𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 . neil perry

𝑿𝑰𝑰.

CHAPTER TWELVE — tissue box
——— ⋆୨୧ ₊ﾟ♡ ⊹ɞ ———

I WAS SICK. i had a cold, and john was going to stay at welton for a few days as a "welton tradition."

a box of tissues was on my bedside table, along with a telephone that john had managed to move upstairs. i believe the raging headache i had yesterday was a warning that i would be sick, but it was okay since i wasn't missing school.

i usually get a cold this time of year, but i just didn't feel well enough to go anywhere.

i put on my slippers, went downstairs, and made some tea. i walked back into my room and set it on my nightstand.

it was 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and john wouldn't be back until tomorrow afternoon. only a few minutes later, the phone rang. i was sitting in bed, trying to read. i couldn't though since my head still hurt so bad.

i picked up the phone. "hello?" i said groggily.

"hey, faye?" neil said.

"yeah."

"how are you? keating told me you weren't feeling too well."

"oh, yeah, but it's just a cold"

"alright. why is keating still here? i usually don't see him past 4."

i paused, "he has to stay overnight for a tradition thing."

"you're sick and home alone?"

"yes, but it is just a cold."

his voice got quiet and i could tell he was trying to make sure no one else heard what he was talking about.

"could i-come over?"

"but you might get in trouble," i said, sort of shocked.

"i don't mind, i want to see you," he said, still quietly.

"yeah, but we always have the society meetings." i was now sitting up in my bed.

"yeah, but all the guys are there. we're never alone."

"yeah, i guess you're right," i mumbled.

"i'll see you in twenty minutes?"

"yeah." i said.

"bye."

"bye."

we hung up and i got out of bed. i splashed some water on my face. i brushed my hair and straightened out my clothes. i brushed my teeth and tried not to fall back asleep.

no less than twenty minutes later did i hear a knock on my door. i rushed down the stairs, checking the side window quickly, and let neil in.

"hey,"

"hi." he had ridden his bike here and his hair was a little messy. i know i didn't seem like it at first it, but i was glad he was here.

"do you want anything? to drink, or something?" he shook his head and we started to walk up the stairs. i pushed the door open and he put his jacket down. he was wearing a white button up and a red, welton uniform tie. he looked around my room, not finding anything interesting.

he wrapped his arms around me in a hug. "i missed you, faye."

"you too neil," i replied. we kind of just stood there for a while, our arms around each other.

i loved neil, and i always wanted to have him next to me. i wanted to be able to know that he would be right by me if i needed him, but i was scared to do anything like what he might of had in mind.

"what's wrong?" he said, looking genuinely confused. he knew i was being hesitant.

"i don't want you to get in trouble," i said, covering up my feelings.

"oh i don't mind."

we sat with our legs crisscrossed on my bed and listened to the radio while i showed him my books and records.

"this one is in german." i said opening to the first page.

"you know german?" he asked, flipping through the pages.

"not much." we laughed.

i showed him my cameras and my favorite records. he smiled at me.

"why are you so quiet all the time? i like hearing you talk." he said while grinning at me. i blushed and just shrugged.

"no, seriously."

"there's uh- not that many people to talk to at home," i said out loud for the first time. i knew it was true. i went to school, came home and sat quietly with my family at dinner. my friends talked plenty, so it was okay that i didn't.

"your parents, what are they like?"

no one had asked me this before, so i honestly didn't know what to say.

"they're, hm, they ignore me sometimes," i felt bad for saying it, but i knew it was right.

"really?" he said, his smile fading. i shrugged. it got quiet again.

"my dad. he wants me to be a doctor," he stated with a laugh.

"you'd hate being a doctor!" i said, also laughing.

"exactly!"

"why's he want you to then?" i said, my smile also fading.

now, he shrugged. "they're counting on me."

"what about the-uh-play?" i said, remembering what we talked about the night we ice skated.

"he talked to me, earlier, and said i had to quit." he kept smiling, but i knew how he felt. my mouth opened slightly and i didn't know what to say.

"i'm sorry, neil." i moved closer to him.

he looked at me, like he was about to burst, "he's never asked me what i want."

"have you told him what you want?" i said, concern all over my face.

"no. i couldn't. he'd say i'd need to get over it," he looked down to his lap and i felt bad.

"it's okay neil. we'll be out of school soon and you can do whatever you want." i didn't know what to say to comfort him, and i didn't think what i was saying was helping very much. he sniffled a little and i raised a hand to touch his face.

"the play's tomorrow night, it's useless."

"could you try to tell him?" i said, still trying to convince him.

"no, it's too hard." he still had an upset look in his eyes.

"you can do it neil. if someone had to convince me of something, it would be you. you're passionate about this and i don't think your father should get in the way of that."

he smiled at me. "you sound like keating."

he then reached his arm around me, tilted his head, and we started to kiss. we were laying on my bed and kissing. we pulled away after a while.

"faye, i want you to be my girlfriend."

i looked at him for a moment, "i want to be your girlfriend."

his arms were still around me and i just wanted to stay there forever. i glanced at my alarm clock and my heart started beating rapidly.

"neil, it's already 8 o'clock."

"i don't care." i was shocked. he was just sitting there looking at me like he didn't have to get back to welton.

"what do you mean you don't care?"

"i don't care. i don't want to go back just yet. i want to lay here, and look at you, and it just be us." he said with his arms still around me.

"but-if you get in trouble-" i started, trying to convince him. he shook his head at me. i smiled at him.

we sat for a while with our arms around each other. and when we both unintentionally closed our eyes for the last time that night, it was okay. everything we worried about was over, at least for a moment.

———
✉️: ꒰ 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
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