Doctor ~ G.Blythe [1]

seventeen.

+ the apology +

I sat at the desk in my room as I looked down at my Jane Austen book, my elbows propped up on the table as my fists rested on my cheek, my eyes darted over the page as I read line for line. I had the window open a little as the calm cool air flooded in, my curtains flowing about to the sound of the wind ripping through the trees that surrounded my house.

The book pages were tattered, almost a beige colour due to being from when my mother was a little girl, being gifted them by her aunt. She has given them to me on my 8th birthday, telling me that she had once loved them and she was hoping I would as well. Now they sat on my bookshelf, not a spec of dust on them as I read them very often, the set of four rarely ever all in the box at the same time, one of them always sitting on my desk or on my nightstand.

I let out a small breath as a soft knock came to my door, causing me to turn around, my hand sitting on the wooden back as Tom opened the door slightly, poking his head through with a forced smile on his face. "Hey" he said quietly as he entered the room as I turned back to face the wall, the door clicking quietly behind me as I heard the floorboards squeak as he made his way over to me. "Hi" I said bluntly as he pushed his hands into his pockets as he shifted awkwardly on his feet.

"What are you doing?" he asked me as I closed my book, setting my hands in my lap as I continued to stare at the wall, not turning towards him. "Reading" I replied quietly as he let out a deep sigh, hunching his shoulders forward. "I'm sorry" he said to me as I looked towards him, his mouth in a frown as his eyebrows were furrowed apologetically. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did" he said as I let out a deep sigh, leaning back in my chair as I turned the pearls on my bracelet around between my fingers. "Its okay" I said quietly as he breathed out in relief taking a few steps back and sitting at the end of my bed, resting his elbow on the footboard.

"I thought you'd be angry at me forever" he said as he leaned his face on his hand, looking over at my with a smirk. "I debate it" I replied as silence filled the room once again, my brother taking in a sharp breath as I looked over at him with raised eyebrows, wanting to know what he was thinking. "I don't know why I shouted at you the way I did, I think I was just shocked" he said as I shook my head at him, crossing my leg over the other as I twisted to face him. "I was as well, it's okay, I don't blame you" I told him as he nodded his head nervously, rubbing his lips together.

"So, are you and Gilbert courting now?" he asked me quietly, clearly uncomfortable about the topic. "It might be a really long courtship" I said to him as he let out a breath, nodding his head as he scratched his forehead. "Probably a few years if you're lucky" Tom said before clearing his throat, rubbing his hands together as I sensed his uncomfortableness. "I think father may have a heart attack if I started courting someone" I added as he laughed lightly, still rather hesitant on the subject of my significant other clearly.

"I need to court someone before you can" he said as he leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees as he put his head in his hands, laughing as he looked back up at me. "Well Prissy is sitting at home waiting for your invitation" I told him as he went red, shaking his head as he straightening his back, a smirk on his face. "She's still in school" he told me as I shook my head at him, setting my cheek on the back on my chair as I looked over at him pointedly. "So were you last year, she's barely a year younger than you" I told him as he rubbed his thighs with his hands, letting out a deep breath as he stood up. "Okay, I think this chat has come to a close" he said as I stood up with him, crashing into his arms as the hugged my shoulders, my head resting in his chest as he rubbed my back with one of his hands.

"Please think about speaking to Prissy, she's super nice I promise" I begged him as he pushed me away, holding me at arms length with his hands clasping my shoulders, a smile on my face. "Stop trying to dictate my love life" He told me as he ruffled the top of my hair which made me swat away his hands, fixing my roots before I looked up at him and shrugged my shoulders. "I just want an excuse to buy a new dress" I told him as he laughed at me, ruffling my hair once again as I hit his hands away from me once again.

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A/N: I hope you guys are hitting the post christmas sales because I know i definitely did
I really like the idea of Kate and Tom having a really close relationship because it will definitely come into play later on in the book so you guys just need to wait and see
please vote and comment and i will see you soon