Chapter 17: Thomas

A/N:30.04.20

What is the most memorable dream you've had? Or the last one you remember?

Mine was: I was fighting a war with walking, talking trees in China.

And guess what?

We were losing 🤪

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*Thomas's pov*

I cussed under my breath, running as fast as I could. I looked around and saw a group of guys who looked like they were in their mid-twenties huddling around a small blond boy who stuck out like a sore thumb, clean and groomed.

"Hey!" I barked, running down the road and almost getting hit by a car. I ignored the driver's honking, my eyes focused on Eli. I pushed past the shady looking guys, and grabbed him by the shoulders, turning him from side to side to make sure that he wasn't hurt.

"You okay?" I asked, cupping his face to see if there were any injuries on his smooth, pale skin. He looked surprised by my touch but shook his head.

"I'm fine, Thomas," he murmured. My head hung, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Who are you supposed to be?" smirked a voice. I turned around, almost forgetting the scenario. I blinked in surprise, looking around us. There were seven of them, all of them were holding either a cigarette or a half-drunken beer bottle.

This is what Eli called three or four?! I could handle a group fight on my own, but I'd need help for any number above five.

"What do you think you're doing, kid?" sneered one, stepping forward. I quickly pulled Eli behind me, my grip tightening around his wrist.

"Wandering the streets," I shrugged. "What about you boys?"

They ignored my question.

"We saw him first," the one in front of me said, jutting his chin towards Eli. "Find your own rich bitch to rob."

"He's not that rich," I lied. I felt Eli's glare burn a hole in my back but I didn't care.

"Since when do poor kids carry on the latest iPhone?" he laughed, waving Eli's phone in his hand.

"Alright, fine, you caught me," I said, raising my hands in the air. "Look, he doesn't have any money on him, trust me, he's not stupid enough to do that."

"What about you? Got any money?" he asked, studying me from head to toe, scanning my pockets with his eyes.

"Yeah, I just got back from a part-time. I was paid in cash. If I give it to you guys, we leave with no blood and bruises, yeah?"

The group glanced at each other and shrugged. They were poor and looking for money, not a fight.

"You like playing the hero, eh?" snickered one of them. I shrugged.

"Call it a personal hobby of mine."

"Alright, kiddo, hand over the good stuff and we'll let you off the hook."

I nodded, shoving a hand into my jean pocket.

"Thomas, don't," Eli whispered from behind. I ignored him, searching inside my pockets. Then I blinked, raising my face towards the gang of men.

"What?" they asked, reading my blank expression.

"I just remembered," I said. "I'm just as broke as you hooligans."

Instead of pulling out the money, I pulled out a clenched fist and slammed it into his nose. He howled in pain, dropping the phone which I caught just before it fell to the ground. This stuff cracked as easily as a thin layer of glass, don't they?

I turned towards Eli who looked horrified.

"You better start moving those flimsy legs of yours," I said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him down the alley. The guys chased after us but when we ran across the road, we were lucky enough that a car that was driving by slowed them down while we managed to cross.

"What are you doing?!" Eli cried frantically. My hand slipped down his wrist and wrapped around his palm for a better grip.

"Saving your life, what do you think?!" I cried. I glanced over my shoulder and saw that the men were chasing after us, slowed down by the alcohol in their system but sober enough to stay on our trail.

"T-Thomas, I'm not good at running," panted Eli, who almost tripped. His hand tightened around mine for balance and I smiled for some dumb reason.

Get a hold of yourself Thomas, this isn't the time to be finding Eli cute!

We made a sharp turn around the neck block and I elbowed my way through the crowd who whined and complained.

"Thomas, my legs hurt!"

"This really isn't the time to be whining," I rasped, pushing my legs as fast as I could. But Eli was slowing us down and two of the men from earlier were hot on our trail. I let out a string of curse words until I noticed a stray grocery cart, a winning smile spreading across my face so wide that it hurt my cheeks.

Bingo.

I pulled Eli to the side and picked him up. Heck, he was as light as Molly.

"What are you doing?" he asked frantically when I got him into the grocery cart.

"Stop asking stupid questions."

I pushed the cart. It slowed me down at first, but I knew a path where there was a small slant that could work to my advantage.

"Hey!" shouted one of the men from behind who was only a few meters away.

"Hey to you too!" I laughed like a maniac as I took another sharp turn. Eli screamed, almost flying out of the cart. He snapped his head towards me, holding onto the metal as I continued to laugh.

"YOU ARE CRAZY!" he shouted. I rolled my eyes.

"Why do you think they call me 'Mad Dog?'" I couldn't help but laugh as adrenaline rushed through my core.

We made it to the road that slanted downwards and I placed one leg on the lower metal bar of the metal, using my other foot to press forward before raising it onto the metal with my other foot. The chilly breeze cutting my cheeks as we sped downhill at full speed.

"THOMAS! BUSHES!" Eli shrieked. I turned forward and noticed that there were a gutter and a ramp straight ahead. We were going to crash.

Well, not every plan was perfect.

The front wheels slammed against the gutter and I bared my teeth to prepare for the impact. Me, Eli, and the grocery cart were sent spiraling into the air. I used my arms to decrease the damage when we were sent flying into bushes. Landing in twigs and leaves was still better than landing on cement.

My elbows and knees hurt, but I flexed my limbs to make sure nothing was broken.

"You okay, Eli?"

He groaned in reply. I managed to find his hand among the dark leaves and pulled him out of the bushes, running down the street and zigzagging down a couple of buildings just to be safe, before finally finding refuge behind a large dumpster in a dark alley.

Eli crouched down, look like he was going to puke, while I pressed my hands against my knees, trying to catch my breath.

"We lost them," I rasped.

"I'm never coming here again," he stuttered, panting.

His voice was shaky and my smile vanished. I went over to him and helped him stand, but he quickly slapped my hands away. He was shaking and had a scratch on his cheekbone, probably from one of the twigs. Tears were streaming down his face.

"Hey," I murmured gently, but Eli was shaking. I guess he wasn't used to running for his life. "Don't cry."

"I hate you, you filthy rat!" he shouted, beating his little fists against my chest, trying to push me away. He pointed an accusing finger at my nose. "You and your dirty neighborhood! You and your stupid southside gangsters! You and your filthy-"

I grabbed his face in my hands and slammed my lips against his. Maybe it was the adrenaline, or maybe I really was crazy and had lost my mind, but my first instinct was to kiss this crying wimp.

Eli froze stiff, his eyes widening, but I wasn't willing on letting him go. I'll let him slap me after I got the fucking kiss I've been craving to get since detention.

But to my surprise, his arms tangled around my neck and he pressed on the tip of his toes, clutching onto my shirt so that I wouldn't pull away. I pressed my body against him, slipping my tongue into his mouth, letting my hand travel down his back and tighten around his small waist.

The warmth of his tongue and the texture of his soft lips made all my senses tingle from head to toe. My heart was beating so hard against my chest, I wondered if he could hear it.

Eli slowly pulled away and our forehead pressed together as we tried to catch our breaths, shock, fear, confusion, adrenaline, and excitement lingering in our eyes as we gazed at each other.

"Thomas," he panted, a blush spreading through his cheeks.

"Eli," I whispered his name, savoring each syllable.

We looked at each other and laughed.

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A/N: Our bent boys 🥺

Any ideas for ship names?

Oh, and please leave a vote if you enjoyed!!! 💫❣❣