When We Were Younger | Book 1

The book

Sophie (current):
I look at Tom and I can't help but stare a little, noticing how handsome he has become.
When his eyes meet mine I quickly look away.
I feel an somewhat uncomfortable tension between us, which never happened before.

Maybe it's naive to think that our bond would still be the same as it used to be? After all these year of not talking to each other at all.

I didn't have this problem with Bill, but our bond was always different.
Maybe I should invite them to my party this evening? I hesitate a little, but decide to do it anyway.

"Are you and Bill busy tonight?" I ask him with a forced big smile on my face.
"Uhm," he stammers and I can see the tension on his face. Why is he acting so strange? Maybe he doesn't wanna be friends anymore? I think to myself, regretting the fact that I just invited him.

"No plans." He says, his lips curling into a little smile.
"In that case, I have a party tonight. In the pub. In the lounge upstairs. You and Bill wanna come?"

Tom:
Sophie looks at me, smiling.
"Party?" I look at her questioningly. "What kind of party?"
"My birthday party!" She says enthusiastically.

Today is her birthday?!
I look at her surprised, with big eyes.
"It's you birthday?" I ask, a little ashamed that I don't remember her birthday.
She looks away and a little laugh leaves her mouth.

"Yup, Still on July 15th!"
Idiot! I think to myself. How could I forget her birthday?? I don't even have a gift for her.
"Happy birthday!" I say quickly and lean a little closer to her, more clumsy than I am used to from myself, and give her three kisses on her cheeks.

I feel my cheeks turning pink and can't surpress a little shy-ish smile.
"Thanks," She says. "so, you guys are coming to my party? It starts around eight."
"We'll be there."

"Okay, see you later!" Sophie says. She gives me a quick kiss on my cheek, stands up, and walks away.
"See you later." I say with a soft voice and keep my gaze on her until I can't see her anymore.

I have to call Bill! I think to myself and get my phone from my pocket.
"Tom?"
"Bill! It's Sophie's birthday. We forgot to buy her a present! We can't just show up empty-handed! We have to find her a gift!' I rattle without taking a breath.

"Party? Gift? What are you talking about?"
"Sophie, it's her birthday, she invited us to her party, TONIGHT!"
"Today is her birthday?" I hear Bill whispering.

I roll my eyes, irritated. "Yes Bill, it's her birthday! I'm gonna buy her a gift, you coming are not?"
"Of course I'm coming."
"Okay, meet me at the park." I say before I hang up my phone and start walking.

Sophie (Flashback):
I am sitting on a bench in the park next to the bus stop. Tom and me are going back to school for the first time today. Bill is not allowed to go yet, because of his injuries.

I'm meeting Tom here in a few minutes.
The last two weeks I have been walking around near the school every day to find a new safe place for us.
A place where almost no one comes. Or at least no one from our school.

I hope Tom is okay. In all those years he and Bill never went to school separately. They always had each other.
I hear footsteps behind me and turn around. It's Tom. "Hi, Tom." I say softly.

He sits down next to me. "Hi."
"Everything okay?" I ask, noticing the troubled look on his face.
He nods and look into my eyes, briefly.

"Is Bill okay?"
He nods again.
I know how Bill is doing. We talk to each other every day. It was just me trying to get the conversation going. Tom looks a little nervous and I'm not sure what to do or what to say.

It's not just the fact that he is here alone, without Bill. The people who did this to him, to Bill, to us, are walking around like nothing happened.
They didn't even change schools.
No punishment, nothing.

"Come, it's almost time." I say with a soft voice and get up, looking at Tom. Waiting for him to do the same.

We walk to the school gate and get inside.
It's weird to be back here and I have to admit that I'm a little scared. How will people reject to us being back?
Will they just ignore us? I wouldn't mind that. Ignoring is the best thing that can actually happen to us.

Tom (current):
We walk through the city, looking for the perfect gift.
Since I haven't seen her the last eight years, I have no idea what she might like. It feels like I don't know her at all. Not anymore.
Is she still into the same stuff? Probably not.

"Tom, look! What about this? You think she'd like this?"
I follow Bill's finger, pointing at a necklace and matching earrings.
I look through the window display of a jewelry store. I look at Bill, doubtfully.

"Hm, I don't know."
Isn't that just a random average gift? I think to myself.
Why do I even feel the need to buy her something special? I have no idea.

I look around until suddenly my eyes fall on a store across the street. I walk over to the store without saying anything.
"Tom?" I hear Bill say and hear his footsteps following me across the street.

I look through the window briefly before I walk inside. Followed by Bill.
It's a small second-hand shop. Bill looks around and starts walking around the shop.

I do the same. It takes only a few minutes before something catches my eye. I walk towards it and look at it more closely.
Bill stands next to me. "You think you'll find something for her here?" He says doubtful.

"This book." I say softly. "This is the book she always wanted. She was looking for it for weeks, but couldn't find it anywhere."
Bill leans in closer. "This book?"
I nod. "I remember. She was talking about it at school."
"I dont remember."
"You weren't in school." I say, still looking at the book. It's in pretty good condition, perfect condition actually. It looks like no one even touched it.

I walk towards the little desk next to the entrance of the store.
"I'm going to that jewelry store, okay?"
"See you outside in a minute." I say as I hand over the book to the man behind the desk.