The next few days, he skipped. He couldn't just pick up his life again so suddenly, after attempting to leave it behind.
Becky came on by once or twice, and seeing her just reminded him of Huck. She brought homework and notes, and Tom thanked her but then she would sit down and try to talk to him, and all he would want was for her to leave.
"What's going on, Tom?" Becky asked one of those times. He had opened the door, and now went to lay in his bed. She sat at the foot of it, watching him as he closed his eyes.
"I just haven't been feeling so well." Tom said. That's all he would say. Becky just watched him. "I..." Tom sighed and opened his eyes. He sat up quickly. "Why'd you say no?" Tom asked. She looked perplexed for a moment, fiddling with the bottom hem of her dress.
"Tom, I... It seems like you've been going through a lot. Ever since Huckleberry Finn came back, you've been different." Becky said. His heart lurched in two ways at his name. His best friend. His love.
"His name's Huckleberry." Tom said. His words were there but his mind hardly was.
"Isn't that what I said?" Becky asked.
"No more 'Finn'. Just Huckleberry. He told me so." Tom said.
"What? Tom, I... That's not what's important right now." She said, continuing to mess with her dress hem. "You are." She said quietly. "I said no because you weren't ready."
"Becky, I am. It," Tom blinked and in his mind he saw Huck talking with him those few nights ago. His chest caved with a shadowy feeling. It would never be like that again, "It's always been you and me. And you deserve to get married if you want to. Don't you want to?" Tom asked.
"Of course, but..." Becky leaned forwards and touched his forehead with the back of her hand. "Tom, you got some sort of fever, and you've been sick, so..." She sighed. "Get better. Then we'll talk. That's the only setback." She said, getting up. Tom took her hand quickly, softly.
"Please, Becky. I've got to move past himâ" He said and his eyes widened and his breath caught. Becky furrowed her eyebrows and squinted her eyes and squeezed his hand.
"You're sickly, Tom. Spouting nonsense. Now, I'll tell our teachers you're sick, and I'll see you in a few more days." She pulled away and walked for his door. "Get well, Tom. We'll be married soon enough." She smiled, and he smiled as much he could, and she left. And then Tom's smile fell and vanished and he was left alone again.
Maybe he actually was sick. Maybe all this had gone to his head and his health. Tom closed his eyes and sighed. He wished he had run. He wanted all this to be over.