Secrets | TMR | One

5:8

You're an idiot.

You're a fucking idiot.

Nick does not recall a time where he has ever moved so quickly. His legs hurled him out into the Glade and around to the front of the Homestead, his body slamming into the door as he charges in the direction of his room.

It is only once he reaches his sleeping quarters does the leader finally stop, his hands reaching around behind him as he falls backwards, his spine colliding harshly with the door, causing it to slam shut and release the roughest of sounds when the bottom of it scrapes against the floorboards, and the edges smack against the frame.

The boy stands there for a moment, drawing his hands from the bottom of his back and bringing them up until they cover his entire face. A painstaking huff pushes its way through his lips, clawing and scrambling out from in between the gaps in his fingers, closely followed by the sound of him groaning in annoyance.

Frustration at the fact he just left her there... standing alone in the bathroom, staring at the empty space of air he once inhabited. His brain swirls with guilt as they thinks over the past few minutes. Desperation to go to her and explain, to apologise and try to rationalise his actions.

But where would he possibly begin?

By telling her that it was just an accident? That it was nothing more than a blip? A lapse of judgement, and it meant nothing?

He does not want to lie to the girl.

You're a fucking idiot, the boy repeats in his mind, those four words playing over and over again, hovering at the top of his brain while the image of him kissing Adeline gets stuck on a loop. Like fairy lights dangling above a television screen.

Illuminating every inch of his consciousness.

Why did he do that? Why did he act so brazen with the girl?

Shit, he does not know if Adeline even feels the same way.

And yet, Nick could have sworn he felt the brief sensation of her leaning towards him, and the hairs on his arms shifting as her palms began to gently graze over his skin.

No, didn't happen. Don't be so fucking stupid, Nick.

A knock on his door causes the leader to flinch, his hands dragging quickly down his face as he turns his head to the side, but keeps his back firmly planted against the wooden barricade. "Who is it?"

"It's Alby, let me in, shank."

Within seconds, Nick has pushed himself away from the door and spun his body around. Grabbing onto the handle, he yanks it towards him, his head bobbing out and looking in each direction before gripping onto the cotton of Alby's shirt and hauling him inside, being sure to shut and lock the door behind him.

The second-in-command lets out a grunt of shock as he is dragged into the bedroom, his feet stumbling over each other, nearly resulting in him tumbling to the ground. He manages to stop himself, however, his hands just being able to curve around the edge of the bed and keep him steady. "What the-"

"Where's Addy?" Nick questions, cutting off Alby completely as he twists his body around to face him, his hands curving over his hips as, yet another, harsh breath barrels from his mouth.

"She's at breakfast with Henry..." Alby starts, his face scrunched in confusion. "Why, what's happened?"

"I kissed her" the leader spits out. He flickers his eyes away from the other boy in the room, locking them onto the floor in front of him as he begins pacing back and forth up the side of the wall. "She shouted on me from the bathroom and I thought something was wrong and so I rushed in their and turns out nothing was wrong but her toes were wiggling and I guess in the middle of it I just lost my train of thought and I grabbed her face and kissed her."