It's Not You, It's Me (Book Two) #Wattys2018

Tic Toc

POV TOBY
Tic
Toc
Tic
Toc
TÍC!
Toc
Tic

The infuriating silence takes over the room, and the more I listen to the clock's slow moving, the angrier I get.

Some of the tic's are quieter than others, and the lack of stability in the constant sound drives me insane.

Horacio walks out of the room and into the waiting room where we all await. I stand up as soon as I see him.

"Any news?" I ask.

He shakes his head no.

I sit back down, sighing.

I go back to resting my head on Theo's shoulder, and he goes back to caressing my hair slowly.

It has been four hours since Augustus has been unresponsive; in a coma. Breathing with the help of a big, expensive, scary-looking machine.

When a tear falls down my face, Theo senses it like he's a superhuman, and wipes it off, even though he can't see it.

He kisses my forehead every time he does so, and I close my eyes shut when I feel his lips touch my skin.

We're all waiting on Gus to wake up: Horacio, Ziggy, Avi, Elliott, Jack, and Theo and I.

At this point, it seems hopeless, but each other's presence fuel the blood in our veins to keep our hearts beating.

Toc.
Tic.
Toc.
TÍC!

I stand up abruptly, go towards the clock hanging on the imperfectly white wall, grab it and throw it on the ground with all the strength that lives in me. The clock breaks into tiny pieces, and I stare at it while I internally praise the lack of its
inexact chants.

The group stands up, but Theo is the first one to reach me and hold my arms, the rest just look at the clock and then back at me, frightened. I breathe hysterically, like a savage, and Theo breaths slowly and clearly asking me to do as he does.

The receptionist reaches for her intercom and calls security to our floor.

"That won't be necessary!" Ziggy tells her, going up to the lady.

"Are you okay?" Theo whispers in my ear, and I stare into his eyes.

"The clock was annoying everyone! Look, our friend is dying, give us a break. No need to call security!" Ziggy confronts the lady.

"If I don't feel secure, I call security. That's just how it works, pink lemonade. Now leave my desk or I'm telling them to take you too!" The receptionist tells her, and Ziggy rolls her eyes and turns away from the table, sticking her tongue out as soon as her back is to the lady.

I stare at Theo and then at Ziggy. The security guard arrives and the lady points at me.

I take a look at Horacio, who just stares at me melancholically.

I walk up to him; and the security guard almost reaches to grab me, but Theo stand in his way.

"Calm down, Wreck It Ralph. The adolescent is not a threat here, alright?" Theo tells the abnormally large fellow.

I hug Horacio and he hugs me back. I cry while I'm at it and sniff a couple of times, he simply squints his eyes to avoid doing the same.