Miss Matched // Thomas Sangster Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Growing Pains

You're slumped over your breakfast in the dining hall. D&D went far too late last night and what you want most in the world is to go straight back to bed. Your yogurt and fruit isn't half as enjoyable when you aren't as well rested. Glancing out the window, you admire all the freshly fallen snow. You always feel like a princess living in a magical castle when there's snow on the ground at school. Maybe if you went and threw yourself in the piles of crisp, white snow, it would wake you up enough to face the day.

Yua, Palmer, Roy, and Dylan all sit at the table eating their breakfasts with you. Last time you were paying attention, they'd been talking about classic literature or something of that nature. Books. It was books. You zone back into the conversation, trying to determine if it's worth the energy to try and pay attention to.

You catch Roy say, "My mom tried to get Ray and I interested in knitting over the summer under the guise that we could sell our products to help us save for college. Didn't really work though. Ray and I decided to leave the knitting to girls with dainty fingers-"

Not interesting enough.

Instead, you rest your chin on your palm and allow yourself to worry about Thomas and Ava. The Sangsters are regularly on your mind these days. You know what it feels like to lose someone. You don't wish that feeling on anyone.

Your mind wanders to the peace of the gym. Wouldn't it be great if you could just ditch class and head to the gym instead? It's always so satisfying to vent all your feelings out onto a punching bag. If you weren't so afraid of getting in trouble and risking the chance of a scholarship to a decent college, you would say 'screw it' to the whole education system.

Only when Thomas walks into the dining hall do you feel fully awake for the first time this morning. He's dressed in his uniform, but he doesn't look as put together as usual. Poor Thomas.

He catches your eye from across the dining hall. You offer him a smile and wave. He returns a half-hearted smile and a little wave before he joins the line of people vying for their breakfasts. As he travels down the line, you watch him carefully. You're glad you do, because before he reaches the end of the line, you see him pull his phone from his pocket and answer a phone call.

Thomas's expression becomes suddenly alarmed, you see his mouth moving, forming words that you can't hear over the din of the hall. Without hesitation, Thomas leaves his breakfast tray and goes striding from the dining hall. You don't pause to think or say anything to your friends. Abruptly, you're out of your seat and you're jogging out of the dining hall to follow Thomas.

Behind you, you can hear Palmer yell, "Fleur! Where are you going?"

You falter when you enter the hallway. Thomas is stood near the foot of an old, stone staircase, talking quietly but animatedly on his phone. Not wanting to intrude, you linger away from him, waiting for him to end his phone call. You hear very small bits and pieces of his conversation, but nothing that actually helps you identify what is going on.

Finally, Thomas snaps with an air of finality, "No, forget it, I'm coming down there now. Bye."

He turns around, eyes flashing when he finally notices you standing there for the first time. His eyes soften immediately, probably more out of surprise than anything. Taking a couple steps towards you, he asks, "How long have you been there."

"A while," you say softly. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop."

"I know," he says immediately.

You both stand there for a moment, the air feeling thick, and getting thicker with every moment. Finally, you get up the courage to ask, "Is everything okay?"