By The House

Picture together

Time: 6:16 am

Five minutes in, and Tom looked at me. He smiled, then started to chuckle a bit.
Walking to school, and not acknowledging the house normally took about 10 minutes. But it took us more than 10 minutes. I don't know exactly but more.

Me: What?
I smiled.

Tom: Sorry, it's just. The house

Tom and well mostly Tom liked walking to school early because of the house and I liked walking to school early because of him. So we could catch the sunrise.
Well I did, Tom did once but he couldn't understand why catching a sunset or a sunrise was important to me, all he knew was that it was important to me. And to be honest, It's because I'm scared of the dark and with Tom by my side...I just wasn't.

Me: Oh, right...
I chuckled awkwardly and looked at the house, Tom looked at the house too.

Tom: I can't...

Me: Wait, what do you mean!?

Tom: Something's pulling me and you know

He looked at me,
"The instance".
He continue.

Tom and I had seen a shadow figure looking at him. Then it just disappeared when we looked back at the window on the fifth floor one day. I don't like to talk about it but I know Tom does. Since he likes questioning, expressing and exploring random things.

Tom: Curiosity is killing me...I want to know if what we saw that day was-

I stopped him.

Me: Tom...
I whispered

He stopped and looked at me with his apologetic eyes again, I felt like a baby compared to him.

Tom: Luke? You okay?

Me: Yeah
I looked down at the ground and looked back at him

"Can we just go" .

He looked at his watch

Time: 6:21 am

Tom: Yeah, we can...
Trying not to sound upset, and he looked up but then looked back down at his watch. .

Time: 6:2-no 6:22 am

Tom: Fuck...
He whispered

Me: What's wrong!? Did it happen again!?

He looked back up at me, worried.

Me: Come on dude, just tell me.

Tom: ... Yeah it's happening again.

Me: How long this time, three?

Tom: No... five well six.

Me: Shit...
I muttered, I was starting to freak out...Last time it took three minutes, I could see why Tom was worried. I started to take deep breaths.

Tom: Hey?
He pulled me closer by my shoulders.

"Luke look at me?".

I looked up into his dark brown eyes.

Me: Thomas I'm okay! Look!
I started to breathe slowly and deeply, I even started chuckling a little. Then, Tom did too.

Tom: Alright
Still chuckling, taking his hands off my shoulders.
"But I'm still going in, just to find or get answers like you do".

Me: You mean research and learning?
I tried looking offended but then smiled off.

Tom: Yeah, sure.
He smirked.

Me: But I'm coming with you too.

Tom: Alright, I'll protect you anyway.
He started walking. I followed.

Me: Oh yeah? But it's fine, I'll bring my own pocket knife and extra supplies just in case...

Tom: Of course
He looked up at the sky, he pointed at it and pushed my shoulder a bit.
"Go on sunboy, take your pic".

Me: Oh shit, you're right!
I stopped, he stopped. I grabbed my 2003 Sony cyber shot camera and my phone out of my backpack. A couple of seconds later I took a picture of the sunrise then looked back at him.

Me: Tom get in the picture, please?

Tom: This is your tenth time asking me and it's still a no.
He laughed.

Me: Come on Tom, just one picture of yourself and one picture of the both of us!

Tom:...
He sighed
"Fine".
He walk in front of the camera and stood there with a pissed off grin.

Me: Come on Tom, lighten up please.

Tom: Alright mom
He smiled as best as he could, I took it and then he looked at the sunrise, I really accidentally took another one.
"Luke! You said only one pic, not two!".

Me: I'm sorry Tom!, I accidentally-

Tom: Yeah, you accidentally clicked...jeez dude.
He was annoyed.

Me: Tom I said I was sorry! okay!? I really did accidentally took another picture!
For some unknown reason I started laughing really hard. He was just stood there crossing his arms.

Tom: Are laughing Lukas Simon Schmitz?

Me: Not at all Thomas Chris Barnett?

I was starting to stop laughing and a smile pecked on his face.

Tom: You really had to, huh? You know what, I'm sorry Luke just get in the god damn picture and take it.

He started laughing too, and I laughed again with him and we took the picture together and forgave each other then continued walking to school.

Time: 6:25 am