Thomas

“Thomas?”  Jamie says through my giggles.  I haven’t laughed in years.

“Yeah?”

“I feel weird,” he says, meeting my eyes.  I feel weird, too, I want to say.  I’m feeling pulled toward Jamie, wanting to be closer to him.  All I can think of is him.  

But then his hands burst into flames.  Maybe he wasn’t feeling the same weirdness I was.

The flames did not want to burn either of us and Jamie knew that, too.  He played with the flames between his fingers.  

I wanted to play with the flames, as well, so I ran the flames hovering above his fingers through my own fingers.  When I met his eyes, I felt these weird feelings inside me grow even more.  My large hand enveloped his when I held it.  

His flames grew and wrapped around my hand as well.  Wow, they are truly beautiful.  When I looked back up at his face, I realized he was beautiful, too.

Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned in and my lips met his.  He was surprised at first, but kissed me back.

I felt as though his flames were coursing through my body.  I can’t tell what is happening anymore, all I know is I feel warm and soft and safe.

I pulled away and the realization hit me.  I’m kissing Jamie!  My partner, Jamie!  This should not be happening!  

I gasped as I let him go and I ran out of the room.  I looked down to see remnants of his flames on my hand, but the farther I ran away, the more they disappeared.

I felt empty inside, the flames are gone now.  His flames.

Snap out of it, Thomas.  It is technically forbidden for a guard and their partner to be in a romantic relationship.  We aren’t even in a romantic relationship!  What am I thinking?

Once the door to my room closes, I slide down the wall with my head in my hands.  When I look up, my eyes travel to the empty bed in my room.  He would be occupying that bed starting this weekend.  Which was in three days!  Michael had told me two days ago when Jamie was resting, and I forgot to tell him.

My head is a mess right now!  I can’t stop thinking about him, and more specifically our kiss.

I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.  Why so suddenly and why for him?  Why a boy for that matter?  I’ve always thought girls were the attractive ones, not guys.

I’m so confused.  I think it’s time for some rest after this crazy day. I crawl into bed and start drifting off to sleep. A small smile crept across my face, as I was thinking about our awesome dance party.

~~~

When I wake up, I instantly feel the urge to see him.  No!  I’m not going to think about him until I have to pick him up for classes.

Ugh, we have classes together.  All.  Day.

Whatever.  Just don’t think about him.

I get up to put my uniform on.  Does he need a clean uniform?  

Stop.  

I brush my teeth at the sink.  Ew, did my breath stink when we kissed last night?  

Stop!

I should probably pick him up because he doesn’t know the code to his door.  I look at the time, 8:00.  Crap, we won’t have time for breakfast.

I hurry down the hall to his room and the door slides open to find a dazed Jamie sitting at his desk.

“Finally!  What took you so long?  We don’t even have time for breakfast.”

“Sorry.  I woke up late.”

The rest of the walk to the classroom was silent, neither of us wanting to speak a word.  I glanced over at him as the door was sliding open to find him already staring at me.  He blushes and turns to look inside the classroom.

Good.  The teacher isn’t here yet.  There is only a long table, that I used to occupy by myself, in the front of the room.  The teacher has a small table in front of the board so they can set their stuff down.

“We have math first with Mr. Gales.  He’s cool.  We don’t really get homework in these classes unless we really piss off the teacher.”

“Ok.”  Well, I was expecting more of a response than that.

“English is with Mrs. Attila, she is strict, but kinda nice.  Science is Mr. Gunther, he’s generally very happy and always telling jokes.  World History is with Miss Forest, she is super sweet and always makes sure you understand everything.”

“You should know, sometimes during school, I space out and I get frustrated easily.”

I felt the urge to comfort him, “That’s alright, I’m your guard, I’m meant to help you.”

The door slides open and Mr. Gales steps into the classroom, “Good morning, guys!  You must be Jamie.”

“I am, sir.”  Jamie stands to shake his hand.

“I’m Mr. Gales, your math teacher, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You, too, Mr. Gales.”  Jamie gave him a quick handshake with a smile and sat down.

The rest of the morning was just a repeat of this with the rest of the teachers.  

When Miss Forest left, I tried to talk to Jamie.  “Jamie, can we talk about yesterday?”

“Thomas, not now.  I want to enjoy my lunch.  My room after?”

“Sure.”

Lunch went by impossibly slow.  I watched Jamie enjoying his lunch with Rob and Tilly from across the lunch room.  When I saw him get up, I followed.

I let him walk ahead of me for a bit and when I got to his room he was already situated on his bed.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

Silence.  I don’t know what I was expecting.  I don’t know what he was expecting.  

Jamie decided to speak up first, “Thomas, I don’t know what happened last night, but I know you felt it, too.”  I did.  I did feel it.  But I couldn’t get the words out.  “When we kissed it was like my flames were surrounding us, enveloping us.  We were connected.  I felt safe in your embrace.  It was warm and soft and I know - I hope - you felt that, too.”

I just stared at him with my jaw hanging open.  He practically read my mind.  “I did.  I felt it, too.  Before the kiss, it was like my body was pulled toward you.  After the kiss, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.  Everything I did connected my thoughts to you.”

“My flames.  They liked you, too.  It was as if you were calling out to them so they came.  What’s going on with us, Thomas?”

“I don’t know.  Do you want to try to call your flames again?”

He just gave a curt nod.  I walked over to the bed and sat across from him.

“I think we have to be in some kind of contact.”

“Ok.”

I grabbed his hand in mine, but nothing happened.  

“Maybe we should try and recreate what happened last night?”  Jamie suggested.

I put my forehead against his and he took a large intake of breath.  I closed my eyes and let my mind drift.  I thought of Jamie and his flames.

“Thomas.”

I looked at our entwined hands to find his flames were almost engulfing our entire arms.

“It truly is beautiful, Jamie.”  I felt the pull to kiss him again.  This can’t happen.

“Do you feel it, too?  The pull between us?  I want you to kiss me again.”

“Jamie, this can’t happen.  It’s against the rules.  I’m sorry.”  A tear rolled down his cheek, “Please don’t cry.”

“Get out.”  

He was crying now, “Jamie.  Please.”

“Get out!”