Better Than Dreams

A Meeting

Timothy

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table. I stood upon the hearth-rug and picked up the stick which our visitor had left behind him the night before...

I was still mad at Sebastian, though I really didn't know why. He wasn't exactly social, but I already knew that. I'd gotten angry for pretty much nothing.

It was a fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous-headed, of the sort which is known as a 'Penang lawyer.'

I'd actually forgotten what he'd said! Another one of his stupid references. Don't get me wrong, I loved the show Sherlock, but Sebastian over-used the lines. Plus, It had been yesterday! How was I meant to remember it word-for-word?

Just under the head was a broad silver band nearly an inch across. 'To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from his friends of the C.C.H.,' was engraved upon it, with the date '1884.'

Usually, I wouldn't care, but he seemed to use the quotes like a defense method. A mask, if you will.

It was just such a stick as the old-fashioned family practitioner used to carry - dignified, solid, and reassuring.

God, this wasn't working. I slammed the cover of Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of The Baskervilles closed. I couldn't focus. The world seemed to spin and my eyes would flit across the page, reading random lines. My thoughts kept coming back to my roommate, who I hadn't seen in a few hours. He'd said he was going to the park just off campus. I somehow doubted that. Sebastian didn't seem like the sit-in-the-park-and-read type of person. If I were being honest, I'd say he was probably smoking.

I decided to take a walk around the school, maybe make some new friends.

I walked for a few minutes, not really looking where I was going. I almost walked into a wall as I suddenly realized I was in the library. I guess I was subconsciously going to the place I'd last seen Sebastian.

I sauntered around the library, running my fingertips along the spines of the books, like Sebastian had done the day before.

"Looking for something specific?" I heard a familiar voice say from behind me.

I whirled, hoping it was Sebastian. For a moment, I thought it was!

There was a tall boy standing in front of me, maybe two inches taller than my roommate. His hair was darker, almost black, and wavy. He had the same startlingly ice-blue eyes, the same high cheekbones. What caught me off guard was the kind smile he wore on his recognizable features. He looked at me like he just legitimately wanted to help out.

"Uh, not really. I was just... browsing." I said, caught off guard.

"Okay, well, what's your name? I'm Lin Brooke, head boy." Lin said, his smile growing bigger.

"Oh! I'm Tim. Tim Nunez. Do you happen to be related to Sebastian Brooke?"

Lin's smile turned slightly strained, so he dropped it, making him look even more like Sebastian.

"Yes, he's my brother. You're his roommate, right?" Lin's expression became skeptical. His face changes a lot, actually.

"Yeah. We're doing a project together." Then I said, just for good measure, "Not like that."

Lin laughed, his light eyes lighting up, something I'd never thought I'd see on those features I usually associated with Sebastian.

"Good, I was ready to get out the bat." He said with a grin. I laughed, wondering how this boy could be so different from his little brother.

"Well, see you around." I said, smiling. Lin seemed nice. The polar opposite of his brother.

"You too."

Well, that was awkward.

I quickly stumbled out of the library, again, on the lookout for Sebastian.

While I was out, I met a few kids in my grade that I'd seen in some of my classes but never spoken to, and a few seniors pretending to try and sell me drugs because of a 'dare.'

I'd pretty much given up on finding Sebastian. I wasn't even sure why I was looking for him. I guess I wanted to apologize, for what reason, I didn't know. He should've been the one saying sorry to me!

I suddenly felt a buzzing in my pocket. I pulled out my phone to see a new text from Harper.

Treble_Harp: Hey! So... I got a bf! His name is Jonas and he is SO dreamy! Yeah, yeah, I know you said that I get a new bf every week.... You know what? I bet you don't even care anymore. See ya, Tim.

T1MSTER: Harp, look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to lash out before. I bet Jonas is great.

Treble_Harp: Tim... I'm sorry, too. I was just angry you'd gone and left the country just to go to school... don't get me wrong, I would've been mad if you hadn't taken the opportunity, just... you didn't even seem to care that you were leaving me behind. You just... left.

T1MSTER: What? No, of course not! Harp, I miss you a lot! I've just been having fun here, is all. My roommate and I had a little fight, I guess. Other than that, he seems to be warming up to me. I have a few teachers I really like... But I still miss my best friend every day.

I hated myself for knowing that was a lie. I'd barely even thought about Harp for weeks.

I saw the three dots under Harpers name move for a minute, then stop. I waited for her message to appear, but there was nothing. I sighed and stuck my phone back in the pocket of my jeans, and headed outside.

I sat down on a bench and took my book back out. I hadn't even realized I was still holding it.

'"Well, Watson, what do you make of it?"

Holmes was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation.

"How did you know what I was doing? I believe you have eyes in the back of your head."'

"'I have, at least, a well-polished, silver-plated coffee-pot in front of me'" I heard a voice say from above me.

I jumped and looked up to see a tall silhouette standing over me.

"Sebastian!" I stammered.

"Timothy." 

So, I'm really sorry this took so long. We just moved houses and it was SUCH a hassle. I have nice neighbors, though. 

I'm not trying to farm followers, I just want to say that I post an announcement every time I post a chapter. If you guys want to follow me, you'll be able to know when I (eventually) do post. It's completely optional!

-Ray