KOTLC - Sotam

Chapter 7

Tam's POV

I don't even know what I'm doing here, standing outside Elwin's clinic. Linh convinced me that this would be a good idea. I don't know why I listen to her anyway. Ok, here goes nothing.

My fist hovers over the door before I knock. Maybe I should knock really softly and hope that she doesn't hear it. That way if Linh asks me what happened I can say she was sleeping or something. No, that's stupid, Tam. Just  knock, it's not that hard. Fitz wouldn't even hesitate, he would do his weird voodoo mind thing and smile and the world would be puppies and rainbows.

I knock on the door. Not once, not twice, but three times. I slouch in relief when there's no answer. 

"Hello?"

I freeze.

"Hello..?" This one's a bit quieter than the last, but I can still tell it's her. Crap. I swallow, and enter her room.

"Oh. Hi Tam." She smiles.

"Hi." I open my mouth to say something clever, something about how she looks good, or even just about her day. Nothing comes out. I try again. 

"So..the weather, um, is nice today."

Her eyebrows raise a little. She responds, "Oh, I haven't seen it yet." She smiles.

You idiot. Of course she hasn't seen the weather today, she's stuck in the clinic. What a fool.

"Oh, right."

She nods.

"Do you want to?"

She tilts her head to the side. "Um, yeah. That would be nice. I have to ask Elwin though, I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to leave this cot," she laughs.

There's something so pure about her laugh. That's one of the things I admire about Sophie. Even with everything she's been through, she never fails to keep her soul alive. She's the light. 

"I can ask him," I offer.

Fourteen minutes, three light exams, and a lot of puppy-dog eyes from Sophie later, and we are outside. Well, not really outside, we're in a carefully construed path made by Elwin that is a replica of the outside. He says it's for his patients who are too sick to go outside, but still deserve  the fresh air. 

Before we go, Elwin tells me that if Sophie gets hurt, or even gets a "microscopic scratch" that her will personally force feed me Gurgle Gut Elixer. I'm not too sure what that is, but by the menacing look in his eye, and the horrified expression on Sophie's face, I think I'm fine with not knowing.

Sophie's POV (a few minute later)

It's kind of nice, the silent first few minutes of our walk. I haven't felt the sun in ages, though I know it's not real. But after catching Tam's eye multiple times whenever I sneak a peak at his face from the side, I decide that it would be more productive to actually speak to him.

"So...how did we-" I wince after hearing the scratchy voice that comes out of me. I guess that's what happens when you sleep and wake in a lonely clinic room, the only conversations you have are with Keefe, and he spends the majority of your conversations teasing and laughing at you.

"Sorry, I," I release a frustrate sigh.

I can see Tam peering at me. It's so odd, there's this funny feeling like he actually cares about me. But I don't deserve it, I don't even remember who he really is.

"Sophie," he says, quietly so I'm forced to lean in, "It's ok."

I look down, my face heated. I don't deserve these people. Elwin, Grady, Edaline, Keefe, Tam. They love the person I was, I wish I could be her.

"Hey, it's no big deal." He says.

I look up at his silvery blue eyes. How can this guy read me so well?

"Thanks, Tam."

We stare at each other for a bit, before he breaks away and continues walking. But he makes sure to keep at my pace, even taking slower steps before I even know I've slowed down myself.

I croak, "Hey Tam, I'm sorry I can't talk. This walk must be a real bummer for you."

He tilts his head at me, thinking. He eyes gleam. "You can't talk, but you can communicate."

I scrunch my eyebrows. "What?"

"You're a telepath Sophie."

I nod slowly. "Yeah...I am."

Tam laughs. "Well, only if you're comfortable, but you can transmit to me."

"Ohh, Keefe did tell me I have some crazy powers."

Tam nods, but his smile fades a little. Did I say something wrong?

I say, "Well, I haven't really used them in a while. I do remember..Fitz, I think his name was..he transmitted to me when I woke up after the..coma." My voice is still horrible to hear.

"Give it a go, I believe in you," Tam says.

I snort. This guy looks at me, a girl with bedhead who has been wearing the same clothes for who knows how long, and has faith in that. 

There's an odd look in his eyes when I see him. I break away from our weird staring contest, and clear my throat. "Ok Tam..here goes."

I break into his mental shield, only faltering when I see his eyes widen. Oh. Did he hear that?

He speaks, "Yeah, I really did hear how much you're craving sugar."

I blush. Why did I choose to transmit that? I didn't think it would actually work. 

"I like that you're honest, maybe next time I visit, I'll bring you some mallowmelt."

Mmm. Mallowmelt. Holy..! 

"You remember," Tam says, staring at me in awe. I must have transmitted the broken memory of Edaline baking something. I never knew what it was, and spent hours trying to piece that back together while staring at the ceiling in Elwin's Clinic.

He stares back at me, "God Sophie, you really have no idea how powerful you are, you know that?"

His eyes are so kind looking.

Tam blushes. 

My eyes widen. I need to figure out how to stop accidentally transmitting stuff to cute guys.

Tam looks at the floor, failing to hide his blushing cheeks.

Omg. Sophie stop thinking!

When he looks up, there's a crooked smirk playing on his lips. I freeze.

"We can work on your mental shields next visit," he says.

I quickly nod, and speed up my walking pace, fighting the urge to sink into the ground. My eyelashes are bugging me.

I hear Tam chuckling to himself before he jogs to join my side.