Under the Streetlight - Newtmas

E p i l o g u e

Newt:
It had been a tough year, everything had changed; I hated change, but I had grown to accept it as something necessary, inevitable. I had moved from my dad's house, into a small flat on the outskirts of Bristol, more certainty, Shirehampton. Not that he'd shown much inconvenience of it, though. He was going to sell the house anyway, it was foolish to stay any longer by his side, when he clearly didn't want me there. I wasn't on my own, though, I had Thomas. He made my loneliness feel bearable, he had promised to call me every day before I left America —that seemed such a past event, Jesus, but he hadn't backed down since then. He called every day after lunch, and made his homework alongside I worked, even when I was hopelessly sick, and couldn't speak. Sometimes we even stayed on call till five a.m, just talking to each other, sometimes we just watched one another sleep - as dumb as it probably sounded.

I had been sceptical, about a long distance relationship... I mean, not that we hadn't seen each other, I had travelled twice to America —but it wasn't nowhere near enough. I loved Thomas so much, though, anything was fine as long as I could see his face every day; as much as I wanted to touch him, kiss him, be around him all the time. Still, I had lasted a long time, I had missed him enough. I'd thought about the matter a thousand times, and in each of them, I felt certain of my decision:

I wanted him and I to live together.

I've been meaning to ask him, for a few days now, but it wasn't a walk in the park, so to speak. What if he said no? Then we would both get awkward and God knows what would happen next. 'Sorry Newt, I don't think we're going in the same direction, maybe we should break up...' I could almost imagine his voice saying that... nope, I don't need to risk it. Not yet, at least.

Interrupting my increasingly depressive monologue, my cell phone began to vibrate in my back pocket. I blindly fished for it, and quickly noticed the screen: Thomas. Oh, check it out, talking about Rome.

Before answering, I knitted my eyebrows together; it was a Friday morning, meaning, he should be in school. Still, I picked it up, and raised it to my ear, unconsciously leaving my other hand on my hip. "Oi, shouldn't you be in school?" I asked, a smile curling my lips in anticipation of hearing his mellow voice.

"Yeah, I decided to skip today," he shrugged it off with his deep, husky tone he knew made me melt like a popsicle in midsummer.

I sighed, my heart warming my ribs like a cheap heater. "For any particular reason?"

"Actually, yeah!" I heard a hushed chuckle at the other side of the line. Raising my eyebrow, I grinned, waiting for his excuse. "Can I ask you something?" He simpered, his breathing getting faster.

"Go for it," I shrugged, though he couldn't see me, bracing myself for a very stupid question.

There was a long silence at the other side, though I could still notice the sound of his exhalations if I concentrated hard enough. Just as I was about to speak again, Thomas' voice quietened me.

"Do you want to go to prom with me?" He asked, holding his breath. I almost let out a guffaw of laughter, but I managed to hold it in, giggling instead.

"How can I go to prom if you're in America?" I snickered, my smile not fading.

"Oh, you're right, wait a second."

And he hung up. I frowned, lowering my phone and staring at the screen in confusion. What the fuck was that for?

Knock, knock.

My head shot forward, aiming the door, I watched it, my mouth going dry. I slowly buried my phone in my pocket, giving reluctant steps towards the source of the noise. My heart started to race, punching the inside of my chest; two knocks, there's only one person who knocked twice.