ᵒⁿᵉ 𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 ⁿᵉʷᵗᵐᵃˢ ᵃᵘ (ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉᵈ)

Two

Newt wakes up, hitting his alarm clock, knocking it onto the floor and breaking it. 

"Shit." Newt says, sitting up. 

He rubs his eyes and groans. Then, his phone rings. He reaches over to the side table. He answers it.

"Hello?" He says groggily.

"Hi."

"Oh, Tommy." Newt says, shifting in bed. "Hey."

"Hey." He says.

"Why are you calling?" Newt asks, getting out of bed. 

"I just..." He pauses. "I don't know."

"Are you okay?" Newt asks, resting the phone on his shoulder and pressing his ear against it. 

"I'm fine." Thomas says. 

Newt slides a hoodie over his head. "Alright. Well, I have to go. I gotta get ready for school."

Thomas sighs. "Yeah, okay. See you."

"See you." He says. He hangs up and slides his phone into his jean pocket. 

He walks down the stairs to find Lizzy standing there.

"AH!" He gasps. "Lizzy!"

"Hi." She says, grinning.

"Jesus christ." Newt says. "Why are you grinning like a serial killer?"

Lizzy laughs. "Sorry."

"What is it?" Newt asks. "Why is everyone acting so shucking strange today?"

"Everyone?" Lizzy asks.

"Thomas called me." He says. "I have no idea why."

Lizzy looks at him. 

"What?" Newt asks.

"He likes you." Lizzy says. "It's really obvious. I don't get how you don't see it."

"What?" Newt says again. "No, he doesn't."

Lizzy rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Go to school, idiot."

Newt scowls at her but grabs his backpack and walks out the door.

Thomas waits for him at the bus stop. 

"Hey, Tommy." Newt says. 

"Hey." Thomas says. He shifts anxiously.

Newt furrows his eyebrows. "What is up with you today?"

"Nothing." Thomas says. "It's nothing."

Newt frowns but doesn't push it. 

The bus arrives and the boys climb on. Brenda waves them over.

"Hey, boys!" She says. 

Thomas slides into the seat next to her and Newt sits next to him. Thomas's heart beats faster. He swallows hard. 

"So," Brenda says. "How are you guys?"

"Good." Newt says. "Sister's weird. Thomas's weird. But I'm good."

Thomas glares at him. "I'm not weird."

"You're acting weird." Newt says. He puts a hand on Thomas's arm. "You can talk to me, you know."

Thomas stiffens. "I know."

Brenda rolls her eyes. "You guys are idiots."

The bus stops and Newt stands up. Thomas doesn't move.