Chapter 4
Hadrian's P.O.V.
The moment I sat up I realized it was a dream. None of it was real. I blink away the tears that come to my eyes at the thought and start getting dressed so I'm ready when Aunt 'Tunia comes to get me.
I follow her and she shoves a list of chores at me. "Get started" she snaps. I rush to start on breakfast, sausages, and eggs. Before going outside to work in the yard. I see Uncle's car pull out of the driveway and start off down the street. I just sigh and go back to packing a leaf blanket around Aunt Petunia's flowers.
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Later that day
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I see Uncle Vernon's car pull in and I rush to the kitchen to start the chicken alfredo.
"BOY! WHY ISN'T THE YARD DONE?!" He yells storming into the house.
"I did the yard?" I mumble to myself.
"Oh it's done, Is it?!" He grabbed the collar of my shirt and punched me in the face twice, before he came to an idea. "If it's done I guess you won't mind sleeping out there tonight!" He laughed as he tossed me outside. My face landed in dirty slush. He walked back inside.
I pull myself up and look around to try and find somewhere protected from the snow. I finally decide to lay under the tree, curling up to conserve whatever heat I can.
When I fall asleep I end up back by the tree. Tom's already there, reading. He looks at me and sighs. "Why do you keep appearing in my dreams?"
I wish I had an answer. I don't though so I stay silent. Tom seems to realize that I don't have any answers either and lets it go.
"Are you cold?" He asks, seeing me shiver. I nod hesitantly. His eyes narrow and a moment later there's a blanket around my shoulders. I blink, having expected him to mock me for it.
"Thank you" I mumble, pulling the blanket tighter. Tom just nods.
"Am I that awful looking? You haven't looked at me once since you got here," he points out. "Generally it's considered polite to look at people when you speak with them"
I freeze for a second, before deciding to look up. If he is tricking me I'll get hurt either way, if not I don't wanna get hurt for not listening. His eyes narrow and he takes my chin.
"Who gave you these?" Oh, he was talking about the bruises? Did he think Uncle didn't hurt me enough?
"....nobody" I say wishing I could look back down,
He raises an eyebrow "Then where did those bruises come from? I've never known them to just appear,"
"I… fell," I know it's a weak excuse, but I don't want him to know yet. I don't want him to know what a freak I am, or how bad I am.
"Right, and I'm a bird," he paused for a moment "Now the truth, if you will," I know it wasn't a question.
It still takes me too long to respond. "... my uncle," I finally mumbled. Tom freezes for a second letting go of my chin. I immediately look back down. I try to think of something else to talk about. "What are you reading?"
"Mistress Masham's Repose" He says, allowing the topic change, "It's about a young girl finding a secret on her crumbling estate, an entire community, only inches tall! But her guardians want to exploit the secret for money!"
"...will you read it to me?" I regret the question the moment it leaves my mouth, instinctively tensing for a hit.
"Of course," He says, "but you'll have to pay attention. I don't read to just anyone," he grins, "the kids at my orphanage hate reading. It's a shame really,"
I grin nodding, "they miss out on so much!"
"You can read?"
"Not well.." my grin falters.
"Then I'll help you," Tom announces "you read outloud and if you have any trouble I'll help you." He hands me the book. He opens up the book and taps the first page.
"Maria was ten years old. She had dark hair in two pigtails, and brown eyes the color of mar-mit?" I read, I messed up already! God Aunt 'Tunia is right I'm stupid and now Tom'll see it and he won't wanna help anymore-
"Marmite, it's a sauce made from concentrated yeast. It's a really deep brown" Tom interjects, nodding at me to keep going.
"Marmite, but more shiny. She wore speck-tackles" I look at him wondering if I'm pronouncing it right.
"Not quite, it's speck-tickles,"
I nod "She wore spectacles for the time being, though she would not have to wear them always, and her nature was a loving one. She was one of those tough and friendly people who do things first and think about them afterward. When she met cows, however, she did not like to be alone with them, and there were other dangers, such as her- Tom what's this word?"
"Governess, like a private teacher"
"Such as her Governess from which she would have liked to have had a protector. Her main accomp-lish-ment" I look up at Tom and he nods so I keep reading "was that she enjoyed music, and played the piano well. Perhaps it was because her ear was good that she detested loud noises, and dreaded the fifth of No-vem-ber. This, however, with the cows, was her only weakness, and she was said to be good at games. Un-fort-un-ate-ly"
"Un-for-tun-ate-ly" Tom corrects
"Unfortunately she was an orp-han"
"It's Or-phan" Tom laughs. I look at him brow furrowed. "It means someone without parents," his voice turned bitter as he looked away.
"Oh, like me!" Tom looks back at me.
"Yeah, like us," he paused for a moment "it's time to wake up Hadrian" I nod feeling the tugging from last time.
The last thing I see is Tom putting in a bookmark, before I'm laying in the snow.