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Nick and I walk, not saying another word about the flower. About Tommy. About Ranboo. AboutTubbo. We don't speak at all. Our bodies do all the talking. The heat between our skin makes all the noise.

"Nick," I start and he looks at me as I break our silence, "do you feel that?"

"Feel... what?" He questions but his eyes do more talking. His eyes instantly shoot to where our bodies connect. Where our bodies ignite with a burn. Always pay attention.

"Never mind." I sigh. "It's not important." My voice goes quiet again while my mind thinks of something, anything, to fill the silence.

We walk another few steps before something pops into my mind. Bluebell. "I have another question." Nick ushers with his hand for me to continue on. "Why is Bluebell always... abandoned?"

"Do you mean why does no one hang out around Bluebell?" I nod my head.

Every time we've gone to Bluebell no one has been around. Even when I've gone alone no one's been there. With a place so pretty I don't know why you'd ever want to stay away. I wanted to spend all my time there. I just knew I couldn't because I needed to get to meet people. I had to form bonds and build relationships. I needed to find "the one".

"No one really ventures out much. People like to stay close to home. They fear not making it to their pods in time. Bluebell to most is a risk not worth taking. It's a trip that takes hours. Hours people would rather spend finding the one." Nick looks at me with a sparkle in his eye. He loves Bluebell just as much as I. It's important to him. Important to him and Karl. Important to his healing.

"Are you telling me that you've made me into a risk taker?" I give the man stood beside me side eyes. He smiles at my question. No, he smirks at my question. It's the same look Clay had on his face, the smug look of loving what he's done.

"You stepped out as one. Everything you've done up to this point has been of your own free will." Cover your ass. I see what you are doing boy.

"Let me guess, Clay showed you Bluebell." Of course I'm right. I don't even have to wait for his response to know that I'm right. Clay has been trapped out here for years. At least I assume it's been years with all the people he knows and the knowledge he has. I can't ever be too sure. I can't only assume but so far, my assumptions have been pretty spot on.

By my own surprise we don't link up with Clay the rest of the day. We actually spend most of the day with George. Who also isn't attached at Clay's hip. It's a shocking sight for me. Every time I've seen George, he is attached to Clay's hip. Then again, every time he sees me I'm attached to Nick's. Touché.

I see the night sky getting darker and I know my mind still holds heavy on the thought from earlier in the day. I need to depart from Nick. I need an excuse to get away. I told myself to listen to Clay. To listen to Nick. But I can't let Tommy suffer. I witnessed tears once. I couldn't witness them again.

Thankfully, George distracts Nick long enough for me to escape. He doesn't do it on purpose. He doesn't even know I need to escape. But I take my chance and I run. I know I don't have long. And I know I have too far to go in the little time I have left. This is more than a half a day's journey and I don't have that time.

I reach the fence as the final warning bell rings. I quickly look at the cameras and I reach. I reach through the fence and pluck a flower from its stem. The world goes quiet and I feel my heart drop. I'm not in my pod. If I'm caught, I'll be locked away for my unseeable future.

The flower is wrapped tightly between my fingers as I sprint through the grassland. There is no place to hide. There are cameras everywhere. Nick has taught me the tricks of the trade but he's done this hundreds of times. Me on the other hand, the only experience I have is the two days I've spent with him.

Hyacinth || dreamwastakenWhere stories live. Discover now