Like Minds - To my beloved Maraclea

Chapter seventeen - Play illusion

 Nigel:

Nigel was quiet during the walk back, silently listening to Alex' thoughts. He thought it was remarkable how Alex seemed to think it meant something, the way he could heard them.. When he was so reluctant to believe in the cause of them. They could hear each other’s thoughts, wasn't that just as much proof as the graveyard? It was.. but Nigel knew the only problem was that Alex didn't want to believe. It's like telling a kid Santa Clause is not real. It would either refuse to believe it, or just pretend to disbelieve it, so he'd still get the treats and presents it yearned for.

His mind oddly slipped back to his own last Christmas.. It was nice for a change. It had just been Nigel and his mother, his father wasn't there, - that was the nicest part, - and his mother had given him a sweater, which she'd made herself. She had all the money in the world to buy him anything, but she still chose to go through the work of making him something special.. he admired him for it. He admired her for everything she did,- except perhaps staying with that oaf of a husband.

He didn't even seem to realize anymore that Alex had full access to his thoughts as well, which was very uncharacteristic for Nigel.. Had he known, he probably had shut off the connection right away. When they reached the end of the forest again, Nigel let go of Alex hand. It seemed he was not in the mood to further humiliate Alex in front of the other students.

"We're having English class," he finally broke the silence. Alex probably knew but Nigel reminded him anyway, just to be sure.

Alex:

Nigel seemed to be drowned in his thoughts. His stare was thoughtfully and blank as he stared right in front of him while saying nothing. It was a surprisement for me, that he held his mouth shut this time. Normally he made remarks about anything - like my thoughts.

I frowned lightly when I suddenly thought about Christmas. I had no idea how it suddenly popped into my mind. I glanced up with my lips parted, staring at Nigel if he looked at me, if he made me think this. He just seemed to be in a thoughtfully mood, so I doubted it if it was him. I didn't thought about the fact that I could read his mind, maybe. Like it was I, which made me see the things he thought right now. I didn't tried again, though. I had no needs for that at the moment.

It was quite disturbing how we walked while holding hands like a couple - so I was very grateful that he released my hand when we reached the end of the forest, otherwise I would be bullied again... Nigel didn't seem to care about anyone their thoughts - only about mine, sort of.

'I know,' I replied him in a sigh. 'How about the play, by the way. Will you come?'

Nigel:

"Of course I'll come," he commented, still walking next to Alex although without holding hands. "..will you? I mean, are you going to assist at it?"

He looked up at Alex expectantly. After all they were counting on him, while this morning he claimed he didn't want to be a part of the play anymore.

"For her?" he tried, carefully. He opened the door of the entrance and walked inside to the proper classroom. As they came in almost all students turned around to stare at them and some even seemed relieved that one of them wasn't killed after all.