back to you | boreo

xxiii.

chapter twenty three

just over a month had passed since boris left for poland – for the second time.

the first week was hard for theo. even though his friends had got him out of his room – he still couldn't get the boy out of his mind. the nights where he was alone was the worst.

the second week he got back to work, which was a good distraction for the blonde. he started to feel more like himself. even though he hadn't forgotten – he found himself thinking about it less and less everyday.

the next couple of weeks consisted of theo creating a new routine for himself. hobie suggested the idea, since before everything happened, he felt like some days were much more unproductive than others.

he made sure that he spent plenty of time with hobie, abby and pippa. they were the people who kept him going everyday. and to theo's surprise – he even made a visit to see mrs barbour during the third week, which turned out to be a good decision. their relationship hadn't changed a bit – like what happened with kitsey never happened in the first place.

theo had even gotten more into reading over the past few weeks. he also spent a lot of time at the local record store – expanding his taste in music.

on one of his days off work, the boy was relaxing in the living room with a book in his hand. a mixed music playlist was playing in the background, making him lightly tap his foot on the floor.

as the door opens from the entrance way, a cold gust of wind follows with a few snowflakes.

the winter wonderland outside reminded theo that it was almost christmas – a holiday that the boy rarely enjoyed due to his past. but maybe this year would be different.

hobie enters the room, carrying a few grocery bags. the blonde looks up to give him a smile, soon putting his book down to stand up and help the old man with the groceries.

they walk into the kitchen together, putting the bags on the counter and start to unload them together. as theo puts some vegetables into the fridge, he suddenly freezes as his ears pick up a familiar song playing from the living room.

a lump appears in the boy's throat as he slowly closes the fridge, trying to ignore the music –but it didn't work. the memory of a particular night flashes into theo's mind – making him take in a deep breath.

it was the song that was playing when theo and boris kissed for the first time in seven years.

hobie soon notices his friend looking distraught, giving him a concerned glance. "is everything alright, theo?"

"yeah. yeah, i'm fine. i just remembered something i didn't exactly want to remember." he replies, giving the man a struggled smile.

the blonde takes a seat at the kitchen table, making hobie walk over to join him. as the song changes, theo lets out a sigh of relief.

"it's just been hard, you know?" the boy mumbles, taking his glasses off to rub his eyes.

"i know. however, i think that this past month has been good for you. as much as you were hurting before, i've noticed that you're starting to focus more on yourself. you're fresh out of a bad relationship and you can finally focus on what you really want." hobie tells him.