The Last Healer

Chapter 9 Ariella

Chapter 9 Ariella

            "Hey!" Thomas said again as he pulled me into a hug. I stared up at him in surprise and he shifted uncomfortably. "What is it? Do I have something on my face?" He asked as he brushed his left hand across it.

            I blushed and shook my head. How could I tell Thomas about the man inside? How could I tell him or even ask him about it? He was so nice to me yesterday and I just couldn't believe that he would have done anything on purpose to upset that man. But, what if I was wrong? What if Thomas really did do something and that man had a good reason to despise him? But, if I asked, Thomas could get mad at me and I didn't want anyone mad at me.

            The confusion inside was enormous and I had no idea what I was supposed to do about it. But, one question kept coming to mind and that was: can I trust him?

            "Come on, tell me." Thomas poked my cheek and I jumped. I looked up at him and realized that he was smiling.

            "I-it's nothing." I whispered.

            "Actually, it is something." Brittney interrupted. I whipped around and started at her, afraid of what she was going to say. She wouldn't actually tell him what happened, would she? She shrugged at me then looked up at Thomas. "The shoemaker was causing a scene in there because of you."

            He knew. I tensed, waiting for him to get angry. Waiting for him to lash out. I hated it. I closed my eyes and jumped when he started to make a sound. It took me a moment to realize that he was laughing. Loudly. I opened my eyes and looked at him in confusion while Brittney rolled her eyes.

            "It isn't funny, Thomas!" Brittney shouted. I shied away from her too.

            I really hated when people were angry. When someone was angry, it almost always followed with a beating and I didn't want to be beaten.

            "Yea, yea, yea." Thomas chuckled and then winked at me. "And I'm guessing that's why you're even more afraid of me?" He shook his head when I blushed.

            "Why do you always laugh when this happens?" Brittney demanded.

            "What am I supposed to do? Go curl up in a corner and cry?" Thomas shrugged. "That's not my style."

            "No, but you don't have to be laughing like a lunatic!"

            "But laughing like a lunatic is fun."

            "Thomas!" Brittney shouted, her fists clenched to her sides.

            "Brittney!" Thomas covered his mouth with his hands with a mocking look on his face.

            "When are you going to be serious about this?" She demanded.

            "When it's important for me to?" He grinned.

            "You...you're impossible!"

            "That's me!" Thomas laughed and then turned to me. "As for you, don't worry about what he says. He's not a friend."

            "W-why doesn't he like you?" I asked after a moment. I tensed when he sighed, afraid that the question may have upset him.

            "Well-"

            "There you are!"

Thomas and I whipped around to see our mother rushing towards us. Her cheeks were still red from the argument with the shoemaker and her hair seemed to be a little windblown.