?"

"Tom will forgive you if you make it up to him. As for the army only god can save us now."

Once home Tord contemplated sending a text to Tom but decided against it. Words meant more in person and he still had an army he needed to overlook. The red package once again caught his eye. In shaky hands he picked it up. They do say that curiosity killed the cat. Tord pulled the blue ribbon off the small box, he saw the card. Normally his mother's teaching of reading the letter first would apply but Tord felt that he should open it after. He carefully pulled a tab of Scotch tape off the bottom of the neatly wrapped package, not wanting to ruin another thing Tom gave him that he clearly didn't deserve. With the wrapping carefully removed he opened the box to see two rings. This confused him for certain. He picked up the rings as if they would crumble under his ruinous touch. He opened the letter and after reading it over let out a mournful sob. He placed the rings and card back in the box, while sniffling to hold back the sobs he put it on his dresser and buried his face in his hands to let the tears fall.