But Now We're Stressed Out

Thomas the dank engine

Okay...the first chapter of The Wretched and Divine has now been published

Please go read it

Sorry, Wattpad decided to delete all my progress on that book, so I only have the prologue right now

I might cry

And there's also a good four characters that I haven't been paying too much attention too

So it's time for a big of a change...

TRIGGER WARNINGS : talks about a lot with what happened to Quinn (rape, self harm, abuse)

Thomas POV
"Who knew there'd be so much arsenic in the gold mines," I recited my lines, trying my best to not look at my script.

I love performing but I never expected to get the part of the villain. Aida is a great musical but an extremely long one. Zozor is the villain, which I'm playing this year.

Sadly, I lost the lead to Roman King. Not surprising considering he's the best but I thought I might actually stand a chance since I'm a senior now.

It was starting to get a little chilly out. I decided to practice in the park but now, as the sun sets, I'm starting to regret my decision to practice here.

But then again, Talyn and Joan are too busy today to practice and hang out.  And I don't feel like bothering my parents by singing along at the top of my lungs to the songs. 

Sighing, I fell backwards onto the bench behind me.  I had to look at my lines to remember the next one.

I leaned back a bit and looked up to the sky. It was cloudy. I miss the sun but I guess this is okay. I looked at the trees across the soccer field.

But the harder I looked, I noticed a black lump of something sitting in one of the trees. I looked closer and I realized the lump was shaking.

Curious and confused, I got up off the bench. My anxiety said just leave it but I wanted to know what that is.

I walked to the base of the tree, holding my script in front of me tightly as if it could protect me.  I looked up there again.  

There was a person in a black sweater up there.

"Hello?" I called up to them. The person flinched but didn't respond. "I know you can hear me and I can see you up there."

"What do you want?" A soft voice said.

"Just wondering why someone's in a tree in the middle of winter," I answered.

"Sometimes people need a break and this is the best I have to escape without doing anything bad," The soft voice answered.

"What would be considering bad?" I asked, worried I already knew the answer.

"Why do you care?" The voice asked.

"Just worried," I replied.

The person turned around and then I could finally see their face. It was a boy but best not too assume what pronouns they might prefer.

They leaned their head against the trunk and looked down at me. They were pale but their face was blotchy and red from crying.  They had thick curly black hair and a few soft freckles.  They looked really skinny too. 

"My name's Thomas,"  I said.  "Whats you're name?"

"Quinn,"  They responded. 

"Mind me asking what pronouns you use?"  I asked.  "I just don't want to offend."