Thomas Potter-Love is a Different Dimension

Kiss Me Fierce

Harry's Universe, By the Seaside, 1936

Tom had been playing and eying the row of small boats on the dock. White with blue stripes with the name BISHOP plastered on them. He was daydreaming of the days he would one day get to travel on one of these contraptions. Sail far away... far enough no one knows his name and he can start anew. The adventures he'd discover, the world he would conquer.

There was a small island of rocks that had caught Tom's interest. The other orphans were playing by the edge of the water, building useless castles and sand morts. Tom was more interested in finding treasure, anything valuable.

Fantasising how the rock island would be where he kept his treasure. No one would dare steal from him.

"You didn't sully my father's boat did you?" A contemptuous boy's voice asked.

Standing beside him was a girl, who had her hair split into two ponytails and a nasty glint in her eye.

"I was just looking," Tom said as innocently as he could, though he refused to cower from the boy. It was a matter of principle for him. Tom had recently realised something about himself. He had known since he was five, but evidence over the years only strengthened his belief.

Tom was special.

He could do things others couldn't.

"You better not touch these boats without my cousin's permission, especially since you're one of those rag boys!" The girl taunted.

Rag boy. Tom's fake smile fell.

It's what they called boys like him who couldn't survive on the street without the mercy of a stranger. Who could only adorn rags in these rich children's eyes, no matter how well he dressed. The word implied he was inferior.

They were wrong.

Tom bent his head, faking submission. "I know my place, and I daren't do anything to spoil this beautiful boat," Carefully licking his lips and moving his hand hands to press the side of his swimwear, the way the other orphans did in front of him whenever he passed for fear of his wrath, "I wish I could ride one, just once,"

"Of course you do!" Said the boy, nose up in the air. "My father's boats are the best around here, the whole coastline is in his name, owned by the Bishop family,"

Tom calculatingly tilted his head, eyes peering through dark lashes, "I wish I could see how it was in the middle of the sea," Purposefully turning to stare at the bed of rocks not far off, "I wonder if it could sail until that island there,"

The girl scoffed. "Whatever should it sail there for, it's nothing but rocks!"

Tom's expression remained blank, "That's not what I hear, I heard there was treasure over there, it's why I was looking at the boats,"

"Whatever are you on about?" The boy scowled, "There isn't any treasure there,"

However, both of the children began to crabe their necks to see.

Tom gave a forceful pleasant 'smile', "Never mind, I knew your boat can never reach that island,"

"Haven't you been listening, I said, of course, it can!" The boy jumped into one of the boats with a loud thuck that made the boat sway. The girl followed in, motioning for Tom to come with her chin raised.

"You're lucky Dennis is being nice today, you can follow us to see for yourself, but when we get the treasure, it will be all ours!"

"Of course,"

Tom helped 'Dennis' move the boat with the oars, his insides giddy by the rocking of the boat against the waves of the ocean. Dennis exclaimed proudly as the small island loomed closer for them to dock on.