Chapter Text
Sharp gusts of wind blow through a field, disseminating as they rustle frozen blades of grass. It is vast and barren, untouched by the parasitic influences of man. It can be a peaceful place for those that seek tranquility, yet eerie and mysterious to those who expect it to be. The field lies on the outskirts of a little town. A town that doesn't exist to anyone but its residents. Where the population grows as a new baby cries and doesn't change until somebody dies. At the center of this empty field resides a single tree. Large enough to make the ground shake if it were to fall at the end of its long life and strong enough to withstand the harsh climate it finds itself enduring.
A boy sits at the base of the tree. Bundled up in an unnecessary amount of clothes, he pushes hard against the tree to keep away from the frigid weather. His efforts make the withered bark crumble and fall to the ground around him, like dark freckles on the face of the snow at his feet. The boy sneezes, rubbing his face in response, leaving an unpleasant streak of snot along his sleeve. He frowns, putting down the book he had been reading to vigorously rub his gloved hands over the mess in an attempt to hide its hideousness from prying eyes. As he worked away at the slimy mess, his sleeves twisted about, revealing a small patch of cloth sewn onto the shoulder of the jacket. It was attached at an odd angle and made with the craftsmanship of an inexperienced child. One can just barely read the name Nathan if they were to take the time to decipher its poor design.
Nathan smiles at his handiwork, leaving no evidence of his senseless mistake, and returned to his book. Much to his displeasure, however, the moment of renewed peace would soon be discarded as another boy slowly crept towards the unknowing Nathan. The second boy pushed himself against the tree, opting to remain out of sight until he could formulate a plan to surprise his companion. However, as he crept along the tree, he neglected to recall the current weather, making the snow and ice beneath him crunch in protest. Nathan quickly spun around in surprise, spotting him as he jumped at Nathan in a last-second decision.
A yelp escaped Nathan as he felt the full force of the impact, tumbling to the ground. Nathan yells at the boy, calling him Thomas, as they began to wrestle each other in the snow surrounding the tree. After a few minutes pass, they both fall to the ground beside each other, laughing towards the sky. The boys talk for a while, teasing one another, as they make their way back towards their little town. The sun is setting as they comically march along the dimly lit sidewalks and empty streets. Nathan and Thomas had their arms draped over each other's shoulders, happier at that moment than they ever were.
But that was a long time ago. Longer, it felt, than Thomas cared to remember. He slumped further into his chair as his 8th-period Calculus class droned on. It was always the same to Thomas. The teacher would go on about some useless subject, insisting that he cannot succeed unless he memorizes every word. Thomas did not care about any of it. He would just as well forget about everything they taught him. He was so sick of the same damn thing happening every day. No one could get out of this worthless town, especially not him. He was stuck here while his best friend was out exploring the world, leaving him behind.
Their senior year of high school had just started when Nathan learned he and his family were moving. Out of the faceless town and into the big city. The two boys would be states apart, and there was nothing they could do about it. Granted, they had started to call each other every night, clinging to every scarce moment they could find. Thomas even asked his parents if it would be possible to visit Nathan over the summer. But regardless of what they did to remedy the situation, it did not change the fact that Thomas and Nathan were heart-wrenchingly separated.
So wrapped up in thought was Thomas that he did not realize he had already left the mind-bogglingly boring class and was dragging himself towards the school exit. He took a deep breath as he pushed his calloused hands against the cold steel of the double doors, exhaling a cloud of steam into the frigid air. Looking down at himself, he grumbled, continuing towards his car.
Thomas was by no means an extraordinary person (he did not like to believe so). A tall, young man, not muscular, but far from frail. He had sharp blue eyes that seemed to pierce into the souls of those he observed, though they were not always like that. Once being the source of warmth and comfort, now feeling empty and cold like the air around him. As tall as Thomas was, his height did not compliment his posture or stride. He chose to take short steps that made him appear out of place, alien compared to the bustling students around him that rushed to make it home or wherever they planned to be. The top of his back was bent forward, only adding to his depressive aura. As much as Thomas hated to admit, however, he was an attractive individual. Sharp cheekbones supported a strong jawline and rugged features. Not only that, but Thomas had a natural intelligence, something that his parents would always say was hard to come by these days. Not that he cared to believe any of that nonsense, though. Overall, Thomas was a well-rounded individual, but he was not planning on jumping to improve himself any time soon. Perfectly content with staying mediocre. If his friend was not there to see him succeed, then what point was there in doing so?
Making it out of the hustle and bustle, Thomas finally reached his vehicle. A dinged up red car that was older than him. It was a gift from his father, who told him he used to drive it at his age. It was all the same to Thomas. If it could get him from point A to B, then what does it matter if it looks like a giant brick? Stopping in front of the driver's side door, Thomas dug into his pocket for the keys, pulling them out as he shoved them into the keyhole (The remote lock had not been working in years). Just as he reached out for the door a loud, and very annoying, yell emanated from behind him, breaking the silence Thomas enjoyed so much.
"Hey, Thomas!" the woman yelled, "it's me! Bethany!" She exclaimed in a sing-song voice, much to Thomas's displeasure. "Oh. My. God. How are you doing? What are the odds I'd see you around here?" She chattered happily, looking up at him with a blinding smile.
Thomas gritted his teeth, glaring down at the brunette girl, "I'd consider the odds very high, given the fact that we're the same age and we go to the same god-damned school." he snapped at her, "What the hell do you want anyway?" his words hit home for the girl, who flashed a look of hurt before quickly recovering.
"Well, aren't you just a bundle of joy?" she replied, thick with sarcasm. "I just thought I would try to help out an old friend who looked a little too lonely, but you're worse off than I assumed." she pondered, putting a finger to her lips, "How have you been handling that whole Nathan mess? You don't look like you've been taking care of yourself!" She poked his chest with her finger, glaring up at him with a smirk. "I suspect I'll need to work extra hard to get you back in shape, emotionally and physically!" she exclaimed, giving Thomas's shoulder a solid punch, making him wince at the contact.
Thomas sighed, rolling his eyes and lifting his head. Staring at the steam cloud that, once again, emanated from his mouth, her words rolling around in his head, like a hurricane he could not escape. Letting out a groan of protest, he looked back down at her with furrowed brows. This was going to be a long year.