Secrets | TMR | One

4:9

Curled up in a ball on the bed, all Adeline can feel is Nick as he continues to tickle her stomach and sides, his fingers lightly digging in and quickly, but gently, dragging along her skin, making her squirm as she attempts to wriggle away from him.

She struggles to catch a breath through the rough snorting and cackling that keeps rumbling from her throat with every second that passes.

There is nothing Adeline despises more than the sound of her own laugh.

Well, there are a few noises she hates more.

One of them being a scream. A shriek. The sound of someone in pain, or in distress.

Which, coincidentally, is the exact sound that rings out next.

As soon as it happens, the pair stop, both of their heads whipping up to face the door.

Nick sits up straight, his left hand being drawn away from Adeline, while his right one stays curved around her waist as she pushes herself up.

He shifts himself away from her until he reaches the edge of the bed, then hops off and begins pacing towards the door, but Adeline grabs a hold of his arm, halting his movements and causing him to spin around to face her.

"Take me with you" she requests, trying to shimmy her bum off the bed.

"No" the leader states, trying to release his arm from her grip, "I need to go."

Nick attempts to walk away but Adeline tightens her hold on his arm and ultimately drags him back again.

Growing tired of her games, and impatient with the fact that she will not allow him to leave, the boy spins around and glares at her. "No, Addy" he spits, casting a quick glance down to her right leg, not thinking about his words before the begin tumbling from his mouth, "you'll only slow me down."

As soon as he feels her gradually pulling her hand away, and as soon as he notices the look on her face, spots of guilt begin to fester and bubble in the pits of his stomach.

He should not have said that to her.

However, right now, there is no time for apologies.

Sending her a look laced with remorse, he finally draws his hand away, twists his body around and races out the room, leaving Adeline to do nothing but watch his retreating figure.

He didn't mean it, she thinks to herself.

The girl sits in the silence of the room for a while, wanting nothing more than to go out and see what is going on, but knowing that she will only end up getting in the way.

Adeline does not mean to be such a nuisance, but she cannot help it.

A few more minutes pass by before the door opens again, but instead of it being Nick, she spots George and Henry, rushing into the room.

George has his head down, but Adeline can tell by the way his shoulders are quickly rising and falling, and the way his entire body shakes that he is crying.

"What's wrong?" she asks, her tone fearful as her mind begins to swirl to the worst possible scenario.

The young Glader says nothing. Does not even look up in her direction as he throws himself in a heap on the bed.

Adeline's eyes follow him until he has landed on the bed. Only once George has started wrapping himself up in the blanket does she finally cast a glance up to Henry, hoping that he will be able to shed some light on what is going on.

All he does it stand for a moment, a solemn look on his face and his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. The girl cannot tell if he is lost for words, or if he is trying to figure it all out for himself.