Double Or Nothing // C.T.H

31 ~ Thomas

This morning, I woke with a air of contentment. The ceiling welcomed me with it blank, yet calm canvas when my eyes first opened and the sweet chorus produced from the songbirds getter me softly.

The sun was forcing its way through the small gaps in my blinds, leaving a pattern of even lines across my arms. Warm gold streaks lined meticulously over my bare skin with such perfection, it was mesmerizing. I move my hands, twisting it from palm to back, watching the light glide gracefully as I move, never breaking the organization.

Why can life be as plainly formatted like this? Wouldn't it be so much easier if everyone knew what we right and what was wrong? Simplicity facilitates.

The house was quite. Peaceful, even. It's strange, I can't recall the last time I just... relaxed. My eyes shut in pure bliss, my mind folding my stress and placing it in a drawer locked far away.

My thoughts drift lazily, from school work to Seth, and the thought of him made me thing of Peter.

The smooth brown with gold undertones and flecks of green that were painted so flawlessly on his eyes flashed behind my closed lids.

His milk-chocolate hair that was held by small ounces of gel, his high cheek bones, his face, it was all there.

I remember yesterday, after my ordeal with Seth, he was there. Which, I don't know if I should be creeped out that he keeps popping up out of nowhere, or if I should be grateful of his presence.

*

I watch dumbfounded as Mr. Wilson leads Seth down the hall and out of view. I barely notice Valerie and Calum stumble from the closet. Or the tight embraces that followed. I can't remember why, but we were laughing for some reason, before the mood took a sharp turn.

My mind was still whirling, I physically felt dizzy, I couldn't quite comprehend what Calum was rambling about, but I knew he was absolutely raging at Seth for the phrase "...deserves to be punished..." filtered its way past the fog in my head.

"It's not like that, there's something missing here. He-he apologized just a moment ago, and it sounded pretty real..." I trail off, unable to form adequate words in my confused state .

Calum huffed, taking a small step back. "He was probably just saying that for Mr. Wilson," Valerie said softly, though she sent daggers where Seth had walked the hall.

"You see that would be true, Mr. Wilson did ask, but this was after that. He said it so softly, Mr.Wilson didn't hear...and I don't think I was supposed to either," My eyebrows furrow, Seth never seemed sorry before, why now?

"Oh, you weren't supposed to hear it," A all to familiar voice - one that I was not expecting, responded. My eyes spring to the owner of the voice, connecting with hazel eyes that have the same tones as pure gold.

I widen my eyes at him, "How long have you been here?"

He shrugs, the white strings of the same hoodie, that he wore too often, bounced with kinetic energy. "Long enough,"

Peter glances to Calum, and if I had been any further down the hall, I wouldn't have noticed the micro expression that crossed his face for a tenth of a second. His lips twitched in a unpleasant surprise and his hands tugged at his sleeves in what I could only describe as...embarrassment. But then it was gone, and his arms were crossed casually, his face nonchalant.

I followed Peters eyes to see Calum staring at him with a weary look that definitely had some hidden judgment held in it.

But when my eyes glanced over to Valerie, I took a sharp, surprised inhale. I wasn't expecting to meet her eyes.