Fairy Rings

Chapter 4

(A/N: Hi readers I hope you like the first glimpse of Theo! I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas.)

My heart dropped into my feet, and my mouth went dry. It was the same man from the party, and without the strobe lights obscuring my view, I could see the ghosts of Theo. He had that same cheeky grin, those eyes still that vibrant green, but there were a few differences. He was taller and bulkier looking than Theo was when I was little. For a moment, I wondered if I should run into his arms or to the other side of the country.

Theo was alive, after all. Despite telling myself to do something as Theo walked down the long isles, I was hypnotized and stuck where I was. Theo came closer and closer to the point where I could smell pine needles on him.

"excuse me. You are in my spot," Theo said, only taking his eyes off of me for a split second to glare at a boy who had sat next to me, at least the last six years, James, I think? We had never actually taken the chance to get to know one another more than the teachers forced us to and to be honest, it was better that way.

"I thin..." the boy started to protest but seemed to give up halfway through. Gathered up his stuff and moved his way to the back of the class, making room for Theo to sit next to me.
"Emmy, it's been a while. We have a lot to talk about." He Mubbeld leaning forward, the smell of pine needles filling my nose, both sending me to heaven and hell. For a moment, I forgot that I was positive that Theo was dead for but I moment I let myself think about what he was to me before I watched what had to have been one of the most traumatic things in my life. Or did I? Theo was right here cheeky grin, and all there was nothing that seemed to be physically wrong with him. Quite the opposite, there wasn't a mark in sight that would indicate a rockslide falling into a ditch or walking into a wall. There wasn't a scar that could tell me that I had abandoned him to die in a cave—still, the words we need to talk buzzing to life in my head. I couldn't believe that my trauma had been just a dream. Something had happened that day. Something terrible, and I intended to find out right after math class.

It should be like any other, with me taking my notes in my spiral notebook. Instead, the writing supplies sat haphazardly forgotten on my desk in favor of gazing at my childhood friend. At first, my stares started out because of shock, then turned into fear as if the ground would swallow him again if I dared to glance away. As though he never existed in the first place, leaving me with the empty promises of speaking again.

 
With every moment I spent sitting in the same room as Theo, The teacher lectures seemed to take a back seat to the thoughts in my mind. Time seemed to take on a nebulous quality, and somewhere in between, Theo glanced over at me, reviling a cheeky grin with the charry on top being his dimple on one side.

"pay attention, gem." He whispered, almost inaudible. I spun in my seat, both shocked and appalled that I would spend my precious class time staring at a boy. My cheeks turned red at the fact that I seemed to have no shame when it came to Theo.

'at least Vicky will have fun with this. ' I thought, glancing over at my already grinning friend. I tried to bury myself in my notes but still found myself peeking through my curtain of hair to make sure that Theo was still there that he was still within my reach. I avoided starting too long, hoping that he wouldn't notice.

When the class bell finally rang, pulling me away from what had to be the world's most perfect face. The only thing that didn't quite fit was that the more I looked, the more handsome he seemed. I never had much time to dwell on that fact because as soon as the bell rang, Theo ripped me from my seat, dragging me out of the room by my wrist. A sharp stinging pain traveled up my arm along with pins and needles, but I wasn't to focus on the iron grip that he held on my wrist Because I was too full of a giddy excitement even if in the back of my mind something nagged at me to be careful. We stopped near the locker rooms that were empty this time of day due to the P.E. teacher not even rolling out of bed until the second period and only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. to put it simply, this side of the school was deserted.
Theo turned to look back at me for a moment, a grin seeming to take a permanent residence on his face. He released my wrist from his grip before immediately interlacing my fingers between his.

"Emmy, it has been too long." His voice sounded like honey to my ears, almost overshadowing the dark look in his eyes.

"It has been. How have you been? how long are you staying?" I asked, my voice coming out rushed.

"Better than ever now that I am here. I plan to stay as long as you are." He said, catching my chin in his thumb and forefinger.

"I-I see." I stuttered out, fighting back the blush that was most likely winning this battle because this had been that first bit of positive male attention that I had received in years.

"Tell me, Emmy, why didn't you call." He asked. For a moment, I felt like I was held underwater, and my only source of light was Theo. His hot breath fanning over my lips. His tongue shot out to moisten his lower lip.

"well?" He grumbled.

"you never gave me your number," I said, the words sounding sluggish even to my ears.
"that not what I meant, Gem. But it's cute that you think so," he chuckled, his lips ghosting over my cheek.

"We should get back to class. The teacher will get upset if we don't." I said, pulling me temporarily out of my haze. His face was far too close to my own for me to be comfortable.
"that we should though, I would much prefer to have you all to myself." he sighed. His breath fanning my ear before Releasing his grip on my hand, he turned away from me, giving me the perfect view of his back. His head turned back to glace at me.

"Don't forget to save me a seat next to you at lunch. I plan to do all the catching-up needed." He said, taking a glance back at me, and just like that, I was back under whatever spell he held over me.

" Save seat. For you. definitely." I said, the desperation dripping from my words. I stood there in a trance, thinking of all that could or would happen at lunch today before the bell rang, snapping me out of it.

"Shit. I'm late," I cursed, running to my next class.