A CROWN OF THORNS.

III. Tomorrow

Todd's POV.

My breath was stuck in my throat,my heart starting to pound faster in my chest by every second.

Neil was alive?
How? Where was he? Where's my Neil?

The first thing I could do was throw up into the nearest bush in their front yard, Yes it was by far the most embarrassing thing I've ever done, (everything I really do is embarrassing) but I couldn't help myself.
I felt Mrs.Perrys hands on my back again,forming a slight rubbing motion for comfort.Shushing me with words like 'it's okay' and 'don't worry'.

After a couple of coughs,
I finally felt the big painful lump in my throat vanish,
"Neil—Where's Neil?" Were the first things I muttered as if it were my first words.
"In the Hospital,you know the big hospital far from here?"
"Yeah..yeah the fancy one"
I nodded,
"Don't tell Tom I told you this but.."
Tom being Mr.Perrys first name, she looked around before whispering,
"He's in room 028 on the second floor,don't say you're his friend say you're family." She advised me,brushing some old half melted snow off of my coat.
I nodded ever so slightly,speechless.

"Don't go there by foot you'll freeze your feet off—take some sort of Taxi or-"
That's when me and Mrs.Perry heard a car door slam shut,
"Todd-oh my god Todd!"
My mom suddenly yelled, running to hug me,my dad only now stepping out of the car.
"We thought you were!-" She looked up at Mrs.Perry,not finishing what she was about to say.
"Thank you" she thanked with a small smile,Mrs.Perry giving a small smile back.

But my mind wasn't focused on that,
I had to go to Neil, but I'm sure Mrs.Perry wouldn't be too happy if I told my parents,so they could give me a ride since she didn't really want to be open with the public with the whole situation,knowing it would go around quickly.
Tomorrow I would go see Neil,this seemed unreal,everything felt unreal since Neil so said 'died' but now it was all not true and that seemed even more unreal.

I missed his voice,his face,his hair—just everything. I missed him. I missed Neil, my best friend Neil, the boy who felt like my other half.
If he even wanted to be best friends anymore,even roommates, I didn't save him from his father in time,that's what drove him to this,I was too late.

I miss his touch.

I hate to admit that I can't stop thinking about that small thing we had in the dead poets cave,or in our room,or when we practiced his lines for the play near the lake.

The way we would sometimes tackle eachother with hugs and love,laughing and smiling before realizing the small sting of a weird feeling in the air, it was noticeable that we both knew that we both felt it. The silence, the slight,tension you call it,hanging in the air.
Before quickly ending it with a small akward smile,one gets up,helps the other off the floor and we'd both help dust the dirt off of each others clothes.

Or that time in the Cave, the way we kept looking at eachother,the smiles we gave eachother when he read out the opening to the meeting and I swear in that moment,it felt like we were infinite.
Like there was no end to us.

Before I could say anything else, my mom led me to the car, quick to give the Perry's a thank you as my dad got in the car again and we drove off. I looked out of the car window, waving Mrs.Perry goodbye, noticing Mr.Perry standing at the doorframe in his sleepwear and robe,he looked so..upset,I've never seen him like this,especially when I thought of him as this big monster.

Soon the Perry house is out of sight, only being able to see the thick snow and frozen grass as the car drove down a long,empty street.

We soon were just back at Hellton.
I only now realize how the use of Hellton grew on me.
My parents stepping out of the car as I watched all the other parents leave the school building in confusion,Charlie,Knox,Meeks and even a bit later-Cameron stepping outside. Saying goodbye to their parents,Cameron a good multiple meters away from the poets society.
"Todd honey,all the parents sadly have to leave now,we'll visit you again when the weekend comes— remember you can always talk to a teacher about-if anything dumb crosses your mind" she spoke while hugging me,rubbing my back.
I just nodded, my mom wanting to say one last thing but realizing it was better if she just let me be.
Getting in the car,waving me goodbye as they both drove off, other parents also getting into their cars.