The Day The Lights Went Out

Chapter 3 Tea With A Friend

"Um this is, wait I don't even know your name!" Clarence said with shock at het own rudeness that she had neglected to even ask his name.
"It's okay my names Thomas but you can call me Tom" looking up slowly to see Clarence look like she is mentally face palming herself, but he didn't mention anything.
"Well Tom why don't you come in. I'm Clarence's mum but you can just call me Veronica" she smiled warmly at him making sure he felt welcome. Finally they all managed to break away from the awkwardness and walk inside.
"The moving van hasn't come yet so we don't really have much except for this lovely table" Clarence turned to Tom. She knew that this table had belonged to the people living there. Absentmindedly he wandered over to the table and brush his hand carefully along the edges. He hadn't seen this table in along time. Suddenly a flash of memory came to him of his dad, sister and him sitting quietly and eating at the table. He staggered back shaking his head not wanting to remember them. Veronica watched the boy. The table meant something to him. When he staggered back from it she got quiet worried. What had happened to this boy at this table she thought quietly to herself. She turned to look at Clarence a look of worry was also spread across her face. Maybe she knew more than she did but did not press the matter further. Slowly Clarence walked up to Tom and put her hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright Tom you don't need to stay if your not ready." Her voice was like an angels in his ear. It calmed him reassured him, but the way she spoke those words got him thinking that she knew the story he told her was a lie.
"I think I'll be okay" he slowly sat down not taking notice of the worry not only on her face but her mothers as well.
"How about I put the kettle on?" Veronica asked not wanting to interfere, she would ask her daughter about this later. Clarence sat down next to Tom and looked in his eyes. He looked like he was about to cry he wasn't holding up well.
"Mum I'm gonna take Tom into the garden okay" her mother nodded giving her a knowing look. She didn't need to show him the way to the backyard he already new. Which added to her suspicions that the story he told her was a lie. Something bad happened to him here and she wanted to find out what. He instantly went and sat down on the swing. Feeling bold Clarence carefully sat on his lap sideways so she could see him. Not being able to help himself he started playing with her long smooth hair it calmed him, made him feel more relaxed. She decided to nestle her head in the crook of his shoulder sinking down further into his lap.
 
He hummed contently as he wrapped his arms around her so she didn't fall off. Clarence suddenly broke the silence as she asked him a question he never wanted to be asked.
"Thomas what really happened to you here?" She asked cautiously not wanting to upset him. This was a touchy subject. He pulled her up even closer to him and held her tightly. He was shaking a bit and she could feel it. She moved slightly just making herself more comfortable and said to him.
"It's okay if you don't want to answer I shouldn't have asked that's none of my business." He sighed and nuzzled his head into her neck, which mad her gasp and tense up a bit before relaxing into his touch.
"It's alright you only asked cause you were worried about me" he said quietly his voice muffled by her hair but she heard it anyway. He pulled his head away from her neck and looked into her eyes. Looking for something anything, a sign to say she understood. Her hair flicked around her face blown by the strong wind as if she was controlling it. Feeling a bit frustrated he ran his fingers gently through her hair watching as she closed her eyes enjoying the sensation.
"Okay I will tell you-- he was instantly cut off by her gaze that threatened to pierce his soul.
"What?" He said. Very confused as to why she was glaring at him like he had killed Justin Bieber or something. She grabbed his hand gently and put it in her hair once more.
"Who said you could stop I was enjoying that!" Her serious tone broke instantly as she began to laugh hysterically.
"I cannot keep a straight face around you!" She said breathlessly. Humming contently he snaked his free arm around her waist and combed his fingers through her hair once more. This time she didn't close her eyes just looked at him questionably.
"Why are you staring at me?" She asked nervously wanting to know the answer desperately but not really having the courage to find out.
"Because I think your beautiful" he whispered in her ear, nibbling on it playfully. She gasped not really knowing what to do or say, but deciding to restart the conversation.
"Weren't you going to tell me what this place means to you?" He sighed, not really wanting to focus on anything but her. He was love-struck.
"Okay get comfy" she wiggle a bit in his arms feeling his arousal brush against her leg but didn't say anything about it.
"Okay the story I told you before was true. It was just twisted a bit, I wasn't living next door I was actually living in this house. The little girl was my sister and her father was my dad." He went quiet and just looked up. She followed his gaze to a branch with a bit of rope wrapped around it. She saw her own father hanging from there and screamed and fell to the ground. Instantly his gaze snapped back to her as her mother ran out to see what was wrong. Seeing the worried look in his eyes instantly told her it wasn't him.
"Sweetie, sweetie it's alright it's okay I'm here now what's wrong?" She looked at her daughter worryingly not knowing what to do.
"We can't escape him mum no matter how hard we try!" She half screamed, instantly her mother knew she was talking about Daniel. Her instincts told her to look up at the tree and there it was a bit of rope tied around it. To other people it just looked like rope but she new that was a hanging knot.
"Darling it wasn't real it was just your imagination again" Thomas was starting to catch on something was very wrong here. Her mother looked up at him with lost eyes as she told her daughter she would be back.

Instantly he got on the ground next to her and pulled her into his lap. He gently wrapped his arms around her protectively, not letting go no matter what happened.
"Would you like me to continue?" He asked slowly and cautiously.
"Yes, please....." She sounded so afraid, so scared, so distant and what was that about her imagination? He didn't question any further she would tell him when she was ready.
"So after well, they died I was adopted by the family next door. Very kind loving people. I went to therapists and stuff cause they wanted to make sure I was dealing with this okay, well yeah. So now your in my old house." He sighed.
"That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be" she hadn't moved or spoken at all he was getting worried.
"Um are you okay?" He intertwined his hand with hers as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I'm fine there are things I just need to and want to forget" he wasn't satisfied with that answer so he pressed a bit further, even though all signs were telling him to drop it.
"Um if you don't mind me asking where is your dad?" She instantly froze and started shaking. Instantly sensing he had asked the wrong thing he changed the subject, which was supposed to put her mind at ease but it didn't.
"Hey I know this isn't really a good time to ask but will you be my girlfriend. I mean you don't have to reply straight away or anything but----
"Yes"
"Huh what?"
"Yes, yes I will be your girlfriend"

I was actually drinking tea while writing this. I haven't really wrote an authors note before cause it didn't have any reads but I know the story will eventually get reads. All in good time anyway... I'll try and update every single day just to keep the story going. I also hate when authors don't have consistent updates either so I'm doing my best okay peace out. 🤗