White Thorn | On Hold

Tutoring

The ceiling that swam into view was alarmingly familiar. It was very white, and very bright, and it was soon blocked out by a very familiar face.

"You really did a number on her Rian..." Flynn sighed, staring down at her in concern.

Arya groaned. "Ya think?"

"Is she awake?" A set of grey eyes joined the brown ones gazing down at her as she lay on the hospital bed.

"No, I'm talking in my sleep." She folded her arms, glaring up at him. "What do you think?! Of course I'm awake..."

"Yikes..." Flint wandered over. "Someone's in a bad mood."

Lydia folded her arms, scowling at the three guys along with Velvet. "I thought you said she was only supposed to be missing her first class or two, Flynn..." She scowled. "What the hell did you do to make her end up in the hospital again?! She's only just got out!"

"Don't look at me!" Flynn pointed at Rian. "He's the one who made her faint."

"I've never fainted before." Arya sat up. "I'm fairly sure I never will... Well, not over a memory anyway. No matter how bad it is..." She folded her arms. "So, stop lying and tell me what the bloody hell is going on here..."

Lydia closed her eyes. "We should tell her."

"She has a right to know." Velvet added, leaning back against her bed railing.

Flynn silenced the pair of them with a glare. "We tell them in the Second Year..." He said. "Not before."

"What if I want to know now?" Arya scowled.

"Wait until the Second Year, Ari-bear." Flynn sighed, brushing a loose strand of black hair back behind her ear. "When you know that you want to stay and learn the truth about this world... Once you've decided to join the fight..."

"Arya..." Rian stepped forwards. "You should trust him."

"I'm fairly sure I've said this before, but I'm not great with trust."

"Please." Flynn's brown eyes met her green ones, pleading desperately with her. "Ari-bear... Trust me..."

Her shoulders sunk. "Fine."

Flint blinked. "Wow." He mumbled. "That was easier than I thought it'd be..."

Flynn and Arya turned to him in unison. "Shut the hell up, Flint."

Flint chuckled, turning on his heel, waving at the pair of them over his shoulder as he walked away. "You're so much like him, Arya Cross..." He laughed. "It's actually kind of scary..."

"Will you at least tell me who I remind you of?" She turned to the blonde, watching as Rian shepherded the two girls out of the room, leaving her alone in the hospital ward with Flynn.

The blonde boy smiled sadly. "His name was Fiannan Grayson... and he was my twin brother..."

"Oh..." Arya blinked. "But I'm a girl..."

Flynn laughed. "I think I've gathered that fact, Ari-bear." He turned to her. "So I suppose it's your turn now..."

"My turn?"

He grinned. "Who do I remind you of?"

"Someone who stayed with my church for five years."

"Someone?"

"That's all you're getting." Arya said.

"I don't even get a name...?"

Her shoulders sunk. "He never told me his..."

"Hey." Flynn rubbed her shoulder. "Don't go getting all misty eyed on me, OK? We've still got a good three hours of tutoring to get through." He glanced around the empty hospital ward. "But first, we might as well relocate to a different room... I can't tutor you in this depressing ward..."

"Fusspot." Arya mumbled, climbing out from underneath the tangled sheets.

"I can carry you if you want..."

"I can walk." She grumbled, accepting his proffered hand. "Besides, I could use the exercise..."

Flynn smiled. "If you think this is exercise, you'll be dead on your feet tomorrow morning."

"You wanna bet?"

"Come on, Ari-bear." He said, pulling her towards one of the tower blocks of accommodation. "We'll study in my room."

Heat rose in her cheeks. "Your room...?"

"Is there a problem?"

"People are going to talk."

Flynn shrugged. "Let them."

"They're going to think that I'm your girlfriend or something..."

"You're more like a little sister to me, Ari-bear."

"I'm her only big brother here, Flynn boy." Jake appeared in the hallway, glaring at the other blonde. "She's under my wing, not yours."

"Oho... and who decided that...?" Flynn folded his arms.

Jake's eyebrow twitched. "It doesn't matter."

"We can both help her to adjust to things here, but make no mistake, Jake..." His brown eyes narrowed on the boy's green ones. "I won't let her run around with your gang... I won't let her wreak havoc on this school with the rest of your lot. She'll be a model student."

Jake smirked. "Is that a challenge?"

Arya's hands twitched slightly. "You do know that I'm standing right here, don't you?"

"Come on, Ari-bear." Flynn pulled her away. "We need to study..."